If you daily drive coilovers on the crappy bay area roads, i would greatly appreciate if you could answer the following questions:


1) What coilovers do you have and are they on a soft or hard setting?

2) Do they make noises? If so, is it bearable or maddening?

3) Do you regret buying them?

4) Any other comments?


The reason for this thread, is that I think my front left strut is going bad, I have the infamous STi rear strut clunk (I dont want to keep regreasing them) and I am unsatisfied with the STi strut replacement options:

- I do not want to hack 04 wrx struts and put koni inserts in.
- I would love to have Ohlins but the price is out of my budget.
- Tokico D Specs also make the rear clunk.
- I really dont want to stay with the stock strut.
- I dont want lowering springs

Please, please, please do not turn this into a strut vs coilover thread! I am fully aware of the strut/spring vs coilover debate. I just want coilover owners to post with thier opinions.

My thought process, here, is that if I HAVE to live with NVH, I would prefer it to come from a noisy, well handling coilover than a noisy, bouncy, factory suspension.

Thanks!

 

Had some Swifts/stock struts on my 06 wagon, now on BC coilovers 8/6 spring rates, dampening set to 20 out of 30 on the front and 18 on the rear.

I have rear clunking but it's not bad but I messed around with the preload so I'm thinking that's what's making it clunk. 99% of the clunking, if there is any, is error from the install, and messing around with the preload.

Had infamous butt-sag on the wagon so besides the aesthetics, the car handles much better and ride is not harsh at all.

90% of the people from Nasioc with these coilovers have sedans and they love them.

I would definitely check them out, worth it just to look.

Good luck.

 

I dunno what to tell you man, I had the same problem with my 05 and it drove me nuts, got some ohlins and it was amazing. Now i've got cusco zero2r's on my 06 they are just to much for the roads I drive on......they just don't have enough rebound......but when you get to smooth pavement they are amazing.

 

1) What coilovers do you have and are they on a soft or hard setting?

99 RS

Koni Yellow Inserts - Rebound only adjustment. Bump is constant and non adjustable. Front is set to about 80% of full stiff. Rear is set to about 90% of full stiff.

Ground control coilover sleeve

Swift Race Springs: Front 6" @ 7kg Linear Rate (also a 3" eibach helper spring), Rear 7" @ 8kg Linear Rate

2) Do they make noises? If so, is it bearable or maddening?

The coilover setup itself doesn't really make much noise at all. I put 2-3 small patches of duct tape on the top and bottom of the spring coils to stop them from chattering. The DMS tophats with the solid spherical bushings do make some noise sometimes. Noise isn't really an issue in my car when it's such an old (182k miles) car, that's got HUGE NVH from everywhere else and a loud exhaust, I could careless about the damn clunking.

3) Do you regret buying them?

Nope. Best suspension I've put on the car to date.

4) Any other comments?

A Professional race car driver drove at T-Hill LOVED it. His only gripe about the car was it needs more power (132whp). He clocked a 2:15 lap time in it.

For what you are looking for something like a Helix/Megan setup would work. If you have more funds and looking for something nicer you could try the Tien SS or some of the BC Racing stuff. Possibly the Whiteline setup.

Most of the cheaper coilovers are oversprung. (IE Bouncy)
Most of the Japanese coilovers are undersprung. (IE Stiff)
Most of the European coilovers are comfortable. (IE $$$ and maybe not stiff enough for some or ride height may be too high for some)

Best thing you can do is take rides in people cars. It's the only way for you to sample the different brands.

 

I remember Eli using the Megan's and he was happy with them. They have them monotube now.

 

1) What coilovers do you have and are they on a soft or hard setting?
-I have a set a STANCE +GR coilovers and they are pretty stiff right now. If
I wanted a softer ride, I would gave to get new springs.

2) Do they make noises? If so, is it bearable or maddening?
-They dont make any noise at all. I hear some spring noise sometimes when
I turn or make a U-turn but you can barely here it.

3) Do you regret buying them?
-NOT AT ALL, great coilover. SUper strong with the mono tube and its a
pretty good price.

4) Any other comments?
-They are a bit on the aggressive side. I live in the city so some of the
bumps throw me around. Ive gotten used to them though.

 

Great, moved.

 

The Koni install isn't that bad. It's not fun and maybe a little messy, but it's not impossible.

That said, TIC is working on a fix for the D-Spec rear clunk. D-Specs + springs would be my choice.


- Andrew

 

Yeah.....I used Konis with prodrive springs on my old wrx and while the handling was very good, the front suspension made ALL kinds of noises (not just road noise, I can deal with that) but intense rattling at low speeds. It was inspected and taken apart/reinstalled 3 times (with groupN mounts and then with the stockers) but to no avail. I dont feel like going through that again, it was very disappointing, as I had read that Prodrive/Koni was a dream setup.

I read your thread on nasioc about the D-Spec clunk fix, hopefully you can work that out.

What are your thoughts on the Tein SS coilover? I know you like the BC ones...

 

1) What coilovers do you have and are they on a soft or hard setting?
Stance GR+, softest setting is still stiff.

2) Do they make noises? If so, is it bearable or maddening?
Not really.

3) Do you regret buying them?
No.

4) Any other comments?
See DarkOnion Coilover Spectrum.

 

I have Cusco 02R's w/ 7/5kg spring rates

1) What coilovers do you have and are they on a soft or hard setting?
daily them with 2f/2r damper setting. (adj 1-5) track setting is 5f/4 or 5r

2) Do they make noises? If so, is it bearable or maddening?
my whole car makes noise but nothing from the coilovers.

3) Do you regret buying them?
nope and i'd buy them again if they need to be replaced but with higher spring rates.

4) Any other comments?
i've been running them for almost 4yrs/30k miles daily, canyon, autox, & track events. still running strong.

 

Never said I liked the BC coilovers.....

I've ridden on the Tein SS and they ride okay on good roads, but on broken pavement you really feel the lack of suspension travel.

We may have a new coilover option coming out late this spring for less then our RCE Tarmac 2 coilovers. Similar to KW Variant 1's.

- Andrew

 

Any guestimates on price?

Edit for reading comprehension...searching price on RCE Tarmac 2 coilovers

 

PM sent.

- drew

 

Don't forget that there are a lot of factors in choosing coilover set-ups. Mainly preferences. Best thing is to ask for rides and see which set-up you like. Even that can be iffy. If you buy a set of coilovers, and you don't seem to like them, worse case scenario, is sell them and get a different set. Trial and Error. That's just the way it works.