I got Tein S-Tech springs at first just to be low before I got the coilovers... then some kind of emergency came up and had to spend my coilover money on something else...

I got them installed about 6-7 months ago and did also new alignment. What kind of alignment you got plays a big role on the handling and I can post my alignment settings if anyone wants them. But they re-aligned to close to stock settings.

I drive my car very hard especially on the turns when I am taking exits or even on the streets around my house.

Here is couple of my opinions...

Before the springs got installed, i loved the handling. It wasn't like Evo6 of course as AYC wasn't there to help me with oversteering. There was a lot of body roll when i am taking the exits fast 90-100mph and the car was oversteering and sliding about 40-50 degrees. That's where I was missing the AYC of course. There wasn't a lot of understeer with the stock springs compared to S-Techs.

Once you put the springs, you will start to have some more understeering compared to stock springs under low speeds. As it comes to oversteering after the springs, there is a lot at high speeds but very little body roll. I think oversteering doesn't hurt you as much since you can get the control back easily when you slightly push the gas and the car gets on the straight-line easy. Just make sure your tires are warm and it is not wet.

Does it slow you down?

I don't think it does at high speeds and actually makes you faster if you get a right alignment.
At low speeds, it might feel like it is slowing you down but that's because you won't used to it after driving it stock. Once you feel comfortable with it, you should be again faster than a stock evo...

 

This learning curve you are referring to...
Woul you desribe that the car is more numb as compared to stock, meaning that the springs could adversly affect your handling so you actually have to dirve your car harder to do the same thing.

I am interested in your suspension settings. If they work for you they will probably work for me. I like the stechs although I have heard better things about the hotchkis springs. It is never too late to change my mind though.

 

I will post my alignment settings when I got home.

My car is basicly stock except for the Cusco Lower Bars Ver II but it doesn't do anything really except replacing the stock ones and looking more bling.


If you drive your car hard at the exits and curves, then springs might be some cheap way to make the handling better. At high speeds you get less body roll but it also eliminates the understeering at high speeds (not low speeds) and gives you more oversteering. Once it oversteers, it is much easier to get the car back to normal (straight). When I had the stock springs, it always felt like it was harder to get the car on a straight line. As it comes to understeering, the car will feel like it would be understeering a lot at low speeds but only way to eliminate this is to accelerate more once you see the understeering, that will put you into oversteering position which I like a lot better as our cars are AWD, it is easy to get the car back to normal...

If you don't drive your car in the city that much then I would definetely get the springs as they help a lot at high speeds imo.

 

Anyone else have anything to say about the Hotchkis springs?

 

Espelir Springs.
I lowered lap times by about .7s (1:26). Braking was more consistent and the rear end didn't feel as loose. I'd recommend these springs to anyone with stock suspension who isn't ready for no compromise-coilovers.
Espelir ASD (purple) > good turn-in with less understeer, less weight transfer, better braking, some serious body roll - although less than stock.
Espelir GT (red)> a better performing track spring with even less body roll and weight transfer, a bit choppy on the street compared to the ASD's.

0.02

 

all i can say is the diff. between my stock and tein, was like night and day. even on my softest setting, it rides softer, and handles better than stock. plus you can adj. from inside the car.

 

I have the Works Stage II package, whcih consists of their springs, camber plates, rear swaybar, and shock mounts, and the handling of my car is VASTLY improved over stock. Understeer is virtually eliminated, body roll is quelled, and transitions are much better. The car is much more predictable near the limit as well. The reason for all of this is that WORKS has engineered all of this to work as a package, and with some dynamic synergy. The spring rates are only 20% greater than stock for instance. I am also running 2.6 degrees of camber in the front. I think it will be hard to expect to find improved handling just by slapping on a set of springs with the stock shocks and expect to improve the handling. I highly recommend the works set-up, as it..basically...works.


Peace

 

sounds like your talking about coilovers...I'm not that rich!

Also I don't think I could afford anything by works!

 

Dude... the works stage II is only $700. It includes springs, camber plates and a rear swaybar. I'm going to spend the $2,000 and get the JIC RRE setup.... if you cant spend that, get the works stage II.

 

If you put stiffer springs on the stock shocks it will wear them out. The shocks are designed to work with a certain spring rate & cannot handle the extra work a stiffer spring will add for long. The stiffer the spring - the shorter life of the shock. Also, the lower the spring is will effect the life of the shock as it will be working at the lower portion of travel and may even bottom out at times. Driving style will influence this also. If you replace the stock shocks with aftermarket performance shocks you will be much better off. Some shock manufacturers will recommend springs (or spring rates) to go with thier shocks. Just my $.02.
RAWMR

 

I could get the Omnipower coilover set for that much money.

 

Joe,
I'm glad to see you asking the right questions. I normally hate reading these threads because they're full of useless information like "they FEEL great". Wow, that was insightful. I've only seen one post in this entire thread where someone posted a lap time improvement. "Go with coilovers" is another great one. Coilovers setup as what, may I ask? Height, spring rate, damp rate, camber settings...??? Just saying Coilovers is lame. I'm trying to help you out here Joe and realize all the rubbish you're reading. There's few here that can give you the answer you want.
I'd try establishing some baselines yourself with some testing at a local course. Try to keep things consistent with your tests. Good luck. Oh yeah, check out some of the threads in the "Motorsports" section. They tend to have more usefull information than these "my springs rule because it handles better(whatever that means)" threads. Look for Mark Daddio's posts. If you don't know who he is you need some more crapper reading time with GRM magazine.

 

Thanks for your reply.

As far as my perfomance driving skills I'm sure I am not all that great. Although what I noticed during AutoX with the stock springs is that I body roll which made me feel a little uncomfortable. On the street I noticed the stock springs were prone to very spirited driving.

With the Megan springs I noticed the car has less body roll although it felt a little more squirelly in the back with these springs. Meaning if I push it hard enough I could actually cause the some major oversteer which of course would be very undesireable(when I didn't want that of course). Although I put these springs on late into the racing season and I'm sure factors like my worn Advans, air pressure in the tires or colder pavement temps. There are so many factors that go into suspension I don't even know where to begin.

This thread has 2 pages without real answers. If I wanted a drop these Megan springs do the job, although what I'm really looking for is some real answers. It's too bad someone from tein Or hotchkis doesn't spend the time on the forums to answer some of these questions. I will go check out the motorsports section ~ thanks!

 

My lap times at thunderhill were faster witht he works set up than with the stock set up. That's objective. And this was over a three week span of time.


Percy

 

Although you are talking about the works setup in which i cannot afford. My thread states real simply: Will Springs slow you down?

Anyone with a little racing behind them and some decent driving experience should be able to answer this question. If I begin looking for something more expesnive I will really consider the Works kit, well because it works!