Need a favor from EVERYONE with lowering springs

[DrKlop]

This thread is a part of Suspension Sticky on the top of this section.

Since opinions are also very important when choosing suspension products, I would like to ask everyone who’s already lowered to answer the following questions. The more people will reply the better, since everyone has his/her own opinion. If you had more than one setup, comment on your previous setups as well. If you are not sure how to answer any of these questions simply skip it and go to the next one.

1 List all your suspension mods and settings (springs, shocks, bracing, bushings, sway bars, cut bump stops etc)

2 Your driving skills and experience

3 How often you bottom out and at what conditions

4 How your car feels when driven around town

5 Impressions on curvy roads

6 High speed driving and high speed stability

7 Ride quality (how would your family member describe it)

Advanced handling questions:

8 Behavior when going through a constant radius single apex corner (turn in/mid corner/ exit) at low, medium and high speed.

9 Behavior when going through an S turn or when doing emergency lane change at low, medium and high speed.

10 Is your car predictable?

11 Additional information that you feel is important


Thanks in advance.

[meccanoble]

1 List all your suspension mods and settings (springs, shocks, bracing, bushings, sway bars, cut bump stops etc)

Tein H tech springs, Tokico Illumina's (5/5), Custom Enterprise FSTB

2 Your driving experience (not more than two - three lines please)

Handling has a major improvement. Turns I see a good 10 mph increase without worries. Also speeding just feels easier and safe.

3 How often you bottom out and at what conditions

Never

4 How your car feels when driven around town

I feel bumps a lot, especially potholes. I'm guessing cause of 5/5. I dont mind the ride, tahts why I have it the same 5/5 even after months of ownership.

5 Impressions on curvy roads

Improvement that can be felt.

6 High speed driving and high speed stability

Improvement, high speed is definitely more stable than before.

7 Ride quality (how would your family member describe it)

Its not a Mercedes for sure. They'll say its more for a race car

Advanced handling questions:

8 Behavior when going through a constant radius single apex corner (turn in/mid corner/ exit) at low, medium and high speed.

Improvement for sure.

9 Behavior when going through an S turn or when doing emergency lane change at low, medium and high speed.

when turning, car feels more straight (like a runnerback is supposed to run through defenders, the car keeps its shoulders squared so turns feel safer even if they are quick and at high speeds.

10 Is your car predictable?

Yes?

11 Additional information that you feel is important

NO squeeks, no noises having to do with suspension.

[Kevon1]

Tein H Techs, Tockico Iluminas 2F/3R Stillen front & rear strut braces, Stillen rear sway bar. 235/45/17 Pirelli P Zero Nero M+S tires at 34psi all around on 17x8 Mille Miglia rims. No trimming of bump stops. I have 16 years of driving & love high speed driving but I am by no means a racer. I have been to the track once & raced 3 times & have never driven in auto x. I did have advanced auto training from several different police officers . I love the 2F/3R setup here in NewYork city. I would go a little firmer if not for such poor road conditions. Large pot holes will cause a occasional bottoming out but the same could be said for stock suspension.The ride around town is nice & firm confidence inspiring never feels out of control. Curvy roads are welcome & handle with no problems. High speed driving is very good & stable but was better when I had the front & rear set up at 3F/4R felt like it was on rails. My wife hated any setting of the Iluminas other than the 2F/3R setting everything else was to harsh on bumps & imperfications in the road. Behavior when going through a constant radius single apex corner the entry is sweet at all speeds with a neutral /very slight understeer , Mid corner at high speeds I tend to let up for fear of rear front braking loose. Exiting is a breeze at low & medium speeds & I am cautious at high speeds to me the car feels very predictable but much more so when Illuminas were set tighter up front. Overall I love this setup & would not change a thing. I love the springs as well as the struts. Hope this helps

[bigfatty]

1 List all your suspension mods and settings (springs, shocks, bracing, bushings, sway bars, cut bump stops etc)

Kyb GR2 Struts, Vogtland Springs, Front bumpstops cut 1.5" rear 2.0"

2 Your driving skills and experience (even if you just got your licence, your response will still be helpful)

11 yrs of driving expirence some autocrossing in my old car, Honda Prelude SH

3 How often you bottom out and at what conditions

Have not yet, but I am carefule at drive ways and speedbumps

4 How your car feels when driven around town

A clean firm ride, no sloppiness on bumps or curves

5 Impressions on curvy roads

Excellent, you throw the car in and it will hold tight will very little body roll. Snapping out of the turn the car will return to center quickly without and reverse body roll.

