Newbie-Horror story Wrong Coil Springs

[djaux]

This is my story.
So about a month ago, I ordered all new oem struts/springs/mounts. I went oem due to the road conditions.
Well took them to my guy, hoping to learn from him., but he hires a new guy. Afterwards the back end is sitting so high I can put 22s on em.(wtf to that). Tell my guy, look something isn't right. One thing leads to another, he doesn't want to fix it., ok karma is a b$&@h.
Take it to 3 different mechanics, they tell me the springs are backwards.
I get a shop to redo the job. Ok, job done. Problem is the front end is higher then the back, looks hoorible., so I call Napa n get the part #/manufacter.
Federal mogul.
Give em the # for the front, good 95-99 eclipse. B4 I can give them the ones for the back they tell me, they don't carry rear coilsprings(wtf). Ok, so I ask him what the # is for., it's a 95-2000 Chrysler Sebring. Now I'm furious. After 2 labor charges, n parts, I could have got some nice fully adjustable coilovers!!!
So b4 I go back to Napa n tear the place up(which will get me nowhere). I'm asking the pros on here., how should I handle this. Wish I would have joined b4 I did all of this. Idiot:/
Hope u guys can help me on this, cause it's got my anxiety through the roof.
Thanks.
96 Mitsubishi Eclipse 420a Newbie(understatement).

 

[djaux]

Ok, so I spoke with Advance about the spring compressors., n I know that I've talked to them before about it., along with all other parts stores., and I was always told they didn't have em, or they didn't carry them. So I talked to the regular guy that I usually speak w/ at Advance., he said yes they do have em, n I can use em. As far as maintenance work that needs to be done, here's my list:
Sway bar linkage/front passenger side
Exhaust
Rear hub assembly/torque arms
Drivers side outer tire rod
So that's all that's left for my maintenance. Also need to replace the exhaust, which I'll post on another forum.
I guess now, I need to watch the videos u sent me, hopefully it will give me a better understanding. But I did see the, ebay link., n those aren't bad looking at all, it might even be easier. The only thing I'm really questioning is the ride height., right now I really needed to be in stock height, but when I move maybe i would like it lowered just a little bit but not slammed. I believe I'm too clumsy for that one., and It will eventually have me going broke for body kits. The before picture when it was lowered always the ground that was awful. Idk how to put a video on here from the springs and shocks that I took off the car, but if you had seen it, u would agree that it was definitely a death trap.(i'm also computer illiterate).

 

[djaux]

The color thing isn't too silly I can appreciate paying attention to the little details, but you really don't see much of the shock at all so the color is minimal in there. As far as the coilover vs. shock/spring you just need to decide what you want your car to be. If it is going to be slammed to the ground scraping over speed bumps and parking lot entrances, then the coilovers will get you as low as possible. They have some built in adjustment that can make the shock feel more firm or soft to a degree, but these adjustments don't affect the overall damping like you really would want. Also, what is the point of an adjustment past the point of getting it set comfortably? You're not gonna be twisting all four corners knobs each time you go somewhere "cause the roads are different" so in my opinion the adjust-ability doesn't mean much. The goal would be to match all four corners properly and then leave the knobs alone.

A properly matched shock/spring combo is better for most of us. The companies I mentioned, Koni and Tokiko are two of the better manufacturers that make the struts for our 2gs. You can get a Bilstein, Ohlins, Penske, etc. to work but they are WAAAYY more expensive and usually need some modification since our 2g has a unique size and mounting. In that regard, the Koni Yellow sport shock is widely known as the "best" we can do and if you really want a good read, go check this out:
http://farnorthracing.com/autocross_secrets6.html
http://farnorthracing.com/autocross_secrets18.html

And also there is a section where Dennis Grant gives actual blueprints to create top hats and spring isolators that keep the suspension on the proper axis as the car turns and compresses. None of that is too important for general street driving, but my point is that you can buy pretty near what is known as the "best" for our cars for the same price as the cheapest of the Chinese made coilovers plus they have a lifetime warranty for the original purchaser. You can install them yourself if you can install the Megans, trust me it is very simple. AutoZone, O'Reilly, etc. rent the tool you need for free to compress the springs and there are instructions to do so. Then its the same to install them on the car as it would be the coilovers!

Ok, finally got a night to myself w/no interruption. Wow, man., that was a lot of detail, that really overloaded my hardrive(brain). I really didn't know how complex, just the shocks could be. Impressive, but at the same time overwhelming . I'm probably thinking way to much into it., but at the same time, I get it. I can sum it up it 1 word. Crap!
I guess I'm stuck again, last time I couldn't figure out anything, just because I was looking to bring the car back up to original height., really. But after all the time n money spent for parts/labor/blah, blah, snore.
Ok, now I know how to change the springs/struts/mounts. I can do this myself. Will take a minute(I've been very careful w/everything)., but now I'm thinking to much into this. Non adjustable-what if I get the wrong height(to low). Adjustable/well there is a lot to look into that as well. Being every brand is different. N some just don't work well together(mix n match). Ultimately, n I think I've lost myself somewhere. I can't ride to low/not looking for a lot of bounce/n definitely don't wanna go the same route as last time, n have to do it all over again. Really, it would help, to have an aftermarket parts store here.
I tried looking on Craigslist, for some of the DSM's for sale. Well nobody seems to have a list of what they're using for suspension., really 90%, r just parts cars, n being sold for way to much. This place will eat u alive, if ur not careful.
Anyways, trying to stay on subject here. Is there something out there that isn't going to lower my ride, unless I want it to, that has all the qualities I'm looking for, I mean I'm not gonna b running turbo., n I don't race it at all right now., I've been doing basic maintenance to get it to be a reliable vehicle(at least until I'm settled down). I'm not looking to be cheap, n as far as getting any used struts n springs., the junkyards suck here., n I'd like to have quality, and warranties on just about anything I spend my money on. But I'm trying to stay on a limit., if I go over, I'd like to know it is money well spent.(by the way, thanks for the link!), I know you've given me a few ideas, on where to lean, n I might be misreading, but I believe it's all to lower the car.
The very first picture, those springs could have never been reused., they were so far hidden in the mounts, u couldn't see what they wee until the mounts came off., that was my first time watching that process. Needless to say, I don't know how I'm still alive, or the suspension wasn't worse off then it is now. Meant to throw that out b4. I have a 30second video, just don't know how to download on here.
Anyways, I've been at this forum for a good while., if u have a few ideas, w/what I'm looking for, please lead me to the light!

