nevets27 Posted October 18, 2017 Share Posted October 18, 2017 I looks like this has been brought up before but nothing seems to have ever come of it. http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/anyone-build-their-own-coiloversi-koni-gc-setup-182587.html Any reason no one has done this? Seems simple enough. KYB strut, koni insert, threaded collar/sleeve, then choose spring length and rate. 2.5ID springs are plentiful. I am running these I built for a fiero Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Con.Harr91 Posted October 18, 2017 Share Posted October 18, 2017 I have a setup like this on my Nissan, simply because on that platform there isn't much choice otherwise for anything decent. Although not as popular as other Subaru platforms, the Legacy still has some very competent companies producing coilovers with more R&D in them than I'm willing to do myself. '03 Forester X 5mt - Engine Seized at 262k miles. '05 LGT Wagon 6mt -MotoIQ.com Project Vehicle '13 VW Touareg TDI - Daily Torque Monster. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nevets27 Posted October 19, 2017 Author Share Posted October 19, 2017 I'm just a little surprised. Seems like there is a lot of debate over going to coilovers or not, with the main reasons being the "cheap" coilovers are crap, generally quite firm and you need to spend about 1K or more on a good setup. Other the other side, everyone seems to rave about the koni's. Seems logical to me to combine the two. Honestly I was initially looking for a setup that would retain stock ride height, use the koni and not really increase the spring rate. Basically I know I'll need to replace the shocks due to age at some point, so makes sense to replace them with konis. The reason to retain stock ride height is the winter. But if coilovers allowed me to lift a bit over stock, say 0.5 or so for winter and also allow me to drop 1 or 0.5 in the summer. Seems like the best of both worlds. If that works in practice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LuckyProfessional Posted November 4, 2017 Share Posted November 4, 2017 I'm really dubious of homegrown diy solutions on parts as critical as the suspension. However this doesn't seem like too bad of an idea. If you'd be willing to use your car as a long term test bed, i'd be interested to see the results. Out of pure doubt tho, I wouldn't do this to my car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nevets27 Posted November 10, 2017 Author Share Posted November 10, 2017 Well I can tell you I have the above setup running on my fiero for about 8 years now. Works great. Don't see any reason to be worried. It's not much different then a factory coil over. The only difference is that the shock body isn't threaded. Factory coil overs cut threads into the shock body. The DIY version just puts a threaded sleeve over the shock body. If done right there shouldn't be much difference. It's all in the execution. That sleeve wasn't just dropped onto the shock body. I machined rings to hold the sleeve centered and tight to the shock body. With various other little tweaks the sleeve is now basically one with the shock body. I'm not sure if I'll ever do this myself. Just got my 3.0 just about a month ago. This is going to be my DD so I don't have any need to have spring rates over what was provided from factory. Only reason I was considering it personally is for adjustable ride height (winter/summer) but I'll have to live with the car for a while before knowing if there is any point in that. I'm just a little surprised it hasn't been done here. Adjustable koni with any spring rate you want, plus adjustable ride height. Its a good combo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
covertrussian Posted November 13, 2017 Share Posted November 13, 2017 Here is why I gave up on the idea on DIY coilvers, I've done them on bilsteins with Koni perches on my Infiniti G20 (I'm from the same Nissan world as Con.Harr91 ) 1. You are limited to stock spring valving for decent affordable shocks, if you start going with better shocks, you start need to custom fit them into your existing strut housings. Then you need to still get them re-valved for your spring rates 2. Need custom top hats and rotational bearing setups. 3. You can only lower and raise the car by adjusting spring lengths and preloads, costing you travel & comfort. I don't think I've seen adjustable lower mounts on custom coilovers. 4. Will quickly cost you more then good $1k coilovers. Here is about how much custom coilovers would cost for my non-strut G20 (which is easier and cheaper then a strut car would be). Bilsteins - Stock Valving - $600 Koni adjustable spring perches - $140 Shock mount to car (top hat, non camber adjustable) - $100 Basic 2.5 Springs - $240 Total = $1,080 I'm still stuck on stock spring (~120lbs) valving with this setup, I'm still stuck with limited height adjustment, and I loose travel. This is where I tell people just to go with BC's or Fortune Auto's. Fortune Auto's do have better valving, are based out of Richmond, VA not China (though they do use Chinese sourced parts), but they do cost more. For around $1k BC's or FA's will get you adjustable lower mounts, which means you can raise or lower car without loosing piston travel, you also get custom valving for your specific spring rates. BC's will also throw in free camber top hats for Subaru's and Radial bearing mounts. Coilovers can be comfortable too! My weekend racercar G20 on Fortune Auto's with 5k/8k spring rates is more comfortable then stock 2015 WRX's The reason to retain stock ride height is the winter. But if coilovers allowed me to lift a bit over stock, say 0.5 or so for winter and also allow me to drop 1 or 0.5 in the summer. Seems like the best of both worlds. If that works in practice. Most coilovers are around -1" lower then stock, you can raise them up to be about -0.5", but then you start running out of threads on lower perches = dangerous especially on a strut suspension. If you go this route, make sure to buy extra long strut bodies (opposite of extra low lowering ones). 05 LGT 16G 14psi 290whp/30mpg (SOLD) 12 OBP Stock 130whp/27mpg@87 Oct 00 G20t GT28r 10psi 250whp/36mpg 22 Ascent STOCK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fedaykin Posted November 14, 2017 Share Posted November 14, 2017 R33/R34 GT-R recommended "street" i.e. comfort coilovers spring rates are usually 11/5 or 12/5 kg/mm. It's all in the valving Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
covertrussian Posted November 14, 2017 Share Posted November 14, 2017 R33/R34 GT-R recommended "street" i.e. comfort coilovers spring rates are usually 11/5 or 12/5 kg/mm. It's all in the valving Actually it's not all in the valving, it helps a lot, but there is more to it. Chassis stiffness determines how stiff you can go before it becomes jarring. This is where a car's natural frequency needs to be calculated and then you pick springs rates based on the kind of driving/racing you will be doing. Most people just wanna be low for show, thus they end up having to run stupid stiff springs to keep off the bump stops, majorly reducing their mechanical grip and comfort. 05 LGT 16G 14psi 290whp/30mpg (SOLD) 12 OBP Stock 130whp/27mpg@87 Oct 00 G20t GT28r 10psi 250whp/36mpg 22 Ascent STOCK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GTEASER Posted November 15, 2017 Share Posted November 15, 2017 Ground Control. https://groundcontrolstore.com/collections/subaru They can put anything together for pretty much any Subaru. A couple SH Forester guys did it recently. http://www.subaruforester.org/vbulletin/f70/ground-control-systems-koni-sport-yellows-681122/ GTEASER's 2012 Legacy GT - Sold GTEASER's 2009 XTeaser - Sold GTEASER's 1992 Legacy SS - Sold Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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