6 High speed driving and high speed stability

On the interstate you feel like you can hit any turn at any speed and feel completely safe. I set the cruise at 78 - 80mph and dont tap the brakes for any turn.

7 Ride quality (how would your family member describe it)

My 6 month thanks me for not having his brains bounce on the inside of his skull. He fall asleep 5 min into any drive

Advanced handling questions:

8 Behavior when going through a constant radius single apex corner (turn in/mid corner/ exit) at low, medium and high speed.

Pretty much and any speed the car feels the same, whatever body roll there is it will be there at the begining of the turn and stay that way through the turn. It finds its place to settle and waits for you to finish the turn. Also car gives you great feeling back to the driver, its easy to make good decisions.

9 Behavior when going through an S turn or when doing emergency lane change at low, medium and high speed.

Can't say I have alot of feedback on this type

10 Is your car predictable?

Absolutely

11 Additional information that you feel is important

I know people are not too big on the GR2s but I am completely satisfied and a little surprised at the quality this setup. For $472 shipped to my door, its a steal. My offer still stands anyone it the Northern Illinois area who wants to see for themself I will be more than happy to give a test drive.

Fat

[Progress]

1 List all your suspension mods and settings (springs, shocks, bracing, bushings, sway bars, cut bump stops etc)

1 Tokico Illuminas (3F/4R), Tein H-Techs, bump stops cut one section in front, none in rear, Progress RSB, Ebay FSTB.

2 Your driving skills and experience

2 I don't do any racing but I enjoy spirited driving every now and then. Since I've been driving since I was 16 I think I have relatively good experience under my belt but not much race-type driving. I've never auto crossed but am interested in doing it.

3 How often you bottom out and at what conditions

3 Never ... yet.

4 How your car feels when driven around town

4 Great, except over large potholes and bumps. Cincinnati roads FTL. When roads are smooth it feels much better than stock.

5 Impressions on curvy roads

5 Much less body roll than stock. Feels more stable in corners and turn in is improved.

6 High speed driving and high speed stability

6 Much better connection with road.

7 Ride quality (how would your family member describe it)

7 No complaints as of yet. I can tell it’s stiffer than stock but it isn’t jarring.

Advanced handling questions:

8 Behavior when going through a constant radius single apex corner (turn in/mid corner/ exit) at low, medium and high speed.

8 Yet to test.

9 Behavior when going through an S turn or when doing emergency lane change at low, medium and high speed.

9 Significantly less body roll than stock, much more planted and controllable.

10 Is your car predictable?

10 Yes, have yet to have over steer issues.

11 Additional information that you feel is important

11 On stock wheels w/ Toyo Proxes 4

[Larrio]

1 List all your suspension mods and settings (springs, shocks, bracing, bushings, sway bars, cut bump stops etc)

BC coilovers with 9kg eibach front springs and helper set, 6kg eibach rear springs. Oil filled dampeners with pressurized gas. FSTB, RSB, full ES bushings. I can comment on the original sprint/agx combo if you'd like also

2 Your driving skills and experience

moderate. Two road course events and one HPDE event

3 How often you bottom out and at what conditions

NEVER. The is quite a bit of lateral travel available

4 How your car feels when driven around town

imagine a 350Z track edition or some other stock high performance car that has a rather stiff factory suspension. Smooth ride but you feel the road imperfections without losing a kidney

5 Impressions on curvy roads

minimal lean, no tire squeel, predictable weight transition

6 High speed driving and high speed stability

perfectly normal and planted. The helper spring set helps due because extra droop can be set for the suspension to unload

