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UP vs MPP Coilover

Coilovers


  • Total voters
    218
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You really don't have to be a suspension engineer to use double adjustables and there are plenty of suggestions online for setups from mpp. I drilled my frunk liner and use a 2mm hex key to adjust the rebound on my fronts and plugged with a rubber grommet, I didn't want knobs there all the time.

I'm thrilled with my setup and will sing it's praises anytime I can ;)
So I ended up getting MPP sport coilovers with rear camber arms and front arm bushings + UP swaybars, some say I don't need swaybar and that If I do I should put it in softest setting. Curious to see if anyone else is running swaybars + coilovers and your experience
 
So I ended up getting MPP sport coilovers with rear camber arms and front arm bushings + UP swaybars, some say I don't need swaybar and that If I do I should put it in softest setting. Curious to see if anyone else is running swaybars + coilovers and your experience
Haha we seem to be talking here and on FB. I like my stock bars still but you can certainly play with the stiffness to figure out what you like :)
 
Haha we seem to be talking here and on FB. I like my stock bars still but you can certainly play with the stiffness to figure out what you like :)

Haha I'm just curious if the Eibach springs + Swaybars ($800) is enough for my daily needs vs mpp coilovers + rear camber arms, front bushing ($3500) +$500 for swaybars. Mainly just hard driving around the backroads and twisty/curvy roads. Or if should keep coilovers and return the swaybars.
 
Arm bushings have major effect on steering lag, so it makes sense, but you need a shop that has 20T or more press (12 might be not enough in some cases)

I fitted the front lower arm bushes with my 10T press no problem at all. Helps to have experience of such things, like heating the arm to 100 deg C before pressing out old bushes and pressing in new ones.
 
Chevy or ford
Thats easy!

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Hey all,

I'm also debating on which suspension to go with. I"m not interesting in lowering the car or really doing much adjustment after install. I'm basically looking for a more comfortable ride so that it is not as bumpy. My kids get some motion sickness in the backseat from the bumpiness. I will not be taking the car to a track or anything.

I have the 2018 m3 LR RWD so I was looking at MPP Model 3 Comfort Coilovers RWD | Mountain Pass Performance

Any thoughts? Thanks!
~Fern
 
I have installed them all and will say that the MPP's are absolutely silent.

The comfort non adjustable if set to a 370mm center of hub to fender ride great. I believe lower than 365mm and you'll want the adjustable ones. Even the sport adjustables are darn comfortable but also have a sweet spot of 355mm to 375mm imho.

The Redwood Ohlins are great but have to be mindful of how you adjust height. The actual free length of the shock should be fixed to ensure that the shock bottoms out before you have contact with the battery pack. Same goes for the UP ones. I like that Redwood documents these measurements but not sure many people read instructions. I know that not many shops will because they assume they know it all. There are critical values that need to be adhered to when it comes to suspension engineering on any vehicle. We have battery packs but ICE cars have frame rails also. The principle remains the same. Both vehicles have to account for clearances between tie rods, fender liners, frame rails, battery packs, exhausts, etc....

In my experience the UP dampers feel good for the street around 25 open up front and 28 open in rear. That 3 click delta should suffice for anything more open than 20 clicks. If you make the rear stiffer than the front it just won't feel right.

On redwood I also liked it to be 2 to 3 clicks softer in the rear. The whole damping range is pretty usable.

As for MPP it's a very wide damping range. The most impressive of the bunch tbh in terms of how comfortable it could get and not be overly floaty. I couldn't believe how usable all the clicks were. The thing I appreciated the most about the MPP's is the silence. My goodness those things are quiet if installed properly. I've probably done about 10-12 of them for various buddies of mine and can do an install in about 2.5 to 3 hours but I have my ride height cheat sheets for MPP all documented as well as all the motion ratios and corner weights charted. If you like math these formulas and values can save you a bunch of time.
 
I have installed them all and will say that the MPP's are absolutely silent.

