Need advice on suspension choices

[mkowske]

After an hour of searching and reading various threads on here, I ask for some advice. I use my car for daily driving mostly, with maybe 3 or 4 autoX events each season.

One of my struts needs replacing.. time to upgrade. I'd like the car to be a little stiffer and more responsive than stock, and ideally be able to adjust this to be even tighter for autocross. Would like the car to be dropped a bit, but I live in WI and that's terrible for winter so adjustable ride height or a spring that doesn't drop the car too much.

From my research: GC coilovers (9" spring) w/ either Koni inserts or KYB AGX.

Questions: is the Koni adjustable? If not, how harsh is it? Recc. spring rates? I was thinking somewhere in the range of 350 to keep it a nice daily driver.

Reccomendations, please! Thanks!

[mkowske]

Also, is there any fabrication that needs to be done? I was reading something about cutting the strut perch to allow the threaded portion of the coilover to sit lower? can someone explain this? is there anything i should be considering when deciding which size spring to go with (8" or 9"). They offer different ranges of ride height, but other tha nthat I don't know the pitfalls. help, please?

[renegadewrx]

I think I bumped that thread a while ago on the DIY of AGX/GC coil springs. The cutting of the lower perch is optional. If you want to go back to normal springs you may want to leave the lower perch and save the upper perch. I believe it was Aquacow who posted the DIY thread

It's usually personal opinion on having all for springs the same rate a lot of people do stiffer front and softer rear springs. I've posted before about the mixed feelings of the 8" springs being to small and could cause problems with struts and possibly the springs. I personally would have went 9" if I wasn't into the Rally X scene. I went 10" for ride height. I cut the perchs off myself with a di-grinder or a dremel tool should work the same. My spring rates are 250f and 200r with the AGXs. I love the DD of this setup with the AGXs set at 2f/4r. 350f/300 rear should make a nice combo for DD and auto x.

It seems like you've done your homework and I know I researched the AGX/GC combo for about a month searching and asking others that have used it. I personally like my setup and got the struts and springs for around $850 new. I spent a long time finding deals on the AGXs but had to buy from GC themselves for the springs.

[mkowske]

Ok, so what is the advantage of cutting off the lower perch if it is optional? Is the ride height different if you don't cut it?

Thinking now I might just go with a strut/spring combo.. only reason I want the coilover set up is the adjustability in ride height, but maybe I'll just find some springs that lower 3/4" and deal with it in the winter. Car already sits pretty high stock.. so it shouldn't be that bad I hope.

[Tim.Flat4]

The "go to" fun DD spring and strut combo is Prodrive P1 springs and KYB AGX adjustable struts. From what I've been hearing P1s are harder to come by now a days but Swift has been coming out with some comparable springs. There has been quite a bit of discussion on Swifts here too, so a simple search should give you all that information. I would go in to more detail but I'm not well versed and I don't want to give you incorrect information.

[NW OBS]

There is NO reason to go to coilovers on a car that is daily driven with an occasional auto-x or canyon blast ~

I would go to one of these (I have had them both on my GD).

AGX / Prodrive P1 or Tokico Spec D / Swift

Both will give you adjustability (the Spec D's more so) and a comfortable ride on the street. Both springs are hard to find for the GC, but I would make them my only choice. Watch the boards and if you see a set of P1 or Swift for the GC ~ scoop 'em up!

[renegadewrx]

Originally Posted by NW OBS

There is NO reason to go to coilovers on a car that is daily driven with an occasional auto-x or canyon blast ~

I would go to one of these (I have had them both on my GD).

AGX / Prodrive P1 or Tokico Spec D / Swift

Both will give you adjustability (the Spec D's more so) and a comfortable ride on the street. Both springs are hard to find for the GC, but I would make them my only choice. Watch the boards and if you see a set of P1 or Swift for the GC ~ scoop 'em up!

I agree I went with this setup because I am constantly going to Auto X/ Rally X events and those awesome canyon blasts.

To answer the question on cutting the perch off. It gives you a few extra mm so you can fit a wider tire/wheel in there to act like a true coil over setup. The height adjustability isn't all that worth it though IMO. Since I've had my GC coils I set them to a certain height left them. Let the new suspension settle in and I leveled them out. I have yet to change them at all. I would go with what NW OBS is saying though. Possibly a little more budget friendly as well.

[mkowske]

That sounds like what I need... but of course, like you say, both the P1 and the Swift springs aren't being produced anymore (as far as I can tell). Don't think I have time to watch the classifieds for weeks before a set turns up... argh, why can't anything be easy. Aren't there any good springs that I can buy new? What about Eibach or Tanabe GF210? thanks for all the replies so far.

[Tim.Flat4]

Here is a long list of vendors that carry or can order Swift springs for you: Swift Springs USA

Here is a PDF file that gives you spring specifications per chassis: http://www.swiftsprings.com/file/ss.pdf

Rally Sport Direct carries Prodrive P1 springs for your application: http://www.rallysportdirect.com/stat...gs-p-2393.html

Be sure to run your searches through both our forums as well as Google. Also, NASIOC has tons of information and is a fantastic resource.

[240kat]

swift no longer makes gc springs.
p1's are also no longer available.

i searched long and hard for good coil springs and it (pretty much) came down to sti gymkhanas or ground controls. i talked to mark at gc and he set me up with a set of 315/250 eight" springs based on my driving habits and current mods. theyll be going on a set of konis. the best price on koni's seem to be at CVR, which sells them for $619 shipped.