mx5cartalk.com

So we've had these discussions again and again, users championing one brand over the other but not many people have done apple vs apple comparisons.

So this is a comparison of the budget end of the coilover segment. Don't come here comparing Ohlins. This is the max $1500 price range, and I've dríven on the new coilovers for a good few weeks now.

Here's the situation - I had Tein SuperStreets on my MX5 and I swapped to Weitecs, and on my Integra, I went from Yellowspeed to Weitec.

If you are not familiar with Weitec, they are the budget brand of KW which make an Eibach / Bilstein level product - so good, mid-upper range.

On the MX5:
The reason I changed was that the SuperStreets were not quite firm enough for track, and I didn't like how it dived under brakes.

I haven't taken the Weitecs to the track, but they are marginally stiffer on the street - not surprising given SuperStreets are pretty much stock level comfort.

The negative of the Weitecs for the MX5 is that I have lost adjustability. They are height adjustable but no damper adjustment.

On the Integra:
Ride wise, very little difference. If I really paid attention to it. The first couple of days I thought, Wow! Nicer! However, after a couple of weeks the coilovers have settled and I can't say I can really pick a substantial difference. The Weitecs do absorb harsh bumps better and irons out oscillation a little better but 70-80% of the time...no real difference.

Now, the negatives of the Weitec - no top hats, so add $180 for new top hats (I wasn't going to pull the Yellowspeeds apart) and the height adjustability is not independent of preload. Damper adjustability is via a free turning Allen screw (versus clicks) - no knob provided.

The biggest surprise was how heavy the Weitecs were. About twice as heavy as the Yellowspeeds.

So there you go...feel free to ask questions. I've yet to compare BC vs Yellowspeed but I don't know if anyone has done that switch.

I've kept the Yellowspeeds because when I turn the Integra into a more focused track car, I'd go back to them for the better adjustability.

i've done the bc and ysr switch in another model car. i would say there is no difference in the springs and damper.

the bc come with brackets for brakes line that are like stock brackets. the ysrs come with a generic style bracket just like D2s.
the bcs fitment was much better - everything bolts up nicely. the ysrs needs some finese to get things to were i needed them.
the bcs have an adjust screws to the shock piston rod and holds it all in place. the ysrs have the normal drop down allen key adjustor.
the bcs cost $1200. the ysrs cost $1000.



I've also used D2s and JICmagic on the same car. But not really worth mentioning since they are no longer available.

So no diff between YSR and BC...I would have thought so.

So Apu why didn't you just order stiffer springs and dial up the dampers on the Super Streets rather than spend more money on new coilovers?

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Then you lose a portion of the adjustability, and if I am not wrong, you really only have partial adjustment - not full adjustability of bound and rebound.

I did get a good deal on the Weitecs and was keen to try a different set up. I have a lot of respect for KW.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not knocking the Weitecs - as there are plus and minuses to each product.

The Weitecs are also "set and forget" and I'd like to try that aspect of it when I get to the track.

I'm no expert and am not particularly fast, but I do go faster simply because I've made a change which has given me more confidence...as opposed to being able to drive a car fast by working around it's limitations.

Those pictures look like they wouldn't fit an NA/NB or an NC?

I drove the premium competition YSR on my original mx5 and currently drive with HSD hr's in the new one and the HSD's I find to be much better for the street.

Can you describe why it's better? Also, the premium comps I think are a track only coilover.

timk wrote:Those pictures look like they wouldn't fit an NA/NB or an NC?

no unless there is a version with macpherson struts available. but if you read the first line of the post with the pictures, you'll see they weren't for a mx5.

I think my definition of better would all come down to the spring rates. As you pointed out the premium competition are listed as track coilovers with 12kg/12kg springs which were fun when I was pushing the car but for daily duties it was way too much.
I picked up the yellowspeeds for $800 new so for that price they were worth it.

Yup, so not quite apples / apples.

I have to admit, it was quite easy to screw up the setting on the Yellowspeeds. When I had them fitted, I thought...not bad! Then after fiddling a couple of times at the track, I haven't quite got them right again.

Of course, I am a measure-once-cut-twice kind of guy...

You're talking about Tein as if there's only one option. Tein make a big range and there are about 7 of these which will fit an MX5.



If you're using Super Streets then you're trying to use a street setup for track work. Bear in mind also that spring rates are at least as important as damping and springs are easily and cheaply bought from Tein USA or from local makers like Kings.

Unfortunately I don't have the budget to try all of Tein's offering.

SuperStreets are pretty common, they're in a similar price range as the other coilovers I'm comparing, and they're the ones I've had on my car.

There's no point comparing Monoflex to SuperStreets as they're in a different price range. It's like comparing a Boxster to the MX5...

For the price of Tein, Weitec and Yellowspeed you could have just got the Ohlins and been done with it :p

...and swap that between my two cars?