What shocks for Gen 4? Not coilovers

[shav]

Shav,

why no coilovers - harshness, legality or price?

The legality is a concern in SA. I need my car for work purposes and a fat defect sticker on the wind screen doesnt bode well for business.

I'd rather keep the comfort of the ride quality I have. I take older family members in my car as it is and it's better that I keep the comfort levels the same or close to.

Price wise, is less of a concern. But always in the back of my mind. So while mid range coilovers are about $1300+ up, I would hopefully expect to pay under 1k for excellent quality non coilover shocks.

Another thing is, I dont want to lower the car up and down which I know is what the coilvers are designed to give you the versatility of doing. Once I have a height, I'd keep it that way. Frankly I dont have a lot of room to move there as the dump is a tad lower than I had wanted. So having that closer to speed humps is not a good idea with a full car load.

Call me an old man, but I like the way the car feels now, but I need less body roll and more grip in the corners when pushing. Hence me looking at shock choices.

[shav]

JDM Spec B Bilsteins are tuned firmer than the AUDM Spec B ones. They run JDM valved ones in the TbSTi hence why you could buy the standard AUDM Spec B shocks from Tyrepower. If you want a bit more comfort go with JDM GT rather than GT Spec B. I hope that makes sense?

Where would one purchase the JDM versions Adrian? Could I get my stock shocks revalved to JDM specs?

[Sean82]

Sean,

whaddayagot? In terms of both shocks and rims/tyres.

Cusco Zero-A Coils (6kg spring F&R) with 235/40R18 tyres (RE002).
I quite like it; taught is my best description.


Hey Shav, what about Konis? They're not cheap, but they're adjustable dampening and probably some of the best you're readily going to get locally.
You'd just need to modify your stock front struts to accept the Koni insert (rear shocks are complete bolt-on units).

JDM Spec B Bilsteins are tuned firmer than the AUDM Spec B ones. They run JDM valved ones in the TbSTi hence why you could buy the standard AUDM Spec B shocks from Tyrepower. If you want a bit more comfort go with JDM GT rather than GT Spec B. I hope that makes sense?

Where would one purchase the JDM versions Adrian? Could I get my stock shocks revalved to JDM specs?

Yahoo Auctions again would be my bet.

[SegR]

Shav... pretty much my thinking also.

Sean, we should catch up some time

[shav]

Hey Shav, what about Konis? They're not cheap, but they're adjustable dampening and probably some of the best you're readily going to get locally.
You'd just need to modify your stock front struts to accept the Koni insert (rear shocks are complete bolt-on units).

Yahoo Auctions again would be my bet.

Yeah Koni's were mentioned to be before. They are certainly a worthy option. I also thought about the KYB AGX's as they are adjustable too. Any thoughts on those?

[Sean82]

Personally, when I researched for my Foz, I would spend the extra $100 I was quoted for Koni compared to the adjustable KYB (AGX's??? I don't know but the adjustable ones)


EDIT: I'm sitting at Fulcrum getting an alignment and asked about Billies: $1,500 a set.

[alexeiwoody]

Read this. If you can get some billies, even if old, it's about the valving/programming of the damper. The billies are awesome once valved, much much better than stock gt, specB or tbSTi.

viewtopic.php?f=19&t=25981&p=371192#p371192

I wonder how many shocks out there have been programmed with the right stuff for our roads. Which is why the Shockworks coilovers sound so amazing, when in fact they can be just a midrange quality shock with the right "settings" to perform like a very good coilover down under.

[d-chang]

Hey Shav, are you looking at keeping your Billies? Or is your car a Premium pack? Well, as what Alexei said, the Bilsteins are a fantastic shock... I had them on my old Lib, I ran mine with STI pink springs and the ride was firm but good. As you know Patrick (Agan) runs his on Kings, and another friend of ours is running Teins. With this GT though... it came with Pedders Level 2 suspension... whatever that means. But if I say so myself... I think my car sits absolutely perfect, it's perfect enough that I don't have much gap between the tyres and guard, but the ride is quite hard and over rougher ground you can feel the bumps. Good thing Perth roads are generally ok (I say that loosely). But my car is not low that I have to go over speed humps sideways...

Front:

WP_20140403_001.jpg (239.7 KiB) Viewed 4221 times

Rear:

WP_20140403_002.jpg (253.85 KiB) Viewed 4221 times

[3rspecb]

Read this. If you can get some billies, even if old, it's about the valving/programming of the damper. The billies are awesome once valved, much much better than stock gt, specB or tbSTi.
viewtopic.php?f=19&t=25981&p=371192#p371192
I wonder how many shocks out there have been programmed with the right stuff for our roads. Which is why the Shockworks coilovers sound so amazing, when in fact they can be just a midrange quality shock with the right "settings" to perform like a very good coilover down under.

I had my stock billies with Eibach springs re valved by Trutrack last year. Wasn't 100% happy at first, but then made a few tweaks to the alignment and tyre pressures which transformed the car. Very happy camper now..

[shav]

Hey Shav, are you looking at keeping your Billies? Or is your car a Premium pack? Well, as what Alexei said, the Bilsteins are a fantastic shock... I had them on my old Lib, I ran mine with STI pink springs and the ride was firm but good. As you know Patrick (Agan) runs his on Kings, and another friend of ours is running Teins. With this GT though... it came with Pedders Level 2 suspension... whatever that means. But if I say so myself... I think my car sits absolutely perfect, it's perfect enough that I don't have much gap between the tyres and guard, but the ride is quite hard and over rougher ground you can feel the bumps. Good thing Perth roads are generally ok (I say that loosely). But my car is not low that I have to go over speed humps sideways...

