iON Performance Springs - The 'Goldilocks' street setup

This is the ‘Goldilocks’ of suspensions for the LGT, not too hard, not too soft, in fact, it’s just right.

 

Okay, just right if you don’t plan on tracking the car enough to justify coilovers, and you don’t want to look ‘slammed’.

 

But if you drive on real roads, if you anticipate four season usage, if you’d like your LGT’s stance to change from 330xi to 330ci, if you want to go through rough roads faster than RX8 (yes, I checked), if you want to feel more connected than a stock M5 or S4 (yes, I checked – both 03 mys), and still preserve the good things about the stock ride characteristics while correcting all the nasty stuff, then these are it.

 

These are smoother, more compliant, better riding, and allow me to carry more speed through a corner than my H&R/Koni equipped A4 did – at significantly less cost.

 

Breaking, acceleration, turn-in, weight transition, overall adhesion, predictability are all just as good as you’d expect from a dialed-in setup – what’s truly remarkable (beyond the amount of speed you can carry with poise and control through a corner) is that it does it with a better ride than stock.

 

In fact, there was only one thing that I found that a stock suspension handled better – there’s a new housing development nearby where they don’t have the final coat on the road yet so all the driveways have like a 2”+ drop – if you crawl over that lip you are going to hear a lot more dull thud than the stock setup – I can deal with that…

 

I was amazed how well these work with the stock struts, both bound and rebound felt better matched than with the stock springs. I went out looking for trouble too – dragging single wheels through storm drains, dropped manhole covers… don’t think I caught air, but I sure did ‘significantly un-weight’ it – this even passed my 30, 40, & 50 mph railroad track grade crossing tests. My 3 & 5 year-old still fall asleep in the back, the wife approves, and I don’t think this’ll need a rear sway after all.

 

I run 38 pounds front and 36 pounds rear (cold) and had the same guys who set-up my A4 suspension hook me up with a nice alignment.

 

Stock measurements from the top of the stock rim to the fender:

 

5 & 5/8” Front, 5 & 3/4” Rear

 

Three days after installation measurements were –

 

4 ½” Front, 4 ¾” Rear

 

(It took a couple days for them to really settle in, but that was expected so I didn’t freak when they looked kinda nasty right after they went on.)

 

As advertised –

 

 

 

 

 

Don’t let iON’s half-baked website put you off, these are quality. I think they are the perfect street setup and perfectly compliment Cobb Stage 2.

 

 

 

 

Now I can finally think about wheels and tires!!!

 

 

http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php?t=9239

 

http://www.ionperformance.com/

 

 

 

Big thanks for the detailed write up. The drop looks perfect and the rates sound great too. What's the deal with the progressive fronts/linear rears? Any real issues with setting up the springs that way?

I just installed these springs yesterday and still need to give them some time to settle === but so far i agree with Triple Digits write up 100%

 

these are excellent springs.

3D-thanks for the write-up. I hate to say it in front of a bunch of performance freaks, but I prefer a ride on the softer side. I am usually commuting, not racing. Believe it or not, if a Lincoln Continental had awd, it would have been in the running for car choice (heresy).

Your car looks, in a word, "right". The lowering hasn't left it slammed-looking; just, well, right. The wheels even seem to look better.

I'm going to be running the jdm sway-bar along w/the yellows; hope it doesn't make it too aggressive for me. Jack seems to be onto something good running the progressive and linear front and back at the rates he chose. The yellows were purpose-designed for the stock usdm struts; reports like yours confirm that they work well.

teh hotnz!

Triple Digits-

Your write up has prompted me to PM iON Performance. Their springs look 'just right' for me.

Plus they are a Canadian vendor which is great.

 

The swifts just appear too low and the Pinks don't seem to be right for me- these iON's do seem right.

 

Thanks for the great review!

Triple Digits-

Your write up has prompted me to PM iON Performance. Their springs look 'just right' for me.

Plus they are a Canadian vendor which is great.

 

The swifts just appear too low and the Pinks don't seem to be right for me- these iON's do seem right.

 

Thanks for the great review!

 

Please check out my thread on these springs. There is the potential for another group buy discount.

 

http://www.legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php?t=15529

Han's

Thanks for the link, but I live in BC, just one province away from iON in Alberta, and would be buying them in CAN currency and not bothering to pay any big cross-border duty. I hope that in doing so, I will come out a bit better on the cost. But we'll see...

 

Hopefully you get a big response from the US forum members. Best of luck!

MY THOUGHTS EXACTLY........... i have had these since APRIL the ride is awesome!!!!!!!!

I need to get a test ride in someones car before I consider these.

Thanks for the write-up/review.

I need to get a test ride in someones car before I consider these.

 

How about "lisn2me2"? Seems he's on Long Island.

Thrasher is getting his put in soon too.

well after 2 full days of riding on them and letting them settle some, let me just say how much better they have made my car feel.

