coilover help

[kenny2jz]

I'm looking for a set of coilovers or struts with lowering springs for a s13 that don't have a real harsh ride. I don't know much about coilovers as it is so if u guys can give me pointers I will take as much as u give me. I don't want to go really low maybe 2 inch drop. I just want a smoother ride and better handligng then stock. Yes I'm a noob please help me

[moco]

Feal coilovers, they don't go too low but the ride quality is great

[my1s14]

I've got Isis on my s13 and s14 and the ride is great. Plus the price for what you get cant be beat!
ISIS Performance HR Coilover kit - 89-94 Nissan 240sx (http://www.jordaninnovations.com/ISIS-Performance-HR-Coilover-kit--89-94-Nissan-240sx_p_205.html)

[2.5T_/<ouki]

I would def NOT go with Godspeed, ISIS. If you're looking for good ride quality then you'll want to stay away from the $600-700 Coilovers and get something like Fortune-Auto, Stance, BC, PBM

[kenny2jz]

I would def NOT go with Godspeed, ISIS. If you're looking for good ride quality then you'll want to stay away from the $600-700 Coilovers and get something like Fortune-Auto, Stance, BC, PBM

Yeah I'm hopeing to find somebody selling a good set used bec I really don't want to spend 1500 dollars right now on coiloviers. I just need a good idea of what to buy what not to I know godspeed is no good is ISIS made in China too ?

[Croustibat]

I'm looking for a set of coilovers or struts with lowering springs for a s13 that don't have a real harsh ride. I don't know much about coilovers as it is so if u guys can give me pointers I will take as much as u give me. I don't want to go really low maybe 2 inch drop. I just want a smoother ride and better handligng then stock. Yes I'm a noob please help me

If you want a smoother ride and better handling, then by all mean dont lower it and dont use coilovers.

Cheap coilovers are used by ricers because they love scratching their frame rail on the ground. You will have a hard time finding sub 1000$ good ones, and they quite all come with harder springs, which is used to prevent body movement caused by sticky tires, big brakes and powerful engine. But this is not good for comfort. Also you have to know that the valving for handling is twice as hard as a valving for comfort; so you cant have both at the same time.

Now, as far as handling and lowering go; the further you go away from oem suspension arm angle, the worst it will handle. No ammount of static geometry correction will change that, the only way to have a low AND handling car is to get lowering knuckles, that have pickup points changed (or for some just the wheel bearing relocated higher, which is also an effective way to lower a car).

So now you need to chose.

You can have handling and comfort and lowering, but it wont be cheap (drop knuckles, coilovers, various adjustable arms with new rubbers on them). That is a $3000+ budget, more like 4000/5000 though.

You can have handling, comfort and a small lowering, and it will be cheaper (quality springs and quality dampers). Swift springs and kyb AGX dampers comes to mind, probably the best setup you could get for low budget. I'd say around $700-800$, tops.

You can also get more handling and less comfort with quality coilovers instead of just springs and dampers, but then it will be more expensive.Back in the 1500-2000$ price tag though.

You can have low and cheap, But it will neither handle nor be comfortable, and it will blow its dampers quite fast, but hey, every cool kid wants coilovers right ? Welcome to the fantastic world of ebay coilovers, aka 500-1000$ price tag. You CAN get something correct for 1000$ sometimes, but it is unlikely. Dont get second hand items either, you never know what they have been going through.

Finally, you also need to know that these car are old, and most rubber bushes are worn. Any attempt to change handling (wether it goes well or not) will put more stress on them, and that will finish them off. Whatever you do, if you can, change them. The first ones to give up are the front tension bushes and the rear subframe bushes.

[jjjawberg]

are teins good for handling/comfort, im knew to this too and i just bought some like new for 950

[Croustibat]

teins SS are crap. Monoflex are quite nice (they dont have high speed dampening adjusters so it will bounce around when you hit a pothole or something though)

[jjjawberg]

there like 2k though a little out of my budget

[KendallH]

I've got Isis on my s13 and s14 and the ride is great. Plus the price for what you get cant be beat!
ISIS Performance HR Coilover kit - 89-94 Nissan 240sx (http://www.jordaninnovations.com/ISIS-Performance-HR-Coilover-kit--89-94-Nissan-240sx_p_205.html)

I love when a coilover thread pops up and people say this about their cheap coilovers because they've never rode on a quality set of coilovers.

