best bang for the buck mod suspension

i've done the hawk HPS brake pads and i have kuhmo's ASX now im looking for the next best bang for the buck mod suspension. i was thinking of getting sway bars or should i just save up for shocks and springs? i don't really want to drop the car. i live in baltimore crappiest pot hole city in the world. also i want to make sure i have good ground clearence come winter time. i've been surfing thru some threads and im liking HD bilsteins and pinks combo. im looking for the minimum drop with balance in comfort and handling

 

any input.

 

also looking into getting a short shifter. any bad experience w/ kartboy?

 

 

thanks in advance fellas

COBB STS here. Love it.

 

had COBB sways, along with teins. pretty harsh.

 

 

but the sways along with the endlinks ( COBB ) you will notice a diff immediately. i loved it.

Sways.

Or like you said save for the struts.

+1

 

sways really help to eliminate the "floatiness" of this car.

yes it does. you cant go wrong with some sways.

Simple JDM rear 20mm bar really helped me. Cheap too.

sways really help to eliminate the "floatiness" of this car.

not really. The "floatiness" poeple often described is a result of underdamped shocks/struts. Sways will help reduce body roll and can increase/decrease understeer/oversteer depending on how they're tuned.

Oversteers fun though...?

Used Bilsteins + Springs (Swift, Cobb, Tein H Tech, etc) .....in addition to sways (front and rear) depending on whether you prefer more or less understeer

<== Another vote for the Cobb STS.

can someone explain to me like im a fifth grader, if i get both front and rear will i get under or oversteer?

 

which springs will lower my car less than an inch.

Keeping with your bang for the buck theme, the JDM 20mm rear bar would be your ticket. A stiffer rear bar will help reduce body roll and slightly increase oversteer, decrease understeer.

can someone explain to me like im a fifth grader, if i get both front and rear will i get under or oversteer?

 

which springs will lower my car less than an inch.

 

a) If you upgrade both, and they both increase stiffness by the same percentage over stock, then you should have pretty much the same amount of under/oversteer as before the upgrade. Otherwise, whichever end gets stiffer will tend to slide sooner. My car is pretty much stock and understeers so I'm toying with the idea of upgrading the rear sway bar only (using the mildest increase that I can find, so as not to make it too oversteer-happy).

 

b) The Pinks are the only ones I know of. http://subiwiki.com/wiki/index.php/BL_%282005-2009%29#Handling_Modifications

Hold out for the pinks and bilsteins. If you want to add a little over steer after that then get a Cobb rear sway kit. It comes with the upgraded mounts. Really the 20mm JDM bar is not that much of an "upgrade" in stiffness. I was running the perrin f&r sways as the only suspension mod, and I really liked how the back end was much more active through a curve. Since I dropped my car with tien Basics, that's not as noticable. I have to set the rear bar to "stiffer" setting and see if I can get it back.

 

Don't over look the LCA bushing upgrades from SuperPro as a nice handling mod.

 

You might also look at MR coilovers from boost junkie. I think you can retain the stock height with these. Folks seem to be happy with them for daily drivers..

 

good luck.

The sways make an immediate difference, I choose cobb adjustable w/heavy duty end links. As for coil overs I run KW V2's not to harsh and the float went away. Upper tower stabilizers were the least noticeable mod to the handling...

Cusco sways f/r, 23mm, 21mm respectively, made the most immediate difference in handling when I started my suspension mods. I did not go with the cobb product as there were issues with the front bar not being wide enough to have the proper geometry with the end links like OEM.

Cusco sways f/r, 23mm, 21mm respectively, made the most immediate difference in handling when I started my suspension mods. I did not go with the cobb product as there were issues with the front bar not being wide enough to have the proper geometry with the end links like OEM.

 

Very true about cobb front sway bar. But if your just doing the rear, the cobb is a decent option. I opted to go for front and rear, and went with the perrin 22mm's...

Don't forget an alignment.

from reading the replies and doing a lil research. i think im just going to do the rear for now. maybe do the springs/shocks spring time. use some of that tax money

 

anyways any suggestions of where to buy the JDM rear sway bars or i might go w/ cobb.

^ Cobb is one of the stiffest rear sway bars, and Cusco is a good recommendation also

+1

 

sways really help to eliminate the "floatiness" of this car.

 

 

+1

 

i did coilovers first...later took them off because i blew a strut.... i've found now that I would have been perfectly happy with just the sways

Whiteline makes a good medium sized rear bar, and it's adjustable.

 

Def a good bang for buck first mod.

 

 

- Andrew

Set of 4 coil-overs for about $1500 I read is also a good value to get started?

 

Can I raise the suspension about 1 inch this way...and would it last for at least 5 years? It sounds like the coil-overs need to either be replaced or serviced regularly.

^ Most mods require some type of maintennace with the exception of exhaust mods...

Ok thanks. Yeah I had a feeling mod'ing the suspension would be too hardcore for me.

 

Plus since I hit a curb (dumbazz) would probably have to do a lot more than just coilovers to get the alignment perfect again. I'll have to just live with stock for now and rotate the tires more often.