Hey everyone , I am in need of new suspension for my s13 all the way around, and am not sure what direction i should go. My car is a daily driver but not in the winter. It is also used for drifting on weekends. I am not sure whether to go coilovers, or just good aftermarket shocks and springs. I dont have a whole lot to spend (under $1000 ) so i may have to go the old second hand route. I like something stiff , but not so stiff that its uncomfortable for my daily driving. And preferably nothing more than a 2" drop.
well KYB AGX shocks are always a option they have 6 levels of dampening adjustment from soft to hard and are a good thing. I have also heard good things about Tokico shocks. Then you can always go the route I did and buy lightly used suspension I got my Tein Type Flex for 1000 with 12K on them so there are some options I guess. The KYB’s will run you about 500-600 depending on where you get them. The Tokico I have to asume about the same. And coilvers well if you want to spend around a grand for new talk to Bing and ask about D2’s they seem to do the job well and are not to much.
He daily drives it Jesse and doesn’t want anything too stiff.
Springs and shocks are your best bet my friend. Coilovers will break your back on a daily basis if you use the car as a daily. I know people that run coils on daily, but personally if my car was a daily I would not be running coils and at the moment I still aign’t. I’m running AGX and S-tech’s , or was on my last car :x
In the end it is your call, good springs and shocks will run you probably upwards of 1000 new or 700-800 used. If you want coils take Jesse’s advise.
I agree with Andrew, for a daily driver, I would recommend using springs and shocks. I have sportlines and kybs and my car is comfortable, but I also have friends who went the coilover route and it is a stiffer ride, but you feel everything more. Not the best for a daily driver imo.
The cheapest would be buying used Sportlines and KYB/Tokicos from someone who has bought coilovers. Not a bad budget mod and they will keep you very happy until you want to go with something more aggressive. If you aren’t tracking the car then the coil/shock route is the way to go.
I have sportlines w/ tokicos on my car, and the ride is pretty harsh compared to even my celica on which the rear suspension is completely blown. I don’t mind myself, and I’m thinking of upgrading to coilovers, but my gf ALREADY can’t stand the bumpy ride, so I’m not too sure if I’ll end up going the coilover route. If I do decide to, I’ll be selling my suspension for cheap. Not sure how many km’s on it, since I got it with the car when I bought it, but the rest of the car is mint, so it can’t be bad.
Like everyone pretty much said, totally up to you and what you want to do with your car. If it’s only you driving it, and you can borrow your parents car to see your gf, or if she doesn’t mind a very bumpy car, then go for coilovers, otherwise, shocks & springs.
If you get S-tech springs you will be happy for a while as Mike mentioned.
They are almost 4kg/mm and drop you 1.5 inches. On lowest dampening setting they were not too bad, and when you turn up the dampening they are stiff enough in my opinion. I used them on track twice and on street for 3 months of summer.
I would not get sportlines, they drop 2.2inchs and go behond AGX rating. IIRC AGX only accomodates up to 1.8 inch drop er something along those lines.
Anyway I’m rambling, in the end its all your call. I would stay away from Tokico’s unless you get the Jap spec ones that are adjustable.
Here are springs that I have heard good things about and or ridden in:
H&R
S-tech
Apexi
RSR race (5kg/mm and only 1 inch drop)
Sorry about this Andrew but I’m going to have to ask you to back up a few of your statements with factual info regarding the setups that you have actually run and have experience with.
The drop that the sportlines provide is very mild and if you want an aggressive look you will have to go even lower and stiffer to maintain drivability (ie: not riding the bumpstops) I have yet to see an AGX pop from running sportlines. Perhaps you can provide links and/or examples?
I would stay away from Tokico’s unless you get the Jap spec ones that are adjustable.
Again, making a broad comment and not backing it up with any facts. Please state why you would avoid the tokico shocks. I ran a used set of Blues for a year and a half with no issues and was pleased with them as a low cost option. If it’s adjustability that you seek then a coil over set up is a way better option than the KYB’s.
The drop that the sportlines provide is very mild and if you want an aggressive look you will have to go even lower and stiffer to maintain drivability (ie: not riding the bumpstops) I have yet to see an AGX pop from running sportlines. Perhaps you can provide links and/or examples?
I would stay away from Tokico’s unless you get the Jap spec ones that are adjustable.
Again, making a broad comment and not backing it up with any facts. Please state why you would avoid the tokico shocks. I ran a used set of Blues for a year and a half with no issues and was pleased with them as a low cost option. If it’s adjustability that you seek then a coil over set up is a way better option than the KYB’s.[/quote]
No thats fair questions. I dont have boxes my AGX came in, but I’ll try and find it on their site. They had rating. Yes I have not seen AGX pop yet do to this.
As for Tokico gas shocks, they ones I’m telling him to stay away from are those stock OEM replacements that everyone uses with a good set of springs. Why would you spend money on this when few hundered more you can get AGX. Sames goes for KYB OEM replacement ones too.
My point is, if you do springs and shocks, look at higher end ones made from each company, not their cheaper ones. Why half ass it.
He might want to look into Koni’s too, but I shall look for that crap on AGX.
Andrew.
EDIT
Mike I can’t find anything concrete as I don’t have info that came with my shocks anymore. But these guys discuss it well in this thread and mention that there documentation said 1.5 inch max to not void your warranty. Guy even spoke with KYB and they said 1.25. However the docs that came with AGX clearly state 1.5 inch max drop to not void warranty. They must tell you this for a reason.
Claps Hands Thank you Andrew I wasn’t trying to burn you on this but get you to back it up a little. This ^^^ post is exactly what I was looking for in the first place, it required a little work but in the end you get a quality post that adds something to the thread.
So now your calling me a pussy? :lol:
My springs and shocks beat the hell outa my back and car. They are good enough for Toronto roads. Try driving in Toronto daily with coilovers. You guys need to try downtown Toronto one day.
Anyway I would have bought coils if I didn’t have to drive in GTA everyday of the summer. Coilovers are indeed the best.
I wasn’t trying to burn you on this but get you to back it up a little. This ^^^ post is exactly what I was looking for in the first place, it required a little work but in the end you get a quality post that adds something to the thread.