Raceland Mazda 3 coilover kit opinions

[Chris RJG]

looking to lower my 08 3 sedan and would prefer to go coilover rather than just replacing springs. I had this link posted to me, just wondering if anyone has any experience or knowledge on this brand. the price seems to good to be true.

http://www.racelandus.com/coilovers/...lover-kit.html

[Shinglez]

Haha, I was going to bring this up to the forum because I will be buying these at the end of the month I was in constant contact with these guys asking if they would come out with a set for our cars, and they've been updating me since November.

My friend has them on his MK4 GTI and he says he loves them. The only downfall is the stiffness of the ride, which cannot be adjusted because Raceland Coilovers don't have adjustable dampers. I don't think I'll mind the stiffness, because I find my ride to be very stiff on stock suspension anyway... but that might be because it's about 7 years old

Anyways, just my two cents, but I can put up a review once I have them installed in the spring

They're really great guys and sell great products that are very affordable!

[-RJ3-]

Prepare to have your stereo skip and have a sore back... having no dampening on coil overs feels so rough your going to have a massage therapist on call every 2 weeks lol...

JK its not that bad.. HAd Tein basics, and youll get used to it, not your passengers lol

[Shinglez]

Hahah that's fine, my passengers can simply

[-RJ3-]

LMAO hope its a girl

[Default User]

It's a good product, but be prepared to have your kidneys pop out of your sides everytime you hit a bump when lowered.

Without the dampening adjustability - your whole suspension components will be stressed.

Think about when your crawling on your hands and feet - Palms out vs Fisted. Now race across the room and notice how your wrists and elbows feel different compared in each position.

[Chris RJG]

so long as theres no real safety concern im okay with a stiffer ride, i mean these and lower springs are within the same price range and even if i rode these for a year until i can afford a higher grade set then i could make due.

and @Shinglez, a review would be great to see.

thanks all

[-RJ3-]

It's a good product, but be prepared to have your kidneys pop out of your sides everytime you hit a bump when lowered.

Without the dampening adjustability - your whole suspension components will be stressed.

Think about when your crawling on your hands and feet - Palms out vs Fisted. Now race across the room and notice how your wrists and elbows feel different compared in each position.

Great comparison.. Im starting to feel the discomfort again lol

[zakman]

how much worse could this be compared to say prokits and stock shocks?

[Default User]

ProKits drop is so subtle and the spring rates are matched close to OEM.

Personally, I think the PKs aren't stiff enough.

[zakman]

ya i run the prokits and stock shocks and i find it more then fine but being up here in barrie with the crappy snow winters(even this one sucks) i sometimes find the prokits a pain in the a$$ and if this wasnt to bad it could be a cheap alternative and help out in the winters.

[Shinglez]

I just think the Racelands are a sweet alternative for people on a budget

[Default User]

I can't speak first hand of the RACELANDS.

But without the adjustable damperin, they're basically an adaptation of the old coil-over sleeves. AKA kidney poppers AKA CD skippers. AKA suspension suicide

[zakman]

so really even the cheapest coils with a damper set up is best for ride quality... ic looks like more research is needed lol

but as for the raceland coilover kit i do agree it probably is a good choice for someone who is on a budget and needs the adjustability. good find

[Chris RJG]

Shinglez, a review would be great. Im okay with a stiff ride like some others it depends just how bad the stiffness really makes it.

[Chris RJG]

Thanks all for the feedback, im okay with stiffness and would probably only makes these fairly temporary as an alternative to lowering springs. definitely would not want a stiff ride long-term but these would get me by until some higher quality i suppose

[The Wolf]

i'd imagine the racelands would be fine for a weekend car, or something like that. but on a DD it would probably get old quick.

[Chris RJG]

They'd be for a full time car. just dont have the budget for a proper set, starving student and all

[Default User]

You'd be better off with Sportlines then buying Koni yellows afterwards

[Shinglez]

i'd imagine the racelands would be fine for a weekend car, or something like that. but on a DD it would probably get old quick.

I hear what you're saying, but if women can do it with their heels and walk, I can sit, drive, and enjoy the stance

I mean, it really helps that my close friend bought these, so I have a pretty good idea of what to expect. I've sat in his car and it's really not that bad.

