Anybody with tockico illumia's figured out some good settings for a real smooth ride?

 

Mine are in the mail. What springs do you have with them?

 

I just got them last week. I have them on 2 front/back on stock SE springs for now. Im saving up for H&Rs. So far they are wonderful. njmaxseltd, thanks for the info.

 

With H&R springs and Motivation Mounts in the rear, 2 all the way around is the sheit.

 

do you definitely need motivational mounts with H&R? i thought you need them when you lowered 2+ inches?

 

you dont NEED them. they provide more wheel travel in the back... i would say only get them if you care about your passengers in the rear.

i've found that the settings on my rear AGX's dont really matter that much in terms of ride quality, and I dont care if the rear suspension is firm. the front is a different story though...

 

The MV mounts do make quite a difference in ride quality even with H&R springs. I was a non-beliver until I threw them in. I had my car loaded up with 3 guys and luggage, the rear wheels were tucked and the car still rode good. It still had some travel left in the rear suspension to absorb bumps and ride smooth.

The more you spend on quality components for your suspension setup, the better your car is going to ride. My whole setup cost me upwards of a grand. And I guarantee you it's the best riding lowered car on this board. Ask anybody who has driven it.

 

where can i buy illuminas for a reasonable price?

 

Check Ebay. Somebody on here saw them last week for like 420.

 

Fazli...how are those Illuminas working with stock springs? Are they a better ride than the stock struts, or just harder/firmer? I'm looking for a better/more controlled ride, but don't want any harshness. I really don't want to drop mine right now, but want better struts. Your take?

 

How is the reliability of these shocks? I was highly considering the AGX before people started to talk of the illuminas.

 

They are great!! and well worth the money. At first I was hesistant on buying so expensive struts but they are worth every penny. I have them on the second setting (2) all around and the ride is firm but not to firm. It handles like a BMW with very little to none sway. It is better on bumps and WAY smoother than my friends AGXs (night and day difference). I want to drop the car but I want to preserve the ride quality. Soon I will pair them up with H&Rs and that should be an even better combo (toms loves his setup). Well in short, they work very well with stock springs.

 

I dont know the reliability because I have only had them for a month. They look to be well engineered and solid. The rears even came with new bushings and the guy on ebay gave me all four boots for $20 . I think he was drunk that night but oh well.

 

Well said, night and day differance over AGX's is right! I'm sure they ride really sweet on the stock springs. Just wait till you couple them with H&R's

 

Hey tom I have a question. My struts were making a knocking sound when turning so I thought my front mounts needed replacement. I just took the assembly out today and while comparing the right strut (bad) and the left (good) i noticed that the metal plate that is between the bumpstop and the mount is cracked and the middle hole is worn bad. I think the strut touches this when I turn. Do u know the part number for this because i dont want to buy the whole assembly. I will keep the new mounts and replace them any way. btw, i drove on 5 all around just to see how it feels and it really grips the road. I dont think the extra grip is worth the loss of comfort though...

Sameer

 

Great feedback! How would you compare the ride to stock now that you have had the Illuminas on for a while? Do you prefer the ride over the stock units?

 

I can attest to Tom's (njmaxseltd) suspension... it rides buttery smooth and very quiet. It's only a tiny bit more firm than my stock SE suspension, but nowhere near "harsh" or "unconfortable. A ride in his car inspired me to get the Illuminas. I will report back after I get them installed this weekend.

 

What springs are you planning to use?

 

My stock SE struts were pretty much worn out and I was getting close to a caddy ride. IMO, the illuminas absorb just as much as stock struts (maybe a lil more) but they can with-stand a decent drop (i plan on getting H&Rs). My car handles much better! While exiting the highway on the way to school I felt more in control. The exit was 15mph and I usually have to slow down to 10mph and still feel somewhat resistance but after the illuminas I can easily take the same turn at 20-25. If you are getting Suspension work done then you shouldnt cheap out on components (ull regret it). I know friends that cheap out and their car rides like crap. Here is a personal example. I really didnt think that there would be a huge difference between H&Rs and Maxsprings. I was wrong!!! I drove 98 max with Maxprings and a 97 with H&Rs. H&Rs are WAY smoother than maxspeed and well worth the extra $80-100. I went over the same road while testing the two springs. I guess H&Rs were engineered better. Well sorry to make this long...i hope i answered your question

 

What your describing sounds like the upper strut mount or the support for it. Are you refering to the hole that the piston and top nut is on, the one that can be seen from the engine bay?