Thinking about the new AFCO coilovers...

[CplDaugherty]

Hey guys, I saw that they were offering a "budget version" that took out the dampening control... I'd like to have the damping control, but for my uses I don't think it's a necessity if I can save a good amount of cash. I know these are going to be priced slightly higher than some other offerings but a ton cheaper than the all out race version. But the real point that attracts me to them is the fact that the ride height is so easily adjustable. And you get whatever springs you want - firmer, similar to stock, or softer than stock. Whatever I want.

I've heard that KW's, etc, are pretty hard to adjust the height, and I know a few people take theirs to the shop to get done. I'd rather do it in my garage with some jack stands and a couple of beers.


plus you gotta admit they are damn sexy...

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k290/jmattharnish/Chromebluecoilover.jpg

so what do you guys think?

[crhemi]

Chris, I think if the price is right go for it. They are (from JMatts wrte up) much easier to adjust then the KW's, not that you need to adjust them often...

Yes, they are sexy!

[Trojan]

I love them, There easy to adjust and the springs are cheap, Im gonna order the new fronts real soon so I AFCO on all 4 corners. Great product, easy to install, and adjustable in 5 mins per side.

[TONKA]

noticed your from Indiana what part? I am from franklin orginally and the name sounds famaliar(sp?)

[JMatt]

I love them, There easy to adjust and the springs are cheap, Im gonna order the new fronts real soon so I AFCO on all 4 corners. Great product, easy to install, and adjustable in 5 mins per side.
Hey Trojan - I just placed the first production order for fronts yesterday. They should be available soon. I'm giving you, all the other existing customers, and anyone else who orders the rears before the fronts are available $100 off the price of the fronts. This is retrocactive to the very first customer.

And CPL beat me to the punch. We are producing a non-damping adjustable version for people who want the same level of performance, but don't want or need the ability to adjust their damping.

Price should be set soon - perhaps by the end of today. But I expect it to save Around $900 or more off the price of the full race version.

I'll post updated pricing and availability when I know more.

[Fast56k]

I got em. I really like em. Can easily adjust em and I like the ride much better than stock.

C.

[prican_2000]

Can you please explain what exactly is "Damping"???

No question is a stupid question and I really don't know what that means or does in regards to our suspensions.

THANKS

[JMatt]

Can you please explain what exactly is "Damping"???

No question is a stupid question and I really don't know what that means or does in regards to our suspensions.

THANKS
"Damping" is the resistance to a springs movement. That's what a shock does. Every shock by definition controls spring, and thus car motion through damping.

Most shocks just have a fixed level of damping. As you get more heavily into all out racing products you get more control of damping.

For example, the AFCO double adjustable coilovers we sell contol compression damping (resistance to a shock compressing) and rebound damping (resistance to a shock extending) and they do it with independent controls.

That allows you to do thing like set the front rebound so soft that the shock practically falls open so the front end can rise at the launch on a dragstrip. But then you have to set the compression extremely firm so when the front end comes back down it doesn't come crashing to the pavement.

You wouldn't want to drive like that on the street though, as it is incredibly uncomfortable.

Likewise on the rear, for cornering you want a pretty firm damping setup. At the dragstrip you may actually need a lot of rebound, so once the rear end has dropped from the force of the launch, it doesn't bounce right back up again, causing a loss of traction.

By using very adjustable shocks, you can run optimally at the racetrack AND still ride comfortable on the street.

So if all you want to do is run comfortably on the street, you have much less need to adjust damping, and can just use a shock that was pretuned at a fixed level of damping.

And if you don't need/want to adjust your damping, we now offer a coilover package at a price that is expected to be around $900 less than the all out race version.

Personally - I only ever wanted the all out race version, and wouldn't run anything else. But I have to concede that at least 95% of everyone doesn't need or want that level of performance, but could certainly use the adjustability of true coilovers on all four corners of their car. Especially at a much more comfortable price point.

So far, before these there has never been an actual coilover made for the rear suspension of the LX platform. There's a lot of deceiving pictures out there of products that aren't really what you get on our cars. 100% of every other product out there offers a replacement coilover for the front - just like factory. Then they offer a seperate shock and spring for the rear. Just like factory.

In contrast, the AFCO coilovers, whether full adjustable, or fixed damping, are actual coilovers front and back, which makes them unbelievably easy to adjust ride height. They're also the only product where you can select the springs of your choice for the ride characteristics of your choice.

Want a firm ride? We can do that. Want it soft? We do that to.

Want to change up your ride someday and go to a different set of springs? For about $250 you can get a whole new set of springs for your car and completely change it's ride.

[JMatt]

And just like that - official pricing is in!!!!


AFCO full race, double adjustable true coilover suspension is $2,298.
Because the rears are already available, there is a $100 discount to anyone who had ordered, or does order a set of the rears before the fronts are shipping. You take delivery of the rears now, and get fronts from the first production run in June.

AFCO, fixed damping, true coilover suspension is $1,399.
Pre-orders now, complete sets will ship in June. No charge until shipment. $1,399 is the pre-production price. Once production has run in June, the price is $1,449.

PM me to get on the list.