[Got Insulin?]

Knowledge drop.

I love when a coilover thread pops up and people say this about their cheap coilovers because they've never rode on a quality set of coilovers.

Amen. :bigok:

[zooopreme]

Pretty much what Croustibat said is what I would say if nobody had already posted it.

I love when a coilover thread pops up and people say this about their cheap coilovers because they've never rode on a quality set of coilovers.

Uh...street use makes every entry level coilover feel about the same. Even Fortune, even PBM, even Stance, etc.

So I'm under the assumption that the purpose for the suspension change are solely for street use; in which case, any entry level coilover will feel about the same. Fortune/Stance/PBM are great companies but due to the spring rates and valving and the un-OEM like height (without corrections), the ride quality on public roads will be just about as harsh as ISIS, Emusa, and every other ebay shitty company around.

Don't be misled by my statements though, the differences between the shitty ebay companies and reputable companies s is going to be night and day when you take them out to the track (The component quality, the dampening characteristics, how much of a beating they will take, etc.). And please, everybody that reads this: I am not talking about drifting on public streets. Honestly that's a terrible comparison to track roads. Unless the road is paved like butter, it won't be about the same. I really mean taking the car out to a real race track and feeling the car do what they were designed to do. After all, if you read most of the manuals put out there for each company, a lot of these say that the coils are for track use only. So why expect OEM like ride quality with track intended coils?

Overall, if you want a small drop, go with lowering springs and struts that will accommodate for the shorter stroke. If you want coilovers, you will have to pay a lot just to get it to feel OEM like. Dropping the car has its cause and effect so if you want OEM ride quality, stick to OEM and replace them bushings.

Also, seeing that your name has 2JZ in it, I'm going to assume you are running one and wanting coilovers. In that case, you will need custom spring rates and Fortune offers that service along with FEAL. Both companies know what they are doing. But like I said, most entry level coilovers on the lower end will be a bit botchy with street use and will be "harsh".

[2.5T_/<ouki]

Uh...street use makes every entry coilover feel the same.

You are most certainly wrong.

Godspeed Coilovers feel NOTHING like Fortune-Auto Coilovers on the street. I've personally had both and I only daily my car. Its a night and day difference.

[240sxcole]

i have rebuilt many many cars over the last 25 years from tuner to domestic so i know what im talking about when i saw that there is not much of a noticeable difference between EBAYcoilovers and HIGH END COILOVERS
you people just need to know what your talking about before you post this crap

LEARN YOUR CARS!!!

[zooopreme]

You are most certainly wrong.

Godspeed Coilovers feel NOTHING like Fortune-Auto Coilovers on the street. I've personally had both and I only daily my car. Its a night and day difference.

Unless the road is freshly and properly paved, there will be very small differences. Read my choice of words again and you'll understand that I didn't say they were exactly the same.

I've owned 3 sets of FA's (one with custom valving) and even the ones with Swifts felt that harshness going over shitty roads. I only noticed the difference when I took my car out to the track or when the road was nearly blemish free.

A lot of roads in the US in general are old and not blemish free. So I don't see how you can see a night and day difference when under street condition.

[kenny2jz]

Pretty much what Croustibat said is what I would say if nobody had already posted it.



Uh...street use makes every entry level coilover feel about the same. Even Fortune, even PBM, even Stance, etc.

So I'm under the assumption that the purpose for the suspension change are solely for street use; in which case, any entry leveli coilover will feel about the same. Fortune/Stance/PBM are great companies but due to the spring rates and valving and the un-OEM like height (without corrections), the ride quality on public roads will be just about as harsh as ISIS, Emusa, and every other ebay shitty company around.

Don't be misled by my statements though, the differences between the shitty ebay companies and reputable companies s is going to be night and day when you take them out to the track (The component quality, the dampening characteristics, how much of a beating they will take, etc.). And please, everybody that reads this: I am not talking about drifting on public streets. Honestly that's a terrible comparison to track roads. Unless the road is paved like butter, it won't be about the same. I really mean taking the car out to a real race track and feeling the car do what they were designed to do. After all, if you read most of the manuals put out there for each company, a lot of these say that the coils are for track use only. So why expect OEM like ride quality with track intended coils?

