Cusco Zero 2 - What damper settings are you using?

[Spunkymonkey]

Just thought it might be interesting to see what other members are using in terms of damper settings on their cusco zero 2's and how their sussy set up is working.

My current set up on my dc2 vtir:

Cusco Zero 2 coilovers with apexi springs 16K Front, 12K rear.
Spoon/vision Strut braces front and back
Type R rear sway
Dunlop sp sport maxx tread
Damper setting set on 3 front and 3 rear.

Opinion:

Really like the damper settings at this setting. I realise it's a hardish setting but it handles extremely well. Nice turn in and barely any body roll.

Have tried:

Front 3, rear 2. Not bad setting, but found the back at a softer setting feel was too uneven.

Front and Back setting 2. Not bad, but noticeable difference between setting 2 and 3. Prefer the harder setting. I'll use this setting if I'm driving passengers lol... Easier setting for day to day driving and comfort.

I am going to try setting 2 front and 3 rear when I get a chance too.

The current setting is much more comfortable than my old tanabe coilovers when I first got them which gave you whiplash lol...

I won't try setting 4 and 5 until I take the car to the track.

What settings are you guys running?

[CTR Coupe]

My spring rates are a lot softer 3k front 4k rear. Run around town I’m usually 2 front/1 rear mostly for comfort reasons. I run 2/2 for spirited driving.

Semi slicks are required to take full advantage of the higher dampener settings. On the road I would keep the dampeners low as its easier to lose traction with the state of our crappy roads at the higher settings it’s too stiff to keep contact with the road.

2/1 car feels neutral pushed to the car tends slightly towards understeer its not really noticeable until you run out of grip.

2/2 the car feels very neutral even tending a bit towards oversteer conditions very slightly however this setting is a little more unpredictable at the edge of the grip levels.

3/2 ran this setting once too much understeer(for my liking) as my tires didn’t have enough grip to keep contact with the road. (Not crappy tires either silica based high end road tires. Hankcook Ventus V8 RS)

Never run the rear harder than the front 1 /2, 2/ 3 or 3 /4 etc. the car can get very tail happy/unpredictable.

And don’t be a dumbass and do this to be massive FWD drifto master you will only spin the car/lose control. If you want to see what it does do it on the track where there are less obstacles to hit.

[Spunkymonkey]

Thanks for your input. Are you running thicker swaybars and strut braces?
Planning to take the car back to the track some day (with the semis I've got lying about), just interested to see what everyone was running on the street. I'm finding my tyres have pretty decent grip, so it's pretty predictable. Not planning to run any higher than the current settings. Yes I know the state of the roads are pretty crappy, I just take it a bit easier on the sections of the Hume which are really bad, but generally finding it ok.

Cheers.

[DNYALL]

I was thinking about getting a set of these for my EM1. I Love the harder suspension. Feels a lot better once u get used to the harshness. but yeah would u recomend these. I currently have Koni Yellows with King super lows, but i think they are a bit stuffed as they don't feel as stiff as they used to.

[Jomsy]

I run 4 all round, find a fun bit of road/track you know and go through it a few times with a few different settings, i hit a corner near my work every day for 2 weeks starting at 1 all round then 2f/1r then 3f/1r etc...

I also only lowered it a little over 1" all round to not upset the roll center to much

if you look in the instructions they say that 1 is for comfy stock, 2~3 is is for normal tyres 3~4 for high grip street tyres and 5 is for track, it something like that anyway.

My tyres are toyo t1r all round so grip is good

[Spunkymonkey]

Thanks for the replies.

DYNALL yes really like them :) and would recommend them...

Jomsy are you running stock rims or bigger rims? Do you find 4 all around a bit harsh, especially on Sydney rds?

The height on mine are almost as high as you can put them....so front...is about 2.5- 3 finger gap...back...1.5 to 2 finger gap (I got small fingers btw) but I have a big front bar, so can't really lower it too much....it was too dumped before and I couldn't get up any driveways.