7 Ride quality (how would your family member describe it)

"sporty" - gentle enough where children still fall asleep on trips

8 Behavior when going through a constant radius single apex corner (turn in/mid corner/ exit) at low, medium and high speed.

low to med speed - neutral, high speed - moderate on throttle understeer at late mid corner and exit

9 Behavior when going through an S turn or when doing emergency lane change at low, medium and high speed.

rear end stays planted, sharp steering response

10 Is your car predictable?

very

11 Additional information that you feel is important

Please read Sport Compact Car August 2005 issue for explanations why OVER-lowering your car is detrimental to handling. I am supplying a excerpt for all customers purchasing my coilovers. The car is equipped with aerodynamic aids which help for high speed stabiilty. I also have subframe bushings which lower the car 0.25 inches without affecting suspension geometry.

Ride alongs will be offered to any members upon request in the local area

18x9 fronts 245/40 falken 451
18x9.5 rears 275/35 falken 451

[NewLoveI30]

1) Eibach springs, Tokico Illumina struts (4/4), OTTO FSTB, (this is even with the very non sport oriented BFG Traction T/A's @ 35psi) :EDIT: No cut bumpstops.

2) I'm an aggressive/spirited driver who loves stretches of canyon highways.

3) Only bottoming out is upwards of 80mph on large smooth dips with the trunk full of my stuff (moving).

4) Car is very composed around town, but if the road gets $hitty, things get a bit rough.

5) Curvy roads are my one true love. She stays flat, grabs on and almost pulls you through the corners.

6) Only been up to 125mph, but the car is still very stable. No weaving or shaking.

7) The ride is very firm, but controlled. I've never heard a complaint though.

Advanced handling questions:

8) Crisp turn-in, minimal roll, very neutral at the limit, will oversteer slightly if pushed hard.

9) Great with emergency lane changes. After swerving to avoid something I always think 'did the car anticipate my actions?' minimal roll, no drama.

10) Should be evident after the last question. The car is very predictable

11) Watch badly maintained railroad tracks. That's my only advise.

[Larrio]

Old suspension setup (1 year time frame)

1 List all your suspension mods and settings (springs, shocks, bracing, bushings, sway bars, cut bump stops etc)

Kyb AGX with 4th gen sprint springs, partially cut bump stops, FSTB, RSB

2 Your driving skills and experience

beginning moderate, one HPDE event

3 How often you bottom out and at what conditions

Quite often. Pot holes, speed bumps, and railroad tracks

4 How your car feels when driven around town

sporty on smooth roads, a pogo stick on bad roads, slightly floaty on the freeway

5 Impressions on curvy roads

moderate lean, off and on throttle understeer, front end plowed

6 High speed driving and high speed stability

moderately safe, not too comfortable at the limit

7 Ride quality (how would your family member describe it)

overall okay with moments of uncomfortability

8 Behavior when going through a constant radius single apex corner (turn in/mid corner/ exit) at low, medium and high speed.

low to med speed - front end plow, high speed on throttle understeer and front end plow off throttle

9 Behavior when going through an S turn or when doing emergency lane change at low, medium and high speed.

Got the rear end to slip out on a S turn at high speed. Heavy leaning

10 Is your car predictable?

Yes, but not very safe

11 Additional information that you feel is important

I can comment on D2 coilovers also
Axis Se73ns 18x7.5
235/40 Kuhmo Ecsta 712's

[cutter]

1 List all your suspension mods and settings (springs, shocks, bracing, bushings, sway bars, cut bump stops etc)
Tein H-techs, Tokico Illumnias 3F/3R, 18x8 infiniti G35c wheels, 235/40/18 tires, bumpstops aren't cut

2 Your driving skills and experience
Driving for like 3 years. I take turns hard sometimes and drive fast, but I am probably not nearly as experienced as some of the other members. No auto-x or drag strips or anything like that.

3 How often you bottom out and at what conditions
Never....well the other night i had 3 hockey bags, and 3 ppl in my car and was going up a slight incline and then there was a railroad crossing and I was going kinda fast and it sounded like the back hit something. I never bottom out at that place though, I think it was the speed and all of the bags and ppl.