Overall, if you want a small drop, go with lowering springs and struts that will accommodate for the shorter stroke. If you want coilovers, you will have to pay a lot just to get it to feel OEM like. Dropping the car has its cause and effect so if you want OEM ride quality, stick to OEM and replace them bushings.

Also, seeing that your name has 2JZ in it, I'm going to assume you are running one and wanting coilovers. In that case, you will need custom spring rates and Fortune offers that service along with FEAL. Both companies know what they are doing. But like I said, most entry level coilovers on the lower end will be a bit botchy with street use and will be "harsh".

Yeah I do have a 2jzgte in my s13. And it does have a good bit of power. It feels like my rear stock struts are going bad bec its so bouncy .

[zooopreme]

Yeah I do have a 2jzgte in my s13. And it does have a good bit of power. It feels like my rear stock struts are going bad bec its so bouncy .

Yeah, you're going to need custom coilovers/shock + springs combo.

There's no way you'll be able to accommodate the added front weight added with your typical off the shelf coilovers for the S-chassis. They typically come with 8/6kg or 7/5kg spring rates.

Like I mentioned before, if you're shopping for suspension, FEAL and Fortune Auto offer custom spring rates and valving (and if you want Swift springs, FEAL coils come standard with them, Fortune has you pay extra). Give Odi (FEAL) or Fortune Auto a call, they'll help you out.

If you already have a set but want new ones, a couple of members have been raving about Odi's (FEAL) knowledge and ability to give you exactly what you want from the car. He corrected another members' old v2 Fortune Auto coils to make them suit street use.

I've participated in the Fortune Auto review thread and I recommend them as the best bang for buck. That thread was started a while back so a lot of the info only applies to their previous gens but the reviews were consistent about ride. Anyway, read up here :

http://zilvia.net/f/chat/282893-product-review-fortune-auto-500-series-coilovers.html

[kenny2jz]

Yeah, you're going to need custom coilovers/shock + springs combo.

There's no way you'll be able to accommodate the added front weight added with your typical off the shelf coilovers for the S-chassis. They typically come with 8/6kg or 7/5kg spring rates.

Like I mentioned before, if you're shopping for suspension, FEAL and Fortune Auto offer custom spring rates and valving (and if you want Swift springs, FEAL coils come standard with them, Fortune has you pay extra). Give Odi (FEAL) or Fortune Auto a call, they'll help you out.

If you already have a set but want new ones, a couple of members have been raving about Odi's (FEAL) knowledge and ability to give you exactly what you want from the car. He corrected another members' old v2 Fortune Auto coils to make them suit street use.

I've participated in the Fortune Auto review thread and I recommend them as the best bang for buck. That thread was started a while back so a lot of the info only applies to their previous gens but the reviews were consistent about ride. Anyway, read up here :

http://zilvia.net/f/chat/282893-product-review-fortune-auto-500-series-coilovers.html

So I see where my tax return money is going now o dam lol

[racepar1]

So I see PBM coilovers being discussed as if they're worth a shit. They suck. DO NOT GET PBM COILOVERS!!! I've ridden on one of their old sets and one of their new sets and they both rode like crap.

For a street setup pretty much any "entry level" coilovers are going to ride like crap, including stance. I've heard good things about fortune auto, but I have never driven on a set.

I'm a shock snob, if it doesn't say Koni or Bilstein on it I'm probably going to scoff at it. Some of the higher end JDM coilovers are OK, but just OK. Looking into a koni yellow/ground control setup probably wouldn't be a bad idea. The koni's are GREAT shocks and you can pick your spring rates on the soft side for ride quality. Since the OP doesn't want a super awesome race/drift car yellows will be fine, no need for the more expensive 8610/8611 setups. A brand new koni yellow/ground control setup would probably run in the $1000 range without upper mounts and in the $1200-$1500 range with upper mounts (depending on how resourceful the OP is).

I'm not so scared of buying used coilovers, but you have to be VERY careful. If they're not super clean walk away. If you see any oily residue on the dampers they're probably blown/leaking. If they look beat-up they ARE beat-up.