I used to have EG6 sussy on and what I found in comparison with the shock length was the EG6 rear shocks are actually longer than the DC2R ones. The EG6 rear ones at the lowest height setting were still higher than the DC2R ones at the highest setting lol... so the rear of the car is sitting a bit lower than it was before.

Yes, I've read up on the recommended settings online....

will do some more testing when I get a chance to when I'm not so busy at work...

[Jomsy]

i got 17" with 205/40 tyre's, its a little harsh on sydney roads, but given i only drive about 1 a month i can handle it

[SLOWEGG]

I was thinking about getting a set of these for my EM1. I Love the harder suspension. Feels a lot better once u get used to the harshness. but yeah would u recomend these. I currently have Koni Yellows with King super lows, but i think they are a bit stuffed as they don't feel as stiff as they used to.

If you want stiff suspension then go for something else. These are abit soft imo, but very comfortable.

[Spunkymonkey]

i got 17" with 205/40 tyre's, its a little harsh on sydney roads, but given i only drive about 1 a month i can handle it

oh that explains it lol. I drive it every day lol....

Thanks mate :thumbsup:

SLOWEGG were you using the Zero 2e's or 2R's and what spring rates were you running?

[CTR Coupe]

Thanks for your input. Are you running thicker swaybars and strut braces?
Cheers.
upgraded 20/22 mm(on soft) rear swaybar and front and rear spoon tie bars

[tinkerbell]

DC2 VTiR with Cusco Zero 2's

2/2 street (205/45R16 Toyo T1R)

5/5 track (205/50R15 Toyo R888)

i have 12k front/8k rear springs with 22m Whiteline rear sway bar on hardish setting (not full hard)

strutbraces on both ends...

hope this helps :)

[SLOWEGG]

oh that explains it lol. I drive it every day lol....

Thanks mate :thumbsup:

SLOWEGG were you using the Zero 2e's or 2R's and what spring rates were you running?

Im not too sure which one it is but they're the old model, spring rates 8/6. If the fronts were a little stiffer then it would be perfect imo.
But i usually set my rears one step softer then the fronts. My car is an EG hatch with stock front and rear sway.

[Spunkymonkey]

DC2 VTiR with Cusco Zero 2's

2/2 street (205/45R16 Toyo T1R)

5/5 track (205/50R15 Toyo R888)

i have 12k front/8k rear springs with 22m Whiteline rear sway bar on hardish setting (not full hard)

strutbraces on both ends...

hope this helps :)

Thanks everyone for the replies.

:thumbsup: Thanks Dave. Hopefully get back to the track at some stage. Will run A048's on 195/55 on the stock blades and test out the harder sussy settings....

What times are you lapping wakie at these days with this set up? and any brake upgrades?

[tinkerbell]

best at wakie is 1.13.6

but whilst down on power - should be hitting 1.12's next month...

just running ITR brakes, DBA 400 front discs, braided lines, FerodoDS2500 pads with motul RBF600 fluid...

[Spunkymonkey]

Cool! Excellent will be great to get my car down there to test it out. I'm running dba 4000 rotors and ferodo ds2500 pads with Castrol GP600 fluid.

[sung]

Hey guys, so i've had my cusco zero 2 for about 2 weeks. Spring rate for the coils are 10 at front and 8 at back. I have tried two damper settings settings so far.
-1 front and back, i used these settings while the car was still settling in and for a few days after. This setting do feel quit soft but still alot better than my old sussy system which consisted of king springs n stock itr shocks.
Car feels more stable and flat, old sussy system seemd to bounce around alot.
-2 front and back, feels stiffer than the 1 damper settings but still a tolerable setting for daily driving.
One noticeable thing to mention is that my tires haven't screeched so far on "parts" my tires have screeched b4 while i had my old sussy setup.
does any1 use 3 front n back for the daily grind?

