lowering springs recommendations/suggestions please

Just installed my Koni/Epic setup. Looks really nice IMHO!!

Just installed my Koni/Epic setup. Looks really nice IMHO!!

Pics?

Any pics of the koni swift setup? I'm waiting for my konis to come in and would love to see what the drop looks like

Pics?

You are definitesly going to have to bear with me on posting pics. It never works for me no matter what site I try to host. It took me almost a year to successfully change my profile pic,,,,which I might add I don't like anymore but cannot seem to change!!

That's almost impressive.

^^^Hahahaha.

Here is a pic of my wagon on Swifts and koni's before I changed them out for ION springs.

Why did you change the Swifts for ions?

http://s1182.photobucket.com/albums/x451/jhawk222/?action=view&current=SubaruComparison011.jpg

How she sits on Koni/Epic setup.

That's almost impressive.

This is the best I can do.

http://s1182.photobucket.com/albums/...parison011.jpg

This is the best I can do.

http://s1182.photobucket.com/albums/...parison011.jpg

http://i1182.photobucket.com/albums/x451/jhawk222/SubaruComparison011.jpg

http://s1182.photobucket.com/albums/x451/jhawk222/?action=view&current=SubaruComparison011.jpg

How she sits on Koni/Epic setup.

 

you have impact damage on your driver rear tire-- see the bubble-- your sidewall will blow out if you dont have it replaced -- how do you like your ride--mines ( epics/koni) seem harsh and jarring,highway is nice and firm i might put my stock springs on i've tried adjusting them every which way .

Whats up impact separaton glad someone caught it because I didnt even notice it ha

you have impact damage on your driver rear tire-- see the bubble-- your sidewall will blow out if you dont have it replaced -- how do you like your ride--mines ( epics/koni) seem harsh and jarring,highway is nice and firm i might put my stock springs on i've tried adjusting them every which way .

Winter tires are off, now I don't have to deal with the bubble again until next season. Trial and error, as soon as I got it dialed in she's been riding great!!

How long are you guys going on your stock struts?

 

I'm on Pro-Kits, and am going on two years now with them. Still seems to be fine. Not sure if I should expect blown struts soon.

I had a thread going on my search for new struts for my 07 SpecB (clunking left front). I've decided on Koni's all around with LGT mounts in the front. I'm planning to keep the stock SpecB springs. From my understanding, this will give me a 3/8" drop in the front.

 

Questions:

 

1. Does anybody have a pic of this setup?

 

2. Does anybody have any idea on how this might ride with the Koni's at or near full soft? A bit firmer doesn't bother me, but solid suspension does.

 

I was pondering Epic springs, but going down a full 1-3/8" (spring plus LGT mount) is more than I want to go.

I was originally going to get the Bilstein HDs, but their price is steep and frankly, I don't use my car hard enough to justify it. So I'm going Koni inserts, as well. They seem to be popular here. I have Eibach Pro springs that've been sitting in my garage. Hopefully it'll happen by early summer, I've not bothered modding my GT much since I bought it, too busy with projects for my house. Not to mention my work, my wife's business, travel for various reasons.... blah blah blah.

I had a thread going on my search for new struts for my 07 SpecB (clunking left front). I've decided on Koni's all around with LGT mounts in the front. I'm planning to keep the stock SpecB springs. From my understanding, this will give me a 3/8" drop in the front.

 

Questions:

 

1. Does anybody have a pic of this setup?

 

2. Does anybody have any idea on how this might ride with the Koni's at or near full soft? A bit firmer doesn't bother me, but solid suspension does.

 

I was pondering Epic springs, but going down a full 1-3/8" (spring plus LGT mount) is more than I want to go.

My understanding is that the Epic springs (like Eibachs, Ralliteks, and Cobbs) are USDM springs designed to work with the USDM LGT (KYB-style) top hat. Therefore, the advertised 1" drop in front already takes into account the KYB-style top hat. In other words, you won't be getting additional drop by switching to KYB-style top hats. You'll also have to buy some non-Spec B LGT front struts to cut up for the Koni inserts.

 

Also, IME, the difference in ride height between using Spec B (Bilstein-style) top hats and KYB-style top hats is more like 5/8". Not that it matters if you're going to be running Epics with KYB-style top hats.

 

IMO, since you already have a Spec B, the most logical route would be for you to go with Bilstein HDs.