[The Dude]

i have rebuilt many many cars over the last 25 years from tuner to domestic so i know what im talking about when i saw that there is not much of a noticeable difference between EBAYcoilovers and HIGH END COILOVERS
you people just need to know what your talking about before you post this crap

LEARN YOUR CARS!!!

Says the person who obviously has never had any high end coilovers. This is probably one of the dumbest things I have read on here in a year. Congratulations, that is no small feat.

[itsjustdaphne]

Coilovers are not something to buy on the cheap. Just think about it. Please save your money. Though I've heard people say their dailys don't need pricy suspension, I personally bought my coupe with ISIS coils and they are the worst. The majority of cars I've been in have Tein or BCs.. My ride is ridiculous in comparison and I urgently want to save money for better. Long story short, people who say "coils are coils, price doesn't matter" are lying to you.

This may be my lengthiest post to date.

[KendallH]

Uh...street use makes every entry level coilover feel about the same. Even Fortune, even PBM, even Stance, etc.

Are you high? I had Ksport coilovers for a year and a half, and going to FA coils was night and day, and 99% of my driving is daily driving.

[killer240]

I was thinking about getting some FortuneAuto or do this custom (http://zilvia.net/f/archive-faqs/270829-writeup-custom-koni-ground-control-coilover-setup-assembly.html).

[zooopreme]

So I see PBM coilovers being discussed as if they're worth a shit. They suck. DO NOT GET PBM COILOVERS!!! I've ridden on one of their old sets and one of their new sets and they both rode like crap.

For a street setup pretty much any "entry level" coilovers are going to ride like crap, including stance. I've heard good things about fortune auto, but I have never driven on a set.

I'm a shock snob, if it doesn't say Koni or Bilstein on it I'm probably going to scoff at it. Some of the higher end JDM coilovers are OK, but just OK. Looking into a koni yellow/ground control setup probably wouldn't be a bad idea. The koni's are GREAT shocks and you can pick your spring rates on the soft side for ride quality. Since the OP doesn't want a super awesome race/drift car yellows will be fine, no need for the more expensive 8610/8611 setups. A brand new koni yellow/ground control setup would probably run in the $1000 range without upper mounts and in the $1200-$1500 range with upper mounts (depending on how resourceful the OP is).

I'm not so scared of buying used coilovers, but you have to be VERY careful. If they're not super clean walk away. If you see any oily residue on the dampers they're probably blown/leaking. If they look beat-up they ARE beat-up.

The PBM's you rode on could have been their Comp series in which the valving on the coils were never intended to see street usage. I own a set of PBM Pro's and they are much more tolerable than their old versions. It's like comparing Megan tracks and their street series and say Megan as a whole sucks. I'm not a fan of Megan but the point is, it's not a fair comparison or opinion.

The JDM stuff is absolutely overpriced and the fact that most aren't rebuildable in the US is why I don't brag about them. Plus a lot of their coilovers are designed to the tune of their roads which are in a lot better condition than US roads. You really have to spend a lot of dough to find a good street coilover aka Zeal XS, HKS Hipermax, FLT-A2, so far that's all I've daily driven on and those are the only JDM sets that I would use for daily use.

I did mention (very briefly) of a custom spring and shock set up though. Just didn't go into detail because these days, who wants to build a (sort of) outdated spring/shock combo like Koni Yellows and Eibach or Ground Controls for daily use when they can be lazy and just buy a set already assembled?

The consumers want to know the absolute limits for ride height capabilities. It's a known fact. 90% of these coilover threads in most forums these days include this question because that's just what the car scene is about. And right now for the drifting/street car community, the company with the widest range or better yet, the company that was designed for the lowest heights is PBM.

Are you high? I had Ksport coilovers for a year and a half, and going to FA coils was night and day, and 99% of my driving is daily driving.

Nope. I'll even say it again, your Fortunes with 8/6kg or 7/5kg spring rates are going to feel just as harsh as any set of ebay/lower tier brand coilovers on these type of roads:

http://images.thetruthaboutcars.com/2009/09/large_bad-road.jpg

Most coilover dampers were designed for off (public) road use. PERIOD. Those dyno sheets you've been sticking down your throat won't help you when you run into those^ type of roads. If the roads are freshly/properly paved (which a lot of US roads are not), then yes, there will be a difference. As for build and quality, THAT is definitely night and day.

