coldsubycz Posted July 15, 2011 Share Posted July 15, 2011 Racecomp Engineering Tarmac 1 (RCE) Tarmac 1 vs. Koni/Eibach-Epic Have 75k on my GT and will be going stage 3 in a few months. Thought it would be a good idea to get the suspension up to snuff. I’m really on the fence between these two setups. Haven’t found any recent discussions for the Tarmacs. Most reviews and praises were from three years ago. Goals: -Minimum or no drop (want to maintain maximum suspension travel for a better ride) -Smooth controlled ride (no metal shaking sounds when going over bumps) -I’ll decide on cost/value equation, but really want to know people’s opinions on the dynamics between the two. -Have a family with two young kids and we use my car as the primary family hauler. Everyone has been okay with all my mods (Stage 2), but don’t want to punish them with the ride. -What would you like to ride in for a 300 to 500 mile trip? (Even if it means stock setup) Thanks for taking the time to read this!! I appreciate any opinions you might have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wpmarky Posted July 15, 2011 Share Posted July 15, 2011 Tarmacs are super comfortable, if you get those your passengers won't be able to tell you have an aftermarket suspension until you take a fast turn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Underdog Posted July 15, 2011 Share Posted July 15, 2011 I run both, Koni/EE in the winter and Tarmacs in the summer. The Tarmacs, hands-down, beat the Koni/EE setup in both performance and comfort. The difference is subtle, but after enough road time you will notice that the Tarmacs have significantly less lean/squat/dive and better compression and rebound control. Being able to adjust the ride height is a huge plus, as you can get the performance, comfort and aesthetics you want, all in one package. Throw in the SS bodies which stay pristine after even 3-4 years (what I have on them currently) versus the OEM strut bodies which rust up even with biannual cleaning and it's a clear choice. Now, factor in the cost and it becomes much more subjective... Hope that helps. *edit* To address your bullet points directly: -Minimum or no drop (want to maintain maximum suspension travel for a better ride) Clearly the Tarmacs are better here. You can set your ride height wherever you wish. I have my Tarmacs set slightly higher up front vs. Koni/EEs for the extra compression stroke. -Smooth controlled ride (no metal shaking sounds when going over bumps) Tarmacs come out ahead here, particularly over railroad tracks, sharp-edged potholes, etc. No metal shaking sounds from either component, although I may be missing it over all the other drivetrain noise from hardened mounts, etc. -What would you like to ride in for a 300 to 500 mile trip? (Even if it means stock setup) Tarmacs, no question. The Crimson Dynamo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheeseenlo Posted July 15, 2011 Share Posted July 15, 2011 ^ +1 This is spot on with my experience. I had both setups. I wish I could've saved the konis for my winter setup but I needed to recoup some money for the Tarmacs. Lk The Tarmacs were worth every penny. Most people don't realize I run a coilover setup because most associate them to be harsh. I have full underbracing and a 20mm rsb aswell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coldsubycz Posted July 15, 2011 Author Share Posted July 15, 2011 Thanks guys for the help! This is making the decision easier, but not the money out lay. Underdog, read all your posts I could find from a few years ago and they were very helpful in understanding how the Tarmacs ride. *edit* why the switch to Koni/EE for winter? Is it just simply to preserve the Tarmacs from the winter roads? I finished paying off my car a year ago and now putting my monthly payment money towards mods. But it seems like aftermarket companies stop making/supporting after a few years. I'm hoping RCE keeps producing the Tarmacs for awhile, not sure exactly when I'll be doing suspension upgrade. Two more questions: -What spring rates are you guys running? -What would you recommend for my situation? -f400/r400 or f350/r400? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim_KT Posted September 21, 2011 Share Posted September 21, 2011 Bumping this up. I will be in the market to upgrade/repair my suspension, and have been looking at the RCE Tarmacs and Konis. My Cusco Zero2s are getting a bit winded. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saul_Good Posted September 21, 2011 Share Posted September 21, 2011 I have had these for almost 2 years and everything that was said above is spot on and I run 500# springs front and rear with cusco camber plates up front. They are also kickbutt on the track. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iNVAR Posted September 24, 2011 Share Posted September 24, 2011 Ooh, how'd I miss this thread during my search... I posted my own in the general discussion and got a lot of responses there too: http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/coilovers-vs-springs-koni-bilsteins-169167.html Costs aside, I'm leaning towards the coilovers. Price is about 2x the koni strut+epic spring setup though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leftcoast74 Posted September 24, 2011 Share Posted September 24, 2011 T1's. 7/k 7/k no doubt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iggybdawg Posted October 17, 2011 Share Posted October 17, 2011 Do you have camber plates or rubber shock mounts on the Tarmacs? I need shocks, and I'm seriously considering jumping to the RCE Tarmacs. I autocross the car, but my wife daily drives it. Her complaint right now is that the front end has lots of noise and the car is kind of wandering. (I'm going to check out the control arm bushings and endlinks also) I run both, Koni/EE in the winter and Tarmacs in the summer. The Tarmacs, hands-down, beat the Koni/EE setup in both performance and comfort. The difference is subtle, but after enough road time you will notice that the Tarmacs have significantly less lean/squat/dive and better compression and rebound control. Being able to adjust the ride height is a huge plus, as you can get the performance, comfort and aesthetics you want, all in one package. Throw in the SS bodies which stay pristine after even 3-4 years (what I have on them currently) versus the OEM strut bodies which rust up even with biannual cleaning and it's a clear choice. Now, factor in the cost and it becomes much more subjective... Hope that helps. *edit* To address your bullet points directly: -Minimum or no drop (want to maintain maximum suspension travel for a better ride) Clearly the Tarmacs are better here. You can set your ride height wherever you wish. I have my Tarmacs set slightly higher up front vs. Koni/EEs for the extra compression stroke. -Smooth controlled ride (no metal shaking sounds when going over bumps) Tarmacs come out ahead here, particularly over railroad tracks, sharp-edged potholes, etc. No metal shaking sounds from either component, although I may be missing it over all the other drivetrain noise from hardened mounts, etc. -What would you like to ride in for a 300 to 500 mile trip? (Even if it means stock setup) Tarmacs, no question. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcteryx Posted August 20, 2013 Share Posted August 20, 2013 Another bump because I'm considering buying RCE Tarmacs. Just curious about the range of ride height adjustability. Although I'm fine with going below stock ride height, because I do the occasional TSD rally, it would be nice to actually go slightly above stock ride height. Is this possible with the RCEs? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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