Help Coilovers/Struts

[Elchupacabrahhh]

What's up everyone I've been lurking around on here trying to find the best coil overs/struts and springs. I'm new to the car scene and I want to drop my car about 1.75 inches or 2 inches all way around so what would be my best choice, going with coil overs? Or getting new struts and lowering springs? Also i'm not really trying to spend more then like 4 or 500 bucks if that is possible haha thanks guys.

 

[speedracr79]

Well for a good set of struts and lowering springs will put you close to that $500 range but if you can spend the extra then coils will be better. But they aren't for everyone so the struts and springs might be your best bet. I loved my tokico blues with eibach sportlines I dropped 2" all around. Sold them and the new guy ended up sitting lower. Teins are nice I hear but not a big drop.

If you do decide to get coils then hit up CR3motorsports. I orded a set of yellowspeeds coils last thursday and they were attempted to deliver yesterday but I wasent home. I hear stagg struts are a nice set with some megan springs that might be your cheapest way to go too.

 

[HLSilver Es]

Megan springs are only for the Protege5 IIRC so they may not sit right on a sedan. Tokico blues are the way to go for struts but those will be $400-500 for the set of struts alone. You can probably get some KYB's and Eibachs or Teins for right in your range and both seem to be well liked.

I'm on Yellowspeeds from CR3, couldn't be happier. You do lose some of the ride quality on the street but they perform great.

 

[speedracr79]

I just picked up my yellowspeeds today and cant wait to install them. Now as for loss of ride quality, yes and no yes if you run thin tires like 40 series. I use to run 40's and ride sucked. now im on 45's and i it absorbs some of the impact for a better ride. So if your running a smaller rim you can get a thicker tire and compensate for that. But chances are if your gonna go low then you are not likely to be running a set of 14-15" rims. So that being said, youll be better off with Eibachs IMO but can run some Megans.

 

[Elchupacabrahhh]

Eibachs and tokicos is probably what im gonna get thanks guys, anything else i need to upgrade if i wanna drop it? like i heard something about it bending axles and messing up other stuff? Also what if i got brand new stock struts and some aftermarket springs how would that work?

 

[Elchupacabrahhh]

yoo check it out what about this... http://www.ebay.com/itm/KYB-Struts-...its=Model:Protege&hash=item5896429f33&vxp=mtr

 

[speedracr79]

People run kyb with lowering springs but the struts aren't designed to handle the lowered car. Your better off getting the performance struts Ken from Protege Garage has a set of megans he's selling.

As for other stuff swap sway bars, endlinks as well

 

[HLSilver Es]

Axles will be fine unless you completely slam it. On a spring/strut setup you most likely won't be breaking anything unless the roads are complete trash or you hit something...
All you need when lowering is the struts and springs. New end links and sway bar bushings are definitely recommended though if they haven't been done. Again, not necessary but they'll help handling performance a little.
Plenty of people run KYB's with lowered springs and have no issues, but like he^ said they're not specifically designed for a drop like most springs give you so they won't last quite as long as the Tokicos would. I wouldn't recommend those M2 springs either. Get some name brand ones, won't cost much more.

A lot of it depends on whether you're going for performance or looks though.

 

[Elchupacabrahhh]

haha what do you consider "completely slammed"? i want to get 2 inches or as close as 2 inches as possible, with good springs and in my price range

 

[HLSilver Es]

Yea you shouldn't have any issues with that that you wouldn't already have now. I think when I put my Yellowspeeds on I dropped ~3inches, borderline slammed in my opinion. 216k and nothing has broken yet with that low *knock on wood*. I'm sure after a while it'll take a toll on the axles and they may start clicking or something but for now it's fine and you'll be fine at 2 inches.

 

[Elchupacabrahhh]

oh word word well s*** i don't even know if i'll still be getting them, i wanna save up fora Subaru 2.5rs 22B and swap an Sti engine in there, but i could always work on my car now and when the time comes i can put everything back to stock and sell my aftermarket parts individually. But thanks for the feedback