Thanks for the reply. I have another question. Can the struts be changed out on the coilover system or would I need to purchase new ones when they go bad? Thanks Chris
depends on the coilover setup. most of the better brands offer a rebuild service for a fraction of the cost of replacement. you'll be stuck on blocks or switching back to stock gear for a week or so while the struts are sent back, rebuilt, and resent to you, but it's much cheaper than replacing a $1000+ coilover setup
Erik P. Official 2GNT thread Hijacker Some say that he's driven over more Covenant than he's shot, and that his grenades aren't where you'd expect them to be... All we know is, He's not The Stig... But he is The Stig's Spartan cousin!
Thanks for the info. I am stuck with the decision of going with coilovers or a lowering spring and strut set up. How long does the average coilover last. My 95 GS is my everyday driver during the non-winter months. I live in Germany and the roads here are pretty well taken care of. I cant believe that I am having such a hard time in trying to decide on which set up to go with. any pros and cons on both systems would be helpful. Thanks Chris
Coilovers usually give you more adjustability depending on the setup but cost is higher, usually around $1000+. I haven't heard about unusually short lifespans unless you're doing dirt roads constantly. Coilovers usually allow you to adjust ride height, strut dampening, sometimes even caster and camber. with the height adjustment you can corner balance the car for even better handling.
strut and spring combos are considerably cheaper starting around $400+ but you may only get a lowered, stiffer ride. installation is easier because you don't have to adjust the ride height, just bolt them in, realign the car and go.
Erik P. Official 2GNT thread Hijacker Some say that he's driven over more Covenant than he's shot, and that his grenades aren't where you'd expect them to be... All we know is, He's not The Stig... But he is The Stig's Spartan cousin!
Thanks Erik for the info. I saw at modacar.com they have a suspension package with Skunk2 coils and Koni reds for 629. L:ooks like they are sleeves. Any comments on these or this kind of set up? Thanks Chris
I'm not a big fan of sleeves, it's too easy to drop things below what the struts can handle and blow them out. just my opinion
Erik P. Official 2GNT thread Hijacker Some say that he's driven over more Covenant than he's shot, and that his grenades aren't where you'd expect them to be... All we know is, He's not The Stig... But he is The Stig's Spartan cousin!
My buddy Darnell has about 100k miles on his coilovers. That is pretty unheard of though. Most people get around 40k-50k miles. The JIC FTL-A2s that he has were about $2k. To have them rebuilt would cost him about $900. You results may be very different though since the roads dont suck where you are and you can get better damping. His JICs are the old Japanese valving which is pretty harsh for American roads, but would be great in Japan.
Thanks guys for all your input. I am still undecided on what I would like to do as far as a set up. I like the fact about being able to adjust whenever needed with coilovers, but do not like the fact that I would have to either replace or send in the coilovers once they do go bad. With the lowering spring strut I would be able just to replace the struts once they go bad which is a quarter of the price of replacing coilovers. I have seen pros and cons on both sides. Will just have to sit back and make a decision. Thanks Chris
What are you looking to get out of your suspension setup?
do you want a daily driver that won't see much track use but you'd like something that looks better and handles a bit tighter? Or do you plan on going to the track regularly and really need the adjustability? are you just one of us nuts that has to have the adjustability even though you may never need it?
once you answer that you'll have a better idea of which route you should go.
on a side note, performance coilovers don't really have an unusually different lifespan than regular struts. they just tend to be owned by people that will drive on them harder.
Erik P. Official 2GNT thread Hijacker Some say that he's driven over more Covenant than he's shot, and that his grenades aren't where you'd expect them to be... All we know is, He's not The Stig... But he is The Stig's Spartan cousin!
