Follow up to front evo struts?
Sep 7, 2006, 01:19 PM
#16
you could fit evo struts in the back. But as said in my thread, you'd have to either get the bottom of your stock struts welded to the evo struts, or you'd have to look into fitting the Evo control arms... or there might be another solution out there that I'm not aware of...
Oct 9, 2006, 08:00 AM
#23
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stiffer. the eibachs are softer than the stock evo springs tho. if you've ever rode in an evo, you can just imagine that but just a little less harsh.
Oct 9, 2006, 10:42 AM
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well i got the evo struts, all 4 corners, for about $140 off ebay. it included the evo springs and strut mounts. the springs i got for the lancer years ago from RRM which they sell now for $239. then there's the $13 i spend on the two camber bolts(one per strut) required to bolt in the evo struts. then i reused the other pair of bolts.
not that i want to put anymore money into strut swaps, but the front 1G eclipse struts look like they fit. the strut body and mounting points look identical. the spring diameter also are, close to if not, the same as well. the mounting flange to spring perch distance looks likely the same. the problem will be if whether the top strut mount from either the lancer or evo "key" into the eclipse strut. the advantage to this swap would be that lancer guys can use the AGX's from the 1G or whatever else is available. the difference i see though is that the 1G strut piston isn't as beefy as the evo one, though i don't see a point if the AGXs work as they should.
the evo top strut mounts have to be used because the hole on the lancer strut mount is too small. the evo strut mount also "keys" into the strut as it is a D shape. you could probably bore out the lancer top strut mount if you wanted, but i wouldn't know the repercussions of such. it's also nice to note that the top strut mount bearing on the evo is ball bearing as opposed to the silly plastic bearing the lancer strut mount uses. i'm going to assume this equates to better steering response due to less friction when the struts turn.
the evo top strut mounts are a little offset compared to the lancer ones. i don't think this affects camber, but i think it affects just the angle the struts are mounted. reason being is that the bottom spring perch angle don't seem to differ between the two. if it does affect camber negatively, i'll catch it by tire wear eventually
even then, i could (hopefully) probably reduce it by turning the camber bolt to add another negative degree. if i need to go positive(which doesn't look like the case) then i'm SOL.
the evo rears i might hold off indefinately just because of the way they look. they're way too long, especially the distance from the bottom mounting point to the spring perch. having seen a few pics of evo trunks, it would seem their top mounting points are higher allowing the longer struts. the fabrication doesn't seem worth it.
not that i want to put anymore money into strut swaps, but the front 1G eclipse struts look like they fit. the strut body and mounting points look identical. the spring diameter also are, close to if not, the same as well. the mounting flange to spring perch distance looks likely the same. the problem will be if whether the top strut mount from either the lancer or evo "key" into the eclipse strut. the advantage to this swap would be that lancer guys can use the AGX's from the 1G or whatever else is available. the difference i see though is that the 1G strut piston isn't as beefy as the evo one, though i don't see a point if the AGXs work as they should.
the evo top strut mounts have to be used because the hole on the lancer strut mount is too small. the evo strut mount also "keys" into the strut as it is a D shape. you could probably bore out the lancer top strut mount if you wanted, but i wouldn't know the repercussions of such. it's also nice to note that the top strut mount bearing on the evo is ball bearing as opposed to the silly plastic bearing the lancer strut mount uses. i'm going to assume this equates to better steering response due to less friction when the struts turn.
the evo top strut mounts are a little offset compared to the lancer ones. i don't think this affects camber, but i think it affects just the angle the struts are mounted. reason being is that the bottom spring perch angle don't seem to differ between the two. if it does affect camber negatively, i'll catch it by tire wear eventually
even then, i could (hopefully) probably reduce it by turning the camber bolt to add another negative degree. if i need to go positive(which doesn't look like the case) then i'm SOL.the evo rears i might hold off indefinately just because of the way they look. they're way too long, especially the distance from the bottom mounting point to the spring perch. having seen a few pics of evo trunks, it would seem their top mounting points are higher allowing the longer struts. the fabrication doesn't seem worth it.
Last edited by rhyzin; Oct 9, 2006 at 10:44 AM.
Oct 9, 2006, 12:15 PM
#27
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So, with minor modifications the Evo front struts can work on our OZ's? Awesome ! So will aftermarket Evo struts also work? I guess it'll be a while till we find that out, huh...
Oct 9, 2006, 01:23 PM
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It appears the EVO front strut uses a shorter lower body than the lancer unit... Is this correct? If so that would rock as I could keep my Tein springs and not worry about bottoming the strut out as bad as it does now over potholes and such... Are the coil outer diameters the same as well? Thanks...
Oct 9, 2006, 01:25 PM
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well, it's kinda like there's no real modification required. you just need extra parts the lancer doesn't come with. nothing has to be cut or welded or bent or anything like that.
i don't even think there are aftermarket struts for the evo. even if there are, i think the amount of full coilovers available to the evo out numbers that. from that, i figure the stock evo struts are no less than spectacular for a stock driving machine, unless you can afford the bilsteins off the evo MR
i don't even think there are aftermarket struts for the evo. even if there are, i think the amount of full coilovers available to the evo out numbers that. from that, i figure the stock evo struts are no less than spectacular for a stock driving machine, unless you can afford the bilsteins off the evo MR
Oct 9, 2006, 01:40 PM
#30
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Originally Posted by Punkskalar
It appears the EVO front strut uses a shorter lower body than the lancer unit... Is this correct? If so that would rock as I could keep my Tein springs and not worry about bottoming the strut out as bad as it does now over potholes and such... Are the coil outer diameters the same as well? Thanks...
i do understand that if both front wheels hit the same bump at the same time that the strut will travel the full distance in regards to the springs installed, but i suppose on uneven roads the sway bar would cause minimal difference between the travel of each independent strut. it would just seem better to have these struts if you're lowered as you've mentioned about the short strut body and bottoming out. we'll see how they hold up in the coming months
OZ/LS tein springs should do fine as i swapped over my OZ eibachs to these struts. you could probably swap over to EVO drop springs if you wanted, but i'd assume they'll be softer than those made for the lancer based on looking at the difference between tein spring rates for the evo and lancer.
Last edited by rhyzin; Oct 9, 2006 at 01:48 PM.