Springs Springs And Springs!

[frylai]

Ok alot of members recently have asked me to get springs to lower their Altezza...But the question really is what kind of springs do they go for???

Do they want to go for looks? Performance? or simply just I NEED TO LOWER MY GOD DAMN CAR!!!

Ok I have seen or heard of members had these springs on their rides...

Kings - 4ROLLN, Jetezza, Naroka

Eibach - SSML, Lextcy

Tanabe - Jase

Lsportline - Me!!!

Other than that I m not sure who else has what??? anyway give us a feedback on your springs and performance and let others know what its like!!!

Matt :D

[franco]

I have Apexi N1 Coilovers.

I'm not much of a critic, not having driven anyone else's Altezza, but I can tell you that the ride is firm, real firm. In terms of comfort, there is some but not alot. I tend to avoid severe road bumps and potholes wherever possibe. Being a motorcyclist this comes natural anyway.

In terms of handling, there aren't many other 4 wheeled vehicles around here which can touch it! Let's say that high speed cornering and driving through twisty roads is a real pleasure...

I'm in the process of having the rear rubber bushes replaced with uerothene (sp?) ones, as the old ones are shot.

[Jase]

You're lucky franco, with the Apexi N1 Coilovers come in STANDARD haha

I got some TANABE CVSquare installed a week or 2 ago. According to factory specs, F -43mm, 6.5kg/mm R -33mm, 5.5kg/mm is what the springs give you. I'm using the springs with standard Altezza shocks (they are the front are Tokico shocks, don't know about the rear).

Performance has definitly increased, as the lower the car, the lower the center of gravity, and less the body roll (still a little of cuz..!). The rear slides a little more in corners but i think its because I drive a little faster than before with the springs in now haha

Comfort? Its great, way less harsh than Coilovers and feels like standard. But you can tell that there is something done to the suspension. In the long run, I would get aftermarket shocks too, as lowering springs cause standard shocks more stress.

Well, i guess if you are just after the look, get some springs. If you are not lookin too deeply into the performance side of things, get lowering springs with aftermarket shocks. And for best performace, get some Coilovers!

Hope this helps the members who are considering of lowering their ride!

Jason

[frylai]

You're lucky franco, with the Apexi N1 Coilovers come in STANDARD haha

I got some TANABE CVSquare installed a week or 2 ago. According to factory specs, F -43mm, 6.5kg/mm R -33mm, 5.5kg/mm is what the springs give you. I'm using the springs with standard Altezza shocks (they are the front are Tokico shocks, don't know about the rear).

Performance has definitly increased, as the lower the car, the lower the center of gravity, and less the body roll (still a little of cuz..!). The rear slides a little more in corners but i think its because I drive a little faster than before with the springs in now haha

Comfort? Its great, way less harsh than Coilovers and feels like standard. But you can tell that there is something done to the suspension. In the long run, I would get aftermarket shocks too, as lowering springs cause standard shocks more stress.

Well, i guess if you are just after the look, get some springs. If you are not lookin too deeply into the performance side of things, get lowering springs with aftermarket shocks. And for best performace, get some Coilovers!

Hope this helps the members who are considering of lowering their ride!

Jason

hahaha, thanks alot Jase I know i have enjoyed the ride on your car last night :D

Matt :D

[4ROLLN]

4ROLLN's sitting on King srprings with a 30-35 mm drop I think, may have ended up with a 40mm drop somehow,

looks good, the ride is reasonable comfortable but the rear end is a bit dodgy on heavy cornering an driven hard. I've actually found it better to roll 4 up as going up the kaimai ranges over the holidays and going quick around corners was pretty wicked with four people, it handled awesome for some reason, but with 2 and without the weight in the rear it bounces around a bit which could be dangerous when hitting big bumps on passing lanes on a bend "trust me".

Overall for bang for buck they are pretty good, im happy with them, but may go for adjustables in the future if i ever get the money for some!!!!!!!!!

Dont get me wrong though they are pretty safe to drive with and corning aint to bad overall, I just mean if you are really pushing it, it can feel a bit dodgy, but in saying that it hasnt stop me yet from corning hard iwhen I feel like it!!!

..........4ROLLN

[?UESTLOVE]

I have the Eibach, but just purchased some Tein Flex Coilovers. The eibachs are good, in terms of comfort, but not low enough, and still abit too soft for my liking.

[greeneyes]

Haydn, what shocks are on the rear? New, stiffer adjustables when you fitted the King springs?

It sounds like lack of rebound control with the stiffer springs.

(this calls for a day on Taupo Track so we can try each other's cars.... )

[4ROLLN]

as far as I know they are standard shocks, but we have a sneeking idea that they arnt because the car sits lower than its supposed to with the lowering springs but im happy with that, your probaly right "greeneyes"but it hasnt wooried me enough to do something about it. Just a good reason to save up for some adjustables for a 100 years time!!! we'll see what happens :D

[Turbo tezza]

I've got Bilstein adjustables with coilovers.

They are fairly stiff, but I wouldn't say harsh. More like sporty.

I can throw it into a corner and know i'll always come out the other side. Think the tyres help out aswell.

