who has driven both KW/RCE and BC racing coils

Trying to decide if the extra money is "worth it" for the KW/RCE setup. Car is wagon 5MT. Mostly DD, maybe a few auto-x and hopefully an HPDE in the future.

 

Interested in peoples review who have actually owned (or at least driven) both of these set ups. Please compare ride, handling, and NVH.

 

I have tried pinks/bilstein, and I would tolerate a little more loss of ride for more control.

Bump - also interested to hear people's thoughts.

no ones?

Not even in the same ball park. You get what you pay for. Tarmacs are FAR superior to BC. Ridden in both. Driven both. Own RCE.

^ You mean selling RCE, right?

Yes. Stepping up again. Going to try a custom AST4100 set up using Swift Springs and Vorsch plates.

Yes. Stepping up again. Going to try a custom AST4100 set up using Swift Springs and Vorsch plates.

 

Very very interested in your findings.

Can let you know. Trying to get with Myles now to arrange sending him payment and getting the Swedes started on my Struts, LOL.

thanks for the reply.

 

In what way is BC inferior? Can you quantify it? Is it the handling, the NVH, ride?

 

Thanks for taking the time.

thanks for the reply.

 

In what way is BC inferior? Can you quantify it? Is it the handling, the NVH, ride?

 

Thanks for taking the time.

Build quality and QC for one thing. BC/Megan/other low line coilovers are often mass produced and many come from the same factory. Does this mean one is inherently dangerous to drive on? No. But it does mean that in a competition setting or one where the utmost quality is desired, one will outperform another.

Handling, comfort, NVH, valving, build quality, materials used, all inferior. But also $700 less.

thanks for the input.

 

I understand that the KW is a superior product. Is it $700 (more in my case as I can get very light used ones for less than online new prices) better though? Is the increase in quality proportional to the price? Or are the KW "20%" better for twice the price. I understand it is hard to objectify traits such as NVH, ride, handling, etc.

thanks for the input.

 

I understand that the KW is a superior product. Is it $700 (more in my case as I can get very light used ones for less than online new prices) better though? Is the increase in quality proportional to the price? Or are the KW "20%" better for twice the price. I understand it is hard to objectify traits such as NVH, ride, handling, etc.

 

One thing you don't cheap out on is suspension. It will drive you nuts everyday if you do.

One thing you don't cheap out on is suspension. It will drive you nuts everyday if you do.

 

This man speaks the truth. There's nothing more aggravating than regretting your suspension purchase at every imperfection in the road...

 

But to the OP - I think the answer to your question is highly subjective. The only way to find out is to buy one and try it, if you don't like them then you'll have to bite the bullet, sell them, lose a few bucks, and move to the next set (like I did with the ISC coils I just sold).

 

I'm honestly fighting with the same decision as you - I can't imagine from what I've read that the BC's won't fit my needs, but having just sold a set of ISC's and losing a couple hundred dollars in the process, I'm reluctant to jump on something that's very similar in quality and price-point. Even though the reviews have been great. But the alternative (that I know will work for me) is the KW's, but spending twice as much money as the BC's is hard to swallow. That extra $900 will get me to stage 2.

 

Decisions, decisions...

FWIW my KW2s still work just like new, and they are a few years old now. I think they will last more then 5 years w/o any noticeable degradation in performance or ride quality.

 

They also seem to have pretty good resale.

^ I got mine used for 1k. Was it a killer deal then?

Yes.

But to the OP - I think the answer to your question is highly subjective. The only way to find out is to buy one and try it, if you don't like them then you'll have to bite the bullet, sell them, lose a few bucks, and move to the next set (like I did with the ISC coils I just sold).

 

I'm honestly fighting with the same decision as you - I can't imagine from what I've read that the BC's won't fit my needs, but having just sold a set of ISC's and losing a couple hundred dollars in the process, I'm reluctant to jump on something that's very similar in quality and price-point. Even though the reviews have been great. But the alternative (that I know will work for me) is the KW's, but spending twice as much money as the BC's is hard to swallow. That extra $900 will get me to stage 2.

 

Decisions, decisions...