Actual product:
Rears, as instlled on my car:
http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k290/jmattharnish/ChromeCoils005a.jpg

Fronts, as installed on my car:
http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k290/jmattharnish/ChromeSprings007a.jpg

The raw aluminum piece at the bottom of the front shock will be finished in black instead of raw aluminum. The top mounting bracket on mine is the prototype raw steel. The finished product is painted/powdercoated black. Visually, the only difference between double adjustable and fixed damping is the two black knobs for making the adjustments.

Double-adjustable are priced with yellow springs. Chrome is slightly more.
Fixed damping are priced with chrome look springs. Yellow is slightly less.

[hemi8tr]

hey how do i get my yellow springs traded for the chrome??? also need the fronts. when can they be shipped?

[JMatt]

hey how do i get my yellow springs traded for the chrome??? also need the fronts. when can they be shipped?
Well - you can't trade yellow for chrome, but because you got your rears from me on blind faith before the fronts were made, I'm giving you an automatic $100 off the fronts. Instead of $100 off the fronts, I'll just throw in a new set of rear springs in chrome if you like ($130).

Fronts should ship in June.

[CplDaugherty]

So nothing but good things so far huh?

Looks like I might have to take the plunge...

[JMatt]

So nothing but good things so far huh?

Looks like I might have to take the plunge...
Chris - you coming back to Indy any time soon? I can show you these at the track.

I'm finally getting my car dialed back in. Ran 11.47 today on virtually no track prep for street legal night. Turned off stage 1 of nitrous and still ran 1.76 60' time.

My car was the absolute quickest car in attendance out of about 100 cars. They don't generally see this much HP on street legal night.

[Meathammer]

JMatt, are you going to be at the LX & Beyond Nationals in June? I'd like to see these coil-overs in person. I'm going to be needing something soon, and these are on my list to check out, albeit they are at the very high end of my price range.

[JMatt]

JMatt, are you going to be at the LX & Beyond Nationals in June? I'd like to see these coil-overs in person. I'm going to be needing something soon, and these are on my list to check out, albeit they are at the very high end of my price range.
Yes - I will be there. I'm just hoping to have my nitrous system back to A+ again by then. Still running too rich as if there's a blockage in the nitrous delivery system somewhere.

[get_some_sucka]

will these work with an electronic controller like the teins to adjust the dampening?

[JMatt]

will these work with an electronic controller like the teins to adjust the dampening?
Teins are the only electronic version out there. They are still the same as stock configuration though: Coilover on the front. Seperate shock and spring on the back. So rear ride height adjustments are virtually impossible. More of a set it where you want it, and leave it alone.

[get_some_sucka]

the only thing i'm worried about is that the fiance drives the srt8 too and she already thinks the stock set up is a little on the stiff side. i'm all about performance though. i really like the afco set up but it'd be nice if we were each able to change the way it rides to our liking.

[JMatt]

the only thing i'm worried about is that the fiance drives the srt8 too and she already thinks the stock set up is a little on the stiff side. i'm all about performance though. i really like the afco set up but it'd be nice if we were each able to change the way it rides to our liking.
You can't adjust it on the fly, but it takes about 15 seconds per shock to completely adjust the damping to your preferences. I change mine at the track and on the street. You can literally pull off the side of the road and have a whole new ride within one minute.

[get_some_sucka]

am i right to assume that the black knob is for adjusting the stiffness? is it by clicks or does it spin freely and we have to guesstimate it? i'm assuming they're pretty accessible with the rim on and hence, the quick adjustment time right?

[JMatt]

am i right to assume that the black knob is for adjusting the stiffness? is it by clicks or does it spin freely and we have to guesstimate it? i'm assuming they're pretty accessible with the rim on and hence, the quick adjustment time right?
The blknob adjusts compression damping. It clicks about 24 times. There's a black collar around the rod end that adjusts rebound damping. It also clicks - about 40 times.

Unless your ride height is so low you can't get ayour hand in over the top of the wheel, you can reach everything without a jack or tools.

If you set your car up real low, you just need to lift each side about an inch with a floor jack until you can reach your hand in.

[Trojan]

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b237/Hemified/lastest%20final%20build/Afcocoilovers.jpg

Great package

[Spiffywerks]

Those are pretty nice, the rears look MUCH easier to adjust vs. Tiens, that use a seperate Coil and Spring setup. Those use a true "coil OVER" system for the rear.

Those coilovers look like they give you much more adjustment for the rear too...

Side by side compare:
http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k290/jmattharnish/ChromeCoils005a.jpg VS. http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b151/Spiffywerks/Charger/Coilovers/rearinstalled1.jpg

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b151/Spiffywerks/Charger/Coilovers/rearinstalled.jpg

[JMatt]

And remember - the AFCO's are the only ones where you can order whatever spring rate you want for whatever ride qualities you're looking for. Most people have actually ordered two different sets of springs. One for street, and one for race.

With anything else you get what someone else decided would be the ride they wanted you to have.

[PBGas]

Very nifty setup! I'm gathering that this is geared more to a drag racing setup?

[JMatt]

Very nifty setup! I'm gathering that this is geared more to a drag racing setup?
Actually, it works awesome on the street, and can be set up for road racing as well. I just personally set mine up for drag racing when I'm at the track because that's my personal focus.

You can save about $900 if you don't need all the damping control but still want the benefits of an actual coilover and quick, easy ride height adjustments.