Hey everyone,

So I’ve been trying to find a daily driver setup for the better part of 6 months now and haven’t had any luck. I know coils exist, but I live in a place where we get a lot snow and driving a lowered fwd car in snow is not fun. Also, to add onto that, coils usually drop the car more than 1 inch and I really don’t want to have to deal with solving the suspension geo that comes with a substantial drop. Everything I have read about a strut/spring setup is from almost 20 years ago and what was recommended back then is either near impossible to find or crazy expensive for what I would get. I won’t be going to the track so adjustability is not a huge concern of mine. Yeah, I might bang through the gears every now and then and would prefer a little bit of a sporty feel but I am mostly just looking for other options besides coilovers.

 

I'm in your same boat, except not because of snow or anything. I just am not into slamming cars anymore or rough rides. As I've gotten older, I've lost my taste for that stuff. I still want to lower the car between 1/2"-1" and don't want to mess with camber kits or anything else if I can avoid it.

 

Thepursuit,

I think I figured out what I am going to do for now. I’ve decided that a strut and spring setup will be better for me as of right now. I am going to get the KYB AGX struts and shocks and if I can find them, the eibach pro kit lowering springs. That should give me a 1 inch drop all around. I’m hoping that the drop will be small enough to where I don’t have to mess with camber platers or mess up the suspension geo. I know people recommend the Koni yellows over any strut but I really don’t want to cut open the oem struts. I just thought I would give you my option since you are in the same boat as I am.

 

There are still a few good coilover options that will give you a good ride with much better handling. ST suspension or KW will both make you VERY happy. (same company just different brands, ST being the entry-level option. I personally can't say enough for the Ep3 KW v1 coilovers one of my closest friends ran them on his old EP3 year back and they were some of the best coils i've ever dealt with for a street car.

 

I ran that same combo on my first car many many years back. While it’s a good combo the kyb twin tube struts just don’t offer very good dampening compared to a decent set of coils. (I ended up getting coilovers to replace the spring/strut combo after about 8 months).

 

Looks like ST doesn't make coilovers for EP3/ DC5 any more. I been drooling on the KW site for a few months tho - wish they'd go on sale. Looking at Feals also. My car needs all new rubber, balljoints & SHG's slider besides the shocks blown. New parts are coming in but for coilover$$$ definitely need to choose wisely....

 

Any of you make the move on this yet? Don't really want to lower either but for references for tightening/improving handling I'm using SHG-EazyE's build log here, and MotoIQ.com EP3 project that kinda followed it. They both lowered and used coilovers with adjustable height and damping with 8k springs in front & 10k rear. I been looking for quality coilovers that can do all that but not lower 2 much. IIRC Feals & KW both lower 1.5"+. Never heard of these >>but found Yellow Speed Racing inverted pro street coilovers which they say will lower 1/2" +. Adjustable height and damping, front camber plates but springs only up to 9k. And they're on sale now down from $1800 to $1400. Not hot on camber plates w noisy bearing and thinking with minimal lowering u wouldn't need the extra camber adjusting...? KW come without any front upper mount & I haven't found spring rates. Feals springs can be 8k / 10k and with or without front camber plates. KW made in Germany, YSR in Taiwan & Feals didn't reply.

So Where yall at on this?

 

Looking for good-name coilovers that don't lower I started searching for rally suspension, even on other makes of cars and came across posts from 2016 by Flatout Suspension starting up in a Subaru forum. Found they have a website and options for lowering or raising! www.flatoutsuspension.net They aint cheap but they build to order so I bought the GR Lite at stock ride height that can be raised for snow or dirt roads or lowered for paved fun. Just got them today but won't have this back together real quick since more crap is getting exposed.

 

I'd been resigned to having to lower because all coilovers available would only lower. Wanted coilovers for the compactness and adjustability. While trying to decide on which ones I got all the replacement bushings and RCA's and now that I'm staying around factory height I know the RCA's won't be necessary. How bout FLCA front offset bushings or inverted tie rod ends?
...thinking tie rod ends will still keep the tie rods in the horizontal plane...?

...?

 

Short explanation for replacing FLCA front from Mustclime's susp post: That bushing is there to change toe settings as the cornering loads increase. It adds toe in as the gee forces go up, this = increasing under steer! Anyone that is trying to get our cars to handle needs to replace this bushing asap.