[gelo]

i play with my settings all the time
i usually run F2 R3, its not too oversteery and is quite neutral i find
unless u lift off mid corner
but when my rear tyres are bald ( ie after tyre rotation) i go F2 R2 for more balance
on track i usually go F4 R4 or F3 R4 on street tyres.
i think having the rear harder isnt a problem on street providing u know how to handle ur car

i tried semi slicks on F4 R4 and F5 R5 and the car behaves VERY different on 5 - it is much much better

i used to run F3 R3 daily for a while until i got sick of it
i reckon F2 R2 or F2 R3 is the way to go depending on how you like the car to behave

[Bludger]

what do you think of spring rates f8 + r6???
would it be stiff?

[EG5]

I got this set up on EGK24A , I used to had b16a and I love cusco zero2 .
very reliable , never had any problems

[SLOWEGG]

what do you think of spring rates f8 + r6???
would it be stiff?

Its actually pretty comfortable. Its a little on the soft side compared to other coilovers.

[Spunkymonkey]

Hey guys, so i've had my cusco zero 2 for about 2 weeks. Spring rate for the coils are 10 at front and 8 at back. I have tried two damper settings settings so far.
-1 front and back, i used these settings while the car was still settling in and for a few days after. This setting do feel quit soft but still alot better than my old sussy system which consisted of king springs n stock itr shocks.
Car feels more stable and flat, old sussy system seemd to bounce around alot.
-2 front and back, feels stiffer than the 1 damper settings but still a tolerable setting for daily driving.
One noticeable thing to mention is that my tires haven't screeched so far on "parts" my tires have screeched b4 while i had my old sussy setup.
does any1 use 3 front n back for the daily grind?

I am running 3 front and back and i am used to it for my daily grind lol... turn it down to 2 front and back when I know I'm driving passengers, and or bad quality roads.

[tinkerbell]

best at wakie is 1.13.6

but whilst down on power - should be hitting 1.12's next month...

just running ITR brakes, DBA 400 front discs, braided lines, FerodoDS2500 pads with motul RBF600 fluid...


update:

i got an "aggressive street" wheel alignment from a top bloke (Peter Hennessy) at Road & Race Performance Pty Ltd in Rydalmere...

he dialled slight toe-in at the rear, and slightly more toe-out at the front and told me my camber was even all around at about -1.5' (he seemed surprised it was so even on a car with so many km on it - i said it was pretty good luck)

i went to wakefield and the car was much more lively!

very responsive to turn in, but very tail happy - leading to unwanted oversteer...

however, all i had to do was reduce the rear damper setting down from 5 to 4 to even this out.

it worked well, and i managed a string of 1:12's laps, with a best of 1:12.7...

[Spunkymonkey]

update:

i got an "aggressive street" wheel alignment from a top bloke (Peter Hennessy) at Road & Race Performance Pty Ltd in Rydalmere...

he dialled slight toe-in at the rear, and slightly more toe-out at the front and told me my camber was even all around at about -1.5' (he seemed surprised it was so even on a car with so many km on it - i said it was pretty good luck)

i went to wakefield and the car was much more lively!

very responsive to turn in, but very tail happy - leading to unwanted oversteer...

however, all i had to do was reduce the rear damper setting down from 5 to 4 to even this out.

it worked well, and i managed a string of 1:12's laps, with a best of 1:12.7...
:thumbsup: nice job....

[Perry]

I've tried F2 R2 tested on Hume highway near fairfield man Chicks doesnt like it all together, But Im not sure if ek coils are the same as dc's

[G-Stick]

atm iam running f3 r3 .its not really that stiff. very daily drivable

[Spunkymonkey]

I've tried F2 R2 tested on Hume highway near fairfield man Chicks doesnt like it all together, But Im not sure if ek coils are the same as dc's

Ride comfort will differ depending on spring stiffness and weight of car. Friend I bought the sussy off, said the ride comfort was more bumpy on the same setting in his ITR compared to my vtir

[SLOWEGG]

Make sure when you set our coilovers that the spring isnt compressed. I was a noobie and i used the middle thread thingys to adjust my suspension. It was bouncy and had alot of after bounce? I fixed the problem and adjusted the suspension from the bottom part, man was it comfortable afterwards. I set it to F1/R1 and it soo nice to drive around.

