Meister Shocks

[Gaz mr-s]

I'm thinking of getting a set, for road use.  Reading through threads there was thinking by some of wanting 4/6kg springs instead of the standard 5/7kg.

Initial info from Meister suggests they've never supplied shocks with 4/6kg.

Did anyone get them so supplied?

[shnazzle]

MeisterRs on 5/7 feel like BCs on 4/6.

Not sure how that helps but thought it was relevant

[BahnStormer]

@Gaz mr-s - even on 5/7, I think the MeisterR are very good coilovers for road use!

I was also looking at coilovers and it sounds like a similar use-case: mine is for lots of fast B-road use on my 60mile/day commute.

My car is still on stock suspension, but one of the members lives right near my work and was generous enough to let me drive his '2 with MeisterR's (apparently dialed in "slightly closer to stiff than comfort")... and this was down the very ratty B roads that I drive every day and I can easily say I thought that in terms of comfort, they are very comparable to my admittedly very tired OEM suspension: road noise and "fidgitiness" actually seemed to be slightly less, although that was probably my Yoko's vs the MeisterR + Toyo's, the mid-range undulations/bumps, the car move around a little more on the coilvers, but in a very assured manner and the bigger dips and unevenness, where mine would be bobbing about all over the place (and where I know that steering/braking inputs becomes an absolute lottery), the MeisterR's had the car moving about a lot too, but still feeling absolutely planted and very composed.

The overwhelming impression was just the way the nose seemed to tuck itself into corners, whereas I need to keep my OEM setup a lot more carefully balanced into the corner to get the weight forward - if I don't, it really feels like the front of mine is just teetering around the corner! (although I don't seem to get the understeer that everybody says these cars are famous for!)

With that decided - I went to buy my MeisterR's... feeling really good about myself having found some of the best priced and rated kit AND I thought that I was supporting British industry, but when I tried getting some all the stockists said they have to get direct from the manufacturer and on contacting MeisterR, it turns out they have significant lead times (>6 weeks when I last checked) as they're British designs, but actually imported and they were having problems

I settled on the much more available and slightly cheaper BC Racing BR Series "RA" (which is the sub-set of the BR series with some sort of rubber/pillowball combo rear topmount which is supposed to make it a little gentler for road use) and 4/6 spring rates. I'm guessing that these will be similar to the MeisterR's, if anything fractionally closer to a fresh OEM setup. That's fine by me!

[delhusband]

@Gaz mr-s
I settled on the much more available and slightly cheaper BC Racing BR Series "RA"

I was interested in these - Had a look at them before settling on KYB's / Teins - they sounded like a really good option

[Gaz mr-s]

Thanks for the comments chaps.  Patrick, - you may well be correct.  I wonder if some of those interested in the Meisters previously were thinking that because BC's were available with 4/6's, that the Meister would be more compliant with them too.

@BahnStormer - have you got your BC's fitted......opinion.?


For anyone else interested in Meister, - I've only spoken with Jerrick so far, who's in the USA. His words re supply of them were Stock arriving or arrived, I need to check.  So I need to hear from Edwin in the UK.

 

[1979scotte]

IMHO BC 4/6 are LESS compliant than Meister R.
Even more so with the later CRD upgrade.
Also they will feel much more compliant on T1R than AD08R.
Coilovers have they're drawbacks but I think they're worth it.
Have had Meister R on both my 2s not a decision I regret.

I believe BC are fitted to MR2 championship cars.
5/7 BC are considered by most to be far too hard for British b roads.

[shnazzle]

I know what you mean about having to balance the stock suspension on entering corners. Getting the car perfectly poised and stable for the corner is something you always do of course but the BCs/MeisterRs dont have as much bouncing around so you reach that point a LOT quicker.

What I will say is that when absolutely blasting it down a bumpy b-road, it takes a hell of a lot more steering input on the adjustables than on stock. Especially with the AD08Rs. It can be wearing. Whereas when I drive the other car on TTE springs it's much easier, but obviously you suffer the swaying and time it takes for the car to settle for a corner.

I'd almost say (and I'm shocking myself here) that maybe the Toyos are a better mix with the adjustables than the AD08Rs are. But only on the bumper b-roads.

You only have to look at rally car setups to see that stiff suspension and sidewalls is not the way forward on uneven surface.

So... Choose wisely. Fresh KYB dampers and Tein springs may be what you are after. Tried it?

[wotugonado]

I couldn't live with bc I'm afraid. The car I had a ride in with them fitted was way to harsh I'm not sure of the spring rates but it nearly rattled my teeth loose. I have meisters and I'd much rather wait for those to be available if I had to do it again

[Gaz mr-s]

So... Choose wisely. Fresh KYB dampers and Tein springs may be what you are after. Tried it?

I haven't. My car's done 60k miles, so I would replace the top mounts.  If I could get the KYB/tein set-up for significantly less cost, or similarly Koni's, I would probably try them.  But I'm attracted to the adjustable ride-height of the Meister's, & everyone that has them is glad they bought them it seems.

[shnazzle]

I couldn't live with bc I'm afraid. The car I had a ride in with them fitted was way to harsh I'm not sure of the spring rates but it nearly rattled my teeth loose. I have meisters and I'd much rather wait for those to be available if I had to do it again

On 5/7 springs I wouldn't do BCs either.

So... Choose wisely. Fresh KYB dampers and Tein springs may be what you are after. Tried it?

I haven't. My car's done 60k miles, so I would replace the top mounts.  If I could get the KYB/tein set-up for significantly less cost, or similarly Koni's, I would probably try them.  But I'm attracted to the adjustable ride-height of the Meister's, & everyone that has them is glad they bought them it seems.