Read all of my posts in this thread over and over again, on the track and build/quality is where it's night and day. Other than that in terms of ride quality and feel, if you're consistently driving over crappy roads, you may as well go with some lower tier stuff because you're going to be abusing the dampers a lot more than you would on the track.

[racepar1]

The PBM's you rode on could have been their Comp series in which the valving on the coils were never intended to see street usage. I own a set of PBM Pro's and they are much more tolerable than their old versions. It's like comparing Megan tracks and their street series and say Megan as a whole sucks. I'm not a fan of Megan but the point is, it's not a fair comparison or opinion.

Sorry, wrong answer. PBM coils are china crap just like almost everything else. I've been on enough sets of PBM's to make an educated judgement. The model of the coilovers shouldn't matter. They all use the same basic shock/valving design, which is inferior.

I did mention (very briefly) of a custom spring and shock set up though. Just didn't go into detail because these days, who wants to build a (sort of) outdated spring/shock combo like Koni Yellows and Eibach or Ground Controls for daily use when they can be lazy and just buy a set already assembled?

The consumers want to know the absolute limits for ride height capabilities. It's a known fact. 90% of these coilover threads in most forums these days include this question because that's just what the car scene is about. And right now for the drifting/street car community, the company with the widest range or better yet, the company that was designed for the lowest heights is PBM.

It is not outdated, it's just out of style because nobody wants to actually work for what they have anymore. There is no craftsmanship left, everyone wants shit handed to them on a platter. A KONI (8610-11)/GC setup will outperform pretty much anything else available short of absolute top-tier shit like AST/Moton, Ohlins, ETC... A KONI yellow/GC setup will outperform most everything else as well, it just won't be able to handle as high of spring rates. Don't even get me started on the "how low will those coilovers go?" bullshit. Slammed is lame, who really thinks a car that gets stuck on lane reflectors is "cool"? I like cars that actually perform and can be actually driven.

Nope. I'll even say it again, your Fortunes with 8/6kg or 7/5kg spring rates are going to feel just as harsh as any set of ebay/lower tier brand coilovers on these type of roads:

http://images.thetruthaboutcars.com/2009/09/large_bad-road.jpg

Most coilover dampers were designed for off (public) road use. PERIOD. Those dyno sheets you've been sticking down your throat won't help you when you run into those^ type of roads. If the roads are freshly/properly paved (which a lot of US roads are not), then yes, there will be a difference. As for build and quality, THAT is definitely night and day.

Read all of my posts in this thread over and over again, on the track and build/quality is where it's night and day. Other than that in terms of ride quality and feel, if you're consistently driving over crappy roads, you may as well go with some lower tier stuff because you're going to be abusing the dampers a lot more than you would on the track.

You are high. You are also COMPLETELY wrong. Crappy shocks have crappy design which cannot respond as precisely as higher quality dampers. The result is bumps that break your back, massive vibration, and bounce. The dampers control the spring motion, the springs affect the overall amount of motion for a given force. I've owned a lot of different brands of shocks/coilovers on multiple different cars. I could clearly feel the differences with every change. Just because you do not have the driving talent/skill to make such judgements doesn't mean that others cannot. You're making outlandish statements that are clearly uneducated and incorrect.


:bs:

[zooopreme]

All of what you just said here

For a street setup pretty much any "entry level" coilovers are going to ride like crap, including stance. I've heard good things about fortune auto, but I have never driven on a set.

here

Sorry, wrong answer. PBM coils are china crap just like almost everything else. I've been on enough sets of PBM's to make an educated judgement. The model of the coilovers shouldn't matter. They all use the same basic shock/valving design, which is inferior.

and here

Crappy shocks have crappy design which cannot respond as precisely as higher quality dampers.The result is bumps that break your back, massive vibration, and bounce.

is what I said this entire time here

Street use makes every entry level coilover feel about the same. Even Fortune, even PBM, even Stance, etc.

