Matyikaaa90

This has just become one of my favorite threads. Thanks for taking your precious time and effort for putting this together!

kubunggo

Thank you for this. Gives perspective on what to put into your ride. About the shocks, though: is it never a good idea to get them used, or it depends on the condition they're in? I ask because I was offered a full set of used bilstein shocks for my es civic.

94eg!

iTrader: (2)

it's risky if you have no recourse for being sold bad parts. You could inspect them yourself, if your confident how to do that.

Eg8Eddie

This thread helped me so much. I just have one question I would like your advice on. I'm looking into getting koni/GC but I'm not sure what spring rate would be best. It is a DD and I often ride around with 3-4 "Heavy" people in the car. Thanks in advance

readyjetsgo

What do you guys think of the Buddy Club N+ or Tein Street Flex?
The reason I am asking is because I had someone who is pretty knowledgeable on the subject recommend them to me for what I wanted to do. I have a 1993 Del Sol Si (Full time daily driver, car will see no track time) and I am going with a 16x8 +20 (I wish they had a higher offset in the wheel I want) for that reason I am going to roll my fenders and have to run a decent amount of camber for fender clearance. I plan on being pretty low, not slammed by any means. Just low enough to fit well with the camber but high enough to barely clear the bumps in my complex (unfortunately bumps in my complex are a sad reality of my life...)

B serious

iTrader: (1)

^FWIW, I recommended those two setups. Main reason being that he wants to lower 3" or so (means Koni/GC is out). Besides that, those two kits are the only quality parts I can think of in that price range.

S!K TEG

Anyone ever run ksport lowering springs?

I'm about to pick up some Ksport lowering springs for my 98 civic for $40. How do they ride and is it a decent "agressive" drop like they state?

ShinsenTuner

iTrader: (1)

I have Yonaka coilovers on my daily driven car and I have to say I am impressed by the quality. They ride really smooth, take bumps like a champ, and are very easy to adjust. Price wasn't too bad and they are a drop in and go type system. Probably won't last but who knows, regardless they fit the bill as to what I needed them for: low, cheap, comfy ride.

readyjetsgo

How much lower than stock are you?

ShinsenTuner

iTrader: (1)

I would say just above 2.5" of a drop. Right now my coupe has 15x7 RPF1's with 195/50/15 and the drop is just above the tire in the rear and tucking a little in the front.

STOCK_SOHC_DX

Stay away from the buddy clubs one of the worse rides I've ever had. Flexs are OK

phoQ

AMR's are assembled here in the states but not sure where the actual components are manufactured. Im trying to figure out now.

Fortune Auto is fairly reputable but they use parts from China. They dont try to hide it or anything. I was told by them directly when I asked.

If stuff like country of origin is important to you then stick to Koni, GC , Eibach, KW, Moton,,,

I prefer American, German, and Japanese manufactured parts because Quality control is strictly monitored.

Just my two cents.

Oh go ahead and ad stance to the list of bad stuff.

ShinsenTuner

iTrader: (1)

Quality control is arguable though... Apple produces their products in China and their QC is up to par with the rest of the world. I say this because a lot of companies outsource their product and still have control over the quality it is being produced at. If a company is going to charge you 400 dollars for something that is usually in the 800+ range you already know where they cut corners.

readyjetsgo

Ill take that into consideration. Thanks!

phoQ

Comparing a cell phone to a suspension is one of the dumbest things I've heard in a long time. If your cell phone breaks you wont die. Internal casting defects are no joke.

I can tell you out of experience that $1500 coil overs from companies that "out source" labor/parts/whatever from China are more than likely garbage.

Quality control in the electronics industry compared to that of the automotive industry are totally different, and to argue otherwise would just be ignorant.

A perfect example would be the knock off cars that are made in China versus Germany. They look a lot like the real deal but...They are pretty much garbage because the industry isn't regulated.

DCFIVER

Agreed.

ShinsenTuner

iTrader: (1)

Pause for a second. Before you start saying I'm ignorant I'd like you to revise your statement, really think about what you're saying, and then come back to me with an actual well thought argument besides "it's made in china, therefore shitty"

1) I used cellphones because they're a direct correlation to the idea of quality control systems in place that allow them to be manufactured anywhere in the world and still have repeatable results. If you've ever learned anything about lean and six sigma then you'd get the gist of why I say that.

