So here are my questions:

I am debating getting Prodrive Springs and KYB Struts or Apex EXV Coilovers. Now every winter I drive to go snowboarding, anyone run coilovers to the snow? Any issues? I figure I could go with coilovers for adjustable height. But I like the simplicity of the strut/spring combo.

I did a search but only WTS threads come up.

Thanks in Advance. Sorry if this has been discussed which I am sure it has.


Second question, just though I would throw this in here.

I am getting a Cobb AP2 in the mail, and plan on driving to Vegas in two weeks. Has anyone ever driven long distance in Economy mode and noticed a difference?

 

I'd get struts and springs if I were to make frequent trips to tahoe...

that I'd never buy crappy coil overs

For a street car i'd consider the KW Varant 3s, or just go koni with a ground control setup like I have now (just with much softer springs).

-Gagan

 

I have coilovers and I've gone to the snow. Yeah... it is okay. Rather have a nice comfortable ride though.

 

How come you recommend the Koni and Ground Controls?

 

Konis are much better quality shocks than things like APEX, Cusco 02, Tein anything, Helix, Megan...

They are amazing shocks. They don't cost a grip, and with a ground control kit you'd have height adjustment.

With like some 250/300ft lb springs you'd have a stiff but very very streetable, liveable ride, that still was better than most cheap street coilovers out there.

I run 400Lb front and 550lb rears on GC setup, with off the shelf Koni Yellows. They are easily as good, if not better than, a coilover setup twice the price.

-Gagan

 

My understanding of Japanese coilovers is that they have high spring rates and under dampened shocks. Please keep in mind, that is what I have heard. Pairing a good shock with a good spring will do wonders. I bet that is why the German coilovers are so good.

 

Not all japanese shocks are like that, not all german shocks are good.

H&R for the subies are not much good.

Cusco zero2R are under sprung on the GDs, which is why the 12l/10k setup works better. This goes for the JIC FLT-A2s also, under sprung.

Shocks like the Megans or Helix are under dampened, which doesn't mean they are stiff or soft, they are simply just tuned very very wrong and don't do a good job at controlling/countering movement.

 

THANKS GUYS! Made my decision a lot easier.

 

How did you end up picking the spring rates of 400/550 for the Ground Control setup? I'd imagine with that setup it helps bring the rear of the car around quite easily.

How did you end up deciding on more Rear Bias vs a Neutral or more Forward Bias (like most of the other stuff on the market seems to be in both coilover and spring setups for our cars)?

 

Koni struts are the way to go. I've got KYB's and they are alright but I drove a wagon with almost the EXACT suspension as I have on my wagon... I have his sway bars now... Only real difference was the struts and his car was way more planted.

A quality strut/spring combo is WAY better than crappy coil overs.

 

I ran this set up Koni/Neuspeed on my civic for a minute. Really nice set up.

 

gagan autocrosses (and he's pretty damn good at it: http://www.sfr-solo.org/solo2/Result...onship/t2.html) you want the thing to rotate in autocross and many achieve that by stiffening up our understeering asses.

 

Trial and error... lots of it. lol

Based on rates on my previous coilovers (DMS 40s, HORRIBLE RELIABILITY) I knew that I'd like more oversteer, a more twitchy car. So when I put my konis together I picked out 400 front and 450 rear. This worked awesome on my car with my 17x8s and 245s.

Once I lightened the car by doing roof and hood, widened it with the flares and went 18x9.5s at like 30 offset (255 tires street, will be 285 tires R-Comps), car pushed like made. SO i went up in spring rate in the rear 550, and it's better, but still pushes.

I've now learned from lookling at recent pic of my autoxing, I am lifting inside front tire (hence the push) and need to go back to stock front bar.

550lbs is very stiff for me, but it works. Car is pretty neutral but, on the much wider tires and wheels, i'm looking for that twitchy setup again. I will have to go customer bar since i'm at 27mm right now, and that's like 120ft lbs/in, and a custom bat will net me 300-700 ft lbs/in.

anyways, yeah, trial and error. Most off the shelf coilovers will keep the back soft so that the cars won't tend to be snappy, cause most people won't be able to drive it.

Not that I'm a good driver or anything.

 

Ugh, what a horrible start to the year with that stupid crank gear skipping a tooth, and then my shocks being worn out, one was blown cause of an accident. Then my tires were old.

Then after my comeback, I space out at the last event, drove poor. Happens. Ugh...

Next year, Next year...

 

To address the other part of your question.

The best way to control your fuel economy is with your right foot.

I have an AP2 and I'm running the Stage 2 ACN map. I just drove from norcal to portland and got 28.9 on my first tank of gas. I've never even bothered with the fuel economy map.