 

This is what I am talking about. I think I will probably do as you say and try out the BC coils and if they don't meet my needs then go to KW.

 

Of course the true solution is for sprank to give me the KW for $800. This would solve all my problems.

Just not mine, LOL. If I could, I would. But I honestly need the money. I too bought coils and immediately I realized I should have spent more and got better. The AST set up Myles and I are talking about will run me over $3k.

I've done both BC, RCE and KWv2s and in this case you do get what you pay for. BCs are fine for glass smooth roads, but transmit *every* bump. On full hard the suspension doesn't move, on full soft it bounces off the bump stops. I never found a happy medium and sold them after 50 miles. Expensive lesson.

 

The RCE / KWv2s can handle real roads, track days and have a large range of adjustability. They are definitely on the sporting side of the equation. They aren't great over heavily potholed pavement - if you want a ride as comfortable as stock the Bilsteins may be a better choice.

 

My subjective opinion (1-worst - 10 best):

 

.........Ride / Handle / NVH

Stock==== 8 / 5 / 8

BC======= 3 / 7 / 1

RCE/KWv2= 6 / 9 / 7

 

That said, I'm still looking for the perfect (for me) setup. I'm willing to trade handling for a better ride over the crappy Chicago roads.

I ride on bc racing coilovers. I run em 4 clicks on front, 12 rears. I find this to be the best setting for daily driving. I Used to ride em stiff on fronts w 15-20click, 15 rears. They are a little bouncy sometimes if you turn em up, increasing makes you feel road more , but suspension doesnt really travel as much, drives me nuts, but cars handles better on the long sweeping turns, On the bright side , its better than the horrible factory suspension. I will just keep my bc until , something better than KW/RCE is out to replace em wit. Hurry up, M Spank, I want to see your new suspension setup.

an update on initial impressions of these two units. Please note this is only my impressions after brief rides to evaluate initial impressions of ride quality. I have not driven either unit hard enough, or long enough to evaluate anything else.

 

I BRIEFLY drove Johndas’ wagon with RCE coils on 18” tires. It was just a drive in the area to get a sense of ride quality. The RCE coils ride as smooth as stock, there is no degradation harshness.

 

I now have the BC coils set up similar to what LRegvall has. Minimal reduction in ride height, some added preload and softer settings on the dampers. In terms of ride quality, the BC units are not as smooth and are a little more harsh than the RCE units; however, the increase in harshness is reasonable and tolerable for DD. Hard to quantify, but I would say 10-15% change in ride degradation compared to stock.

 

 

Two footnotes:

 

1) Neither of these units are aggressive for serious track duty. These are definitely trackable street coils.

 

2) Not sure if this has been mentioned before, but an easy way to loosen the rear bolt that holds the shock is to orient two 19mm wrenches such that you can lower the car using the jack, thereby using the weight of the car to break the nuts loose. So easy it is criminal.

2) Not sure if this has been mentioned before, but an easy way to loosen the rear bolt that holds the shock is to orient two 19mm wrenches such that you can lower the car using the jack, thereby using the weight of the car to break the nuts loose. So easy it is criminal.

 

And dangerous.

 

Please folks, use the proper tools. I keep reading of these "homemade" methods and it scares the crap out of me. Between people dropping their cars on wrenches in an attempt to use them like a breaker bar and people placing a breaker bar on the crank pulley and setting it against the ground then starting the motor to break the crank bolt loose someone is going to get SERIOUSLY injured or DIE.

I can't see how one would get the proper angle on that bolt with long breaker bar: there is so little room. Maybe if I had a lift. Maybe it was a little dangerous to my tools and the bolt, but not to my own safety as I was not under the car.

 

Anyway, I agree in principle about using the right tool, so I guess I won't argue.

 

Use the right tool everyone!

I use a 3/8" drive breaker bar to hold the bolt and a 1/2" breaker bar to break the nut loose. Works every time. I also have a 3/4" breaker bar if neccessary. Just put the car on stands thats all it takes. To hold the strut in place while removing the bolt and to lift the strut back up for installation I use a bottle jack placed under the lower eye.