I spent my day off installing a slightly used set of PSS9's, fresh RotorPros blanks, and Racing Brake ET700 pads. I didn't really plan on purchasing PSS9's until springtime, but I saw an offer, the price was right and I pulled the trigger.

Off came the MR Bilstein+Swift Spec-R's, which I just installed 2 weeks ago! The install was pretty straight forward, nothing really super-technical about coilovers, rotors and pads.

I set the coilovers to 9 (softest, 1 being hardest) and headed out, after bedding in the rotors, I started getting a feel for the coilovers. I am amazed, they feel very similar to the Swift Spec R's as far as small bump absorption. Turn- in is faster, almost instantaneous, there is absolutely no body roll. It's taking a little getting used to to be honest and caught my by complete surprise when I took a comfortable sweeping right-hander at some speed the car remained completely flat and it turned in faster than I expected. I'm very satisfied, but I just wanted to learn a little more (other than the searched threads I've been reading for the past week) info on setups, noises, roll center kits etc etc..

1-The strut mounts (stock) squeak pretty bad (like rubber on rubber) when I am stopped or moving slowly (like making a turn from a stopsign) and turn the wheel more than half a turn. They never did this before. Are they too tight? I impacted them on after I got the mount threaded. They looked pretty well greased as well, I didn't plan on camber plates, but would this alleviate the problem?

2-I've heard that these coilovers "dont like a large rear swaybar"; well that's exactly what I have installed, a Robi adjustable (27mm?), it's set on 3/4 right now. Something tells me I should loosen it up. Can someone explain to me the best options to go?

3-The car is low, I plan on raising the front and lowering the rear slightly. I have mixed feelings about it. On one hand I think I looks pretty bad-***, but are there any repercussions, other than ground/tire clearance (mud flaps are grinding, lol) if you install the roll center kit (suspension geometry related problems)? Basically, how low can you go, safely? I plan on ordering one (as well as a rear bumpsteer kit) asap.









Suggestions, advice, constructive criticism is all welcome, thanks in advance!

 

Those coilovers have a designed minimum drop I think, I believe you won't be able to raise it up to stock height.

In regards to the problems lowering the car too much - here's a quote from Whiteline (Roll Center Adjustment Kit)

What does all that mumbo jumbo mean? - I believe on one of the threads, there's a much more understandable / simplified answer from GTWORX.

Or read this - https://www.evolutionm.net/forums/sh...d.php?t=239028 - it gives you an idea what happens when you lower your car.

Hopefully he chimes in, I believe this is one of the reasons why they designed their GTWORX spring with a mild drop.

 

How is the ride? Why did you part ways with the MR setup?

 

 

Did you get a used set? from Jeller? for 1K shipped?

That was a good deal!

I wanted to buy it from him but I wanted more pics - he was going to do (I was one of the first to PM him) it but somebody ended up sending him paypal right away.. Must have been you - lol.

I ended up paying 825 more McDonald cheeseburgers for new KW Variant 3's :]

dbsears hates you too I think

 

^^Yes I do damnit I have been waiting months for a used set of those. That was a good damn deal.

On another note that car is so very low that your old suspension will surely handle better. I would take them off and resell for the $1000 and consider it a lesson learned...whats your paypal

 

hardy har.

The Bilstein/Swifts will be going up for sale this week btw. fully assembled, front and rear, bolt right up, $500 + shipping.

 

How many miles on them? Pics?

 

Update:

1- the front strut mounts have stopped squeaking. I'm not exactly sure why, maybe they seated themselves against the frame?

2-tightened up the dampening, I was running 9 (softest)I'm running 6 all around now. In the short test drive I did, I seemed to like the way it feels more solid. It's a less bouncy, boundy feeling over bad tarmac. I'll keep it this way for my commute tomorrow morning, then going to stop by the garage on the way home from work to make some adjustments. I like a stiffer ride, maybe I'll just crank them to 1.

 

the rears look fine however the front needs to come up a bit.... the front should be about a full inch higher then the rear.

 

To tune the coilovers right, you need to get the damping matched to the spring rates. The PSS9's are difficult because they adjust bump and rebound at the same time. You shouldn't be using the knobs on the shocks to try and change ride stiffness, you have to change springs to do that. Essentially, the shocks are there to control transitional behavior. A quick and dirty way to tune shocks is to just keep going stiffer until the tires start skating in mid-corner, then dial it back a click or two.

 

The deal you got on the PSS9s was an excellent one. Congrats.

Of all the middle grade coil overs on the market the PSS9 have the best reviews for daily driver. The track guys claim they are too soft and require camber plates to dial in an aggressive alignment.

As for your setup those things look really low. You have obviously changed the rake of the car and I'm willing to bet those control arms need the assistance of a roll center kit. I would for sure raise the front. Lowering your car shouldn't involve realignment of the HIDs!

 

haha, the stock HIDs were aimed pretty low to begin with, but I figured out how to adjust those when I first got the car.

I raised the front up a bit, about 25" ride height. No more tire rubbing the fender liner, or mud flaps grinding getting out of driveways. My Whiteline RCK actually just arrived today. So begins my search for pointers on the best ways for ball joint removal/installation. Feel free to post any helpful suggestions in here as well.

Also, I set the dampening to 5 front, 6 rear. The shocks seem to feel better the more I tighten up the dampening.

Anyone have any feedback on using a Robispec rear swaybar with these coilovers? I'm set in the 3rd hole (from the front,) on the bar.

 

The Robispec bar is fine w/ the stock PSS9 rates. It's really a personal choice, if your car isn't overly loose then the big bar is ok, especially with your low rear ride hight. Alignment, tire size, track width, ride ht, driving style, track surface, temp. etc, all factor in with swaybar size.

Your front ride ht is ok too. As long as you have decent bump travel, and aren't hitting the bumpstops on your hard corners. You can use it a zip tie around the strut shaft to check travel.

7-5 seems to work well on the street for comfort, crank them up for track use to keep the frt from bobbing up too quick when on transitioning to throttle, causing understeer. I don't use the stiffest setting, which causes too much skipping as mentioned above.

Hope this helps,

Rick

http://www.bilstein.com/feature_arti...pany_id=100484

 

Sorry missed this, you are using the stiffest setting on the bar. If you are concerned about the bar being too big, move the endlinks to the holes toward the frt of the car.