Lowering vs Adjustables...

[BINKZ]

Considering either lowering my V7 or getting some adjustables for it...

Just looking for some input as to pros and cons, comfort, general idea of what it'd be like etc...

I've had lowered cars in the past but never adjustables...

Cheers...

[DRFVDR]

Lowering via short springs is easier and cheaper and DOESNOT require a CERT

Lowering via Adjustable Platform Struts are more expensive and really if you dont need the adjusment a waste of time/Money and Need to be Certed

[Joker]

hence I vote lowering : cant see justification for adjusties (except on the track maybe)

mod : can I add a poll to see what ppl have?

(asking OP / Original poster for permission and general public reading this)

[Slidesector]

 We are borg said:

Lowering via short springs is easier and cheaper and DOESNOT require a CERT

Lowering via Adjustable Platform Struts are more expensive and really if you dont need the adjusment a waste of time/Money and Need to be Certed

Strongly debateable. Rules state "modified suspention needs certifcation".

LOL this reminds me of motorway patrol last night hahaha. IMO, do it once do it right, ajusties will out perform and out handle/last anything else ive ever seen.

[Simon C]

Good lowering springs + uprated swaybars gets my vote. Adjustables are a waste of money for street use. Recommend RaceComp Engineering "yellow" springs, which are made to suit the factory dampers. Will not go as low as some, but GD chassis does not like to be lowered much before the suspension geometry gets screwed up.

Good thread here:

http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1383366

http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1408733

[Slidesector]

If you get good ajustables, you can set the damper to whatever you like so will out perform the "springs" and you will also have a comfortable ride. Also if you upgraded swaybars, it will become a weapon.

Talk to NTYCME, he did the same thing to his V9 Sports hatch and daym, its a shitload better than any other subbie i've been in around a corner, mine included

[newsuba]

Why do you want the dampers to out-perform the springs ???

You want dampers + springs matched so they work together, not against each other.

I vote stock suspension with minimal lowering if you must.

:

[D-Style]

 Slidesector said:

If you get good ajustables, you can set the damper to whatever you like so will out perform the "springs" and you will also have a comfortable ride. Also if you upgraded swaybars, it will become a weapon.

Talk to NTYCME, he did the same thing to his V9 Sports hatch and daym, its a s***load better than any other subbie i've been in around a corner, mine included

Thats if you know how to setup shocks. Most people dont, and then complain on how their car's ride is shit and doesnt handle well. K.I.S.S.

[slystiguy]

I'd be curious to know what NEW shocks are actually better than the factory sti? lowered cars can be a real pain when you live in christchurch

[Stoffa]

koni inserts in non sti shocks would probably be among the best, not cheap though, about $250 per corner I believe.

I got pissed off with knocking v5 sti shocks and didn't like the heights of any of the after market springs so I went for Teins but running rubber top hats so not too much road noise through the mounts.

Im running Tein HR's which from everything I've read come with 5kg fronts and 4kg rears which is quite soft in the world of coilovers, but I have no damper adjustment. overall they are probably about 10-20% stiffer than factory V5 sti struts and springs. But I run 24mm front sway bar and 22mm rear so its pretty firm ride. but not too over the top. I'm no boy racer anymore

Valving and springs are usually alot harder with coil overs, but some e.g BC Golds, have ALOT of adjustment in the valving so you can just put softer springs on them and still have a very smooth ride, but genrerally V7+ are alot smoother/quieter on the road anyway.

[kamineko]

so, i've recently fitted 8k/6k adjustables and had them professionally corner weighted and setup

great for track, and abusing the open road.

rubbish for town and anything uneven; there is almost NO suspension travel outside of the preload. maybe my car is too light but park on an uneven surface and your a three wheeler. welly crew saw this firsthand at ngawi ;p

adjustables set on the softest dampening seems a rather backward approach, a hard ride with little benefit. good bragging rights tho

buy some NEW factory or equivalent shocks. monroe are inexpensive. replace your old worn bushes. fit some lowering springs. good to go. anything less than this is cheap and you should expect cheap results - most of the time people dont like 'factory' suspension because its 15+ years old...

well, thats just my rapidly sobering opinion on a new years morning..

