Hoping for Opinions on this Entry-Level setup before purchase

[Jimmy817]

The setup I'm thinking to run for an entry-level, fun, daily driving/maybe a track day sometime would be the following components:

- ST coilovers
- ST front and rear sway bars
- Raceseng Cascam plates
- SPC rear LCA

The price for this setup is about $1930.

Any comments or concerns about these products individually and/or as a setup?

Can I save some money and go with different camber plates?

Do I need to spend more on the rear LCA?

Thanks so much for any input!

[Captain Snooze]

Welcome to the forums but seriously, you are going to have an unpleasant time here if you don't know how to use the search button. All of those products have been reviewed/talked about a gazillion times here already.
Here, let me give you a start:
http://lmgtfy.com/?q=%22ST+coilovers...w.ft86club.com

[Bergen23]

Originally Posted by Captain Snooze

Welcome to the forums but seriously, you are going to have an unpleasant time here if you don't know how to use the search button. All of those products have been reviewed/talked about a gazillion times here already.
Here, let me give you a start:
ST coilovers site:http://www.ft86club.com

Or, you could not be a condescending **** and just give advice if you have experience, and not reply if you don't.

[Jimmy817]

I'm going to have an even more unpleasant time if people make useless replies.

I'm very aware the products have been reviewed individually.

I'm clearly looking to engage in a conversation with a knowledgeable source about the entirety of the setup.

Apparently you don't forum much. You shouldn't reply if you don't have on-topic input. Please move on to the next n00b.

[Bergen23]

On topic, I'd recommend just getting lowering springs and good tires to start with. Then start modifying the rest of the suspension where you're unhappy with it. I got coils and LCAs on the way, and I regret not keeping it simple to start with

EDIT: I bought that stuff before really driving my car too much. Now that I've put some more km on, its a solid handler and I really only bought that stuff to lower it as much as I want to

[Captain Snooze]

Originally Posted by Bergen23

Or, you could not be a condescending **** and just give advice if you have experience, and not reply if you don't.

I love the irony.

[Jimmy817]

Thank you, Calum and Bergen.

I've got 17x8 rpf1's and 225/45 Potenza S04's on the way.

I feel like the stock suspension is too soft, loose and travels too much. I want more control.

I was thinkin sway bars for the simple fact that it feels like there is too much sideways sway/travel and almost what I would describe as latency above 65mph with stock wheels and tires (actually the back tires are diffrent than front, bought it that way recently).

I'll hold off on the sway bars and hope that the new wheels and tires, little drop and a good alignment will fix that.

So now I'm thinking B8 shocks/struts, hotchkis springs, camber bolts and a good alignment as a good start. I don't mind a stiff ride at all.

[Koa]

Originally Posted by Jimmy817

I'm going to have an even more unpleasant time if people make useless replies.

I'm very aware the products have been reviewed individually.

I'm clearly looking to engage in a conversation with a knowledgeable source about the entirety of the setup.

Apparently you don't forum much. You shouldn't reply if you don't have on-topic input. Please move on to the next n00b.

uncalled for dig, this aussie forums much and he's trying to help you out here.

There's not enough information furnished by you here for us to give you perspectives that aren't already covered in other threads. What kind of daily driving? Tires/wheel combo (unsprung weight has significant ramifications to the suspension setup outside of "lighter rotational mass"- think catching a medicine ball versus a ping pong ball for starters)? What are your specific questions outside of the value of SPC arms? Numerous threads on different versions of SPC arms alone, so you should be able to draw your own conclusion.


All those products mentioned are covered to death, furnished with enough info by manufacturers, retailers, and forum community members. If you're looking for perspectives of how those different components would work in the aggregate, then again, not enough other supplementary info is provided.

They'd work as well as you think they would, given research into each of the components listed.. welcome to the forums!

[Jimmy817]

Forums are for peer-to-peer conversation. This is what i was obviously soliciting.

If I wanted to just read and draw my own conclusions I wouldn't have ever come here and just read manufacturer information.

I want to have a conversation with another human. How is that so difficult to understand?

Thanks for the reply.

Originally Posted by Koa

uncalled for dig, this aussie forums much and he's trying to help you out here.

There's not enough information furnished by you here for us to give you perspectives that aren't already covered in other threads. What kind of daily driving? Tires/wheel combo (unsprung weight has significant ramifications to the suspension setup outside of "lighter rotational mass"- think catching a medicine ball versus a ping pong ball for starters)? What are your specific questions outside of the value of SPC arms? Numerous threads on different versions of SPC arms alone, so you should be able to draw your own conclusion.