Ride height is set at about 25-30mm lower then normal at the moment.

I'll drop it right down for the South Island 4 & Rotary Nationals next month. :D

They came with the car when I bought it. Lucky me. B)

Corey

[frylai]

I m running on Lsportline (Made By Eibach) and I m getting some Bilteins HD Shocks soon before winter I will say, my car has got far too many little problem to get stuff like that right now...anyway it lowered the car by 35mm from factory...but only around 17mm for the front when I actually measure it...but 35mm spot on on the rear!!!

Matt :)

Edited February 4, 2004 by LsportlineIS300

[hkgs300]

I have Apexi WS coilovers, and these are great. Good handling and good comfort.

Springs ... errr. some of my IS200 friends in Europe are using V-Maxx springs, and they like them :lol:.

Any V-Maxx users NZ <_<

[frylai]

I have Apexi WS coilovers, and these are great. Good handling and good comfort.

Springs ... errr. some of my IS200 friends in Europe are using V-Maxx springs, and they like them :lol:.

Any V-Maxx users NZ <_<

Yeah I heard pretty good review on these V-Maxx in the Europe Forum, I heard they feel really like Eibach, can bearly tell the difference, well maybe the price!!! they do make the springs for the IS200 and RX300....

Matt :)

[frylai]

Ok David also got Tanabes now...it's hard to obtain springs other than Kings here, but they are heat formed so that are a piece of *BLEEP*...

Matt :)

[hkgs300]

Kings are heat formed so that are a piece of *BLEEP*...

Matt :)

Heat formed springs? ;)

These type of springs are not lasting long.

Heat formed springs are not holding its spring charge, so they will drop the car lower and lower

No problem though if you think that your car is not lowered enough

[SSML]

Hi guys:

I got my Eibach pro kit springs for ~ 3 months, done ~4500Km, like many others's comments. handling has improved, not too stiff for me. But it definetely much more comfy than my friend's Tein coilover.

the only part I dont like= rear end didnt go down far enough. but much better than factory's huge gap.

SSML

[greeneyes]

Aren't all springs heat formed? Isn't that how they temper the steel after they have shaped it?

Maybe I'll take a tour of Kings, they're not too far away.

keith

[frylai]

It dosent matter if they are heatformed or not, the point is that Kings will sag while other springs like Eibach and TRD won't, I think when we say heatformed that it is fully heatformed to shaped the form not just melting the steel.

Matt :)

[Gavin_S]

Trd/Potenza Spring/strut setup-wouldn't change a thing-even with a bootload of records the rear end doess't "load up" and bounce like my previous Altezza that was on King springs...

[4ROLLN]

hey stop hassling my King springs.

At least If I ever get a girl in the back of my car, im gonna have a better time than you guys in your cars with my bouncy springs!! :D

[frylai]

hey stop hassling my King springs.

At least If I ever get a girl in the back of my car, im gonna have a better time than you guys in your cars with my bouncy springs!! :D

aite Hayden, time to move on!!! get some proper springs.....hahaha

Matt :)

PS - forgive me

[franco]

AAARRRRGGGGHHH ! :o

I took my car into the dealer yesterday to have the rubber bushes replaced with firmer polyurethene ones. Got a call last nite saying that their garage replaced all the bushes (as agreed) but found that my front right shock is "shot". So they are going to replace "all" of my suspension with some "good stuff". Hmmmm.

Am going down to sort it out. If what they say is true, I want to know what they consider is good stuff, AND get my orginal coilovers back. If the front right was shot, I think they can be repaired/ reconditioned?

Being a newbie with this type of thing, anyone got any advice?

[AltezzaNZ]

At least If I ever get a girl in the back of my car

I like it... at least if I....

[Gavin_S]

:D good call!! B)

[Hoon]

AAARRRRGGGGHHH ! :o

I took my car into the dealer yesterday to have the rubber bushes replaced with firmer polyurethene ones. Got a call last nite saying that their garage replaced all the bushes (as agreed) but found that my front right shock is "shot". So they are going to replace "all" of my suspension with some "good stuff". Hmmmm.

Am going down to sort it out. If what they say is true, I want to know what they consider is good stuff, AND get my orginal coilovers back. If the front right was shot, I think they can be repaired/ reconditioned?

Being a newbie with this type of thing, anyone got any advice?

Hi Franco

what brand are your coil overs? make sure you get them back. where in NZ are you. you should give them to Autolign in auckland to look at, they are the professionals when it comes to rebuilding suspension

[franco]

Hey Hoon

They are Apexi N1 coilovers. Basically they were installed by the previous (Japanese) owner. I don't think they are very common here in NZ. I believe they can be rebuilt, tho I just need to understand who would be the best option to do the work.

In the meantime, I have instructed the dealer/garage to go ahead with the susp replacement, which they claim is going to cost $2500, though they still couldn't tell me what they are replacing it with yet.

Good news is that I've made sure they will give me back my original stuff, so if it is stuffed and is rebuildable at least I have the option.

Sweet, thanks for the PM, I will give you a holler once I know more.

cher cher, franco