4 How your car feels when driven around town
Feels like stock, no one notices that I have a new suspension.

5 Impressions on curvy roads
I was on the back roads of RI the other day and I was very impressed with the handling. I was going like 45-50 and it was handling very well.

6 High speed driving and high speed stability
Feels great.

7 Ride quality (how would your family member describe it)
No one notices unless I hit a pothole or like a bump in the road. It doesn't hurt, but it makes a loud thump and they are like ohhhh.

Advanced handling questions:

8 Behavior when going through a constant radius single apex corner (turn in/mid corner/ exit) at low, medium and high speed.
N/A

9 Behavior when going through an S turn or when doing emergency lane change at low, medium and high speed.
Very responsive at all speeds, a lot better than stock

10 Is your car predictable?
Yea

11 Additional information that you feel is important
The h-techs with illuminas are a great upgrade. I have some noise in the back and sometimes in the front when going over speed bumps. I don't know what it is. But I am going to my dads shop this weekend and I will let everyone know.

[GBAUER]

1 List all your suspension mods and settings Maxspeed springs, stock struts, Custom Maxima FSTB, Pilot Sport A/S rubber
2 Your driving skills and experienceAverage driver.

3 How often you bottom out and at what conditions Never

4 How your car feels when driven around town bounces a little in the rear: possibly blown rear strut

5 Impressions on curvy roads holds pretty well, but rear needs to be tightened

6 High speed driving and high speed stability very stable at all speeds

7 Ride quality (how would your family member describe it) a little bouncy

Advanced handling questions:

8 Behavior when going through a constant radius single apex corner (turn in/mid corner/ exit) at low, medium and high speed. low: little to no roll, medium: increased roll, but still holds well, High: more prominent rear roll, but still holds

9 Behavior when going through an S turn or when doing emergency lane change at low, medium and high speed. same problems and feel as a constant turn except at the direction change: the rear wants to kick out some

10 Is your car predictable?very

11 Additional information that you feel is important with aftermarket struts and a rear sway bar, the car will be 100% solid in the corners. Also would like to note that there are no knocking or rattling issues in the suspension

[super6]

1. illuminas (2/3), h techs, rsb, fstb, 225/55/17 turanza lsv, (my old set up was with JIC A1's - in a few words they offer unbalievable handeling at the price of reliability and shattering your teeth)

2. did a few autocross events with miata, consider myself an above average driver

3. no bottom out ye but i should have cut bump stops maybe 1/2 inch.

4-5. ride feels great, well above stock handeling, but not at all like coilovers. great comprimise!

6. feels stable but w/o cutting bumpsops feels dangerous over big holes at big speeds.

7. on softest setting its a good ride, but on 3/3 it can get rough in NY

8-9. car feels good in every situation, the thing is that these cars have a bad turning radius and steering isnt razor sharp so thats what makes it a bit hrader to take small/sharp corners at high speeds (even if the suspension is suitable)

10. predicable. a big part of that is the tires i think, great sidewalls on bridgesones!

11. dont get coilovers unless u are really hardcore or live where roads are flawless!!! illuminas are the only way to go, h techs are nice and come with isolators, other than that eibach may be a better chose for the springs!

[2K3MAX2NV]

1 List all your suspension mods and settings tokico blues , progress springs TOYO tpt tires OEM specs, Otto FSTB
2 Your driving skills and experience Average driver.

3 How often you bottom out and at what conditions Never
4 How your car feels when driven around town stiffer than stock bouncy when over smooth bumps hits hard over potholes
5 Impressions on curvy roads holds pretty well, but rear needs to be tightened as well
6 High speed driving and high speed stability very stable at all speeds
7 Ride quality (how would your family member describe it) rough and too low

Advanced handling questions:

8 Behavior when going through a constant radius single apex corner (turn in/mid corner/ exit) at low, medium and high speed. low: little to no roll, medium: increased roll, but still holds well, High: more prominent rear roll, but still holds

9 Behavior when going through an S turn or when doing emergency lane change at low, medium and high speed. same problems and feel as a constant turn except at the direction change: the rear wants to kick out some


10 Is your car predictable? sometimes

11 Additional information that you feel is important with aftermarket struts and a rear sway bar, the car will be 100% solid in the corners. Also would like to note that there are no knocking or rattling issues in the suspension

[GBAUER]

Originally Posted by 2K3MAX2NV

1 List all your suspension ...

did you just cut and paste my answers?