 

[djaux]

Hey what's going on MIT Kid, sorry bout the late reply. As far as the old ones these things were like slinkys when they took em off, new low for lowering springs.

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I didn't know how bad they really were until then., I'm still trying to upload a video, it's funny, but just plain sad to say the least.
Full throttle gave me a link about shocks/struts, had my head spinning. It was basically going over the different kinds, graphs, really in depth., Now I'm kinda back to square one., trying 2 find the correct shock/coilspring combo. Idk, I've seen enough now, that I can do it by myself, but at the same time I don't need it lowered(but maybe whenever I move maybe I can drop it an inch or 2).
Anyways, how u been lately.? U ever get that stuff taken care of, for ur inspection.? Well I'm done reading for today, got some more things 2 do tomorrow. I'll give u a full update n some pics(maybe), n hopefully be able to get that video to u.
Take care.

 

[Fullthrottle7]

Ok, lets take this back to basics for you, I tend to write a lot even when trying to keep things simple and I'm sorry that those links were fairly techinical. I was more hoping that you'd just take away the thought that the coilovers are of cheaper quality and of poorer valve characteristics than a good strut/spring combo. Also that the Konis are top dog for the struts for our cars at an affordable price point. I think you are getting a little confused with what actually lowers the car, all of these aftermarket shocks/struts are going to be the same as stock as far as height goes and the spring you choose is what will determine the lowering. With a coilover setup which is what you had before, you have locking perches that can be adjusted to raise/lower the car to your liking. Unless you see a set with 3 perches instead of 2, the coilovers compress the spring to get that lowering effect and gradually get to have worse and worse ride quality as they move down in the strut's operating range.

Since you have rough roads and would prefer to stay closer to stock ride height, I think that the coilover idea should be tossed. They are more expensive than the strut/spring combos and will not be as good for you. They do look nice and shiny and everyone thinks they need "coilovers" cause the term is popular but for what you want, I really think you should get the STR.T Konis with a modest spring like the Eibach ProKit and have fun! The ride height will be slightly lower which will look good and help handling, but won't have you ruining body kit pieces. It will ride wonderfully because the Koni has very, very good valving and the Eibach springs are designed properly for balance. This is less expensive then the Yellows since they are not adjustable but you don't need that so why pay for it? When all is said and done you'll be out about $500 and have a more reliable, lifetime warrantied, better performing suspension than the Chinese coilovers....and they match the orange !

At the end of the day you probably will be happy with any of the options you've listed. The coilovers are not bad necessarily, but the quality control is nowhere near that of the Konis, the adjustability and lowering functions are not needed, and the longevity is questionable. With the lifetime warranty on the Konis you can be assured that your money isn't going to be wasted, but on the coilovers if they spring a leak (get it? ) in a year or two, you're gonna be spending money again for repairs or replacements. Hopefully some other guys can chime in since I don't want you to make your decision based only off of what I'm giving you, but as someone who has owned and driven on both coilovers and Konis, guess what made the cut and is on my car....Koni! If you want to step it up to the Yellows thats your call and budget and would tolerate a more aggressive spring change if you wanted to swap on a sport spring after you move, but I really think for your purposes the STR.T is the ticket!

- Tyler

 

[djaux]

Yeah I know, prolly not the brightest apple on the tree., but till last year I couldn't even change a radiator. I'm learning a little at a time.
But yeah, I understood the link, n prolly thinking way to much into it. The Koni setup sounds like a good deal(lifetime warranty), can't argue w/that. Plus I don't think I need to get anything out of the way, especially running w/a 420a. N it won't get any sort of mods for at least a year.
Other than that, all this is new to me, n I do have a bad habit of asking questions, when they may seem clear, it may take a minute for me to pick up. Apologize for the back n forth. Like talking to a brick wall sometimes.
Thanks for ur help Tyler)

 

[Fullthrottle7]

Haha, no worries thats the only way you learn is by asking. Better than returning the bad stuff and guessing again. At least now you know a lot more about the options for your car specifically and have some reference material in case you want to continue to improve on things in the future! Congrats on getting your hands dirty that's how we have all had to learn, by replacing things as they need it (or sometimes because we want more performance ). You'll know you are really bit by the wrenching bug when you start taking off more and more good parts that don't need to be replaced but you convince yourself that you "need" the shiny aftermarket stuff haha. Its all good man take your time and keep asking Qs as they come up, you found the right site for sure!

 

[djaux]

Thanks. On a seperate issue, I got a new ?/thread I'm about to post I might've messed up, not sure. I'm gonna look it up first, but from what I've read., I'm not getting the right answer.

 

[MJBean420]

If you need OEM springs still, I think I still got mine in my garage. 2g FWD.