interog8

Wondering what people's thoughts are on going with lowering springs on stock shocks or upgrading to coilovers? Do the stock shocks hold up well to springs or not? Also, would a shop charge less to put on coilovers vs springs?

Kane

iTrader: (1)

http://www.carbibles.com/suspension_bible.html

With good shocks and springs that are well matched - the only advantage of coilovers is ride height adjustability.

I went from Springs and Shocks to Coilovers to RAISE my car up...... :D

Kane

iTrader: (1)

<- Our Front Suspension basically.

See we have coilovers from the factory(technically)... just not adjustable ones.

imput1234

iTrader: (6)

If you want springs, hit me up, I'm selling SWIFT sport springs right now.

interog8

Thanks Kane...but what if I KEPT the stock shocks and just lowered the car with new springs. Can the stock shocks handle that, or do they wear out crazy fast?

interog8

Hmm...what kind of a drop would I get? How long have you used them for? Could I keep the stock shocks with them?

imput1234

iTrader: (6)

You got PM

Kane

iTrader: (1)

Yeah a small drop is fine; but with the factory travel - you may have bottoming out/scraping issues (with a bodykit).... that was why I went to Coilovers.

TopGear8

iTrader: (3)

I would say get some Swift springs like Imput is selling. Very nice springs! You don't need coilovers unless you are a hard core tracker.

Atilla

iTrader: (1)

^that or if you're just OCD about ride height and ride quality.

Personally i've been dying to match my swifts up w/some d-specs - but i keep hearing good things about the s-tech/koni yellow match up. I think coilovers are a good idea for if you're really serious about suspension or a real nit-picky driver. Nit picky not being a bad thing, just really concerned w/good ride quality.

Kane

iTrader: (1)

U calling me OCD.....

Atilla

iTrader: (1)

ROFL!

I SAID "OR"!!

Kane

iTrader: (1)

Nah; I can't drive for sh*t... I am just OCD.

pdxhak

iTrader: (2)

Springs and shocks or coilovers. I do not think it is a good idea to just swap the springs and use with the OE shocks.

interog8

Thanks to everyone for the input. I have a Tsunami kit on my 8, so I guess I better change up both the springs and shocks. If I go with imput's springs, what's a good shock to pair them with?

pdxhak

iTrader: (2)

Get adjustable shocks

Tokico and Konis are adjustable. The koni's will be stiffer.

Kane

iTrader: (1)

I have heard good things about both Koni and Tokico.... but no personal expierience.

shaunv74

Konis and swift are a great combo. That's what I have on my car and it's fabulous on the track and in the corners but definitely harsh around town. If you track the car or autox I would go with the Konis. If you use it for a daily driver and drive it around town I would recommend the Tokicos as they will be more comfortable on the street and still give you the improved performance.

The other set that has gotten good reviews are the Bilsteins. They are not adjustable but supposed to be well sorted.

interog8

Thanks!! For Tokicos, do you recommend D-Specs or HP? Also, wouldn't the cost of coilovers be roughly the same as getting a set of shocks and springs? And if so, why don't people just get coilovers?

shaunv74

I've only heard of the D-specs. Springs and shocks run you ~900. basic coilovers run your around 1200 and go up from there. And I don't think the 1200 coilovers are as good as a proper spring/shock setup. Plus coilovers are typically a whole other animal in terms of suspension travel and dynamics. They tend to have much shorter springs with much stiffer rates relative to the aftermarket spring/shock setups.

interog8

And what kind of drop could I get with D-Specs and Swift Springs?

TopGear8

iTrader: (3)

Some shocks & springs combos are better then the cheaper coilovers (Megans, Tein Basics, etc..)

AntonToo

I would definetly recommend you go for coilover kit like Megan racing one.

1. No chance of mismatching shock and spring stiffness and rates.

2. Much less hassle to install (you don't have to compress the springs, just swap the entire strut)

3. Megans have camber adjustability.

4. Megans have hight adjustability.

Megans > sping and shock swapping. Obviously.

Some racing classes require retention of stock spring rates, in which case swapping in aftermarket shocks makes sense for adjustability.

Using stock shocks with stiffer, lowered aftermarket springs is a bad idea - this will cutdown on shock travel (it will be partially compressed at full shock expand) and will probably be a mismatch of spring and dampening rates. You are more likely to bottom out and your shock's life expectancy will be shortened as well.

be warned though - if you value your ride quality, you'd do well to stay away from stiffer spring rates all togather and just keep it stock, RX8 is not exactly plush as is.

shaunv74

I don't know about D-specs You'd have to check with someone that has them. My Konis with Swift were 1.5" all around with ~7" of suspension travel.

I can't comment on the coilovers discussed above as I don't know much about Megan. It sounds very nice.

I do know there are some folks that sell cheap coilovers and their shocks aren't well matched or very durable as well. So just because they're coilovers doesn't make them better. A well designed quality set makes them better.

justjim

I don't have any direct experience with coilovers. I've only used the Koni shocks on another track vehicle, not the RX8, and they were great. Based upon what I have read, and my experience on the track with the Konis, is that one of the problems with coilovers that gets overlooked is that you aren't getting a top notch dampener (the dampener is the "shock" part of the coilover, not the strut or spring part) with many coilovers. Some of the dampeners actually suck for good handling. Many reviews by knowledgeable people who have put the dampeners on a shock dyno rate the Konis and Bilsteins as top notch and just about everything else, including the Japanese dampeners, as crap. Most of the dampeners that come with the coilovers that are adjustable adjust the rebound and the bounce at the same time which is bad. You can't get either one right. Koni yellows only adjust the rebound which is better because of the 2 rebound is more important. More expensive Konis adjust both rebound and bounce, but separately and independently, which is best.

If you just want to lower for looks, want simplicity and don't know or care much about handling, a coilover may be a better match for you. But if you do care about handling, know a bit and want to know more, or are tracking the car, a first class dampener like a Bilstein or Koni all by itself with just OEM springs is probably better than a poorly dampened coilover.