Hey Daniel. Your car sits perfect. Nice job. I only have the premium pack. It's not a Spec B But in saying that, I do love the suppleness of my current suspension ride quality. It's not soft like a boat, but it aint hard like a go kart either. To me, it's the best of both worlds. But in saying that, in corners there is too much body roll, which then lifts the grip on the inside turning wheels turning into understeer. So what I am trying to work out is, how can I keep my current ride quality and still solve this issue of body roll/understeer? (bear in mind I already have F&R sways, end links and HD mounts) Lowering is the easy option. It lowers the center of gravity, I get that, but by doing that, I find you sacrifice the shock travel distance, and under body clearance when you go over speed humps. I lose ride quality too. Lowering for me while it looks hot, is not really an option unless Im only lowering it by an absolute maximum of 1" or 25mm.

A shock with the ability to soften or harden the ride quality via its adjust ability is probably the best option to go for and still remain legal. Koni adjustables tops the list at the moment but they are flamin pricey.

[d-chang]

Hey Daniel. Your car sits perfect. Nice job. I only have the premium pack. It's not a Spec B But in saying that, I do love the suppleness of my current suspension ride quality. It's not soft like a boat, but it aint hard like a go kart either. To me, it's the best of both worlds. But in saying that, in corners there is too much body roll, which then lifts the grip on the inside turning wheels turning into understeer. So what I am trying to work out is, how can I keep my current ride quality and still solve this issue of body roll/understeer? (bear in mind I already have F&R sways, end links and HD mounts) Lowering is the easy option. It lowers the center of gravity, I get that, but by doing that, I find you sacrifice the shock travel distance, and under body clearance when you go over speed humps. I lose ride quality too. Lowering for me while it looks hot, is not really an option unless Im only lowering it by an absolute maximum of 1" or 25mm.

A shock with the ability to soften or harden the ride quality via its adjust ability is probably the best option to go for and still remain legal. Koni adjustables tops the list at the moment but they are flamin pricey.

Is there a way you could keep your shocks and put in a different/harsher spring? You be using just the standard KYB shocks. Unless if yours on the car are almost shot anyway? Surely a brand new set of KYBs will be cheaper than Konis?

[Sean82]

Pricey is right Shav.

For guys that have done Billie re-valving/building, what's the cost? If it's anything more than $200 a corner, I think you'd be better off forking for new Konis...But that's just my opinion.
Actually, my real opinion is stop beating around the bush

[Sean82]

Hey Daniel. Your car sits perfect. Nice job. I only have the premium pack. It's not a Spec B But in saying that, I do love the suppleness of my current suspension ride quality. It's not soft like a boat, but it aint hard like a go kart either. To me, it's the best of both worlds. But in saying that, in corners there is too much body roll, which then lifts the grip on the inside turning wheels turning into understeer. So what I am trying to work out is, how can I keep my current ride quality and still solve this issue of body roll/understeer? (bear in mind I already have F&R sways, end links and HD mounts) Lowering is the easy option. It lowers the center of gravity, I get that, but by doing that, I find you sacrifice the shock travel distance, and under body clearance when you go over speed humps. I lose ride quality too. Lowering for me while it looks hot, is not really an option unless Im only lowering it by an absolute maximum of 1" or 25mm.

A shock with the ability to soften or harden the ride quality via its adjust ability is probably the best option to go for and still remain legal. Koni adjustables tops the list at the moment but they are flamin pricey.

Is there a way you could keep your shocks and put in a different/harsher spring? You be using just the standard KYB shocks. Unless if yours on the car are almost shot anyway? Surely a brand new set of KYBs will be cheaper than Konis?

Problem here is mis-matched spring rate and valving/dampening.

From personal experience, this is worse than titanium bars in place of shocks/struts. The ride is so unpredictable, one corner it'll absorb the bumps, the next the same sized bumps will throw the car off a cliff (so to speak).

I can't recommend not doing something like this enough...

[shav]

Daniel - I'd rather revalve the stock shocks personally. The shocks are most probably the factory ones (KYB?) and they are 94,000km old. They dont seem to show signs of leaking yet. Seems to hold the car to the road nicely still, so I am in no hurry to swap them out just yet if I dont need to. But am looking at my options now so Im not having to provide a knee jerk decision once they die.

Sean82 - Those coilys look sexual. Love them. Just wish they were street legal without engineers certificate or welding the height adjuster into position.

Maybe I should just run air bags and forget about legalities. LOL

[tkboi]

Read this. If you can get some billies, even if old, it's about the valving/programming of the damper. The billies are awesome once valved, much much better than stock gt, specB or tbSTi.

viewtopic.php?f=19&t=25981&p=371192#p371192

I wonder how many shocks out there have been programmed with the right stuff for our roads. Which is why the Shockworks coilovers sound so amazing, when in fact they can be just a midrange quality shock with the right "settings" to perform like a very good coilover down under.

Thanks for the link, would those specifications be good for any variant of the Bilsteins? as i currently got JDM bilsteins with eibach springs (not sure what model to be exact) but it has camber adjustment in the fronts, like coilovers! i have been planning to revalve them for awhile now, just didnt know how to.

Is that all the info i need to tell whomever is doing the revalving ect.?

P.S sorry for hijacking your thread Shav!