Lowering Springs - Best Option

[Yoshoobaroo]

Originally Posted by RToyo86

I will be curious if racecomp engineering make any changes to their yellows to optimize differences on the second gen.

Me too, @Racecomp Engineering can you share anything?

[rowen0fpts]

Originally Posted by Yoshoobaroo

Counterpoint, lowering springs can work very well if they’re paired with a good damper. RCE yellow springs with Bilstein B6 shocks is one of the best DD supspension combos for this car.

Came here to say this. Would do this 10 out of 10 times over coilovers.

[timurrrr]

Originally Posted by dsc_pat

Anywhere I can read more about your take ? In this thread ? Thanks

Yeah look for my posts on that thread after September 2019.

[Tcoat]

I always love it when people talk about "coilovers" as if they are something different than even the stock set up. The car comes with coilovers!
Like anything else using a good lowering spring that has been specifically designed to use with the stock dampers is every bit as good (and usually a great deal cheaper) as going to a "coilover" set.
There are some pretty nasty aftermarket coilovers just as there are some generic lowering springs that people will slap on. Then they complain that they suck.
The trick with either one is to get something developed for the car.

[teppey]

How about HKS Hypermax, any thoughts?

[Enigmeerkat]

Originally Posted by timurrrr

I had the same question for the 1st gen and one wise man told me that if I care about handling I'll ultimately do coilovers anyways. In which case I might as well save money on installation for the springs, alignment, removal, installation of something else, alignment, ... and just go straight to coilovers.

I don't regret hearing that advice.
Some of my friends did go the route of lowering springs, and nobody was happy with the result.

+1 for this. Do not bother with lowering springs. IMHO you will regret it

[rowen0fpts]

Originally Posted by Enigmeerkat

+1 for this. Do not bother with lowering springs. IMHO you will regret it

^ Has not tried RCE Yellows + Bilstein B6's

[Spuds]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

I always love it when people talk about "coilovers" as if they are something different than even the stock set up. The car comes with coilovers!
Like anything else using a good lowering spring that has been specifically designed to use with the stock dampers is every bit as good (and usually a great deal cheaper) as going to a "coilover" set.
There are some pretty nasty aftermarket coilovers just as there are some generic lowering springs that people will slap on. Then they complain that they suck.
The trick with either one is to get something developed for the car.

I think the point is stock dampers are optimized for stock spring lengths and rates. Aftermarket coilovers are an integrated package so you aren't at risk of exceeding the limits of any part of it. Yeah, you can get shitty coilovers and regret it, but you can also get really great lowering springs that simply aren't going to work well with the stock dampers.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by Spuds

I think the point is stock dampers are optimized for stock spring lengths and rates. Aftermarket coilovers are an integrated package so you aren't at risk of exceeding the limits of any part of it. Yeah, you can get shitty coilovers and regret it, but you can also get really great lowering springs that simply aren't going to work well with the stock dampers.

There are lowering springs that are designed to work with the stock dampers and are just as integrated a package. The point is don't just throw random crap at it.

[timurrrr]

Originally Posted by Yoshoobaroo

Counterpoint, lowering springs can work very well if they’re paired with a good damper. RCE yellow springs with Bilstein B6 shocks is one of the best DD supspension combos for this car.

Great point, I keep forgetting about B6's. I've heard great things about them but I don't know anyone in my area who runs them.

It also depends on the availability of options for a specific car/platform.
I know many people with Miatas run Koni dampers and get good results.

One potentially major benefit of coilovers is adjustability.
You can fine tune ride height, corner balance, and some coilovers allow adjusting bump travel.

Originally Posted by Tcoat

I always love it when people talk about "coilovers" as if they are something different than even the stock set up. The car comes with coilovers!

True, but terminology is hard and people use whatever is commonly used.
Do they call gas stations gas stations in Canada like they do in the USA?
Pretty sure most of them only sell liquid fuel, and not gases.

Originally Posted by Tcoat

Like anything else using a good lowering spring that has been specifically designed to use with the stock dampers is every bit as good (and usually a great deal cheaper) as going to a "coilover" set.

Any particular lowering springs you have in mind?
I have a few friends with RCE Yellows and Eibachs who are unhappy with how they cars behave.
One of them puts stock springs every snow season, and every time notes an improvement in comfort.

Originally Posted by Tcoat

There are some pretty nasty aftermarket coilovers just as there are some generic lowering springs that people will slap on. Then they complain that they suck.

Yeah, good clarification.
Cheap aftermarket coilovers can be even worse than decent lowering springs.
I don't think there are any decent coilovers below $1k, and it's not too hard to find crappy ones even significantly above that.

[Dake]

I've been riding on the TRD lowering springs for a few years now with no complaints. They only lower by an inch or so and worked with the stock dampers (though I went in and changed the dampers to the Bilsteins about a year later anyway).

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by timurrrr

Great point, I keep forgetting about B6's. I've heard great things about them but I don't know anyone in my area who runs them.

It also depends on the availability of options for a specific car/platform.
I know many people with Miatas run Koni dampers and get good results.

One potentially major benefit of coilovers is adjustability.
You can fine tune ride height, corner balance, and some coilovers allow adjusting bump travel.



True, but terminology is hard and people use whatever is commonly used.
Do they call gas stations gas stations in Canada like they do in the USA?
Pretty sure most of them only sell liquid fuel, and not gases.



Any particular lowering springs you have in mind?
I have a few friends with RCE Yellows and Eibachs who are unhappy with how they cars behave.
One of them puts stock springs every snow season, and every time notes an improvement in comfort.



Yeah, good clarification.
Cheap aftermarket coilovers can be even worse than decent lowering springs.
I don't think there are any decent coilovers below $1k, and it's not too hard to find crappy ones even significantly above that.

Gas stations are using the abbreviated term for "gasoline" not the the word for the state of matter. English is dumb that way. A surprising number of people think that coilovers are in some way different that what the car comes with. They are not.

I had the RR Superdowns on my FRS. There is not a massive difference in ride between them and stock. The difference in handling for street driving was also minimal though.

I am looking at going to full aftermarket units for the 86 though. I would like to have the ability to lower in summer and raise in the winter without having to swap springs.

Just want to let people know that springs are actually still a viable option depending on what they are after. This automatic dismissal of them since "I have friends that didn't like them" is only one side of the story. There are just as many that did and still do like them as didn't.

[LancePower]

The difference between "coil over shock" suspension design and the buzz term "coilovers" is that "coilovers" imply you are getting at the very least ride hide adjustability and possibly one or two way dampening adjustment.

[RToyo86]

I am happy with yellow/B6. For a simple street setup I can install and forget about it ticks the right boxes.

Good condition stock 2017 dampers with yellows worked pretty well for me. Unless you install springs on new shocks you'll probably end up with variable results depending on their condition.