So I'm under the assumption that the purpose for the suspension change are solely for street use; in which case, any entry level coilover will feel about the same. Fortune/Stance/PBM are great companies but due to the spring rates and valving and the un-OEM like height (without corrections), the ride quality on public roads will be just about as harsh as ISIS, Emusa, and every other ebay shitty company around.

Don't be misled by my statements though, the differences between the shitty ebay companies and reputable companies are going to be night and day when you take them out to the track (The component quality, the dampening characteristics, how much of a beating they will take, etc.).

and here

Unless the road is freshly and properly paved, there will be very small differences. Read my choice of words again and you'll understand that I didn't say they were exactly the same.

A lot of roads in the US in general are old and not blemish free. So I don't see how you can see a night and day difference when under street condition.

PBM is widely purchased and regarded as one of the top of the entry level coilover pyramid along with Fortune Auto/Stance/FEAL/etc. So based on what you're saying, PBM = Fotune Auto = Stance = Ebay special = Megan = whatever else is entry level, right?

So where did all the brashness come from? When did I put top shelf coilovers (like Ohlins/Koni/Bilstein) on the same level as ebay coilovers? All of my post have solely been about said entry level coilovers ONLY of which you call crappy.

I only mentioned Zeal, JIC, and HKS to explain my experiences with JDM coilovers and that they were designed for Japanese roads.

And fwiw, I feel inclined to believe that I am well qualified to give an accurate opinion of why I believe on crappy roads most entry level coilovers are about the same--not only because I own a few different coilovers but because I have driven plenty of different ones as well.

From the time I owned my S13 and until now, I've had days where all I did was test drive different coils (under the same height settings, alignment settings, and same amount of clicks) using my car on the same route, staying consistent at the same speeds. And every old rotted Nissan bushing was replaced (except my sway bars but I didn't think I needed them especially when the spring rates were stiff enough to remove excessive body roll).

I invested my own money into Fortune and PBM due to their service, rebuilding location/cost/time, and because they have been proven to withstand and perform the best for the money. I did/do not support eBay, ISIS, Megan in any way, shape, or form. But I made my claims because I have used them.

Seems to me like we're arguing for the same cause.

Don't even get me started on the "how low will those coilovers go?" bullshit. Slammed is lame, who really thinks a car that gets stuck on lane reflectors is "cool"? I like cars that actually perform and can be actually driven.

That's great, I like cars that are functional as well. But because the question always comes up, I answer it because I'm aware that ride height is a deciding purchasing factor. If a customer is asking for an opinion about something you don't like, are you going to outright insult them for their curiosity/new found preference? I would think not.

[Akop]

On my 97 s14, I have Hks hipermax performers, they were put on the car 7 years ago, they are hands down the best coilovers ive ever felt, the handling is absolutely amazing, the comfort on ANY road condition is very nice, and they go super low. I love these things <3 but theyre discontinued. Spring rate is 6/4 btw

http://i46.tinypic.com/t540sh.jpg

[Renelovesnike]

Tanabe Sustec Pro S-0C Sound like exactly what your looking for.

More comfortable than even Stock on daily driving, and very low body roll

dont go crazzy low but more than needed to give you a sporty feel/look/apeal

and in the afordable price range.

theres several reviews on forums from different forums but yall get the idea*

[racepar1]

PBM is widely purchased and regarded as one of the top of the entry level coilover pyramid along with Fortune Auto/Stance/FEAL/etc. So based on what you're saying, PBM = Fotune Auto = Stance = Ebay special = Megan = whatever else is entry level, right?

So where did all the brashness come from? When did I put top shelf coilovers (like Ohlins/Koni/Bilstein) on the same level as ebay coilovers? All of my post have solely been about said entry level coilovers ONLY of which you call crappy.

They all suck, but certain ones are absolutely ridiculous. I would reccomend stance/fortune auto well above PBM/megan/random ebay. PBM's are some of THE WORST coilovers that I have ever personally experienced. I think even the megan's that I've driven on felt better. PBM does make some quality parts, but their coilovers are definitely not one of them. So, no, they are not equal just because they're all inferior.

I invested my own money into Fortune and PBM due to their service, rebuilding location/cost/time, and because they have been proven to withstand and perform the best for the money. I did/do not support eBay, ISIS, Megan in any way, shape, or form. But I made my claims because I have used them.

