Help Please- What Shocks, What Springs?

[wkulestat]

Okay, I've searched for an answer and couldn't find what i wanted to know. I posted a thread about what shocks to buy not to long ago. After reading the input, I think I'm going with the tokico illuminas. Now my question is what is a good spring to go with those. I don't really want to lower my car, because it is kind of bumpy where i live,.. especially because of a lot of construction. I want a good spring that won't lower my car, or lower my car very little. Please help, what to buy soon, because my shocks on the car are pretty bad.

 

[RamenPride]

H&R OE Sport springs

 

[wkulestat]

Do you have them on your car? And am I reading that correct.. it lowers 1 inch? Thanks for the help.

 

[UCSLugRacerX]

Are you at all concerned with performance? If not, and you drive on bumpy roads, just use your OEM springs with the Tok. Illuminas.

 

[wkulestat]

i do want performance.. but i am willing to lose some performance for a good ride quality, but i do want performance.

 

[RamenPride]

I don't have them.

If you don't want to lower the car, just replace the shocks and use stock springs as was suggested.

 

[UCSLugRacerX]

i do want performance.. but i am willing to lose some performance for a good ride quality, but i do want performance.

So let me get this straight, you want to have a car with CLOSE to stock ride height, but still perform well, and be comfortable on bumpy roads.
How about the AWD drive springs (F and R) because you'll retain the stock ride height, but you'll have stiffer springs than before.
Most aftermarket springs will LOWER your car and increase the spring rate, hence the increased bumpyness.
IMO, use some AWD OEM springs, and get a RM rear anti-roll bar. This way, you'll have a somewhat "soft" spring rate, but reduced rear end body roll, and decreased understeer.

 

[wkulestat]

i'm not saying that i want perfect performance and perfect ride. i just want some springs that will give me a pretty good ride, but i also want some performance. i can lower my car a little. i think that the h&r oe sport springs will work good. but you say oem awd springs will work well? i know i'm probably confusing everybody. but i appreciate your help.

 

[UCSLugRacerX]

AWD GSX = stiffer spings due to more sprung weight
FWD GST = softer springs due to less sprung weight.


FWD GST w/ AWD GSX springs = stiffer than stock spring rate w/ stock height.

Kapish?

 

[jtmcinder]

AWD GSX = stiffer spings due to more sprung weight
FWD GST = softer springs due to less sprung weight.


FWD GST w/ AWD GSX springs = stiffer than stock spring rate w/ stock height.

Kapish?

Here we go again.

First off, for the years that 2G FWDs and 2G AWDs had different rates, the AWDs had lower rear rates than the FWDs. If the reason for the difference was a difference in sprung weights, as claimed above, then it would have been the other way around, since the added weight of AWD is almost all in the rear.

Second, for these years, the front rates for FWDs were lower those for AWDs, even though the front ends of FWDs and AWDs weigh about the same.

So much for the theories, guesses, what-ever of UCSLugRacerX.

The real reason for the difference in rates was to reduce lateral weight transfer in the front end of the FWDs to reduce the chances of spinning the inside front at corner exit. (Remember: these cars have an open front diff.) By softening the fronts and stiffening the rears (in the FWDs), more weight transfers at the rear and the fronts have a bit more grip.

Note: the difference in rates was only for the first two years of the 2G. After that Mitsu gave up and just went with the same rates for all DSMs. With that said, one of the best really cheap ways to get a 97+ to handle better is to get the rear springs off a 95-96 FWD. The increase in rear rate will help quite a bit. This is actually a pretty well known cheater mod for those running 97+s in SCCA Stock class ... extremely hard to detect ... but it is still cheating and you would be slime for doing it.

- Jtoby

 

[RamenPride]

Yeah, what he said.....

95-96 OEM Stock 2G AWD
Front: 265
Rear: 162 (+/- 8)

97-99 OEM Stock 2G AWD
Front: 246
Rear: 151

95-96 OEM Stock 2G FWD
Front: 246
Rear: 173

97-99 OEM Stock 2G FWD
Front: 246
Rear: 151

 

[lilalex86]

OK so im looking to do something like this to my car and am easily confused. What did you do to your car and what is best setup?