I think MeisterRs would be my choice if I went again

[1979scotte]

So... Choose wisely. Fresh KYB dampers and Tein springs may be what you are after. Tried it?

I haven't. My car's done 60k miles, so I would replace the top mounts.  If I could get the KYB/tein set-up for significantly less cost, or similarly Koni's, I would probably try them.  But I'm attracted to the adjustable ride-height of the Meister's, & everyone that has them is glad they bought them it seems.

Not everyone but most.

[Beachbum957]

I have Tein-S with Koni inserts and the ride on many roads is smoother than stock, with the exception of big bumps when the fronts hit the bump stops.  This was compared back to back with a 2003 MR2 with stock springs and nearly new replacement KYB struts, running on the same roads.  This included some very rough roads where the stock suspension was a bit all over the road.  Previously we ran the Tein springs with KYB struts and the ride was more harsh than stock.  Adjusting the Koni make a noticeable difference with the best ride at 1/4 turn from full soft, which felt a bit underdamped,  and a nice compromise at 3/4 from full soft, which is where we are running now. 

The difference seems to be compression damping.  the KYB seem to have a lot more than the Koni, so you feel every little bump and imperfection with the KYB, while the Koni's let the springs do their job.  Based on some emails with Meister, I suspect that is also one of the difference between them and other Coilovers like BC (I may be wrong)

I drove an MR2 with a set of coilovers that started as BC but were revalved with less compression and  damping set full soft with 4/5K springs running with very little preload.  The ride was slightly stiffer than the Tein-S on Koni's but slightly softer than with Tein and KYB

[BahnStormer]

So... Choose wisely. Fresh KYB dampers and Tein springs may be what you are after. Tried it?

I haven't. My car's done 60k miles, so I would replace the top mounts.  If I could get the KYB/tein set-up for significantly less cost, or similarly Koni's, I would probably try them.  But I'm attracted to the adjustable ride-height of the Meister's, & everyone that has them is glad they bought them it seems.

Not everyone but most.

I kinda wished I'd held out for them... but I'd convinced myself that it was worth paying extra as I was "buying British"... then found out that the delivery was being bumped back repeatedly, it was when it bumped from "late June" to "mid July" and then "hopefully mid-July", that I gave up... that an order started in late May... 10 days ago I gave up on the MeisterR runaround, ordered my BC's... 5 days later I had my order

[BahnStormer]

@BahnStormer - have you got your BC's fitted......opinion.?

Nope, not fitted yet: fitting is pencilled in for 6+7 July and then booked in at WIM (blackboots) on the afternoon of the 7th July.

[james_ly]

I'm leaning towards Meisters after reading all that.

[Nvy]

If you are not going on track id use progressive springs and some quality shocks. Most of the coilovers are coming with linear springs, i do like my MeisterRs but a little bit more comfort would be welcomed:) There are exceptions of course KW comes to mind but they are expensiiiiiiveeeeeeee - 2x MeisterRs price.

[shnazzle]

I have Tein-S with Koni inserts and the ride on many roads is smoother than stock, with the exception of big bumps when the fronts hit the bump stops.  This was compared back to back with a 2003 MR2 with stock springs and nearly new replacement KYB struts, running on the same roads.  This included some very rough roads where the stock suspension was a bit all over the road.  Previously we ran the Tein springs with KYB struts and the ride was more harsh than stock.  Adjusting the Koni make a noticeable difference with the best ride at 1/4 turn from full soft, which felt a bit underdamped,  and a nice compromise at 3/4 from full soft, which is where we are running now. 

The difference seems to be compression damping.  the KYB seem to have a lot more than the Koni, so you feel every little bump and imperfection with the KYB, while the Koni's let the springs do their job.  Based on some emails with Meister, I suspect that is also one of the difference between them and other Coilovers like BC (I may be wrong)

I drove an MR2 with a set of coilovers that started as BC but were revalved with less compression and  damping set full soft with 4/5K springs running with very little preload.  The ride was slightly stiffer than the Tein-S on Koni's but slightly softer than with Tein and KYB

MeisterR gave that explanation a while back.
Pretty much exactly that conclusion. On the BCs it's hard to find the damping adjustment sweet spot. It's very narrow and finely balanced against the 5/7kg springs.
So, from the box they're set to be a stiffer ride more suited to track.
With 4/6kg springs your damping window is even smaller.

The MeisterRs have a wider window and more compliant compression ratios. So you can go street and track mode. Whereas the BCs go soft track to hard track.

[Ridds]

Anybody compared these to the yellow speed coilovers

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

[BahnStormer]

@BahnStormer - have you got your BC's fitted......opinion.?

Nope, not fitted yet: fitting is pencilled in for 6+7 July and then booked in at WIM (blackboots) on the afternoon of the 7th July.

Suspension done on time 7th July, but had to redo camber bolts (don't ask!!).. geometry done last Saturday... but then new brakes went in on Monday... so I'm been on best behaviour until today. Already clocked up best part of 300 miles including a late night blast up and down the nearest dual carriageway trying to burnish the brakes a little, no flames though... Now starting to appreciate the benefits

I want to drive a MeisterR again back to back with mine to decide... the BC Racing are very good, phenomenal value and readily available (<5days) versus 5 weeks of mess-around before I gave up on MeisterR... and it looks like my various attempted orders from early May still wouldn't have been fulfilled until late August as there was apparently already a long waiting list for the shipment that came in last month....