Wednesday, July 22, 2009 - 02:24 pm, by: David Duffell(Duffsta)
This has been covered in quite a few threads and I have learned a lot but nearly everybody lowers their cars and I'm leaving mine standard height. So my question is what are every ones thoughts on the best option price and quality wise. I'm looking at really improving the handling but not having it harsh as. I do enjoy winding through corners but as it is a daily driver i don't want to rattle the bones out of my body. Do you guys recon i should get all new shocks, i think i have tems by the fact i have black boxes on top of all my struts but its a 1991 so probably doesn't do much. Should i get coil overs if so what have been peoples experiences, or something different altogether. Thanks for your help guys.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009 - 04:55 pm, by: Dave Cazes(Cazman)
$3000 is a lot. Most people have half or 1/3 of that. You cant really go past bilsteins and Tein springs for a firm but still nice ride. The bolt on kit still goes for about $1500 though.
Cheaper options are kings and Kybs for $900
Or we can line you up with some nice monotube coilovers for about $1400 (by memory) This is your cheapest option really, but one of the harder rides, myself Im used to it, but it is alot harder than most would like in their lexus'.
Whiteline Swaybars are a nice cheap addition too, retial at about $500pr, these will eliminate some body roll and help with turn in.
I have a rear bar for $150 second hand.
Apart from that, you dont need much more, there are infinite ways to spend you cash on your suspension but Id just replace whats worn, and if your really serious, get a front and rear camber kit also, and then go from there.
I have a ton of race parts, but they dont suit everyones needs.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009 - 06:31 pm, by: David Vaughan(Davidv)
For street purposes, stock height, the single biggest influence is tyres. I agree with aftermarket anti-roll bars as an option as well, but in your situation top tyres will beat the crap out of any different springs and shocks, and will keep on giving in every area that matters-- steering, grip and braking, wet or dry.
OTOH, if your shocks are shot, get new ones first but factory is fine.
Then spend money on tyres. When you finally get the courage to buy some good ones, rather than "these are really good value", you will be gently amazed at the way you cruise up on other cars in twisty bits where you could not before.
Ian Johnston DieHard South Australia UZZ30 GT 4.0, UZZ31
Wednesday, July 22, 2009 - 06:50 pm, by: Ian Johnston(Ted)
Adam, can I have some more info on the Bilstiens?? and why do you need spring seats?? I maybe looking for options to my TEMS on my UZZ31 in the future, but want a nice ride more so than performance handling.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009 - 11:00 pm, by: Matthew Tai(Matttai)
how about doing bushes too? lots of good reviews on the difference in ride quality with vlamos / factory replacements. Coupled with new shocks and springs would equate to a very good ride.
Thursday, July 23, 2009 - 12:43 pm, by: David Duffell(Duffsta)
I noticed a massive difference when i changed all my bushes to VFT bushes and i didn't really consider tyres but when you have 19 x 10 on the rear and 19 x 8 on the front you don't get too many options without paying 600 each. I think my shocks are absolutely stuffed so that might be an option. I also don't mind a rougher ride but i don't want these things that people put in silva's that don't allow any movement at all. Sway bars are sounding like a good addition to my planes though.
Bilstein shocks and Tein springs sounds like a pretty good option for the price but will these be a huge improvement or are they still pretty soft. I don't mind sacrificing a bit of comfort for handling.
I was looking at Tein super streets and Tein flex but as i don't know anything about suspension i get lost when it comes to spring rates and wonder if they will be too hard or soft. These also look pretty pricy at 2800 for the super streets so wonder if there are other brands that stand up to them. If i was going to get coil overs probably wouldn't want to spend anything more than 2 grand as there is fitting and everything on top of that.
Sway bars are something I'm definitely going to look into now though.
Thursday, July 23, 2009 - 07:02 pm, by: Adam Foster(Adam)
the bilstein shocks from toyota are for a jza80 supra. so the sur clips sit higher up on the rear shocks and the spring seats are smaller than the spring seats required for the soarer rear springs. but to get custom springs made for your soarer arent that bad. i think last time i was quoted to get some done it was about $200 for a pair. this isn't to bad considering what new springs cost you anyway and they make them to the specification you want.
