bilsteins? lowered by torch? alignment?

[zdatsupra]

Hey all, I have a few questions for anyone knowing enough.
Some info:
1st let me say I love the way my car sits, its lowered somehow. Im happy with the way the car handles on curves but its a bit boaty on the bumps.

I dont know what springs are in there but strongly suspect they are stock springs the po torched to get lower. I say this because the car rides a bit boaty and the springs have undercoating and what appears to be a torch mark like it may have been burnt off.
Measuring vs toyota specs my car is lowered ~2.75 in the front and 2.25 in the rear.
The car sits perfectly even from side to side so if its torched its pretty damn even and by measuring at the jack points its 1/2 inch lower in the front vs rear.
I dont know how much the boat ride is attributed to bad shocks so since I am broke but want to take care of the shocks before I get new tires, thinking about getting the bilsteins and not doing anything with the springs.

Looking at the bilsteins but is there any shock better on something lowered as much as my car?

Is a car lowered that much able to get a good alignment. The car had toyos on it but after 20k miles they are all eaten up.

 

[RockPaperSwoRD]

get coilovers

 

[kotu100]

since he obviously didnt read that u have no money for coilovers i'd say junk the stock springs, heat like that can compromise a metals strength, and you DONT want to risk that in your suspension (or anywhere really) invest in a set of used lowering springs and a set of struts of your choice. i like my gr-2's not stiff but not bouncy or boaty.

 

[zdatsupra]

since he obviously didnt read that u have no money for coilovers i'd say junk the stock springs, heat like that can compromise a metals strength, and you DONT want to risk that in your suspension (or anywhere really) invest in a set of used lowering springs and a set of struts of your choice. i like my gr-2's not stiff but not bouncy or boaty.

thanks for the info.
what are gr-2s?

 

[kotu100]

thanks for the info.
what are gr-2s?

OEM replacement struts, they're a teeny bit stiffer than stock but have a nice ride quality for the price. they're made by KYB. you can find them basically anywhere. theres plenty of vendors on the forum, im sure one of them has something to fit your needs.

 

[Cz.]

The Bilsteins are better and they have a lifetime warranty.
If your car feels like a boat it's probably because the springs suck. If it was bouncing badly it would mean your shocks are probably blown.
As long as there is nothing else wrong with the car, you shouldn't have a problem with alignment even if the car is lowered.
20k miles is pretty long to have tires, of course they would be done at that point. When they start getting ruined at 1k then you probably have an alignment problem.

 

[zdatsupra]

Im looking at bilsteins and h&r combo..

The toyos got eaten up bad but just on the inside so I suspect alignment issues.

 

[lewis15498]

Do not torch, cut, or do anything else stupid like that to springs. Why, do a search, we have been over this a million times.

 

[kotu100]

why dont people read.... :nono:

 

[cruzinbill]

I would say if u can afford a set of bilsteins and h&r's you can afford a set of megan coilovers... been running some for quite a time on my SC300 and had them on my 90 supra when I had it well worth it.

 

[Poodles]

Bilstein = lifetime warranty
Megan = cheap chinese coilover that you're screw a few years down the road when they leak...

 

[zdatsupra]

Seems like bilsteins are the best of the shocks, if I was going with coilovers Id want the best of those too.
I think shocks are easier to install so also..
I have not done either as Ive been working out quirks with my rebuild.
Had a corroded fuse connection and a couple loose wires wreak havoc on my ecu system so in frustration Ive actually thought about just parting out the whole car. Seems like things are back on track now so when I finally start logging some miles I will have to do the shocks springs and wheelbearings all at the same time.
Im leaning toward the bilsteins and some kind of lowering spring..

 

[IJ.]

Koni

 

[cruzinbill]

Bilstein = lifetime warranty
Megan = cheap chinese coilover that you're screw a few years down the road when they leak...

Right.... because you have had megans. As stated before Ive ran the same megans for more than a few years 4 or 5 to be exact. And the bilsteins are only warrantied for craftsmanship for lifetime...... normal wear and tear you get to pay about 65 a piece to redo. been there done that. Unless you are autocrossing everyweek its a waste of money. Megans are alot better quality than most forum trolls would leave u to believe. So that being said price for price you get alot more with the megans than with Bilsteins.

 

[Poodles]

Go ahead, call me a troll, doesn't change the fact the Megans are still chinese shit...