 

aside from what triple digits said, which i agree with 100%, let me add one more point --

 

If you are still running on stock tires (like me) you will be able to corner harder and faster than you ever thought possible on the re-92's without even getting the tires to screech. I can't wait to get out to the next auto-x event and see the improvement. Already though, i've been able to handle like i never thought i could before... I thik i'll actually be content letting my stock tires wear out before replacing them now.

 

re: rallispec,

 

Okay I'am in.

 

Curious what other handling mods you have on your car already.

 

Matt

well after 2 full days of riding on them and letting them settle some, let me just say how much better they have made my car feel.

 

aside from what triple digits said, which i agree with 100%, let me add one more point --

 

If you are still running on stock tires (like me) you will be able to corner harder and faster than you ever thought possible on the re-92's without even getting the tires to screech. I can't wait to get out to the next auto-x event and see the improvement. Already though, i've been able to handle like i never thought i could before... I thik i'll actually be content letting my stock tires wear out before replacing them now.

 

 

Sweet! I cant wait to install mine, hopefully early next week!!11!1

 

Hey Ralli did your car settle any more after all?

re: rallispec,

 

Okay I'am in.

 

Curious what other handling mods you have on your car already.

 

Matt

 

JDM rear sway bar and thats it... however its effect on the car is hardly noticeable at all, except on very hard cornerning. (the kind of cornering that gets your outside tires to lift off the ground)

 

If i were to do it over again i wouldnt have even bothered with a sway bar and just got the springs.

 

deimos,

Yes the car has settled a bit more now -- It doesnt look like it's lowered that much more -- but the gap's in the front and rear seem much more even now.

 

My roomate has a 350z (stock) and the legacy still sits higher than his car.

 

I'd really only be concerned about any kind of rubbing if I had the STi lip spoiler.

 

 

 

 

 

Prior to any mods, i was a firm beleiver that the Potenza's were a huge weak link in getting the power to the pavement.

 

Not only would the tires screech and howl at the auto-x events, But even just taking hard corners on the street, (especially on-ramps and off-ramps) I could consistently get my tires to reach their limit, start howling, and feel the car start to loose grip and understeer.

 

 

The JDM rear sway fixed the understeer problem. However the tires still howled if I took an onramp too fast and I would know I was at my limit.

 

 

 

Well over the past two days I’ve attempted to take this on ramp to the point of getting my tires to screech and have not yet succeeded. And I’m taking it at least 10mph faster than before. I suppose this is in large part due to my lower center of gravity now, and being able to keep the car level and have more tires planted to the road getting better traction.

 

 

 

 

 

There is a big empty lot down the road from me—I’m gong to go play around on my lunch brake and see what I can get out of my car.

rallispec - You got your alignment done right? Otherwise if you don't, we highly suggest you do that before trying anymore highspeed manuvers.

rallispec - You got your alignment done right? Otherwise if you don't, we highly suggest you do that before trying anymore highspeed manuvers.

 

 

haha.. okay mother... but it's just so much fun..

 

actually have it scheduled for tomorrow.... okay well i'll hold off on to high speed parking lot extravaganza until after then .

How about "lisn2me2"? Seems he's on Long Island.

 

 

Perhap...maybe i'll come out to one of the NY meets.

Perhap...maybe i'll come out to one of the NY meets.

 

Or just maybe you might be able to track me down by following the sound of my Lachutes echoing through the streets of B-port and Stratford

 

 

 

http://www.legacygt.com/forums/showpost.php?p=232077&postcount=1

 

http://www.pimpmyauto.com/media_lachute.htm

 

actually have it scheduled for tomorrow.... okay well i'll hold off on to high speed parking lot extravaganza until after then .

 

I'd be interested to know what the 'before' and 'after' specs are on the alignment. Hopefully, marking the camber bolts does make a difference for those of us who need to cheat for a bit.

Does anyone have a price for these springs? I didnt see a price on the website or this post..

Chris112 - Han's GT is organiazing another GB, please check the following link for info->

http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php?t=15529

 

The 10 person GB price is $330US+shipping for payment via Intl MO, CC via Paypal subject to 5% equalization charge. [FYI $389US+shipping is normally the LGT.com member discounted price]

Ridgeracer- dropped my car off at MSPT today; if Dave and the boyz get it all done by Saturday, my car and self will be at Sunday's NY meet. You can check out the rig on the yellows ya'self, but because the car is still settling and awaiting alignment, I won't really be, ahh, thrashing.

well after 2 full days of riding on them and letting them settle some, let me just say how much better they have made my car feel.

 

aside from what triple digits said, which i agree with 100%, let me add one more point --

 

If you are still running on stock tires (like me) you will be able to corner harder and faster than you ever thought possible on the re-92's without even getting the tires to screech. I can't wait to get out to the next auto-x event and see the improvement. Already though, i've been able to handle like i never thought i could before... I thik i'll actually be content letting my stock tires wear out before replacing them now.

 

 

 

My Wife thinks the car rides better! Bump!