My car doesn't unload the rear spring. I do have helper springs but they aren't really needed. I thought that the clunk was the spring becoming unseated but it was the strut moving up and down in the carrier. I put some urethane shims in the bottom of the carrier and they are fine, although I have to replace them once a year. Tony said he could fix them, but he wanted to charge me, plus down time for the car plus shipping...so...Seems like everything wrong with the AWRs - which Tony has been aware of - he can fix for a fee. That's really my only gripe with them, he hasn't fixed the known problems in nearly 6 years of producing them. One of these days I will have a ring machined for the base of the strut.
Best strut/$$$ option for MSP
- Thread starter livelyjay
- Start date
Yeah, that's a good point. Not sure how much 3 wheeling I had last event. Obviously not enough that came loose, or if it did, it fixed itself before I noticed.
Britt, another question since you are running helper springs too
My helper springs don't compress fully. This is due to the inner diameter of the helper spring spacer (washer type thing) being being the same diameter as the spring perch lip. I've got a couple pics here if I'm not clear: 
Max compression
Hopefully not too much of a thread hijack, perhaps useful information to livelyjay if he purchases the coilovers.
Buy 'em lively, you won't regret it.Well, I'm going to be running DS next season, so coilovers are out, although it gives me ideas down the road when I move into STX or DSP. I do have some more questions though about Koni inserts.
Say I buy Koni single adjustable inserts from Summit or somewhere else. I would be putting them into the stock strut bodies and putting GC coilovers sleeves over them running around 450/350 spring rates. Now here's my questions: Would I need to get the Koni inserts revalved, or can I use them right out of the box? If revalving is necessary, where can I get it done?
Say I buy Koni single adjustable inserts from Summit or somewhere else. I would be putting them into the stock strut bodies and putting GC coilovers sleeves over them running around 450/350 spring rates. Now here's my questions: Would I need to get the Koni inserts revalved, or can I use them right out of the box? If revalving is necessary, where can I get it done?
OTS Yellows will work on 500+ pound springs--maybe more. Koni (KY), Truechoice (OH) and ProParts (CA) all will revalve Konis.
Well my entire plan was shot to hell after pricing everything out.
Strut inserts 754.68 754.68
GC coilovers 400 1154.68
Gland nuts 100 1254.68
Mounts - F 125 1379.68
Mounts - R 200 1579.68
That's without shipping, taxes, etc and the labor for someone to thread the inside of my strut housing to accept the gland nut. I can get new AWR coilovers with Bilstein inserts for $1580 plus shipping and tax from another source and not have the pain in the butt process of gutting my struts, welding collars, etc. There's a tough choice
Also I have heard through the grape vine that BC coils are made by the same company that makes K-Sport. So I'll have to wait for Rogue to really beat on his for a few seasons before I decide weather to go with the BC or the AWR.
Strut inserts 754.68 754.68
GC coilovers 400 1154.68
Gland nuts 100 1254.68
Mounts - F 125 1379.68
Mounts - R 200 1579.68
That's without shipping, taxes, etc and the labor for someone to thread the inside of my strut housing to accept the gland nut. I can get new AWR coilovers with Bilstein inserts for $1580 plus shipping and tax from another source and not have the pain in the butt process of gutting my struts, welding collars, etc. There's a tough choice
Also I have heard through the grape vine that BC coils are made by the same company that makes K-Sport. So I'll have to wait for Rogue to really beat on his for a few seasons before I decide weather to go with the BC or the AWR.
What mounts did you price?
For the DIY'er the Konis are a good choice, but AWR can make their coilovers with either the Bilsteins or Konis.
I installed a set of BCs a few weeks ago on a MS6 and the quality is just like the Ksports and D2s. Taiwanese... eh. Rogue seems to be happy with his, but I've seen way too many Ksports leak from just street use.
For the DIY'er the Konis are a good choice, but AWR can make their coilovers with either the Bilsteins or Konis.
I installed a set of BCs a few weeks ago on a MS6 and the quality is just like the Ksports and D2s. Taiwanese... eh. Rogue seems to be happy with his, but I've seen way too many Ksports leak from just street use.
AWR front and rears were the mounts I priced. The AWR coilovers I can get for $1530 (I misprinted it above) come with Bilsteins, which is fine because I doubt I'll do much adjusting. It boils down to convenience. Yes I could build my own with Koni inserts, but it would be a pain to pull the struts out, gut them, find a shop that can thread the bodies quickly and cheaply (it is my daily driver, for now, when I do this it might not be), welding the sleeve support, etc. Also I am guessing at the gland nut price as I haven't gotten a quote for them yet.
*cough* he.
And a lot of FWD cars (not ricer drop spring cars) have higher spring rates in the rear. In general, it helps the car rotate, which in general, you want. On a RWD car, you can use the throttle to get the car around, in a FWD car you do that and it understeers. Simple solution: stiffer rear spring
.Woops! (braindead
That makes sense to me. So why do Jas00x and xelderx run higher in the front? Unless I misread something, which is entirely possible.
We both ran 450f/600r on our 3rd Gens w/ the AWR rear swaybar set somewhere in the middle. I'm trying something different on the 1st Gen I'm building, but I'm not sure it will work yet.
Ok, so I was reading things wrong before. Higher rates in the rear, got it.
I don't think Jeff is following this thread anymore, but I remember him saying running inserts in the stock strut bodies WAS NOT stock legal. If it's not stock class legal what has to be done to make it stock class legal (is this what is referred to as a wet build)?
