Suspension recommendation around the $2k mark

[RToyo86]

Originally Posted by Swisher Seattle

HKS HIPERMAX S is the best ever for 86

[strat61caster]

Originally Posted by RToyo86

Lol

[Lincoln Logs]

RCE SS1. All the travel, great ride quality and solid build. Sold my MCS 1WNR for these and couldn't be happier.

[x808drifter]

Originally Posted by Swisher Seattle

HKS HIPERMAX S is the best ever for 86

Watch out, we got an expert over here!

[cmiovino]

I've listened to enough podcasts and done enough research to know RCE really knows their stuff. I haven't met anyone or read online of anyone who's disliked their SuperStreet-1 or Tarmac 2 options. The SS-1 will come in right at your $2k budget with a little buffer room for some other things you'll need like alignment and possibly even rear lower control arms for more adjustability.

For my STX autox build, I'm very likely going with one of the two, depending on how much money I want to dump into it. I also like both options are very streetable too.

[dreamwonder]

Originally Posted by ZDan

For OP usage, coilovers are not strictly necessary.

I recently went to Bilstein B8s (B6s would also work) with Swift Spec R springs. Pretty great on the street, quite a bit stiffer than stock at 4.4 kg/mm front, 5.3 kg/mm rear, car is ~1.25" lower than stock. I'm also running Raceseng camber plates, which I had to have 6mm spring spacers machined for the fronts to prevent the front from being too low. Not necessary if you run factory strut isolators, or perhaps other camber plates...

Anyway this was a tremendous improvement for me vs. previous setup with Swift BRZ Sport springs with stock PP Sachs dampers and Raceseng plates. That setup had about zero bump travel up front Actually worked OK at the track but on the street it was murder... The Bilsteins have WAY more bump travel

Speaking of bumpstops...I been using budget tires for a number of years (as you know, I do lots of days) but got a set of the good stuff recently...finally...lol!

For the first time (on JRZs RS1, 450lb squared, 21mm front bar, 20mm drop), I felt the car bottoming out. Upon inspection, the bumpstop actually ate the coilover seals

Staying on topic...my vote goes to RCE SuperStreets as well, or one of the KW variants. I like there general build quality, they can stay on the car all year round and the front plates is the best I have used.