Custom coilovers with Koni or Bilstein shocks?

[destrux]

I think I have my mind set on a set of Koni or Bilstein dampers for the car. I came across a thread on another forum about someone using bilsteins with threaded sleeves and custom springs... basically made their own high quality coilovers. This was on a JZA80 though, so I don't know if those spring rates are of any use.

I know a few people here have done this on the A70 chassis... anyone have any info about this? Has anyone used Koni? I don't have anything against Bilstein, I just get a much better price on Koni.

I'm also not sure what spring rates to use on my car. I could just duplicate some aftermarket coilover spring rates I guess. The only problem is I've taken quite a bit of weight out of the car, front and rear. About 400 pounds I'd estimate. Not looking to build a time attack car... just a street car that can eat up some mountain roads.

 

[hvyman]

Dont bother. You might get the adjustability but you wont get the quality unless you make a custom sleeve to fit stock springs. Even then your not going to get the travel you need.

Konis are the only dampning adj shocks or the mk3 except for tems shocks.

 

[destrux]

I'm not planning on using stock springs, I'd be using 2.5" ID racing springs that are designed for coilovers. Eibach and Hypercoil make some of the best quality springs out there.

Only downside I see so far is the price. The shocks are about $370 a set, the coils are $60 each, and the bilstein brand threaded sleeves are about $70 each (or I could buy generic sleeves on ebay for about $170). So $780 minimum.

The plus side of these is that they can be rebuilt, and revalved, and they should last a long time because of the high quality parts. Probably alot longer than anything else I could buy for that price.

I would just buy normal lowering springs, but with the weight reduction on my car I'm afraid they won't lower it evenly (or at all). I also only want to lower the car about 1". Right now it's pretty far above stock height. It looks like a baja truck.

 

[Enraged]

i cant speak to the quality, but i know Grimsta from Zankoku Performance is selling his branded coilovers for cheaper than that, you might want to check them out as an option.

 

[Poodles]

I think I have my mind set on a set of Koni or Bilstein dampers for the car. I came across a thread on another forum about someone using bilsteins with threaded sleeves and custom springs... basically made their own high quality coilovers. This was on a JZA80 though, so I don't know if those spring rates are of any use.

I know a few people here have done this on the A70 chassis... anyone have any info about this? Has anyone used Koni? I don't have anything against Bilstein, I just get a much better price on Koni.

I'm also not sure what spring rates to use on my car. I could just duplicate some aftermarket coilover spring rates I guess. The only problem is I've taken quite a bit of weight out of the car, front and rear. About 400 pounds I'd estimate. Not looking to build a time attack car... just a street car that can eat up some mountain roads.

IJ used Konis IIRC, might want to bug him

Dont bother. You might get the adjustability but you wont get the quality unless you make a custom sleeve to fit stock springs. Even then your not going to get the travel you need.

Konis are the only dampning adj shocks or the mk3 except for tems shocks.

You're completely off base on quality. Using a standardized spring size lowers the price only because of mass production, quality is equal to or better than a spring made specificly for our cars.

I'm not planning on using stock springs, I'd be using 2.5" ID racing springs that are designed for coilovers. Eibach and Hypercoil make some of the best quality springs out there.

Only downside I see so far is the price. The shocks are about $370 a set, the coils are $60 each, and the bilstein brand threaded sleeves are about $70 each (or I could buy generic sleeves on ebay for about $170). So $780 minimum.

The plus side of these is that they can be rebuilt, and revalved, and they should last a long time because of the high quality parts. Probably alot longer than anything else I could buy for that price.

I would just buy normal lowering springs, but with the weight reduction on my car I'm afraid they won't lower it evenly (or at all). I also only want to lower the car about 1". Right now it's pretty far above stock height. It looks like a baja truck.

Could just use the bilstein's with the adjustable spring seat to lower the car, but you're right on the money about a built setup lasting damn near forever.

i cant speak to the quality, but i know Grimsta from Zankoku Performance is selling his branded coilovers for cheaper than that, you might want to check them out as an option.

Quality wise, a built setup wins.

 

[Enraged]

how would you go about building/designing a setup? I currently have Koni yellows on the car, and sleeves and springs would be cheaper than buying a coilover set. Koni makes sleeves designed for them, so it would just take buying the sleeve kit and a set of 2.25" springs?

 

[destrux]

From what I've read, yeah that's about it.

The springs come in a million different sizes, so you have to measure and figure out what free length you need. I'm estimating it to be around 8-10 inches though. You also need to figure out your rates, which can be easy or complicated, depending on what kind of results you expect.

I'm going to order the Koni's next week. I might have to wait a bit to buy the rest.

Also found that the 96 civic uses the same series Koni dampers (8041), so threaded sleeves that fit that year civic should fit the supra too. Ground control makes good ones for the civic for a reasonable price, much less than the Koni brand sleeves. The springs from the civic obviously won't work, but I figure I can sell them and buy the ones I need.