[tinkerbell]

Ride comfort will differ depending on spring stiffness and weight of car. Friend I bought the sussy off, said the ride comfort was more bumpy on the same setting in his ITR compared to my vtir

um, it might also depend on how comfortable the seats are too, (unless the VTiR had Type R seats in it...)

i'd say in a comparison between a VTiR and Type R - the seats would have more effect on percieved 'comfort' and 'bumpyness' than the difference in weight...

[tinkerbell]

Make sure when you set our coilovers that the spring isnt compressed. I was a noobie and i used the middle thread thingys to adjust my suspension. It was bouncy and had alot of after bounce?

yep exactly, this is referred to a "pre-load" it is a very bad thing...

[Spunkymonkey]

um, it might also depend on how comfortable the seats are too, (unless the VTiR had Type R seats in it...)

i'd say in a comparison between a VTiR and Type R - the seats would have more effect on percieved 'comfort' and 'bumpyness' than the difference in weight...

so your implying the vtir seats are more comfy than the recaros ;)

[Bludger]

yep exactly, this is referred to a "pre-load" it is a very bad thing...

Make sure when you set our coilovers that the spring isnt compressed. I was a noobie and i used the middle thread thingys to adjust my suspension. It was bouncy and had alot of after bounce? I fixed the problem and adjusted the suspension from the bottom part, man was it comfortable afterwards. I set it to F1/R1 and it soo nice to drive around.

How tight do you compress the spring?
you say it should have no "pre-load" so that means just tighten it so it just touches? I mean, if it doesn't touch, the spring would be loose right?
pls enlighten me becos i have never used coilovers and about to pick up a set.

Thanks in advance
Bau

[tinkerbell]

How tight do you compress the spring?
you say it should have no "pre-load" so that means just tighten it so it just touches? I mean, if it doesn't touch, the spring would be loose right?
pls enlighten me becos i have never used coilovers and about to pick up a set.

Thanks in advance
Bau

yep - it should be *just* tight so that there is no up/down movement of the spring when the car is up off the ground, (that is, the spring is known as "captive")

but there should be no tension on the spring, so you should be able to move it side to side or spin it with a bit of effort...

hope this helps :thumbsup:

[tinkerbell]

so your implying the vtir seats are more comfy than the recaros ;)

yes, i think it is the construction of the seats...

when i get in a type r, i feel the seats firmness compared to my vtir... and think - wow these type r's feel *tight y0!*

(where in fact, the *tight* feeling mostly comes from the Recaro, rather than the chassis)

but then i put my Sparco race seat for track days, and feel like i am bolted to a go-kart...

i love the feeling of my car on a track day. it is hard, harsh and uncomfortable!

[Bludger]

can zero2's be serviced?
back to brand new?
can you buy higher spring rates to replace the low spring rates?

thanks
Bau

[EG5]

can zero2's be serviced?
back to brand new?
can you buy higher spring rates to replace the low spring rates?

thanks
Bau

just get 10k springs
move the 8k to rear.

[Spunkymonkey]

yes, i think it is the construction of the seats...

when i get in a type r, i feel the seats firmness compared to my vtir... and think - wow these type r's feel *tight y0!*

(where in fact, the *tight* feeling mostly comes from the Recaro, rather than the chassis)

but then i put my Sparco race seat for track days, and feel like i am bolted to a go-kart...

i love the feeling of my car on a track day. it is hard, harsh and uncomfortable!

:thumbsup: cool. Can't wait to get to the track some day to test out the higher settings lol.

[sung]

maybe a different topic....but what psi are you running your tyres on?.....i just had a wheel alignment and after i filled up today i checked tyre pressure ..the wheel alignment guy has pumped my tyres to 38psi on all four. I had set it at 34 front and 32 rear before hand.
I was just wondering what would be the optimum psi to have my tyres on...with relation to the cusco zero 2z i have?

tanx guyz

[tinkerbell]

pls tell us your tyre model, size, width, aspect ratio, and intended usage.

[Bludger]

been driving around in the zero 2's last couple of days, after installation.

i liky, liky.

