Coilovers vs. Lowering Springs - ST185

[awolo]

Whats up guys.

I'm currently in a pickle.

My suspension needs improved for my AutoCross days. Now this is once a month, 6 months out of the year.

Should I go with a nice set of lowering springs? $250-$400
or
A nice set of Coil Overs? $800-$1,000+

Money plays a HUGE part in this decision.

Thoughts?

[CMS-GT4]

If you plan to compete then I say build your own coilovers with ground control.

[awolo]

If you plan to compete then I say build your own coilovers with ground control.

Ill be honest, I'm out of my realm on this one.

Ground control?

[CMS-GT4]

Google them. It is a custom set of springs and a perch to convert your struts to coilovers. Then you just find an insert that works with your setup. Gtfour77 had a lot of info on doing it.

[lumbercis]

Depends on what class you want to compete in.

If you have a stockish car and money is an issue I'd try to get into Stock class, which means stock springs, but you can upgrade your struts and one swaybar (the rear for us).

If you're in something like Street Touring then you could use coilovers, but if price is an issue I'd get some Koni inserts and a decent brand of lowering springs with a small drop (don't want to mess up your suspension geometry by lowering too far).

Once you learn to drive and have more money for mods read this guy and do what he says: http://farnorthracing.com/autocross_secrets.html

[awolo]

I will look more into it.


Basically what your saying is that since i'm on a budget I should look at getting new/better after market struts/shocks (Koni Inserts), matching with a decent set of lowering springs with maybe a 1 to 1.5 inch drop.

Sound about right?

[underscore]

Google them. It is a custom set of springs and a perch to convert your struts to coilovers. Then you just find an insert that works with your setup. Gtfour77 had a lot of info on doing it.

Who makes good inserts? I'd be down to do this but I know nothing about spring rates and all the ish so I might just get Tiens.

[CMS-GT4]

Koni makes inserts that fit. There are possibly other brands but you need to figure out the dimensions of the inserts and cross reference with other brands. If I had to do it over again I might had gotten some Blistiens or something built to spec. I like my tein on the track, but I think I would had built something a little more friendly for the road.

[celicast184]

im prolly gonna be selling my tein springs to fund for coilovers if ur interested... lmk

[lumbercis]

I will look more into it.


Basically what your saying is that since i'm on a budget I should look at getting new/better after market struts/shocks (Koni Inserts), matching with a decent set of lowering springs with maybe a 1 to 1.5 inch drop.

Sound about right?

Yes, that's exactly it.

In response to underscore's question, Konis are the best inserts available for our cars. Pair them with some decent lowering springs and you'll have a better more consistent setup than TEIN coilovers (read the farnorth link I posted above).

If you want to get more involved, then you'd use the same inserts (Koni yellows or reds) and modify your stock struts to accept coilover sleeves (ground control) and add some appropriate coilover springs (hypercoil) with custom spring rates. But that's much more involved. I wouldn't bother until you've had a few autocross seasons and have reached the limits of your basic insert+drop spring setup.

[CMS-GT4]

Consistency is not the issue with the Teins, at least the HAs. Its the too much base high speed compression with a bit of crosstalk. The HAs came with a dyno page, but it could be generic. It is all in japanese so it does me little good anyhow. I like my coilovers but only in a limited range of conditions. The HAs just are not versatile in their damping over a wide range of surfaces. I got some help with them with the local autox guys and did find there was an optimal setting on them for the street. I assumed the softest setting would had been it, but it is actually 3rd from the softest. Turns out there is a correlation with the damping and the spring rates. My spring rates were better suited for that setting on the road. Its still quite rough, but that setting has given good handling and good absorption. I was going to sell them till I found that out. One other reason I had decided to keep them is the rebuilder I spoke to claimed I could get them rebuilt to whatever specs I wanted and they could match it up to a dyno sheet I provide. Mine are very low milage, so it will likely be a while till I rebuild them but they work as is for now.

[underscore]

I will look more into it.


Basically what your saying is that since i'm on a budget I should look at getting new/better after market struts/shocks (Koni Inserts), matching with a decent set of lowering springs with maybe a 1 to 1.5 inch drop.

Sound about right?

Yes, that's exactly it.

In response to underscore's question, Konis are the best inserts available for our cars. Pair them with some decent lowering springs and you'll have a better more consistent setup than TEIN coilovers (read the farnorth link I posted above).

If you want to get more involved, then you'd use the same inserts (Koni yellows or reds) and modify your stock struts to accept coilover sleeves (ground control) and add some appropriate coilover springs (hypercoil) with custom spring rates. But that's much more involved. I wouldn't bother until you've had a few autocross seasons and have reached the limits of your basic insert+drop spring setup.

I've got some Megan springs sitting in my garage but I prefer to avoid re-doing work (especially with that stupid brake line) and re-spending money so I'd like to do it right the first time. I checked the Koni site and they only have the Yellows for the fronts, no rears anymore. Are there any other options for inserts?

[CMS-GT4]

Get another set of the fronts to be revalved for the rears. You need to convert the rear strut to take inserts. 935 used to offer the service but now you have to do it yourself. There are threads around here somewhere on converting the rears. I would read up on the whole process before pulling the trigger on buying parts.

[underscore]

I remember reading about it back when I had a 162. Drill a hole in the bottom, drain the fluid, cut off the top and thread it, then put in a pair of the thread-in caps that go on the front, right?

Re-valving is the part I don't know anything about, what exactly would need to be done to the inserts so I can use them in the rear?

[CMS-GT4]

You got the rear conversion part figured out.
As for the strut, you would have to send them off to be done, but I am not sure who to. Whiteline used to sell revalved fronts for the rear part of their kit. I would likely contact koni and see if they might do them for you.