*The FL5 Track Junkie Thread*

[svvitch]

Wait...you all do others things besides go to the track??

? I'm currently being "enabled" at sales kickoff 2025 ?

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[MooMoo]

Wondering why y'all don't really switch to coilovers with all the time spent on track. Wouldn't you be faster?

Hint hint my KWV3 lightly used will be for sale in the spring. Got something crazy lined up lol

it really is the best mod for this and most cars that see a lot of track.
Reason I don't do it is really price + I like the adjustable suspension. If I was doing 10+ days a year I would definitely go for it. Coilovers can also get annoying with having to rebuild them, etc. Then you get into real motorsport coilovers like MCS, Moton, Nitron, higher end KW, etc... and those are REALLY expensive

 

[TW00Si]

Wait...you all do others things besides go to the track??

No, not only do we have other things to do. We talk about the track more than going to the track. Huge difference.

 

[MooMoo]

J1Avs does bring a good point about adjustability. I would probably just do a 1 way and call it a day. Also would rather have stock suspension than a cheap set of coilovers

 

[J1Avs]

No, not only do we have other things to do. We talk about the track more than going to the track. Huge difference.

We gotta work on this. More track days, and your go to topic of conversation needs to be TIRES. This is the way.

It's become such a regular topic of conversation in my house that I said, "Yokohamas" yesterday, and my wife said, "you mean your A052's right?"

 

[MooMoo]

We gotta work on this. More track days, and your go to topic of conversation needs to be TIRES. This is the way.

It's become such a regular topic of conversation in my house that I said, "Yokohamas" yesterday, and my wife said, "you mean your A052's right?"

thats funny. I bought my wife a mug + some nice coffee from this place (actually from Washington) called camber. And when she opened it and looked at the box she said, wait you bought me something for your car. I was proud

 

[svvitch]

J1Avs does bring a good point about adjustability. I would probably just do a 1 way and call it a day. Also would rather have stock suspension than a cheap set of coilovers

Agree with this. If I can't get the good mods I don't bother. Stock is already really good. This isn't a clapped out Civic I'm not getting buddy club coils

 

[BigBird]

Yep. This is my buddy Tony. It's taken him years to get to this point, and there is quite a bit actually done to the car.

You are in one of his videos...he's done a lot, but a lot of it is just to turn a GTI into a track car. They really are daily use hatchbacks from VW, especially that gen.

His approach and knowledge using data and DIY tuning is amazing. His website is worth a peruse
https://www.datadrivenmqb.com/

 

[PointByPatrol]

You are in one of his videos...he's done a lot, but a lot of it is just to turn a GTI into a track car. They really are daily use hatchbacks from VW, especially that gen.

His approach and knowledge using data and DIY tuning is amazing. His website is worth a peruse
https://www.datadrivenmqb.com/

Yep! He pulled off that lap at the same event with G&G. I was with him at NCCAR when he was tuning his DCT. He does all of the tuning himself, which is incredibly impressive!

 

[BigBird]

Coilovers don't necessarily = faster laps -- you still need to drive it, and generally require a proper setup to be effective. For instance buying 3 ways is just silly, if you can't properly dial them in. You'll never get the actual value of them.

I can see Coilovers being a more useful investment on the FL5 for some because the stock dampers are a bit over damped for a lot of our bumpy tracks, where some more fine adjustment is needed to settle the car.

100% agree. you can do more harm than good if you don't have a clue....and I'm clueless on turning all those knobs.
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It's funny/sad when pro European drivers come to the US and they comment on how bumpy tracks in the US are

 

[Rexpelagi]

J1Avs does bring a good point about adjustability. I would probably just do a 1 way and call it a day. Also would rather have stock suspension than a cheap set of coilovers

The stock shocks are so bouncy I definitely think there's room for improvement (which isn't always the case as some higher end stock stuff can easily be made worse imo). However, I'm definitely in the fewer knobs are better camp. I just want someone who knows what they are actually doing to get it close and then I can turn one knob per corner and maybe turn it the right way. ?

So, I agree, and I went with 1-way - I'm just waiting for them to show up lol.

 

[MooMoo]

The stock shocks are so bouncy I definitely think there's room for improvement (which isn't always the case as some higher end stock stuff can easily be made worse imo). However, I'm definitely in the fewer knobs are better camp. I just want someone who knows what they are actually doing to get it close and then I can turn one knob per corner and maybe turn it the right way. ?

So, I agree, and I went with 1-way - I'm just waiting for them to show up lol.

I agree, stock is crazy bouncy in +R. Its fine in comfort. With the type S module +R is actually ok now depending on the track but its a good compromise.

With 1 thing to rotate you can at least try different things and see what works, 1 variable is doable. 3 ways you are just adding way too many variables. The problem too is who can set em up, a lot say they can but I am not so sure about that. Which setup did you go with?

 

[BigBird]

many drivers on other platforms use 1 piece as their track choice of rotors as it lessens the price on consumables.

A cheap work around for rotors is to use the 1 piece from the FK8. they can be had for about $150 or so for a set from Rockauto. Just don't ever get the corrosion coating if you go this route as they mess with the bedding in process and transfer layer

 

[Rexpelagi]

I agree, stock is crazy bouncy in +R. Its fine in comfort. With the type S module +R is actually ok now depending on the track but its a good compromise.

With 1 thing to rotate you can at least try different things and see what works, 1 variable is doable. 3 ways you are just adding way too many variables. The problem too is who can set em up, a lot say they can but I am not so sure about that. Which setup did you go with?

I haven't tried the Type S module, but even in Comfort curbs have sent me bouncing/pogoing down the track on corner exit, which isn't really useful. ? This could be partially the lowering springs interacting with the shocks, but honestly I think it's mostly the shocks. Some tracks are certainly worse than others.

I went with Redshifts with custom rates - the mainstream OTS stuff all had (what seemed to me to be) really soft rates, other than the HKS Hipermax (14k front/rear), which is actually stiffer than I went with, and even ignoring the rates the prices have just gotten silly on the nicer coilovers.

I settled on starting with 10k front / 12k rear, so we'll see where that is and go from there.

 

[TW00Si]

We gotta work on this. More track days, and your go to topic of conversation needs to be TIRES. This is the way.

It's become such a regular topic of conversation in my house that I said, "Yokohamas" yesterday, and my wife said, "you mean your A052's right?"

Baby steps. By that I mean I revel in the fact that my 3 year old son says “our car” when he sees a FL5 on tv (YouTube video) or when he wants to play with one of my 1:64 toy car model sitting on the shelf.

My wife can care less. Whenever I try to explain to her what I’m doing/did to the car, she just asks me, does it make you happy? My response is always yes. She just says, that’s all that matters.

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