[Dave_The_BMXER]

http://www.mazda3forums.com/index.php?topic=202433.0
http://www.mazdaspeedforums.org/foru...ilovers-96230/

[Aitch]

Alright, let me preface this by stating I don't have experience with Raceland coilovers. There seem to be some misconceptions here, although it could be my misinterpretation of what's written but here goes anyways.

All shocks/coilovers come with damping. The Raceland coilovers don't come with adjustable damping, just like many entry-level coilvoers (Tein basic, Yonaka, etc). That means you can adjust the ride height but not the ride comfort (to the extent it can be adjusted by damping, as it also depends on the spring rates).

A non-adjustable coilover is not inherently going to have a horrible ride quality just because it doesn't have adjustable damping, it really depends on how the spring rates and damping are set up from the factory. For example, my Yonakas had one of the softest spring rates of coilovers for our cars, and the ride was not horrible because the damping was set to match (at the same time, I got tired of the stiff ride).

Having said all that, anecdotal evidence from other applications indicates that the Racelands are a) stiff as f*ck, and b) not of the highest quality (not surprising given the price). I would expect you can infer the ride quality will not be the greatest. Shinglez, if you find your stock suspension to be stiff, you may be surprised by how stiff these coilover spring rates are (likely 3x stiffer than stock, with the damping to match). Old stock suspensions tend to get more mushy with time as the shocks wear out, not stiffer. It helps that you've ridden with a friend on a similar setup so you know what to expect.

[Pereira11]

i have heard only bad things about these coilovers, i highly doubt they are stainless steel which would mean trouble in the winter unless you are very diligent about maintaining them.

you dont want to cheap out on suspension at all. if you are on a budget then continue to save for higher quality products or go with springs.

i had bilstein coilovers without dampening adjustability and they rode amazing. anyone who has had bilstein products can attest to their quality. i would not discount coilovers simply because of their lack of adjustability but rather look into the materials used and the research and development put into their product. Coilover systems that cost the same as a set of springs should set off alarms that they may not be the best decision

[Chris RJG]

Alright, let me preface this by stating I don't have experience with Raceland coilovers. There seem to be some misconceptions here, although it could be my misinterpretation of what's written but here goes anyways.

All shocks/coilovers come with damping. The Raceland coilovers don't come with adjustable damping, just like many entry-level coilvoers (Tein basic, Yonaka, etc). That means you can adjust the ride height but not the ride comfort (to the extent it can be adjusted by damping, as it also depends on the spring rates).

A non-adjustable coilover is not inherently going to have a horrible ride quality just because it doesn't have adjustable damping, it really depends on how the spring rates and damping are set up from the factory. For example, my Yonakas had one of the softest spring rates of coilovers for our cars, and the ride was not horrible because the damping was set to match (at the same time, I got tired of the stiff ride).

Having said all that, anecdotal evidence from other applications indicates that the Racelands are a) stiff as f*ck, and b) not of the highest quality (not surprising given the price). I would expect you can infer the ride quality will not be the greatest. Shinglez, if you find your stock suspension to be stiff, you may be surprised by how stiff these coilover spring rates are (likely 3x stiffer than stock, with the damping to match). Old stock suspensions tend to get more mushy with time as the shocks wear out, not stiffer. It helps that you've ridden with a friend on a similar setup so you know what to expect.

thanks for the clarification. im pretty new to this so ive been having to try and keep up by googling terms as we go.

[midnitehour]

if you really want something soft and cushy get a toyota. I plow speedbumps with my corolla and don't feel a thing.

I have a set of Racelands on my miata, and can definetly tell you that their quality is not bad. not the greatest, but not bad.
And for the hundreds of miata and vw people that run racelands to the very limits can't all be wrong.


It also doesn't matter if you have SS, Aluminum, or adamantium shock bodies. They will all seize without proper care. I've seen AWR, BC, Tein all seize due to poor maintanence.


As far as a coilover being "stiff" that's kind of the idea, Stiffer spring rates = more road feedback.
I've had suspension coilovers that might as well have been solid on my protege, and while yes chicks complain that thier tits hurt after a bumpy drive, nothing compares to railing corners with 100% confidence. So shove a sports bra in your glove box and deal with it.

My only gripe, with this is the way the shock is dampened, to much bump dampening, not enough rebound dampening.