Friday, July 24, 2009 - 05:33 am, by: Adam Foster(Adam)
if you run with shocks that suit the supra and use factory supra shocks in the rear then it will lower your car to about 34o cwg i have found. if you put the lowered king springs in the front it will lower you front to about 360 - 355 cwg. as far as i no with the custom springs you give them the spring your currently using as a template and you tell them how much lower or higher you want your car to sit. and they can work out from that spring you give them, what you require and you can obivously have them made stiffer or softer
Friday, July 24, 2009 - 08:28 am, by: David Duffell(Duffsta)
Ah ok cool because i cant lower my car even a millimeter as it already scraps on my driveway at standard height. So the question is who should i go to in sydney that knows what they are doing as I hear a lot of stories about people getting springs made which are totally wrong for what they wanted or asked for.
Friday, July 24, 2009 - 08:51 am, by: David Duffell(Duffsta)
Dave Cazes which mono tube coil overs are you referring to because 1400 is a lot cheaper than anything i have been looking at and will mean i don't have to muck around with custom springs. Is it a really rough ride or just rougher than normal??
Monday, July 27, 2009 - 10:04 am, by: Dave Cazes(Cazman)
The coilovers we sell for $1400 (I can do them for $1350 actually, + freight) are BC coilovers, but The more I think about it hey most likely dont suit your application. The go very low as apposed to sitting relatively high, and the spring rates and valving are aimed at aggressive driving, and do sacrafice a bit of comfort. Not that much in my opinion, but some people are a bit finicky with their soarers.
I can get you some custom Bilstien coilovers for about 2k, maybe just under if you are looking at something like that. These will go from stock height to in the weeds, but the more you lower our cars the worse they get, just remember that.
We can get bolt in bilstien shocks that require no custom springs, you can just use a tein S tech or a King spring with them, but this will lower your car, and they are non adjustable.
I guess it comes down to what your after.
If you were in SA I would just get you to some into our shop, and I could show you our options, and even give you a test ride in my car. Bu my car is not the best to demonstrate comfort though...
Monday, July 27, 2009 - 01:42 pm, by: David Duffell(Duffsta)
I don't mind sacraficing a bit of comfort for good handling. I cant lower my car even a centimetre because of my driveway so i guess i dont need anything adjustable as i probably wont be bothered to adjust anything. Whats the quality like for Bilstien coilovers compared to superstreets that i have heard so much about??
Monday, July 27, 2009 - 06:25 pm, by: Ron Bassett(Ron)
Dave, I assume the Bilstein shocks(Supra) and King springs on the rear are supra springs(otherwise they would be too low).....the front being Soarer/Supra identical???? This combo is below $1500......yes?....and dearer for Tein S??? Are the KYB's twin tube?
Monday, July 27, 2009 - 06:45 pm, by: David Duffell(Duffsta)
Ron from what I've learned that is the case, the bilstein combo lowers your car if you run the standard supra bilsteins. That's why i have to look at a custom bilstein set up. Don't know about KYB's but im sure some one here does.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009 - 10:20 am, by: Dave Cazes(Cazman)
yes the off the shelf bilsteins from toyota lower your car quite a bit, we use aftermarket Supra shocks that have slightly better valving in them and have extra circlip grooves machined in, so you can raise/lower your car. The rear spring seat is changed for a larger one, to suit your stock or aftermarket soarer springs.
Stechs go for $300-400 atm, so not hugely dearer. I would shop around just incase, as Im not sure if we are the cheapest.
The cheapest I can sell a set for and keep my job is $350 +freight
Tuesday, July 28, 2009 - 11:51 am, by: Damian Ware(Frozenpod)
Dave Cazes wrote on Tuesday, July 28, 2009 - 10:24 am:
Err Dave, the soarer OEM shocks are not made by KYB.
KYB do make OEM shocks for other manufactures though and they are a good shock but they were not fitted to soarers from factory.
KYB supply suspension parts that are factory fitted in some Nissans. I have driven a few cars that had KYB replacements I would rate them very highly as a top quality low cost OEM replacement shock.
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