,
After installation, we did a rough alignment in the shop setting the front camber to about 3 degrees negative and toe 1/8″ out. In the rear, we roughly set camber at around 2 degrees negative with zero toe.
In our preliminary test driving and adjusting in of the Fortune Auto coilovers, all we can say is wow! The ride is firm but still quite smooth and better in quality than our wallowy stock suspension. This is surprising considering how much stiffer the new Swift springs are over stock. Body platform motion is controlled very well in roll, squat and dive. The car is now very responsive to steering input.
Having good body control and a decent ride is the hallmark of digressive damping curves, and the Fortune Auto 510 feels like high-end shocks costing 2x more. We might go as far as saying that the 510 is perhaps the best single adjustable shock at this price point that we have ever tried by quite a good margin!
Stay tuned, we will next do more work on trying to improve the poor geometry of the front suspension and do a more careful and precise setup of the chassis.
Sources
Fortune Auto
Password JDM
Whiteline Suspension
Enkei Wheels
Nitto Tire
Parts Shop Max
Wilwood
Fastbrakes
StopTech
Hawk Performance Brake Pads
Raxles
Centric Parts
www.oemacuraparts.com
21 comments
Hi,
Yall convinced me into getting these coilovers for my ep3 but i cant find them. I appreciate it if you could send me a link or help me out in any other way.
Did you try the link in the article and contacting Fortune Auto?
I just contacted Fortune Auto. they don’t make kits for the EP3 anymore.
Hi Mike! Did you guys need a rear camber arm kit or were the rear upper mount bushings with the adjustable camber insert enough? Thx
Yes, they were surprisingly. It is a good cheaper alternative to the arms.
Good insight on these Coilovers! Mentally I’m sold, but financially I’m not haha. Do you have a recommendation for a more basic set of Coilovers or
Spring/shock combo for a daily driver/weekend warrior-autox set up in the neighborhood of $1k for the ep3?
These are pretty basic coilovers. Coilovers are the heart of your suspension and you don’t want to go cheap here. Spring/shocks are almost always too soft, too low and not enough travel for decent handling in many cases stock is better.
Mike, I’m trying to find these Coilovers but fortune auto no longer makes them. Do you have any other alternatives or a good source for these (order through MotoIQ?)?
Per fortune auto “Thanks for your inquiry! Unfortunately we no longer offer any suspension options for the 7th gen Civics, or the DC5. “
I would try calling Fortune and ask for Terry. Maybe he can help you with a semi-custom set. Failing that you can call Feals and ask for Odi. KW also makes a V2 and V3 for this chassis.
How low did you drop the car from stock height?
about 2″
I’m trying to maintain stock ride height and improve handling of my ep3. Is this build appropriate for non lowered cars?
you could set the ride height higher.
Hey Mike question for you. If you were running the Dc5 instead of the EP3 would you change your spring rate? And if so what would you change them too if you were going with a similar setup on the DC5 platform?
No I would probably run about the same
Mike, wouldn’t the rsx fortune 510s essentially be the same thing as the (discontinued) 7th gen civic ones?
Thanks
If caster is such an issue with this chassis, and camber can be easily adjusted with a eccentric, is there a reason no one uses caster plates for the top of the strut instead of camber plates?
Because moving the plate up here in the caster direction can affect trail as well as caster.
Did you need the camber plates for such small adjustment up front?
Hey Mike, I love the content! I have a question for you. I’m on the Dc5 platform and am considering Truhart StreetPlus Coilovers. What are your thoughts on them compared to the fortune autos for a daily driving purpose?
Chinese junk and no where close to Fortune or any other reputable shock