I'm looking to get a h22 civic done...and need a good suspension. I've had GCs before...while they were fine...i'm not a big fan of the "sleeve" setup anymore. Would true coilovers be much better? Or would I be better off just getting some lowering springs and adjust. shocks?

 

For what? Street, autox, track, strip?

Sleeve type coilovers work fine. No need to pay more for "real" stuff.

But, if it's a street car, why use coilovers at all? For a street car that might see the strip or autox once or twice a year, a set of good lowering springs with some bilsteins would be a good setup. No headaches, no service, and ride quality that doesn't **** off your significant other.

If the car is uesd competitively, GC and Truechoice are hard to beat. Knowledgable staff, competitive prices.

Some of the Japanese stuff is good, but the biggest problems are service and service. Most of the retailers don't know the product and can't service the goods after purchase. Mugen and King are probably the only exception.

Most of the US made non-sleeve coilovers are race use. Penske, etc. $$$ and valved for stiff springs.

 

THis is a daily driven street car. It might see the track once in a while to test E.Ts/mods and whatnot...but yea, it'll be a street car. No autoxing either.

While the h22 is not much heavier than a b series engine....it is heavier...so I simply want something of good quality to help with the understeer I'll probably experience.

I was thinking perhaps going with Neuspeed Sports and Koni 5ways? That way the ride height is too low and I would be able to stiffen up the front to compensate for the extra weight of the engine.

-Rod

 

Koni good. But with your hybrid you're going to want some custom rate springs, not a pre-packaged set not designed for your application. Finding the right spring rates takes a lot of research and there are a lot of different opinions too. GC will sell you any Eibach spring rate you want.

 

Some shop recommended that I order GC/Koni Kit with Prelude spring rates up front. They said that I could also order a specific length spring since I only want to lower the car, at most, 1.5''.

-Rod

 

I'd think you'd want adjustability 'cause it'll be easier than calculating how much a spring of length xx and rate xx is going to compress under load.

 

I'm assuming you mean adjustable shocks?

-Rod

 

Nah I mean adjustable ride height: threaded sleeves like GCs or true coilovers.

 

Oh..i see what ur saying. I think you may have misunderstood when I said a specific spring length. This would still be with the ground controls. I told the shop that I don't wanna go lower than 1.5''....and they said they could have a specific length ordered from GC...so that the most I would be able to adjust the ride height would be 1.5''.

-Rod

 

Intrax ARS
H&R
Tein NA
Progress Group

 

I use the Zeal B6 coilovers and I have to say for COMPETITION they do wonders but for daily street driving I would say they don't provide anything more then a GC/Koni would. As for servicing Endlesss USA services Zeal coilovers and is in So Cal.

To reiterate what crack monkey had to say "But, if it's a street car, why use coilovers at all?" I would hate to see someone drop $2k on a suspension that will only see the track or autox once maybe twice a year.


[Modified by Geratol, 3:14 PM 12/28/2001]

 

Thx for all the input guys. How much $$ do you think the GC/Koni setup would be? It is cheaper than most 'true' coilovers right?

-Rod

 

Something to keep in mind...I say this to everyone who asks this question, and believe me it gets asked a LOT. This JDM stuff, I can almost assure you, will be difficult to get serviced should you blow one up, or need them revalved for radically high spring rates. Konis are a "known quantity" in the US and many vendors can service them.

Off the shelf, you can probably find the Konis for 500 bucks for the set. Add another 300 or so for ground control or OPM sleeves, with springs, and you're at roughly 800 bucks. From what I've seen, this is a few hundred dollars (at least) cheaper than any of the so-called "real" coilovers.