I cannot decide if i want to go with Koni Adjustable Struts with the H&R springs or with something like the D2 Coilovers... what would you go for?

any suggestions welcome!!

Thanks for the feedback!

 

Three words for the D2 setup:

Bang
For
Buck

 

anyone else got any feelings on the issue?

 

It all depends on what your goals are, and what's important to you. Coilovers (JIC, Tein, D2's etc...) are great because they provide you with ride and height adjustability all the time, while for the most part still retaining full suspension travel. Koni's and H&R's would still give you good dampening, but I'm not a huge fan of Koni's. They're good, but for the price, you can buy better. If you're the type to just set the height once, and not change it every weekend......I would suggest looking for a spring that gives you the drop you want and then buy Tokico Illuminas to get your ride adjustabillity. You're looking at a little over 4 bills for the Illuminas, and probably about 2 bills (average) for you springs. That's $600 for a good start towards your suspension set-up. I would suggest that instead of spending $1200-$1800 for JIC's ( not that they're not good threaded body coilovers ), spend the extra $600-$1200 and get a rear sway bar, front strut bar, and Stage 2 lower tie bar ( from Matt @ Blehmco....in the GD section by the way......free plug! ). You'd still have extra $$$ after that to get an intake too if you want ( from Greg also in the GD section...PlaceRacing CAI.....free plug ).

 

I would have to agree with BRAN808. Koni's are a solid product, but there are better one's. I'm not a big fan of coilovers, especially on larger cars. No technical stats to back up my opinion, but personal taste. H&R have been putting quality products together for a long time and I don't think you'll find a better setup for their price.

I don't have any personal experience with Tokico, but I have yet to hear a negative thing about any of their products, including their base setups.

Any of these setups will only change ride height, stiffness, and help a little on cornering. Improvement in cornering comes more from upgrading the steering components, replacing sway bars, upgrading bushings, and more. Not to be rude, just so you are not expecting to be able to whip around corners all of a sudden. The above setup would actually give you a VERY good start at a high-quality suspension setup for "aggressive" driving.

Good luck with whatever you get.

 

i wne the coilover route because i wanted to be able to chang the handleing any thime i wanted. if your gonna spend a good sum of moeny itd be nice to be able to adjust.

With cars like ours its not uncommon towant to go throw it thru turns one day and then trans port a few people the next. and i havent found one combo of springs/struts that do both as well as id like.

 

if you're gonna make use of the coilovers then get them...if you arent gonna rock the car then don't i got my a1's from paul @avalon for $1000 good guy to deal with.

 

keep the comments commin!!

i am looking for any drawbacks to putting on coilovers, other than price.

if i put on coilovers, what brand is the best?

 

draw back for coilovers?... there's a lot depending on where you live.

The ride will definitely be more harsh
The suspension and car will be more stiff (which could aid to new rattle noises in the car)
If it snows where you live, the aluminum components in coilovers are subject to rust and corrosion
Coilover struts eventually need rebuilding, but all struts do anyways

There is no brand that is best. You take a look at the differences and what is offered between JIC a1, JIC a2, Tein, and D2... and then choose

 

coilover ride is way to rough. go with strut spring(even though i went with spring and stock strut(dumb)) this is just what i have heard from talking to other org members
-adam

 

My Tein S. Techs were harsher than the JIC's.

Aluminum components do not rust, they corrode. As long as you keep some anti-corrosion compound applied during the winter, if you have snow, they will be fine.

Coilovers also allow you to corner balance the car. You will not be able to duplicate that with springs and struts.

 

going from sprint/agx combo to d2's... the coilovers are much more comfortable and also retain full suspension travel. I live near L.A. and the ride is fine unless I head into the downtown pot holed streets, then its more on the rough/stiff side

 

the corrosion factor worries me... i live in upstate newyork and they salt the living S**t out of the roads. and you cannot clean your car for a two month period starting around now into Feb. it is to cold. trust me it sucks when you go through an auto car wash, get home and cannot open the door.

 

Good concern. After only 3 months of Chicago salt my Cattman/Progress aluminum sleeves looked like crap. Didn't know then about having to use an
"anti-corrosion" compound. I heard Tein now covers their units with a coating becuase of all the complaints.

 

I went with Progress springs and Illumina struts. I love this setup. If you want less of a drop, Maxspeeds or H&R's are good too.

 

anyone else?

 

I went with jics a-1's and love em so far!

 

coilovers are cheaper and easier

 

all aluminum coilover components are usually hard anodized, which aids in fighting off the corrosion. However given enough salt and cold winters, its hard to say how they will hold up

 

coilovers...dont know what brand but trust me. i used to live in boston and when you lower ur car and cant bring it back up youll hate urself for not getting coilies...

 

2 chicago winters, (just sitting in, not driving in) have mad emy a1's look like complete a$$.

oh and cold weather is supposed to be really bad for blowing high rate struts, like most coilovers have

 

um why the heck did you bump a thread from over 2 years ago? He's had coilovers for a while now...

 

He didn't - someone voted to bump it, although he's got his 15 posts now!

 

Hey upstate,

Springs and struts Your in Queens, the roads up there are worse then Jersey's and my K-sport coilovers were hell to drive on. You will regret those coilovers after a few nostalgic months!!!!!!!!

 

he's had them for two years now.

 

love my JICs coilovers>springs/struts

 

Yeah this thread is REALLY old... I have had them for a long time now. BTW, my car is still in upstate New York, I don't use it in NYC.