8f6r, setting 2 front and back, will experiment on settings soon, bit too soft for my liking.

[sung]

pls tell us your tyre model, size, width, aspect ratio, and intended usage.

erm im not very technical but..
00 dc2r
stock wheels
potenza g3
cusco zero 2e spring rate 10f 8r
type r front strut
spoon rear strut
current setting on zero 2 is 2f 2b, 34 f 32b psi for tires
intended use - daily driving with the occasional quick sprint (not track)

......now advice plz

[Scandrew]

I had Zeals with a 6kg/5kg setup. For Sydney roads I found it too harsh so I purchased replacement King springs at 4kg/3.5kg.

Comfort/handling on the streets has improved.

Call me soft but I don't understand how anyone can go any harder if the car is going to be a daily driver. Even with the 6kg/5kg rates I found my car to be slower on the streets point to point compared to the standard equivalent car due to having to dodge or slow down for bumps and imperfections on Australian roads.

[Spunkymonkey]

I had Zeals with a 6kg/5kg setup. For Sydney roads I found it too harsh so I purchased replacement King springs at 4kg/3.5kg.

Comfort/handling on the streets has improved.

Call me soft but I don't understand how anyone can go any harder if the car is going to be a daily driver. Even with the 6kg/5kg rates I found my car to be slower on the streets point to point compared to the standard equivalent car due to having to dodge or slow down for bumps and imperfections on Australian roads.

Soft :p I'm a girl and I can handle 16k/12k :p

but its really about personal preference anyway...

tyre pressure I'm running 36 front and back on 205/40/17 dunlop sport maxx on setting 3 all around...

might turn the back down to 2...experiment more later...

[tinkerbell]

pls tell us your tyre model, size, width, aspect ratio, and intended usage.

all this information is on the sidewall of you G3's

since stock wheels - probably 205/50R15 or 195/55R15 something?

maybe run around 36 cold on these...

[Moya]

ARRRRRRRRRH, i cant decide between N+ or Zero2 for my Daily Driver. Aslong as turned down, zero2 is soft enough, I think I'll stick with that. Cusco vs. Buddyclub being another big point, although BC is good, Cusco is the shit.

[tinkerbell]

my cusco are steel bodied - are the new ones aluminium?

i dunno!

but if i were buying again today - the weight of the shocks would be MY deciding factor...

therefore i would get the BC racing spec...

[tinkerbell]

anyone got specs on weight of Cusco vs BC???

[Moya]

But this thread SAYS BC RS is too hard for Daily Driver. It also seems to say BC N+ is average quality.

[BlitZ]

back from dead..

Is there a problem with Cusco zero2r's height adjustment? Heard there are issues with 1 series of cusco and the car carnt be lowered. Another issue is that the body is really really long and hard to install..

Which series is this? seems nasty

[Spunkymonkey]

the 2e's you mean? I found out the 2r's aren't available to dc2s...mostly evo's etc...

I haven't had problems with height adjustment....

the main thing to consider is the shock length if you have different lcas

I previously had eg6 sussy with jdm integra lcs (equivalent of da9 model)...and the eg6 rear shocks are longer than the dc2r rear shocks...so previously the eg6 shocks were at the lowest setting at the back and still fit a few fingers between the wheel and guard....

with the dc2r sussy at the back...the shock is significantly shorter...so now the back at the highest setting is much lower...actually almost an inch lower than the front now (tyre is a bit under the guard) ...and compared to the eg6 sussy previously on the back...probably 1.5 inches lower.

but that's just my experience with those lcas...I haven't heard drivers with dc2r lcas have any problems.

[hero]

would you know the spring rates of the zero2 for civic?


oh and i also found it for the ITR.. not sure if its bs.. but u can buy it

Type - R DC2 Zero-1 . 9k 6k -65 ~ 0 -65 ~ 0
Zero-2 $1,881.82 - - - -

[Spunkymonkey]

zero two have two specs. The two e and the two r. The two r is not available for dc type r. Only two e. Check out www.perfectrun.com.au they have them on there. You can order different spring rates from the traders. Just search around.