[BINKZ]

sigh. still no idea what im gonna do lol.

[Divine]

 slystiguy said:

I'd be curious to know what NEW shocks are actually better than the factory sti? lowered cars can be a real pain when you live in christchurch

+1 if you live in chch, go for higher springs, sti mudflaps and try get that rally car look

[wrx_lou]

Like a bawse!

[T.Rev]

I have Koni sports inserts in mine and King Lowering spings, 22mm sway bar and strut brace..have always been happy with it....went for handling over power first up.

[ben-jamminn]

 Divine']

[quote name='slystiguy said:

I'd be curious to know what NEW shocks are actually better than the factory sti? lowered cars can be a real pain when you live in christchurch

/quote]

+1 if you live in chch, go for higher springs, sti mudflaps and try get that rally car look

Suspension shops must be doing a killing down here... I've noticed my suspension is starting to get a bit creaky and noisy as of late, the roads here are so shit! I just got back from a week in the north island and it was so much nicer to drive up there haha

[BINKZ]

 wrx_lou said:

Like a bawse!

I lol'd haha.

[Divine]

 ben-jamminn']

[quote name='slystiguy said:

I'd be curious to know what NEW shocks are actually better than the factory sti? lowered cars can be a real pain when you live in christchurch

/quote]

+1 if you live in chch, go for higher springs, sti mudflaps and try get that rally car look

Suspension shops must be doing a killing down here... I've noticed my suspension is starting to get a bit creaky and noisy as of late, the roads here are so s***! I just got back from a week in the north island and it was so much nicer to drive up there haha

Yeah I spent some time in Auckland and the roads are so nice, I'm so over driving on the eastern suburbs where I live, riccarton isnt all bad, but raising the car like a outback and mud flaps wouldnt be too bad

[Pappu1]

How low do u Wana go?

Do u want a softer ride than the stock v7 setup?

It's fairly stiff lol

What do u Wana achieve from this exercise?

Depending in answers u can easily decide which way to go

[BINKZ]

handling wise, look decent but still comfortable enough.

ya know what i mean.....

[Divine]

Back in the 80's, wasnt raising cars the thing to do?

[wrx_lou]

Raise in the back dropped on the front. Chuck on a coby and some tridents.

Reminds me of my first car :

[Pappu1]

The rears are pretty nice IMO

Lower the fronts a tad and that should give u a nice look and keep handling good as well and be cheap as well

That's what I have done To a few of my v7s and looks rather well

The nice and neat look

I personally think the v7 struts are rather stiff

I prefer the non Sti struts with some lowering springs and that usually sorts the comfort and look side of things

Handling wise it's none worse off so ticks that box as well

Altho if u got a big budget then get some proper adjusties and set them to the way u like

I have had tried a fair few sets on v7 ranging from high end Hks and cusco to cheaper stuff

I think the neo tech ones from redline were pretty good for the $$ as far as a street cR went as they were fairly adjustable on lots and stuff like damper etc

[boon]

I put some decent adjusties in my V7 and it was a noticable step up in handling over the STI struts. Less comfortable around town but all is forgiven when you go through some twisties at pace... handles like it's on rails. Plus I like the way adjusties drive... it's more... tactile?

[Pappu1]

Think it comes to how much of an uncomfortable ride u can forgive based on how much handling type driving u do

If it's mostly a street car then the ride soon gets annoying but if it's a weekend car then the hard ride usually is part of the fun

I had these cusco adjustables and by god they were rock hard and rattled teeth at the hint of a ripple in the road

Held in the corners like glue but I swapped then out as for daily driving they were just a pain