thenuge26

iTrader: (2)

Still doesn't explain anything.

The best for what? Street? Track? Autocross? Why were the EZs better? Faster lap/autox times? More comfortable? More adjustable?

I'm not giving you **** for your vague answer, OP of this thread doesn't deserve better. But when you say that a shock that is heavily developed by a reputable Miata shop is not as good as one that is a Honda copy adjusted to fit the Miata without anything to back it up, you're probably gonna get downproped. This isn't M.net, we don't compare parts by how they make you feel, we do it with data.

ScottyP3821

iTrader: (2)

I felt that there level of adjust ability was much easier than the vmax. Im not necessarily saying they are better or worse than the vmax comfort wise or at the track or autox. I just found it much easier to dial in dampening and height adjustment with the megans. The megans have plenty of suspension travel like the v max. Im not bashing FM I enjoy almost all their stuff and respect them. They have good reasoning for why the use vmax but that doesnt mean what works for them is going to necessarily work for me.

18psi

iTrader: (76)

I still don't get it: what do you mean by level of adjustability?
The perches spin easier? LOL I mean seriously that's the only thing you "adjust"
The basic vmaxx doesn't have dampening adjustment, so you can't compare that
And most adjust height once, then never touch it again, so I still don't understand your statement.

It woulda been different if you said they were softer or more comfy (because cheaper dampers tend to have tiny/weak shock inserts hence why racelands actually feel fairly comfortable on the street vs the vmaxx, the dampers basically don't do anything more than stabilize the car after a bump) but you said level of adjustability.

concealer404

iTrader: (3)

The level of adjustability is easier. Duh.

It's not like some other systems where the levels are harder.

ScottyP3821

iTrader: (2)

I was comparing the basic vmaxx fm sells thats what I originally had on my car. I have to adjust my ride height depending on if im going to the track or not cause the roads and speed bumps around the university I work at are really bad. The megans can get really stiff and somewhat soft if needed. I like being able to dial them in differently depending on the situation for instance when I go the the track stiffen them up and if I go to the strip I can soften the rear so it sags more when launching. Also after I installed the frame rails I had bad understeer than before, so I stiffened up the rear and it fixed it. Im not looking for Megan converts. Im the one driving on them and love them OP wanted to know budget suspension. Id say they are affordable and not bad. Any other technicalities you all would like to discuss of why I like them? Feel free to ask. I dont mind.

18psi

iTrader: (76)

Ok. So you simply meant dampening adjustment vs no dampening adjustment. Fair enough, that's all I was trying to clarify.

For whatever its worth, I have driven on more suspensions than I care to list lol, and I'm very picky about comfort on the street. I am very happy with my FM stage1 (tokicos and FM springs) on setting 2, it is more comfortable than all the others I tried, like you I appreciate the adjustability of the dampening. Its like OE suspension on the crappy roads we have, and when I want to drive spiritedly I just set to 3 or 4 and enjoy

They're only about 100-200 more than the Vmaxx and the Megans, and are a good quality/brand product with an unlimited mile warranty

concealer404

iTrader: (3)

Your frame rails increased understeer? Oh that's bad news.

thenuge26

iTrader: (2)

If you had posted that ^^^ in the first place, you probably wouldn't have been downpropped. Just sayin.

ScottyP3821

iTrader: (2)

Like a KYB where you have to crawl under the car to stiffen it up.

18psi

iTrader: (76)

I'm guessing you don't have the trunk liner in your car, because if you did that would be just as much a hassle as bending down to adjust the **** on the bottom of the shock

ScottyP3821

iTrader: (2)

I took the little piece of silencing pad out of the passenger side behind the spare tire. Which I dont even have the spare in cause my insurance covers road side maintenance the car stays within a 10 mile radius cause I live next to 3 tracks. Work is 4 miles away too. Anyway the drivers side tray is in but I cut out a section out of the cover so my arm can fit and make adjustments. So All I do is pop the hood and open the trunk set my dampening and drive to the track so when I get there everything is settled in. Its my little system I have.

concealer404

iTrader: (3)

I'm guessing you didn't understand what i did there.

ScottyP3821

iTrader: (2)

Im not the first happens to a lot of people.

concealer404

iTrader: (3)

Is that like blowing your load super early the first time you take pills for ED?

ScottyP3821

iTrader: (2)

IDK I tend to stay away from ED Pills cause their lack of dampening.

Tekel

iTrader: (2)

You do realize vmaxx are the raceland of the VW world and are just about slamming and all FM did was ask them to valve them a little different and have custom spring rates.

With that, I had Megan ezstreets on my MSM and now I have fm vmaxx xxtreme (xtreme means dampening adjustable) and the vmaxx extreme are much better and given the choice I would get fm vmaxx over ezstreets, however if I only had $600 I would put ezstreets on my car again. I havet decided if thy are worth the $400 differance or not.

Don't drink the FM koolaid and think they are some awesome elite coilovers.

thenuge26

iTrader: (2)

All that Shaikh at FCM does to Bilsteins is valve them different and custom spring rates. Are the EZ streets valved specifically for Miatas?

Tekel

iTrader: (2)

No


But my point was more on quality. Bilsteins are expected to be quality to begin with. Vmaxx not so much. But again, all that being said, I have vmaxx on my current ride over Megan's.

ScottyP3821

iTrader: (2)

Ehhehhm vmax extremes which I never have tried and are more expensive. Just want to make sure that gets clarified. The entry level vmax are still slightly worse than the Megans.

18psi

iTrader: (76)

There you go again making silly statements.

How are they worse?
Are the megans properly sprung for a miata? NO
Do the megans come with shock dyno plots? NO
Do they outhandle the vmaxx? NO

You have to understand that there's a BIG DIFFERENCE between buying a product backed by a company that posts legitimate testing and development information, has a proper warranty, and you can call them and talk to them about the product 5 days a week, vs some ching chong knockoff company that has no contact info whatsoever (cause its just re-distribution warehouse for the taiwan/china sweat shops) and even if you emailed them for shock dyno plots they wouldn't even know what you're talking about.

So yeah - FM might be using a knockoff or non-name brand product, but those "minor tweaks" in spring rate and valving make a huge difference for the vmaxx vs raceland or megan.