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Coilovers or springs????


MIKEBRAVO

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OK, I just removed my GP Moto Coil-overs and replaced them with Cobb springs. Here is what I observed:

 

GP Motos

  1. Fitment- The Gp's went in well without a hitch. The lower bushings on the rear will always have a tendency to distort, even on the stock struts. Poor design in my opion but not reason not to get them.
  2. Adjustment- The rears are easy The adjustment is in the trunk on top of the struts. 16 way. The front in far more dificult. They are on the bottom of the coilover. They are a hassle to change.
  3. Ride-Well, they are coilovers. You lose the dive when you brake and lose the squat when you accelerate. They are very loud!!! You pick up the every bump and every sound. Every thing is tranfered to the frame., since the rubber mounts are deleted when you uninstall the stock struts. Of course, cornering is amazing as is braking, but I notice I drive ALOT slower with the coilover because they are so loud and bumpy except on the smoothest roads.
  4. Would I do it again-Nope, Not unless I was going to track the car and I was single:lol: . IMHO, coilovers change the whole car. I didn't feel comfortable letting my wife drive the car on ice. However it didn't really matter since she wouldn't drive in the car while the coilovers were installed.:lol:

Cobb springs

  1. Fitment- The rear was flawless. The front was alttle more touchy. The springs while progressive dont have a full turn of spring on the top, not like stock anyway. As a result, it takes a day or so before they seat correctly. Until then you may hear the springs shifting when the strut goes though a full cycle, like over speed bumps.
  2. Adjustment- none, they are stock struts
  3. Ride- Groovey. Ride is better then stock IMHO,but lower then my coilover setup. At speed they work well. Stiffer then stock but still forgiving. There is a slight under damped feeling when driving hard, what do expect they are stock struts. The setup is however, better then stock just lower. Oh they are also Wife approved:lol:.
  4. Would I do it again?- Sure, I f I had know I would have done it first. Dont get me wrong Coilovers have there place, just not in my car.:lol: I think Jon at TDC said it best the springs are what 99% of the legacy owners want.

Pardon the dirt:

2097123509_CobbSpringsgap008_640x480.jpg.41577970d6df292cb02a7ff29b72855a.jpg

 

1614758105_CobbSpringsgap007_640x480.jpg.480ae7ea9c15694900a6aa9e23db5e75.jpg

If you can afford College, you probably don't need to go.

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I always believed that coilovers are for those who regulary track their cars. For the average LGT driver like me, upgraded struts and springs will work. That is why I am going with Bilstein HD + STi Pinks.

Expensive but the correct way to do it.

If you can afford College, you probably don't need to go.

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^ but still cheaper than any coilover

Not really. You would be suprised. I got my GP Motos for less then 600.00.

Bilsteins will run you 700 and the pink springs 500.00. Thats 1200.00 before install. Tein basics go for that as well as a couple others.

If you can afford College, you probably don't need to go.

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I have had multiple coilover customers comment that their cars ride BETTER on coilovers than on lowering springs, so obviously YMMV.

 

For the price of Bilsteins and Pinks ready to bolt on with top hats, spring plates, dust boots etc... you are within about $200 of some KW V2's, which I can tell you are as quiet as stock, and ride very nicely. Before anyone points out the single documented instance of a set of KW's failing, just know that no one else has reported an problems with theirs. Let's put it this way, I'm contemplating putting another set of KW's on my own car.

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interesting. i am doing the opposite. getting rid of my Tein S-tech springs and looking to go with coilovers. i do track the car and autocross but the main issue is ride heighth. I need to be able to raise and lower the car. i've talked to 2 other LGT owners who have coilovers and they love them. i don't know which ones they use though, so that could make a big difference.
Wiggle wiggle wiggle wiggle wiggle yeah!!!
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I have had multiple coilover customers comment that their cars ride BETTER on coilovers than on lowering springs, so obviously YMMV.

 

For the price of Bilsteins and Pinks ready to bolt on with top hats, spring plates, dust boots etc... you are within about $200 of some KW V2's, which I can tell you are as quiet as stock, and ride very nicely. Before anyone points out the single documented instance of a set of KW's failing, just know that no one else has reported an problems with theirs. Let's put it this way, I'm contemplating putting another set of KW's on my own car.

 

I had Espelir springs on stock struts for about 20K miles. The first 10K was a quality ride. Around 10K it felt as thogh the stock struts were loosing the ability to properly dampen these springs, especially on the rebound side at highway speeds.

 

I contemplated getting Bilsteins or Ohlin struts and keep the Espelir springs. In the end, I decided to go with coilovers since I felt more confident the damping would be properly tuned to the spring rates. I purchased some KW V2's from Boostjunkie (a great vendor to work with) about a month ago. I love these coilovers. This is one of the best mods I have done to my car. I cannot even remember what the stock ride feels like but I can say the ride on the KW's is very comfortable and I have mine set at 2/3 to full stiff. A definate improvement in acceleration, handling and braking.

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interesting. i am doing the opposite. getting rid of my Tein S-tech springs and looking to go with coilovers. i do track the car and autocross but the main issue is ride heighth. I need to be able to raise and lower the car. i've talked to 2 other LGT owners who have coilovers and they love them. i don't know which ones they use though, so that could make a big difference.

Yes the adjustability is almost infinate. On smooth roads they were amazing. Ride quality was not great but it was good. My ride height was about .5 lower in the bak and .75 in the front. Clearance was no problem.

 

Great review of the Cobb springs. Are GP Moto's on the "aggressive" side as far as coilovers are concerned?

No not really,but when Iinstalled them I tightened the spring so it wouldn't rattle, didn't give it any preload. The previous owner had alot more play, it gave it a slightly smoother/lower ride but made more noise. You have to be care ful too going up steep driveways or you might three wheel. Not a problem really just feels weird.

If you can afford College, you probably don't need to go.

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I have had multiple coilover customers comment that their cars ride BETTER on coilovers than on lowering springs, so obviously YMMV.

.

That is not true with the Cobbs. Like I said before they are Wife approved. No booby bounce. Smoother and quieter than stock, but tighten up in the curves.That doesn't mean you can fly over speed bumps and dips, the result would be hitting bumper stops.:lol:

If you can afford College, you probably don't need to go.

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I have had multiple coilover customers comment that their cars ride BETTER on coilovers than on lowering springs, so obviously YMMV.

 

For the price of Bilsteins and Pinks ready to bolt on with top hats, spring plates, dust boots etc... you are within about $200 of some KW V2's, which I can tell you are as quiet as stock, and ride very nicely. Before anyone points out the single documented instance of a set of KW's failing, just know that no one else has reported an problems with theirs. Let's put it this way, I'm contemplating putting another set of KW's on my own car.

 

 

 

i thought about the kws. but i ordered this instead:

 

pinks $369

bilsteins HDs $550

mounts and spring seats $173 (including tax )from local dealer

-$100 suby bucks

----------------------

= $992 for everything

 

not a bad deal and still about $500 less than KWs. and since i would have bought new mounts for the KWs, the difference was even greater.

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  • 1 month later...

The real question I have here, is will I actually feel an improvement in HANDLING (as far as pitch/dive and body roll) with the installation of cobb springs.

 

I live in the northern virginia dc area 50% of the time, and the roads are generally crap there. Here in blacksburg the roads aren't too great either.

 

The cobb springs seem to be the answer as far lowering the car without sacrificing very much ride quality. The stance is awesome.

 

I've heard the swifts are good too, I'm under the impression that the swifts may be a little stiffer.

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