Your statements regard them all as equal. If they're all equal then why not just buy the cheapest POS coilovers that you can get? They're not equal and your statements encourage noob's to buy those POS coilovers. Preach what you practice buddy...

That's great, I like cars that are functional as well. But because the question always comes up, I answer it because I'm aware that ride height is a deciding purchasing factor. If a customer is asking for an opinion about something you don't like, are you going to outright insult them for their curiosity/new found preference? I would think not.

I always advise all of my customers to keep their cars at a reasonable ride heighth. I try to explain the issues that it causes. They make their own decisions, and I deal with it. I still think they're fucking stupid, it still annoys me, and I still know that my way is better.

[2.5T_/<ouki]

Nope. I'll even say it again, your Fortunes with 8/6kg or 7/5kg spring rates are going to feel just as harsh as any set of ebay/lower tier brand coilovers on these type of roads:

http://images.thetruthaboutcars.com/2009/09/large_bad-road.jpg



:ddog:

You are most def high. They do NOT feel the same even on shitty roads...That is where you DO feel the difference with FA / Godspeed. I only daily my car here in california and the roads DO suck fat sack and my Fortunes outperform in all aspects over the godspeeds, this is 100% fact.

[zooopreme]

Yup, you were right, I was definitely high. My experiences with many entry level to some top tier coilovers were under the influence of drugs and my senses must have been off the charts. And in every case, I was flying high like a kite.

/sarcasm

OP, stock springs/shocks won't do because you're running a 2JZ. Look for a custom coilover set up or a spring/strut assembly like Koni Yellow inserts with aftermarket springs if you don't mind collecting these parts and building your own set. You can also contact Fortune Auto and FEAL to get a custom set up going to accommodate for the extra weight. FEAL comes standard with Swifts and Fortune Auto doesn't unless you pay. And if you need caster adjustment, Stance and PBM designed their new(ish) top hats to do so.

Whichever way you go, it will need to be custom. Off the shelf (8/6kg) entry level coilovers of all sorts and OEM-like ride quality will never go together. And also, stock coil spring rates for most entry level coils were intended for the SR/KA/CA and not for the JZ platform. And lastly, don't purchase off the shelf coilovers and start swapping out spring rates thinking it'll work out fine. Get it correct the first time and you won't regret your choice.

[Eazy_tom]

So I see PBM coilovers being discussed as if they're worth a shit. They suck. DO NOT GET PBM COILOVERS!!! I've ridden on one of their old sets and one of their new sets and they both rode like crap.

For a street setup pretty much any "entry level" coilovers are going to ride like crap, including stance. I've heard good things about fortune auto, but I have never driven on a set.

I'm a shock snob, if it doesn't say Koni or Bilstein on it I'm probably going to scoff at it. Some of the higher end JDM coilovers are OK, but just OK. Looking into a koni yellow/ground control setup probably wouldn't be a bad idea. The koni's are GREAT shocks and you can pick your spring rates on the soft side for ride quality. Since the OP doesn't want a super awesome race/drift car yellows will be fine, no need for the more expensive 8610/8611 setups. A brand new koni yellow/ground control setup would probably run in the $1000 range without upper mounts and in the $1200-$1500 range with upper mounts (depending on how resourceful the OP is).

I'm not so scared of buying used coilovers, but you have to be VERY careful. If they're not super clean walk away. If you see any oily residue on the dampers they're probably blown/leaking. If they look beat-up they ARE beat-up.

This right here.

[killer240]

I figured I'd just post this here.

Does anyone know the difference between the Tein and cusco camber plates and rear strut upper mounts for S13?

[The Dude]

Tein camber plates would be about my last choice. Stack height is high. No idea about the rear mounts.

[racepar1]

I figured I'd just post this here.

Does anyone know the difference between the Tein and cusco camber plates and rear strut upper mounts for S13?

As stated by "the dude" the Tein plates stack-up very high. The cusco's are much shorter, which can result in more shock travel at a lower ride heighth. I've got a set of Cusco's for my custom Koni setup that I'm building, I wouldn't use the Tein's unless you've got Tein coilovers. The Tein rear upper mounts are fine though, no reason not to use them...