Suspension Advice

[celestspeed3]

Well, I've learned my lesson with "affordable" coilovers. I've had my car on the track 3 times this year and the coilovers I have aren't cutting it. If there is any dip in the road while it's loaded in a corner it bottoms out. I'm running Corksport coilovers at the highest height setting and stiffest shock setting and it's just not holding up. I think its bottomed out enough to wear my wheel bearing to the point they are making noise.

So . . . .

Because I happened to buy a Mazda that's not an MX5 or RX7/8 I'm faced with little to no aftermarket support.

Here are my options as they stand now unless someone can suggest something else.

Get a set of entry level AST shocks and reuse the hardware and springs from the current setup.

Or

Get the HotBits DT2 line and reuse the hardware and springs from the current setup.

The Hotbit's guy says the AST are overpriced and I'm paying for the name, The AST guy says HotBit's are Malaysian POS garbage..
I was wondering if anyone on here has had any experience with one or the other or both. It seems the options I was getting on the Hotbit's ones were going to cost me near double if I got the same thing from AST. I don't want to repeat the lesson of buy cheap get cheap. I want something that will perform well on the track, maybe not break any records but something I can use with confidence and not be worried about it bottoming out?

[JoeT]

I use Hotbits custom valved coilovers. The nice thing about Hotbits are the ability to select the spring rates you need and have Peter revalve them for the rates. I'm running 13kg front and 15Kg rears, and they are very comfortable on the road and are awesome for track duty. Oh, he's local too, so rebuilds and revalves are quick.

[celestspeed3]

Thanks Joe, I think Hot bits is going to happen. J have an appointment with Peter on Tuesday.

[Daniel]

I ran a set of Hot Bits dual adjustable coilovers on a 2001 RS and really liked them. I now run a set of AST 4200's on my 97 M3 - I love them. You really can't go wrong with either, but I have to say I think I prefer the AST's. Both can be rebuilt locally.

[LaszloT]

Has anyone contact details for Peter at HotBits?

[Daniel]

http://www.hotbits.org/distributors.aspx

[STeveD]

Peter moved to Orangeville:

Hot Bits Suspension (Canada)
18 Tideman Dr. #9, Orangeville, ON L9W 4N6
(519) 940-4789
www.hotbits.ca

[celestspeed3]

I ran a set of Hot Bits dual adjustable coilovers on a 2001 RS and really liked them. I now run a set of AST 4200's on my 97 M3 - I love them. You really can't go wrong with either, but I have to say I think I prefer the AST's. Both can be rebuilt locally.

I ordered the hot bits set already after Peter measured up everything, he seemed to know what he was talking about and it will be a crazy improvement over what I have now.

My main decision regarding the HitBits over AST was the cost of rebuild. I was told about $1200 to rebuild he AST and Peter told me $100 a corner.

Curious though as to why you prefer the AST over the Hot bits?

This was hard for me since I don't know what a good suspension feels like and I dont what the differences are.

[LaszloT]

This was hard for me since I don't know what a good suspension feels like and I dont what the differences are.

Paul, you are not alone. I am trying to understand the spectrum of performance improvements for handling myself. It's been a slow process and I don't want to overspend, if my real goals are to have fun on the weekends in my daily driver.

Club members have been infinitely helpful, and collectively we've got all the experience you need within it.

[STeveD]

My main decision regarding the HitBits over AST was the cost of rebuild. I was told about $1200 to rebuild he AST and Peter told me $100 a corner. Curious though as to why you prefer the AST over the Hot bits? This was hard for me since I don't know what a good suspension feels like and I dont what the differences are.

Though I don't own the AST, for me it comes down to the sophistication of the valving. At slow speeds, the low speed "jounce" can be a bit harsh on single adjustables after optimizing the rebound. Only on certain roads, over lumpy/heaved surfaces. Flat out on gravel? Feels fine.

The European suspensions seem to spend a lot more time on getting low speed valving. On my DT2's, I have to make small rebound adjustments throughout the year as the ambient temperature changes to keep things smooth.

As you'll find out shortly, Hotbits also have a different # of clicks on practically every strut. Since everything you adjust is from full closed anyway, it doesn't really matter or affect performance. The variation occurs so far into the soft end of adjustment that you'd never set your suspension there anyway. But on my wagon my LR strut has 42 clicks of compression adjustment and the rest are 30 - 33. So I just make up a card for each car with the different # of clicks so I can adjust off the soft side as well. Going from the hard side, it's never an issue.

There's certain other benefits to Hotbits in regards to the valving that I DO love. Like, every click makes a difference. I swear that I think my Whiteline valving adjusters weren't attached to anything inside the strut.

Oh, and never adjust Hotbits to FULL hard. The shock won't move. Serious. Like I said... every click does something!

Don't worry, you'll enjoy them.

[celestspeed3]

Thanks Steve, Peter said you were probably the best person to talk about them. He told me about your extremely precise shock valving. I will have to pick your brain during this weekends events.