Advice on springs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
10-12-2004 | 07:20 AM
#42
Originally Posted by JOMAN
what would u recomend?...and yes i have read teh stickies..but it doesn't give me much i prefer personal experience...any1 with a repone would be good. =)
Originally Posted by phenryiv1
Okay, the after-a-trip-to-work report:
This suspension is what I really wanted out of my I30 from the get-go. I have a very tight, controlled ride that is free of harshness or bounce. Everything feels solid and connected, and the struts and springs work well together. Highway driving feels almost-stock, and in-town driving features reduced body roll, better control in turns, and a sportier overall feel, all while maintaining a smooth ride over potholes and speed bumps.
These are the H-Techs with KYB AGX in the front (setting 3) and Tokico Illuminas in the rear (stiffest setting).
Comparison to past suspensions:
To help smooth out the firmness of the Intrax springs in the rear, I had already pulled the rear KYB AGX struts in favor of the Tokico Illuminas ($160 shipped from Southwest Autoworks). This really helped to smooth out the ride in the rear, but I wanted something a little bit more commute-friendly for my 300+ miles per week in the DC Metro area. They looked great, but I went with function over form and switched to the Tein springs.
On the Intrax, the ride was a bit firm when compared to that on my Tokico HP struts and H&R springs on the Maxima. On 16" low-profile tires the ride was less than forgiving, but on 15" tires they feel pretty good, planting the car to the road and reducing body roll to almost nothing. It took some time to get used to the ride, but I loved the stance and handling on the Intrax. Actually, the front was very nice, but the rear was a bit harsh. The Illuminas in the rear definitely helped, but it was still not where I wanted for it to be for all of the driving that I do. Hopefully, the new springs will help smooth things over.
The H&Rs, by contrast, were on Tokico HP struts, and were the first-release of the H&R. Newer ones seem to sit a bit lower in the front than do the older ones. The H&Rs rode almost exactly like stock, so much so that my wife appreciated the handling when she drove the car but felt no difference in the ride on the highway or around town. I really liked the H&Rs, but wanted something a bit lower in the front. The newest H&Rs are supposedly lower, but I did not have $200 to spend on them new, and I could not find any used ones that I could be sure were the new style. The Teins, by contrast, had about 4000 miles on them and were reasonably priced.
Please use the following scale for comparison:
For handling, 10 is Sports-sedan like (best) and 1 is Stock (we will call that "worst," even though it is not that bad). For ride/comfort, we will say that 1 is stiff and harsh (worst) and 10 is GLE/GXE stock (comfortable). This makes stock SE suspension a "9" for ride/comfort.
The ride on the Tein AGX/Illuminas is an 8. The handling is a 6.5.
The ride on the Intrax AGX/Illuminas is a 5.5. The handling is a 7.5.
The ride on the Intrax ALL-AGX is a 4.5. The handling is a 7.5.
The ride on the H&R Tokico HP is an 8.5. The handling is a 6.
Let me know if you have more questions.
This suspension is what I really wanted out of my I30 from the get-go. I have a very tight, controlled ride that is free of harshness or bounce. Everything feels solid and connected, and the struts and springs work well together. Highway driving feels almost-stock, and in-town driving features reduced body roll, better control in turns, and a sportier overall feel, all while maintaining a smooth ride over potholes and speed bumps.
These are the H-Techs with KYB AGX in the front (setting 3) and Tokico Illuminas in the rear (stiffest setting).
Comparison to past suspensions:
To help smooth out the firmness of the Intrax springs in the rear, I had already pulled the rear KYB AGX struts in favor of the Tokico Illuminas ($160 shipped from Southwest Autoworks). This really helped to smooth out the ride in the rear, but I wanted something a little bit more commute-friendly for my 300+ miles per week in the DC Metro area. They looked great, but I went with function over form and switched to the Tein springs.
On the Intrax, the ride was a bit firm when compared to that on my Tokico HP struts and H&R springs on the Maxima. On 16" low-profile tires the ride was less than forgiving, but on 15" tires they feel pretty good, planting the car to the road and reducing body roll to almost nothing. It took some time to get used to the ride, but I loved the stance and handling on the Intrax. Actually, the front was very nice, but the rear was a bit harsh. The Illuminas in the rear definitely helped, but it was still not where I wanted for it to be for all of the driving that I do. Hopefully, the new springs will help smooth things over.
The H&Rs, by contrast, were on Tokico HP struts, and were the first-release of the H&R. Newer ones seem to sit a bit lower in the front than do the older ones. The H&Rs rode almost exactly like stock, so much so that my wife appreciated the handling when she drove the car but felt no difference in the ride on the highway or around town. I really liked the H&Rs, but wanted something a bit lower in the front. The newest H&Rs are supposedly lower, but I did not have $200 to spend on them new, and I could not find any used ones that I could be sure were the new style. The Teins, by contrast, had about 4000 miles on them and were reasonably priced.
Please use the following scale for comparison:
For handling, 10 is Sports-sedan like (best) and 1 is Stock (we will call that "worst," even though it is not that bad). For ride/comfort, we will say that 1 is stiff and harsh (worst) and 10 is GLE/GXE stock (comfortable). This makes stock SE suspension a "9" for ride/comfort.
The ride on the Tein AGX/Illuminas is an 8. The handling is a 6.5.
The ride on the Intrax AGX/Illuminas is a 5.5. The handling is a 7.5.
The ride on the Intrax ALL-AGX is a 4.5. The handling is a 7.5.
The ride on the H&R Tokico HP is an 8.5. The handling is a 6.
Let me know if you have more questions.
10-12-2004 | 07:38 AM
#43
Originally Posted by JOMAN
what would u recomend?...and yes i have read teh stickies..but it doesn't give me much i prefer personal experience...any1 with a repone would be good. =)
the only experience i have with true coilovers are JIC's .. so my opinion would be biased. However that being said.. i love them.. they give a nice drop and the ride quality is great.
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