The comfort non adjustable if set to a 370mm center of hub to fender ride great. I believe lower than 365mm and you'll want the adjustable ones. Even the sport adjustables are darn comfortable but also have a sweet spot of 355mm to 375mm imho.

The Redwood Ohlins are great but have to be mindful of how you adjust height. The actual free length of the shock should be fixed to ensure that the shock bottoms out before you have contact with the battery pack. Same goes for the UP ones. I like that Redwood documents these measurements but not sure many people read instructions. I know that not many shops will because they assume they know it all. There are critical values that need to be adhered to when it comes to suspension engineering on any vehicle. We have battery packs but ICE cars have frame rails also. The principle remains the same. Both vehicles have to account for clearances between tie rods, fender liners, frame rails, battery packs, exhausts, etc....

In my experience the UP dampers feel good for the street around 25 open up front and 28 open in rear. That 3 click delta should suffice for anything more open than 20 clicks. If you make the rear stiffer than the front it just won't feel right.

On redwood I also liked it to be 2 to 3 clicks softer in the rear. The whole damping range is pretty usable.

As for MPP it's a very wide damping range. The most impressive of the bunch tbh in terms of how comfortable it could get and not be overly floaty. I couldn't believe how usable all the clicks were. The thing I appreciated the most about the MPP's is the silence. My goodness those things are quiet if installed properly. I've probably done about 10-12 of them for various buddies of mine and can do an install in about 2.5 to 3 hours but I have my ride height cheat sheets for MPP all documented as well as all the motion ratios and corner weights charted. If you like math these formulas and values can save you a bunch of time.
After buying a $4,000+ suspension and changing to MPP Sports - I absolutely would not go back. The MPP's are fantastic - and as you mentioned - silent. I was so annoyed with the constant NVH from the other suspension.
 
Are there any owners out there who have used both the MPP and UP coilovers for an extended period of time on their car? Those would be the best comparisons. People who have only used 1 of the 2 products and claim the one they used is better than the one they haven't tried may not be providing the best information other than they are happy with what they bought. At the time of this post there are 127 votes casted and I'd be surprised if there are even a couple of voters who have tried both.
 
After buying a $4,000+ suspension and changing to MPP Sports - I absolutely would not go back. The MPP's are fantastic - and as you mentioned - silent. I was so annoyed with the constant NVH from the other suspension.
I'm totally with you sir. You had MCS before right? I couldn't believe how silent the MPP's were. Probably more quiet than stock LOL. I took some of my buddies who also race with competitor's systems and they were like, "Holy F......k, I forgot how nice it is to have such a quiet car." haha. I'm ready to swap mine out also. Just waiting for some magical deal to appear considering I'm so heavily invested into my current setup. My boys may switch too.
 
Are there any owners out there who have used both the MPP and UP coilovers for an extended period of time on their car? Those would be the best comparisons. People who have only used 1 of the 2 products and claim the one they used is better than the one they haven't tried may not be providing the best information other than they are happy with what they bought. At the time of this post there are 127 votes casted and I'd be surprised if there are even a couple of voters who have tried both.
I completely agree with you and is why I chimed in. I have used both, setup, tuned, and aligned all of these setups. I'm talking everything from eibach, tsportline, and UP springs to MPP, UP, Redwood, and BC racing coilovers. Considering how subjective suspension preferences are I don't believe anyone can comment on comparing one to the other "digitally." The only things that can be quantified on the net are the probability of a silent setup with a hassle free install that doesn't require a lot of thought. Secondly would be customer support and assistance or documentation in understanding how to set the damping if applicable.

I will say time and time again that you can buy the best ingredients in the world to make a meal but that doesn't mean your meal with turn out to be tasty. The taste is all contingent on the experience and talent of your chef. I can definitely go through a myriad of methodical questions to isolate an individual's preferences with regards to suspension but at the end of the day no internet forum or facebook group will be as valuable as meeting up with people in your local club and going for a ride. Proof is in the pudding!!!!! I have made all of these brands work and ride well. Some just required more experimentation and knowledge than others.

