Suspension

[FuelInjected]

Hi guys,

My shock is blown on rear right. I was thinking to do my suspension since I have some money right now. I was looking think either coilovers, or shocks + spring combo. I was wondering if I need to get camber kit with either one. I have no idea when I do need a camber kit, please if someone could explain to me. I am looking to keep the ride height stock through this winter, so I was thinking to go with coilovers, so then I could drop it in the summer an inch or so. I found ones for 600 bucks with lifetime warranty.

Let me know,

Thanks a lot.

 

[Cs4g63]

You will need a camber kit to correct the tire angle after lowering your car. Either way you go, coil overs or shock and spring combo, you should plan on getting them if you are expecting to lower your car.

 

[snowborder714]

First of all, you should decide what you plan on using the car for before you decide on what suspension to get. This will help determine how much adjustability you'll want and also what spring rate you'll want.

Second, you'll want to decide your budget for this project. If you go for coilovers, expect the price to be higher than a shock/spring combo for the most part. You don't want to skimp on these parts and buy cheaper or off-brand parts. It's nice to know that you can have a good, reliable suspension system that can take a lot if you want to run it hard. If you buy cheaper or off-brand parts, you run the risk of them being unreliable. I say this because $600 for a set of coilovers seems kind of cheap to me. What brand were you looking at?

As for a camber kit, it all depends. Camber is how much the wheel angles in top to bottom. Toe is how much it angles in inside to outside. If you drop your car a lot, you will probably need a camber kit. I have Tein Flex coilovers installed on my car and have it dropped a bit but do not need a camber kit yet. When I got my car, I had a set of coilovers in it and the car was dropped over 2" and it definitely should have had a camber kit (as it wore out the insides of the tires). If you only plan on dropping it an inch or so, I would guess you wouldn't need a camber kit.

If you do not plan on doing a lot of autox, canyon runs, or track racing, I would say a good set of shocks/springs would do just well. Let us know some more about your plans so we can help.

 

[blak92awd]

We had just recently put Megan Racing coilovers on our shop car and they work amazing. they are very easy to put in, they look great and they work great. this is a drag car and does not squat one bit. Apparently you can get these for $900 shipped, which is less than we paid for them. This is a little more than your budget, but my opinion is that its worth it. Quality brand and a quality part. Spending the extra money would be very worth it in the end.

 

[DGajre777]

I would recommend Eibach Pro springs, Tokico Illuminas (adjustables), RRE's rear camber kit (washers and long bolts). This is also the widely used combo on 2Gs. After you get it installed, get an alignment to get all your TOE's adjusted back to spec. Camber is not that important when you lower a car, TOE is what eats up tires. FYI - I'm running 1 deg. negative camber on all 4 tires. Total should run you about $580 - If I remember correctly, I paid $350 for shocks (ebay), $200 for springs (tirerack sale) and $30 for the RRE rear camber kit.

 

[FuelInjected]

Hi guys,

Thanks a lot for the input. My car is stock right now, I want to get it up to 300 maybe 350hp eventually. Right now my car also needs a transmission rebuilt, and I am planning to get one, I was thinking of Jackstransmissions, or Dogbox Racing, mainly because its cheaper, although I haven't found out yet if Dogbox Racing can ship it to Toronto, Canada, which is where I am. As far as suspension, it will be a daily driver for me, mainly as a summer car, as I plan to only drive it this one winter. I have around 3.5k CAN I can spend on the car right now. I need to fix rear blown shock, and rear shims on one of the pads right rear as well as the shock. So I was thinking might as well do the suspension now, and transmission before any power upgrades in the summer time. I want to keep it stock height, but just through only this winter, possibly next winter, but very unlikely. The set of coilovers come from DSM Performance. link: http://performancedsm.com/part.php?partId=66&carId=1&PHPSESSID=13f56818b1f76dfb1e089f0d26755ad0
which apparently come with lifetime warranty. I want somewhat of a comfy ride, with very good handling, infact handling is more important to me, and I am willing to sacrifice comfort, maybe a bit than the stock, but not too crazy either. Which setup do you guys suggest I get, cheaper of course is the best for me, if I can save, and my budge allows me to get something else for the car, would be ideal.

Thanks a lot.

 

[KiNg MaRtY]

I would recommend Eibach Pro springs, Tokico Illuminas (adjustables), RRE's rear camber kit (washers and long bolts). This is also the widely used combo on 2Gs. After you get it installed, get an alignment to get all your TOE's adjusted back to spec. Camber is not that important when you lower a car, TOE is what eats up tires. FYI - I'm running 1 deg. negative camber on all 4 tires. Total should run you about $580 - If I remember correctly, I paid $350 for shocks (ebay), $200 for springs (tirerack sale) and $30 for the RRE rear camber kit.

I second the Illumina + Eibach prokit combo

 

[snowborder714]

I have never heard of anyone using that coilover set. I looked at the spring rates and couldn't figure out what their numbers meant. Only ones I've seen are in lbs./in. If you want a comfy ride, I'd go with shocks/springs as most coilovers are meant for race applications and have stiffer rides. There are plenty of people running shocks/springs that have excellent handling and semi-comfy rides. I would look into that as it would also be cheaper.