2) I mentioned in my post that when a coilover is 400 dollars compared to 800, you already know where they have cut corners. Whether it be materials or QC, they had to take money from somewhere to make it happen. I acknowledged it instead of defending about why they're "good"

3) R&D and the price at which items are sold have analysis completed on them based on the amount of time and effort that actually goes into the product. You aren't buying just metal that has been machined, you are buying all types of time allotted towards testing and design (if for example expensive track dedicated coils) - the 'good' stuff has this, the sub-par product does not

4) QC used in the automotive industry as a whole in terms of OEM are the same standards and beliefs through automotive, electronics, food, whatever. So yes, in fact... they are the same. They just vary company to company.

So please, don't tell me why a product from china cannot be as good as from Germany. A bunch of stuff is manufactured in mexico, china, vietnam, laos, haiti and all do what they're supposed to just fine.

I can tell you out of experience that $1500 coil overs from companies that "out source" labor/parts/whatever from China are more than likely garbage.

Elaborate. I'm all ears... tell us the brand, what happened, what you discovered with your testing and feedback and how they failed and why that correlates directly to being made not in the USA or Germany. Then cross check that with your local autoparts store and/or dealership and let me know where their OEM shocks were made... you'd be shocked.

RiskyKidd

Is air ride suspension reliable for a daily?

phoQ

Here is a picture of one of six spindles sent to me when I paid roughly $1500 for a set of coilovers from Stance USA. Not one but all six had internal and external defects. I x-rayed and mag particle tested them.



These were manufactured in China and are the same spindles used by every other budget company for their ae86 coilovers. Megan, Stance, Fortune, BC, D2, XYZ, etc.

But yea Im still going to have to disagree on you when it comes to the whole electronics v automotive quality control topic. Its apples and oranges really.

Anyways Im done with this thread.

DCFIVER

Japan,Germany, and Mexico as far as I know. If you claim any are made in China,please advise as to which.

ShinsenTuner

iTrader: (1)

...right.

Stance USA FAQ's...

Do you offer warranty on your products?

Yes! Stance offers 2yr warranty on all of the products. Please keep your invoice as a proof of purchase. Please contact us directly for any issues concerning your product.


hm.. google...

THmotorsports (vendor on H-T as well...)

I keep seeing posts and people put the Stance coilovers within the same quality and comparative as BC/D2/Megan etc. They are NOT MADE IN TAIWAN. Its not the same factory or building material or procedure. These are made in Japan. I know this because the factory is in Japan, the owner travels to Japan to speak business with the factory. As the midwest distributor of Stance, we get upset when people compare an R&D'd product to a run of the mill coilover.

Everyone, thanks for your time,

Edward

Stance Coilovers are NOT FROM TAIWAN!!!! - my.IS - Lexus IS Forum


...so in conclusion these aren't made in China and warrantied... okay.

and for the Chinese shock absorbers... per google, KYB comes up here:
China Kyb Shocks, China Kyb Shocks Manufacturers and Suppliers on Alibaba.com

Now, my main argument is that regardless of where the product is made they can still be good stuff. It's dependent on the company that designed and controls their resources but so much the country. I'm done now.

aw614

Yes, plenty of people are dailying on air ride with no issues, just need to maintain it

phoQ

Lots of the parts used on stance coilovers are sourced from Taiwan/China including my defective spindles. I was told this by David and Scott at stanceusa personally while I was dealing with the whole refund debacle I went through after they sent me multiple defective spindles.

I already told you I did two different none destructive inspections using the most advanced test equipment available. They finally gave me my money back and fessed up about the origin of the parts after I threatened to report my findings to NHTSA.

Regardless of the two year warranty I had to fight to get my money back.

After seeing the quality first-hand I decided that my life was more important than being low.

I really don't care what they post on their websites. You can put a warranty on anything.


"Because they know all they sold ya was a guaranteed piece of ****. That's all it is, isn't it? Hey, if you want me to take a dump in a box and mark it guaranteed, I will. I got spare time. But for now, for your customer's sake, for your daughter's sake, ya might wanna think about buying a quality product from me."

RiskyKidd

k thanks.

Ace48

anyone have personal experience with koni str.t orange shocks with lowering springs? They say the str.ts are good for oem replacement but can be used with lowering springs. I plan to pair these shocks with h&r sport springs which lower approx 1.5-1.8". Please anyone?