lessons learned

[eurosx]

I spent the at least 8 hours today messing with a friends car's suspension. Lesson learned: stay with what proven brands you know, cheap products are cheaply made, don't use a suplier you don't know/ have delt with in the past just because they have a cheap price. Just a little rant and advice for everyone from my lesson learned today.

[andrave]

what parts? what brands? what problems?

[eurosx]

He, like so many uneducated F&F wannabies, purchases items sporatically for his 90s model caviler. I try to instruct him in what is what and how best to invest in modafing his car. He got a pair of airspeed coil-overs from I don't know where. He asked me to help, and having put on sevral Ground Control kits on various makes I agread. First off I personally hate the coilover systems that use to rings to tighten against each other which this unit uses. I could tell the cheapness of the product by looking at it. The aluminum threaded sleave that the rings spun on looked more like a part for a child's toy than a durable car part. The included parts didn't resimble any way to clearly function with the oem mounting parts. The instructions were crap, didn't exlpain how to correctly assemble everything (what to use/ what not to). It broke down to a trial & error of assemble, place on car, evaluate, dissasemble, make adjustments (not ring height, that was later) to parts of the assembly, and repeat. Then the cheap aluminum sleave began to strip when it finally came time to adjust the ring's height. All in all a very frustrating and educating day. Lessons learned.

[andrave]

Oh yeah, I went through that with a set of ****ty *** "dropzone" coilovers on my friends civic...worst instructions and product ever. we chucked those and got some real lowering springs.

[YomnyM]

Hey guys i see thayt we're talking bout the coilovers and i wanted to see if anyone could help me. I want coilovers since i got Eibach sportlines springs and they don't lower enough for my desire. I got KYB;s AGX and i was wondering what coilver kits i could get that would fit and work well, i really don't intend in buying the more expensive kits with the struts. Any ideas. Thanks

[NeedCAforS13]

ground controls are good...a bit pricey but not anywhere near the full coilovers!

Sean

[YomnyM]

Any specific sites where i could get them for a good price. Thanks for your help

[andrave]

I have kyb's and heartily recommend my tein Stech regular lowering springs (on my s13).good combo for a daily driver (if you drive on WV roads you couldn't stand anything stiffer).my poly bushings helped a lot too!this combo won't put you in the weeds though.

[eurosx]

I've been using Ground Control since '99-00 timeframe on everything from Honda to DSM with no problems ever. Normally mated with tokico blues but thats just what I personally like.

[YomnyM]

Sounds good, im thinking of going with Ground control, i went to their website and read that they make all systems custom to the car is going to be used in, I don't want to get springs cause i want the car low, like wheel to fender and no spring unless i cut it will give me that. Thanks alot for your responses.

[andrave]

just follow their recommendations though... my friends has GC coil overs on his 300zx and he didn't want his ride to suffer so he ignored their recommendations and got some soft springs and his car sucks and thumps the bumpstops.

[YomnyM]

definitely, they're pro's they should know what they're talking about, i really don't care if the ride is stiff or soft as long as is good.

[drift-sx]

I am gonna go for some Gp sports coilovers myself they seem to be very drift oriented

[BuLLeTdrift]

I want coilovers since i got Eibach sportlines springs and they don't lower enough for my desire.

you wanna sell em'?

[float_6969]

Sportlines aren't enough? Sweet pete you must like it slammed! I had a set of sportlines and they were too low for me. The only reason I'm contemplating coilovers is so that I can cornerweight.

[Dori Dori]

If you get ground controls, make sure you get a strut that can handle those spring rates, and that drop. Don't think the AGX's will be enough. You should have a set of custom valved Konis or some short stroke jdm stuts.

I have the KYB Buzz Specs (short stroke strut) w/ ground controls (450f/350r)...it's ok, but those struts need a little more 'umph'. If I could do it all over again, I would have kept my Konis (returned them b/c I didn't like the fact that the rears weren't externally adjustable) or I would have gotten a set of Advanced Design coilovers.

[Nathan]

Sportlines aren't enough?

Haven't you heard? The lower the car is the faster it must be :rolleyes

[SeVa-S13]

Speedbumps > Homeboys

[float_6969]

Sportline = Rice? JK!!!

[quest]

doriwhere r u getting your konisdid u get the kyb buzz/ ground controls directly from gc ?

I like the low look but don't need coilovers. Lack of wheel travel is what hampers the s13. I was gonna modify oe fr strut hsgs to sit koni inserts ~1.5" lower, and remove hsg material above the spring perch. Actually the regular agx look like it has a removable insert... never tried to tho.For the rears I was thinkin to modify oe hsgs and find a shorter ajustable insert.

maybe the kyb buzz spec has already done this ?