I can say that 100% of the time the MPP's have never failed me or my clients. Every time I drive or install a set I'm like, "Gosh darn, that feels so nice and it's so quiet." There is definitely a sweet spot for ride height with MPP's due to the fixed shock length design. Suspension droop will be very important for your ride quality. In MPP's case you will trade off droop for increased bump travel. If you raise the car you will lose droop and it won't ride as nice as if it were lowered. It still rides AMAZING but ironically the MPP's have a sweet spot where bump and droop are perfectly balanced. If you're in that zone it's complete bliss. They have done a great job in giving you an idea of where you want that sweet spot to be in their instructions. Bump is important but in so many ways droop is far more important if you have great bumpstops. Fortunately KW has great bumpstops.
 
@P3D-R, well said. Your input on the question at hand is probably one of the more, if not most, valuable pieces of input in this thread that actually speaks to the OPs question. Seems without a doubt that the MPP coilovers are top shelf. When tuned and adjusted properly, how did you like the UP coilovers?
 
The UP coilovers are nice and they have their merits as do the MPP's. I have found settings that I like on their dampers but I felt like there's less chance of user error when it comes to install and setup on the MPP KW's. The KW's are a little more cumbersome to install only due to the fork design for AWD but I have found a way to do it very quickly without dropping the LCA. Considering this is only something you would do once I don't think it's something to overly concern yourself with.

I honestly don't even know how to compare the two. I wish I could just say one is better than the other but it's really not my place to do that. Both companies have put a lot of work and investment into their products while no one else really has. They continue to develop on and off the track. We should all be grateful and respectful of that investment. A lot of overseas companies in Asia and China are starting to launch products for our cars but just riding the coat tails of these guys tbh. These guys served as the catalyst and I am personally grateful of that. I have personal relationships with both companies and do not want to get sucked into any politics so I will try to keep this clean and list some differences below. Hopefully it can provide some insight for you guys.

1. KW made in Germany: Twin tube, double adjustable. Fixed damper lengths, adjustable height. Wide range of usable damping adjustments. More ability to fine tune the settings when going from street to track. Stainless Steel body.

2. UP assembled in USA: Monotube, single adjustable. Adjustable damper lengths/independent spring preload. It has a sweet spot for usable damping range but can still shift from comfortable to firm. Coated damper bodies so make sure you maintain them if you're in adverse climate conditions with rust inhibitor or the likes. I'm in the Bay Area, CA so I'm pretty oblivious to salt/snow maintenance procedures. I always believe if you spend money on nice things one should expect to invest time into maintaining them. Pop the wheels off, wipe down the threads, etc.. a couple times a year.
 
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The UP coilovers are nice and they have their merits as do the MPP's. I have found settings that I like on their dampers but I felt like there's less chance of user error when it comes to install and setup on the MPP KW's. The KW's are a little more cumbersome to install only due to the fork design for AWD but I have found a way to do it very quickly without dropping the LCA. Considering this is only something you would do once I don't think it's something to overly concern yourself with.

I honestly don't even know how to compare the two. I wish I could just say one is better than the other but it's really not my place to do that. Both companies have put a lot of work and investment into their products while no one else really has. They continue to develop on and off the track. We should all be grateful and respectful of that investment. A lot of overseas companies in Asia and China are starting to launch products for our cars but just riding the coat tails of these guys tbh. These guys served as the catalyst and I am personally grateful of that. I have personal relationships with both companies and do not want to get sucked into any politics so I will try to keep this clean and list some differences below. Hopefully it can provide some insight for you guys.

1. KW made in Germany: Twin tube, double adjustable. Fixed damper lengths, adjustable height. Wide range of usable damping adjustments. More ability to fine tune the settings when going from street to track. Stainless Steel body.

2. UP assembled in USA: Monotube, single adjustable. Adjustable damper lengths/independent spring preload. It has a sweet spot for usable damping range but can still shift from comfortable to firm. Coated damper bodies so make sure you maintain them if you're in adverse climate conditions with rust inhibitor or the likes. I'm in the Bay Area, CA so I'm pretty oblivious to salt/snow maintenance procedures. I always believe if you spend money on nice things one should expect to invest time into maintaining them. Pop the wheels off, wipe down the threads, etc.. a couple times a year.
Thanks for the super thorough feedback.

