Suspension Set Up Question
 

I know theres hundreds of these types of threads but I couldn't find an exact answer I was looking for. I searched and searched.

I live in Colorado, it does snow here but in the Denver area its never too bad unless you are out when its pouring, they are good at clearing the roads, they don't use salt, and its not terrible (maybe 2-3times a year its bad, since I've been here, 2 winters)

I enjoy the handling characteristics of the FRS, I like to drive "hard" and in the mountains in the summer but this is also my daily driver. I have never tracked my car but its something I plan on doing, sparingly, with this car now.

I want to lower my FRS. I am just worried about having a lowered car in snow.
So I thought I could just get a lower priced set of coilovers so I can prop the car up in the winter, get a little more clearance, and then lower it (about 1.5" I think) in the summer. Doing my research I found that lower priced < $1000 coilovers are not good and that a set of springs will do me better than a cheaper set of coilovers.

I don't mind running springs but I am worried about winters.
So then I found the Ground Control "coilovers" which is just a spring and then has a slip cover for height adjustability over the stock strut. I have found almost NO reviews or insight on this so I am a little wary about it.


So here is the few things I have bookmarked and you let me know how far I am off the wagon. Let me know what you think about the winter set up (coilover/spring/adjustable spring) and then what product would be best.

These are some of the products I was thinking depending on which way I went..
if I was going Coilovers:
ISC N1 w/ Street Sport set up
Tein Street Basis
Megan Racing Street
Top Speed Pro 1 Coilovers

if I was going Springs:
Eibach Sportline
Tein STech
Ground Control Coilover Springs

I'm running swift sport springs, no issues with Canadian winters at all. I wouldn't get sportlines on stock shocks (too much drop), and if you go with GC sleeves watch the spring rates on stock shocks.

will. I ordered Tein STech springs. I figure these can get me thru the summer.. maybe put the stocks back on for the winter to raise it back up the 1"+ if I need to... and then I can go coils next year.. this will give me some money for other mods too! :]

First a few observations...

1) When you raise or lower your car you will need to get it realigned.
2) All the parts you listed above are pretty much garbage
3) As an alternative why not get a set of Konis w/RCE Springs and rear SPC Arms so you can properly setup your car along with the hardware, then you can swap back to stock for the winter.

-mike

What Mike said...

Lowering your car with cheap options, and gaining performance, are generally mutually exclusive.

Try the Swift Sport springs.

those coilovers you listed are pretty much just for show when you want to lower the car and not care about handling performance. i wouldnt even be surprised if all of them came from the exact same factory overseas lol.

and ground control sleeves are also just for show.

as a rule of thumb, anything that's "universal" for suspension pieces usually is not performance-tested. the only "testing" that's done is just to see if it fits. hahah

I don't know about the rest, but Teins come from their own factory.

cant realy add much to whats already been said other than yes, what you listed for coilover options isnt exactly top of the line.

For springs, swifts are good, RCE likes their own springs, RS-R downs and super downs give the most lowering capability without effecting handling too much*

*subjective

Coilovers that wont break the bank but wont break the car either would be ST, B14, and CSGs up and coming new Tein flex Z.

minus the teins. lol

There's a lot of quick cars running GC sleeves... you better tell them to stop racing their show cars :D

LOL. i should've clarified that i meant for the people running the sleeves on stock shocks

GC sleeves with re-valved koni yellows are a pretty solid setup, on stock shocks you really need to watch the spring rates.

I really didn't mention gaining performance. Not that I am against that. I said I like the current characteristics but I do not like the look of it. I would like to keep those characteristics if I could, or not effect them as much as possible. Again, this isn't a track car, its a daily driver that I want looking good but I don't want to sacrifice the handling as much as possible (because I still drive the DD hard) and staying in a budget.

I know cheap coilovers arnt great, which is why I even said
But thanks for the other options. I bought the Tein and we will see how I like them, how they effect the current handling which I like. If I dont like them I can always sell them and try something like the RS-R.

You criticize but do not offer a suggestion. I am not looking for a track set up, its a daily driver and I hope to keep as much of the stock handling in tact while also adding to the overall look of the car. I said from the research I found cheap coilovers are going to hurt the handling more than help and be worse than just a set of springs. I only mentioned the ones I was looking at so people can get an idea of price range, reviews if they have used them or a friend has used them, somethings along those lines.