 

[KiNg MaRtY]

or if you want a bit stiffer spring then go with the H&R springs

 

[1512gvr4]

what about a ground control coilover sleeve with custom spring rates, and koni shocks that are custom valved? then youll have shocks that are meant for the spring rates you ordered, the ability to adjust ride height, and a car that will be set up for whatever you plan to do

 

[blak92awd]

I second with what snowborder said. the coilovers setups are usually pretty stiff compared to that of a shock and spring setup. On my daily driver 1g, I had tein springs with brand new shocks. It lower the car a bit, but too much to where the wheels were cambered. It was a comfortable ride, yet it had a little stiffness, which I liked. That setup is less than your price range. You can always sale that setup and upgrade whenever you like of course. Really its all on how you want the car to handle and feel.

 

[FuelInjected]

guys,

thanks for the input. now i do want to do it the cheaper the better. i want to keep the ride height as stock as possible, little drop is ok. but i do want performance springs, which I know all come with a drop. so no way to avoid it. I would go with gr2s, but i was told they are only for stock springs. can someone clarify? cus they are much cheaper than agx, and i dont care about adjustability as much, as long as its a good shock and better performance than stock. i would get those ones, but thats the only thing thats stopping me. otherwise i was looking at kyb agx, but those are still a bit expensive, with springs and few other small things i would get to replace, like boot, and mount, i would be looking around 800 bucks CAN. if anyone has any input on gr2s, please let me know. also if you know any good shocks cheaper than agx, but that I can still use with a lowering spring, probably eibach, please let me know.

Thanks

 

[DGajre777]

If you don't want a drop (and want cheap), then just upgrade your shocks to KYB GR2s or Tokico blues and keep your stock springs.

 

[FuelInjected]

ya i could, but i would get better handling with performance springs also. I don't mind the drop, but I will get the springs in the spring time, for now I'll keep stock springs. So i need shocks to match my springs. what other springs besides tokico and kyb, can i get now, so i can still get performance springs in the spring? anything a bit cheaper than kyb?

 

[DGajre777]

KYB GR2s (2 fronts, 2 rears) are $180 shipped on eBay, I don't think you are going to be able to find anything cheaper than that. If you want shocks and springs, Tokico has a HP kit for $334 on eBay, but expect to get some camber kits with these. It would help, if we knew what your budget is. You also have to factor in worn parts that you may have to replace after you take out the shock/strut assembly and alignment (if you drop your car).

 

[FuelInjected]

DGajre777,

the most i can spend right now is about 500 dollars. I want to get decent shocks, pay for labour to install them, or install myself, if i find the time to learn and do it, and to include anything else I may need to fix when i take the shocks out, i'll replace boot, and mount also. the springs i will get in the spring time. So i want to get some shocks now that will go ok with my stock setup and with my lowering springs after winter. Can i do that with tokico hp's? also they any good?

 

[Talonracn50]

I would wait and save up until you can get the Tokico Illuminas and the pro -kits, along with an alignment and alignment kit.

 

[gsx rated98]

if your going with a spring/shock combo over coils, KONI reds are the way to go. GREAT shock. I had them on my X for 3 years, and i loved them. Id use the Eibach prokits if yoru looking for a stock ride hight, it does lower the car, but only 1.2 inches F/R.

If you want to pony up the $ and get coils, do some research on Ksport coils. I have heard nothing but good things about these, and they are price nice for coils.

 

[FuelInjected]

you guys are right. I think i'm just going to save up for now, maybe get it all in spring. Right now I do need to replace my blown shock, so i might just go with gr2s for the back, or some other stock shock.

 

[FuelInjected]

hey i was looking at tokico hp shocks and springs kit, i was wondering if those shocks are meant for stock height or not, because those springs were lowered too. Also if I get someone to install that kit, how much would it cost me, roughly?

 

[DGajre777]

The quote I got to install all 4 shocks and springs was $400, which is when I decided to do it myself with a torque wrench and the help of my girlfriend.

 

[FuelInjected]

Dgajre777, I was actually thinking to do it myself too, my buddy just went to learn for a mechanic, says he would be ok to do it too, but we need torque wrench, spring compressor, and something else, i forget. What tools we need, also what other parts might we have to replace, or should replace, while we are at it? I was thinking to buy a new boot, and mount as well for the shocks. Also is a drop on that HP setup a big one, will I notice it in the winter? 1.5 in i beleive.

 

[DGajre777]

Yes, the drop on the Tokico HP shocks and springs combo is more than the Eibach Pros. I just used a torque wrench, a can of PB blaster and a long 17mm wrench to stand on (to take the front bolts off that are torqued really really hard). I didn't open up my stock shocks/springs setup, I replaced everything with new parts so I didn't need a spring compressor. I except your rear isolators to be bad (mine were non-existent), if your strut mounts are rusted, look at getting new ones.

 

[FuelInjected]

If I get the pro kit, whill it be too low in the winter you think? I am not sure. What shocks should I get with them also?

 

[DGajre777]

If I get the pro kit, whill it be too low in the winter you think? I am not sure. What shocks should I get with them also?

I don't know how winter affects shocks/springs. But if you do get Eibach Pros, go with what I suggested in my first post.