All those products mentioned are covered to death, furnished with enough info by manufacturers, retailers, and forum community members. If you're looking for perspectives of how those different components would work in the aggregate, then again, not enough other supplementary info is provided.

They'd work as well as you think they would, given research into each of the components listed.. welcome to the forums!

[Bergen23]

Originally Posted by Jimmy817

Thank you, Calum and Bergen.

I've got 17x8 rpf1's and 225/45 Potenza S04's on the way.

I feel like the stock suspension is too soft, loose and travels too much. I want more control.

I was thinkin sway bars for the simple fact that it feels like there is too much sideways sway/travel and almost what I would describe as latency above 65mph with stock wheels and tires (actually the back tires are diffrent than front, bought it that way recently).

I'll hold off on the sway bars and hope that the new wheels and tires, little drop and a good alignment will fix that.

So now I'm thinking B8 shocks/struts, hotchkis springs, camber bolts and a good alignment as a good start. I don't mind a stiff ride at all.

Fair enough. Again, after my experience so far with my car, I'd do it piece by piece. Start with tires, then springs. Although you could go all in and just buy all of that stuff you want to. Myself, I'm getting Godspeed coilovers, Megan Racing LCA's and Enkei Compe's in 16x8. I only did that because right off the bar, I knew that springs wouldn't get me the drop I wanted so adjustable coils were my only choice. And I need adjustable LCA's to deal with the camber from the drop. Everyone is different and I'm not trying to tell you what you should or shouldn't do. Just again, I think starting with wheels, tires and springs sounds like a good building block for the direction you want to go

[Koa]

Originally Posted by Jimmy817

Forums are for peer-to-peer conversation. This is what i was obviously soliciting.

If I wanted to just read and draw my own conclusions I wouldn't have ever come here and just read manufacturer information.

I want to have a conversation with another human. How is that so difficult to understand?

Thanks for the reply.

Forums are also for the congregation and dissemination of knowledge and perspectives. It's not strictly for direct peer-to-peer conversation. There's a ton of value in looking at OTHER people's conversations, retroactively, to help prescribe or diagnose a problem or choice. You don't need to come off all snide and up-and-arms man, we're seriously trying to help you A) figure out the answers to your questions and B) not clutter up the forums with redundant threads for products and combinations of products. If you TRULY want to have a conversation with another human, or humans, then post on the threads about those products you are wondering about, or go to car meets, chat rooms, etc. Any unique or specific questions that aren't answered by those typically warrant a new thread. It'll help others in the future as well. But asking "is this combo okay for me?" and not giving much for supplementary info or intent will typically get the responses you see here. Some helpful, but others suggesting you go elsewhere to find the answers you seek.

You may think your situation is unique and warrants its own thread, and thats alright, but don't say "thanks for any input" and then go and bash or talk down to people people who are trying to help you out

[Calum]

Originally Posted by Bergen23

Start with tires, then springs.

The factory springs offer a decent ride, and predictable handling, but when you're near the limits in a turn and you hit a small bump the factory suspension does some unnerving shit, even with the factory tires. I'd reverse those items. Then again, I ran yellows with the OEM rubber and it was fine. I really enjoyed the setup. But when it was time to replace the tires I went to MPSS's and that suspension setup wasn't enough. Now I've got T0's on the way and a set of yellows I don't need.

[wootwoot]

For a daily driver I would skip the camber plates. They will be noisy on the street. One of the benefits of a camber plate is easy/fast adjustment. If you are going to set it and leave it alone I don't see the benefit for your application. You could gain a little caster but for a street/fun car I don't see it being worth the cost. You should get plenty of camber up front with stock strut tops and camber bolts.

I would also skip the sway bars. The ST's will reduce roll on their own. Start with the coilovers and an alignment. If you drive it and still want to reduce roll you can use sway bars to fine tune things after the fact.

If you have the money burning a hole in your pocket you could use what you saved from the camber plates and sways to buy better coilovers or a better lower rear control arm.

[mav1178]

Originally Posted by Jimmy817

Any comments or concerns about these products individually and/or as a setup?

Can I save some money and go with different camber plates?

Do I need to spend more on the rear LCA?

Aside from searching (which you should do on suspension topics, not stuff specific to this setup), here's my suggestions:

- ditch the sway bar for daily or track use. Great for "handling on rails" feeling but it will make your ride uncomfortable. Just remember: it'll reduce body roll by a lot, but you have to ask yourself WHY you want to do that in the first place.
- You can go with any camber plate and it will all do the same thing. Different strokes for different folks.
- Why do you need a LCA? Are you excessively lowering the car? Need the camber adjustment for tucking some aggressive fitment wheels? Skip this one if you don't have a pressing need for it. I didn't need rear lower arms for my Ohlins.

-alex