[MaxBoost925]

1 List all your suspension mods and settings (springs, shocks, bracing, bushings, sway bars, cut bump stops etc)
K-Sport coilovers, FSTB, RSTB.

2 Your driving skills and experience
I drive like a noob.

3 How often you bottom out and at what conditions
I only bottom out when a sidewalk entrance bump is like /\ - teh slammed 24"

4 How your car feels when driven around town
I was shaking when I got out of the car after a drive in downtown SF at max stiff.

5 Impressions on curvy roads
Addicted to them - oversteer - only fun when dry.

6 High speed driving and high speed stability
Going 130mph. I feel MUCH more stable - MUCH more control.

7 Ride quality (how would your family member describe it)
Mang, do you even have shock absorbers!?

Advanced handling questions:

8 Behavior when going through a constant radius single apex corner (turn in/mid corner/ exit) at low, medium and high speed.
Oversteer - body flex eliminated - turning radius is the same as stock.

9 Behavior when going through an S turn or when doing emergency lane change at low, medium and high speed.
The sides don't dip at any speed. Car is flat.

10 Is your car predictable?
Very.

11 Additional information that you feel is important
If you get CO's get slammed.

[HotshotVQ35]

1) JICs, F&R STB, RSB, ES MM, 18s with 245/40 toyo 4s
2) advanced, over 10 HDPE events, only 2 in the boat..aka maxima
3) never
4) stiff like ron jeremy in his prime
5) great, needs SFCs to stay more stable
6) see above
7) horrible, handling>ride thats MY opinion too many people whine about ride quality but want to handle like a porsche..
8) IMO its about the driver and how far he can push his car
9) same as above
10) yes
11) lots of people think they can put on springs and shocks and become racecar drivers. not the case. and auto-x IMO is no way of judgeing how your car handles. most coarses at least in NY are SLOW and boring. bring your car to an HPDE event and then comment on how it handles when you are going 100+ mph.

[2K3MAX2NV]

Originally Posted by GBAUER

did you just cut and paste my answers?

alot of similar answers to mine plus i did this in a rush

[Lontar1]

1 List all your suspension mods and settings Maxspeed springs, Illuminas struts, Custom Maxima FSTB, Pilot Sport A/S rubber, Stillen knockoff RSB
2 Your driving skills and experience: normal daily driver.

3 How often you bottom out and at what conditions: Never

4 How your car feels when driven around town: normal

5 Impressions on curvy roads: holds really good

6 High speed driving and high speed stability: very stable at all speeds

7 Ride quality (how would your family member describe it): not bouncy at all.. nice ride.

Advanced handling questions:

8 Behavior when going through a constant radius single apex corner (turn in/mid corner/ exit) at low, medium and high speed. less roll than stock but it will always be there.

9 Behavior when going through an S turn or when doing emergency lane change at low, medium and high speed. Sometimes it pulls more but easy to correct.

10 Is your car predictable? no car is predictable....only the driver is

11 Additional information that you feel is important: everybody should get any kind of RSB best mod for the price...., the car is 95% solid in the corners.

[DrKlop]

Thanks to everyone who has already posted their review.

However, we need more responses in order for the thread to be as helpful as I planned.

[Progress]

Originally Posted by DrKlop

Thanks to everyone who has already posted their review.

However, we need more responses in order for the thread to be as helpful as I planned.

Put a link to it in your sig.

[DrKlop]

I was thinking about it but I only want 5th gen owners reply to this thread. Thanks though.


Come on people, the more the better! This information is subjective but:

a lot of subjective info = correct info

[Progress]

Originally Posted by DrKlop

I was thinking about it but I only want 5th gen owners reply to this thread. Thanks though.


Come on people, the more the better! This information is subjective but:

a lot of subjective info = correct info

So what? Just put a message in it saying something like "4th genners need not apply."