Which Suspention?

[95GSXBLUR]

Alright guys - I did some searching, but I'm probably retarded because I didn't find anything. Here's the questionThere's every indication of that- SUSPENSION is spelled-out right in of you.)
I have my choice of getting:

Tokico Illumina with Skunk2 Coil-Overs for about $750

-or-

a "Basic" Tein Adjustible w/ Springs for the same price of $750

My goal for my car is a 400WHP daily driver with drag racing and autocross on the side. I want a decent ride not an all out race set up, but I also want to be lowered and be able to perform. Other mods that will be going on with these are some RM Racing Sway Bars and Front and Rear Strut Bars.

Since both systems are adjustible I think either would be a good choice. Is there any one who has experience with either that can tell me how the ride is and if they like the set up? I heard the Tokicos are the best for 2Gs... Lemme know what you guys think!

Thanks!

 

[nelapse]

if you can afford tein get tein nuff said... they own

 

[BillDCat]

I faced this decision recently too. With two blown stock rear shocks, I decided to replace all my springs/shocks. I had to do a lot of reading and research.

The Tein BASIC setup allows you to adjust ride height, but not dampening. ONLY the type SS and type FLEX allow you to adjust the dampening. From what I have read, the BASIC setup's spring rates are too soft, the dampening sub-adequate, and the ride ends up soft and bouncy.

I ended up with some H&R Sport springs and Tokico Illuminas, because of the price. The spring rates were more toward what I wanted, but they lower the car way too much (1.7 in.) - poor ride and suspension travel. If I had the money to do it over again, I buy the Tein SS and get spring rates of 450/350 front/back.

I also have strut bars. They are pretty much useless. They honestly just physically get in the way. Unless you really get serious into road racing, I would save the money.

But whatever you do, get a front/rear camber kit AND GET THE CAR ALIGNED whenever you adjust the ride height!

 

[95GSXBLUR]

Hey thanks guys for your posts! the Tein SS is like $1500 which is double what i wanted to spend. i would like to have a bad ass set up like that.. but the pice is outta the question. I was definitely going to get camber kits and get it aligned if and when i did lower it. i wanna do this right the first time and not mess up.

does anyone know how well the skunk 2 coil overs go with the illuminas?

so strut bars are really worthless?

and what about sway bars... i heard they help...

thanks again for the info guys.

 

[tsunari]

IMHO Strut bars are not worthless . . . so long as they are installed properly. The whole idea behind them is to keep the tops of the strut towers from moving away from each other in a corner. So after they are in place, make sure to twist the bar in such a way that it pulls the towers together. This will take any 'slop' out.

As far as sway bars are concerned, I personally went with the RMDSM front & rear sway bars. NICE difference . . . much more neutral handling and a simple install.

*if I'm incorrect about any of this . . . please do feel free to point it out*

 

[jtmcinder]

You're not wrong, but the front of a 2G is already pretty strong (look at how well the front shock towers are braced to the firewall, for example), such that anything less than 245 R-compounds probably won't produce enough force to bend a car without a front STB.

Put another way, there are other things that are much more important to keeping your hard-fought-for front camber during hard turns, starting with urethane bushings. My guess, however, is that there are 50 times as many 2Gs with front STBs than there are 2Gs with urethane bushings, even though the latter are cheaper.

- Jtoby

 

[98spydert]

Defiant, you crack me up :laugh:

 

[Defiant]

I am evil.

 

[Jfizzle5]

I just installed a set of the tokico 5way's and the tokico springs in my car and all i have to say is wow. The car rides ten times better then factory and it is not bouncy at all, The car handles absolutely perfect and they say the drop is 1.75 but i only measured a 1 1/2 difference from stock, basically for $489 off ebay this is the best you can get for the price. I have used H&R coilovers, Koni coilovers and I would have to say the ride on this is better wich suprised the hell out of me. If you want some more info on it Im me

thanks,
John

 

[BillDCat]

Actually, the Tein SS aren't too expensive on eBay. Around $800 for the complete set right now... NEW, not used. I second the use of urethane bushings and swaybars. Made a huge difference on my last car.

...What shenanigans is Defiant up to?O, just the usual sort of merry-making.

 

[95GSXBLUR]

Hey thanks again for the posts guys!

i heard polyurethane bushings are too stiff for the car and do more dammage than good. i dunno if that's a crock of crap or what.. but if you guys are using them and have no problems that's awesome. I'll see if i can get the sway bars when i do the suspention as well.. i'd like to do it all @ once.


i'll definitely check out ebay for the Tein and the Tokico Illuminas.. looks like the prices are much better than retail there.

 

[tsunari]

Yeah, I have the Front & Rear RMDSM Swaybars with the poly bushings as well as the full Energy Suspension Master bushing kit installed. I staggered the installs so I could tell what was doing what and I must say the bushings definitely helped, but coupled with the ant-sway bars . . . wow. Got rid of a good bit of the understeer and everything just feels much more 'solid'.

 

[ACM]

If your car has a sunroof, a rear strut tower bar makes a major difference, even on street tyres.

Tokico Illuminas should be used with stock springs only, the damping rate and ratio is unsuitable for stiffer springs and result in a net loss, not gain, when used with such.

I think JT has pointed out several times that Konis are far superior to anything else in that price range, and they were valved specifically for some H&R spring set or another.

Charles