I was originally going to get the Bilstein HDs, but their price is steep and frankly, I don't use my car hard enough to justify it. So I'm going Koni inserts, as well. They seem to be popular here. I have Eibach Pro springs that've been sitting in my garage. Hopefully it'll happen by early summer, I've not bothered modding my GT much since I bought it, too busy with projects for my house. Not to mention my work, my wife's business, travel for various reasons.... blah blah blah.

 

You sound exactly like me! I've been looking forward to modding the LGT once I paid it off, but now that I'm getting closer to my last payment, I have recently bought a house and a whole new world of debt. Since it's a fixer upper, all my "mod" money is going on fixing the place up!

 

I'm on Eibach Pro-Kits on stock struts and I love the ride of it. I'm thinking of picking up some Koni's because I'm worried I'm on borrowed time with these stockers. Let me know how they ride when you get them on!

Will do. I've only really done five mods to my car, since I bought it in 2008: JDM rear swaybar, air filter (not a K&N, the other one... AEM maybe), Hawk HPS brake pads, Cobb stage 1 ECU flash and tire upgrades. I bought my house just before I got the car (sold a '00 2.5RS for it), and yeah the car isn't exactly a priority.

 

Got a great deal on it though, at the time. Couldn't pass it up - it's got a couple minor issues but nothing that's ever gone wrong. I paid mine off a few months ago, so that's good; I had VERY small payments and could've done so sooner, but again... house stuff!

 

Ain't being an adult boring?

 

 

Tell me about the springs...

My understanding is that the Epic springs (like Eibachs, Ralliteks, and Cobbs) are USDM springs designed to work with the USDM LGT (KYB-style) top hat. Therefore, the advertised 1" drop in front already takes into account the KYB-style top hat. In other words, you won't be getting additional drop by switching to KYB-style top hats. You'll also have to buy some non-Spec B LGT front struts to cut up for the Koni inserts.

 

Not sure I follow...if the front drop on the springs is 1" on the LGT, wouldn't you need to add that drop to whatever the drop on the mounts alone are?

 

Also, IME, the difference in ride height between using Spec B (Bilstein-style) top hats and KYB-style top hats is more like 5/8". Not that it matters if you're going to be running Epics with KYB-style top hats.

 

I've seen everything from 3/8 to 5/8 on the top hat switch. If it's in fact 5/8 (or even, splitting the difference, 1/2") I'd be happy with that front drop, as that would even up the wheel gaps nicely and keep the nice ride the stock springs have.

 

IMO, since you already have a Spec B, the most logical route would be for you to go with Bilstein HDs.

 

Because I'm mostly leaning towards the stock springs, the Bilsteins would be WAY overdamped. While they'd probably be fine on the Epics, I'm still not sure I want to go that route. If, after going to the Koni's on stock springs, I want to go lower after the fact, I have that option on the koni's, or the option to send my Bilstein take-offs away for a rebuild and have them optimized for the Epic spring rates, which I think would ride better than the HD's.

 

Thanks for the input! Much appreciated.

Not sure I follow...if the front drop on the springs is 1" on the LGT, wouldn't you need to add that drop to whatever the drop on the mounts alone are?

No. Because Epics (like Ralliteks, Cobbs, and Eibachs) are designed for use with KYB-style USDM LGT struts, the rated drop already takes into account the use of a KYB-style top hat. Thus, they would have a 1" drop with Koni inserts or stock KYBs and KYB-style top hats. If you were to use them with Bilsteins and your Spec B top hats, you'd get 5/8" less drop, i.e., 3/8" drop.

 

Bilstein HDs are an aftermarket replacement strut for the Spec B and should work fine w/ your stock springs. If you want the adjustability of the Konis, I'd look for some Tokicos, which also are designed for to go with Spec B top hats.

So I've tracked down a set of blown front LGT struts for the Koni treatment (also using Koni's in the rear, of course), and I'm going to use them with my stock Spec B springs, and stock LGT tophats. It'll be a longer project, but has anybody tried this combo before and can give me any insight as to the ride I might be able to expect, depending of course on how the Koni's are setup?

Hey for what it's worth I already have a set modded that I would be willing to get rid of. I installed an AST suspension this past year. I have pics of the whole mod if you are interested.

Actually my Koni's came in yesterday as well, and picked up the LGT struts last night from a local guy, so I've got all the gear to get started. Just want to find some yellow spray paint that closely matches the Koni yellow to pain the strut bodies.

 

Actually really excited to get this project started.