RCE Blacks on 3.6R
 

I installed my RCE springs about 2 weeks ago and my early impressions are that handling is greatly improved over stock with body roll being significantly reduced and cornering being much more responsive.

BNIB
http://i1201.photobucket.com/albums/...m/IMAG0169.jpg

Fronts - stock & RCE
http://i1201.photobucket.com/albums/...m/IMAG0183.jpg

Rears - stock & RCE
http://i1201.photobucket.com/albums/...m/IMAG0187.jpg

Front - stock height
http://i1201.photobucket.com/albums/...m/IMAG0177.jpg

Rear - stock height
http://i1201.photobucket.com/albums/...m/IMAG0181.jpg


However, the drop is not level. There is a noticeable rake. The front sits about 1/2" - 3/4" lower than the rear. My fiancee, who has little to no car knowledge, noticed it right away.

Front - RCE springs installed (sorry for the blurry pic, I'll try to get a better one posted. Its showing ~1 3/8")
http://i1201.photobucket.com/albums/...m/IMAG0218.jpg

Rear - RCE springs installed
http://i1201.photobucket.com/albums/...m/IMAG0209.jpg

Front - RCE springs installed
http://i1201.photobucket.com/albums/...m/IMAG0216.jpg

Rear - RCE springs installed
http://i1201.photobucket.com/albums/...m/IMAG0215.jpg

RCE springs installed
http://i1201.photobucket.com/albums/...m/IMAG0221.jpg

I'm conflicted as to whether I want to keep these and live with the rake or go back to stock and maybe save up for coilovers (which I'm not sure I would do since I need to retain good winter/snow driveability). The result I got isn't what I was expecting as far as aesthetics are concerned but the handling is better and should only improve with sway bars. Is there anything that can be done to level out the drop (maybe put in shims or replace the shocks)? What does everyone think?

I like it, but the rake would irk me as well. Do you think there is any chance of it settling anymore? Any vibration/ shimmy with the new springs?

Install a GIANT subwoofer box and multiple amps in the trunk. The rake will be gone. trust me :)

This could be a simular situation as is found when installing the Swift Sport Springs on a 3.6R.

My belief is that all these springs, RCE, Swift, Eibach or H&R were originally designed with the specs of the 2.5GT cars in mind. And the suspensions of the 3.6R and 2.5i are not the same as the 2.5GT cars. Thus the rake on some of these springs. The manufactures say these springs are for all the cars, when I believe that they were never really tried on anything but a 2.5GT car.

Has anyone installed the Eibach springs on a 3.6R yet? It would be interesting to see how those turn out as well.

kncart - I usually always have all my audio recording gear in the trunk of my car, so maybe the rake on my 3.6R using my yet to be installed Swift springs won't be so bad! ;) :rolleyes:

I'm not sure if it will settle any more or not...it may, but its been 2 weeks already and the rake's still pretty pronounced. It did settle a little from when they first went on, but not enough to compensate for the rake. I havent noticed any vibrations or shimmy with them except for when I installed them and accidentally put the front passenger strut together wrong (I had the conical washer upside down) and that caused all kinds of creaking/popping. But since I corrected that they've been pretty solid.

Lol yeah I actually thought about weighing it down but I really need the trunk space since we have baby #2 due early next year.

I don't mind the rake at all.


completely level would be perfect, but a little front rake is cool too. At least it doesn't sit nose up!

Now that would be cool only if there were some air bags, some chrome wheels with gangster white walls, some glowing strip lights under the doors and some dingle balls hanging from the mirror. THEN it would be way cool! Man! :eek: :lol: :spin:

Does anyone have any experience with shims? I searched the suspension forum and found that people who have problems with spring sagging use shims to correct it. I've never used them and don't really know how they're installed or if they would help in this situation.

Here's one thread about it:
http://legacygt.com/forums/showthrea...highlight=shim

And I believe this is what they're referring to:
http://www.infamousperformance.net/servlet/Categories

If anyone can give me some guidance on this it would be appreciated.

The more I look at it the less it's bothering me. The main thing is that it doesn't seem to negativley affect the handling (at least for my daily driver purposes, If I were doing autoX or racing I might feel differently). It's just that it's not exactly the look that I was expecting I guess. Right now I'm thinking that I'm going to keep it how it is.


:lol:

I think it looks great. Sure, a completely level look would be better but it still looks great

+1! I wouldn't mind this look either. I mean it's pretty slight if you ask me, but even so it certainly doesn't look bad.

I have the rce springs and the 19 rear sway sitting in my garage. Anybody give me an idea on what I should be paying to have all installed?

I feel like the car has a very slight rake stock, but that could just be my eyes/surface. You now have me slightly concerned about putting these on my 3.6R. I going to email RCE and ask them about any potential issues.

Mike

I was going to say the same thing as Mike (mannycast) did. When I look at my car sitting in my very level garage, it appears to have a slight forward rake in it's stock form. Maybe it is just pronounced because of the fender arches getting closer to the tops of the tires. Maybe...

Looks alright, I'd keep it like that and save for coils.

It would have taken me about 3 hours total to do the job in my garage with jack stands and hand tools except the lower rear strut bolts were a major pita (they wouldn't come off even with a breaker bar, 3 foot cheater pipe and being soaked overnight with PBBlaster...I finally had to heat the nut with a torch and then it came off within 30 seconds). A professional with air tools and a lift should be able to do it in about 2 hours or less I would guess.

I thought of this too. Maybe the lowering springs just accentuate the rake that is already present. Maybe someone with a stock height 3.6 could check on that.