For UP, how would you compare the normal coilover set and the pro race 2-way set, and in what circumstances would one benefit from the pro race? (Given the price diff is 2500usd-ish)

If normally just daily drive and canyon roads, would the normal coilover set be more than enjoyed already?
 
Thanks for the super thorough feedback.

For UP, how would you compare the normal coilover set and the pro race 2-way set, and in what circumstances would one benefit from the pro race? (Given the price diff is 2500usd-ish)

If normally just daily drive and canyon roads, would the normal coilover set be more than enjoyed already?
I have the Unplugged coils and rear spring arms and I love mine. The car acts and behaves as it should now. I was super surprised on the rear spring arms tbh. It feels so much tighter and the rear follows the front of the car whichever direction you point it.
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Disclaimer: I have not rode in the MPP sport / comfort or RW but I hear great thing about them as well. All are great companies. You just have to chose one unfortunately which is the hard part.
 
I have the Unplugged coils and rear spring arms and I love mine. The car acts and behaves as it should now. I was super surprised on the rear spring arms tbh. It feels so much tighter and the rear follows the front of the car whichever direction you point it.


Disclaimer: I have not rode in the MPP sport / comfort or RW but I hear great thing about them as well. All are great companies. You just have to chose one unfortunately which is the hard part.

That spring arm is really nifty. Adjusting height in that manner, although I haven't tried it, can be a time savings. Do you recall where you set your damping, counting back from full stiff?
 
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That spring arm is really nifty. Adjusting height in that manner, although I haven't tried it, can be a time savings. Do you recall where you set your damping, counting back from full stiff?
The spring arm is awesome and yes a lot of time savings. No need to removed the wheel at all to adjust height or corner balance. I actually think it would be super beneficial with oem springs but the design would need a recessed bucket. Overall design is cool and I was told it helps stiffen the rear which it does.

On the coils for me I’m using 12/12 from full stiff RN. The spring rates are even front and rear.
 
I completely agree with you and is why I chimed in. I have used both, setup, tuned, and aligned all of these setups. I'm talking everything from eibach, tsportline, and UP springs to MPP, UP, Redwood, and BC racing coilovers. Considering how subjective suspension preferences are I don't believe anyone can comment on comparing one to the other "digitally." The only things that can be quantified on the net are the probability of a silent setup with a hassle free install that doesn't require a lot of thought. Secondly would be customer support and assistance or documentation in understanding how to set the damping if applicable.

I will say time and time again that you can buy the best ingredients in the world to make a meal but that doesn't mean your meal with turn out to be tasty. The taste is all contingent on the experience and talent of your chef. I can definitely go through a myriad of methodical questions to isolate an individual's preferences with regards to suspension but at the end of the day no internet forum or facebook group will be as valuable as meeting up with people in your local club and going for a ride. Proof is in the pudding!!!!! I have made all of these brands work and ride well. Some just required more experimentation and knowledge than others.

I can say that 100% of the time the MPP's have never failed me or my clients. Every time I drive or install a set I'm like, "Gosh darn, that feels so nice and it's so quiet." There is definitely a sweet spot for ride height with MPP's due to the fixed shock length design. Suspension droop will be very important for your ride quality. In MPP's case you will trade off droop for increased bump travel. If you raise the car you will lose droop and it won't ride as nice as if it were lowered. It still rides AMAZING but ironically the MPP's have a sweet spot where bump and droop are perfectly balanced. If you're in that zone it's complete bliss. They have done a great job in giving you an idea of where you want that sweet spot to be in their instructions. Bump is important but in so many ways droop is far more important if you have great bumpstops. Fortunately KW has great bumpstops.
I just got my LR with 19" rims. For the MPP what's the lower sweet spot for the most comfy ride? I want luxury more than performance. Lowering would make it also just look better.