help a suspension noob with coilovers and support

[Breadman]

So i know near nothing about suspension but my next mod is coilovers i believe. I just upgraded to 17x9 255/40/17 wheels and want just that little bit of clearance more. currently im running a 3mm spacer in the front but they arent stx legal. i dont really want to lower it much if at all since i already scrape on my friends driveway and PA roads are shit. I assume tein csg spec would be "good enough" because im a mediocre driver and the only thing else id need is a rear lower control arm? If there is anything i missed just chime in, im trying to make my budget for whatever i need now.

[re-animator]

if you don't know anything about suspensions and want to maintain stock height why do you want a set of coilovers?

[churchx]

For how he wrote "I just upgraded to 17x9 255/40/17 wheels and want just that little bit of clearance more" - for better too wide wheels clearance.
As for not-lowering .. IIRC flex Z & flex A were a bit lower then stock though even at minimum height drop.

[strat61caster]

CSG Spec Teins will be decent for autox, spring rates are in the ballpark for stiffness (but you'll be sacrificing comfort vs a softer coilover), camber plates will be necessary for using those big tires you paid a few hundred bucks for (I'd suggest -3.5 front camber as a starting point if you're serious about putting up good numbers for autox) and yes you'll need a lower control arm to get the rear camber adjusted, get the cheap SPC arm, no reason to spend more money, some of the fastest cars are using it (-2.5 degrees to start imho). Zero toe front, some toe in rear to taste.

There's a bunch of other advice to spout, but talk to your local STX drivers, ask questions, most autoxers are helpful. There's also tons of information to read up on if you're patient enough to search for it. It sounds like stock suspension likely fits your needs better but what the hell dive on in, it's a hobby.

Oh and nothing is illegal about your wheel and spacer setup for STX. There are alternative coilovers if you're willing to up the budget, but for ~$1.4k I don't think you'll find anything significantly better.

[2Wavy]

If it were me I'd switch to narrower tires like a 245 for more clearance and leave the stock suspension. That's the tire width I'm on now and I plan on getting coilovers to lower the car soon, but if you don't want to lower the car I don't see the point of getting coilovers. What's the offset on your wheels?

[Breadman]

Originally Posted by re-animator

if you don't know anything about suspensions and want to maintain stock height why do you want a set of coilovers?

i literally said in the post. "currently im running a 3mm spacer in the front but they arent stx legal."

[x808drifter]

There is literally an entire sticky thread for this.
http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=25779

On top of that, like strat said, ask the locals.

[scirocco78]

Wheel spacers are STX legal. There is no rule about offset.

[Breadman]

Originally Posted by scirocco78

Wheel spacers are STX legal. There is no rule about offset.

i swear someone told me that spacers that change the suspension geometry were illegal. either way if i wanted to add camber i would need this

[Doji Style]

Originally Posted by Breadman

i swear someone told me that spacers that change the suspension geometry were illegal. either way if i wanted to add camber i would need this

https://dk1xgl0d43mu1.cloudfront.net...pdf?1445897937

Note item 14.4

Any wheel can be used as long as the width is not greater than 9". We've all been here, don't sweat it.

[Breadman]

Originally Posted by Doji Style

https://dk1xgl0d43mu1.cloudfront.net...pdf?1445897937

Note item 14.4

Any wheel can be used as long as the width is not greater than 9". We've all been here, don't sweat it.

14.8 A
" This does not allow the use of spacers that alter suspension geometry, such as those between
the hub carrier and lower suspension arm."


wouldnt hub spacers be considered this, or is it because they arent in the actual suspension, they dont count?

[Doji Style]

Originally Posted by Breadman

14.8 A
" This does not allow the use of spacers that alter suspension geometry, such as those between
the hub carrier and lower suspension arm."


wouldnt hub spacers be considered this, or is it because they arent in the actual suspension, they dont count?

I'm not sure tbh. My original intentions of sharing this link were not to prove that he could, but more put the rules in front of him. I'm in the process of building an STX car, I've always run in DS so I'm the last person that should answer your specific question.

[strat61caster]

Originally Posted by Breadman

14.8 A
" This does not allow the use of spacers that alter suspension geometry, such as those between
the hub carrier and lower suspension arm."


wouldnt hub spacers be considered this, or is it because they arent in the actual suspension, they dont count?

No.

You are concerned about what is between the hub and wheel. That is explicitly allowed in Street rules, section 13.4 which carry over into street touring without the restriction of +/- 7mm from factory per the 14.4 rule mentioned above.

The rule you're referencing is to prevent spacers that change suspension geometry such as this which acts as a spacer between the hub carrier and suspension arm:

Other suspension designs make it easier to add a spacer and change suspension geometry than the 86, but this is what that rule is getting at.

[wparsons]

That spacer would be an extended ball joint, or something else to change the roll center.

Just a quick point, the SPC LCA's are technically not STX legal (they have a bearing instead of bushing), IIRC the whitelines are totally fine though, as well as the racer X and verus ones labelled as STX legal.