I'm about to go and get some S-Techs today. I think I'm going to get them from MVP Motorsports for $125 and have Alamo put them on for $150. Is this the best way to go? Who should I have do the alignment? Is there anyone farther north than these to have the job done? I'm in Frisco.

 

is there any particular reason your gonna get the s-techs. just wondering... 150 for an install isn't to bad. I did it my self and it doesn't take to long so that seems to be a fair price. as far as alignment goes. I'm in the same boat as you. I'm still in search for an alignment shop that is worthy of touching the Evo. if your just buying the springs for the looks the s-techs will be fine. otherwise I might try to persuade you to go with a different company. My friend has the teins on his car and they are pretty bounce and when your cornering hard if you hit a bump instead of soaking it up it just bounces and understeers worse. I haven't done any sprited driving in my car yet because I haven't had an alignment. but the ride is really similar to stock. if you hit a big bump it'll jar just a bit but nothing like my friends S-techs. If I'm not mistaken you can get the hotchkis for the same price. I pay 125 shipped for my springs. just figured I would throw in my .02 cents. hope this helps

stock spring rates are (I think)
F/ 199lbs
R/ 268lbs

tein S-tech
F/ 212
R/ 291

Hotchkis
F/ 195
R/ 275

-Chad-

 

S-Techs are a waste of money. Call GSC Motorsports and get the Hotchkis. Join NTEC and get nice discounts from them. To join email jason@evotexas.org

I installed my Hotchkis and got the car aligned at the Goodyear on Preston. They were ok.

 

yea i say hotchkis all the way and if you want to have an install party im sure me and evotexas can meet with you sometime next week, but as always the beer and pizza is on you!! we did evotexas' in the rain and it didnt take too long.

 

yeah i was just going to say, why are you paying someone 150 dollars to do something so simple? hell, i'll help you out for pizza! i have every tool you will need to do the job accept my jack broke. craftsman aluminum here i come!

i understand the whole, i don't want to mess up my new car but take my experience as an example of why this is the wrong thing to do:

after working at circuit city in michigan with some of the best installer i have ever seen, i came down here and though i would put my amp in the evo from my other car. so i went to go get longer cables from CC, and they convinced me they could professionally install it with door speakers (which i was buying also) in 2 hours. ok, no problem, the other circuit city installers i worked with were damn good. well 4 hours later, and after telling them to correct a few things, they finished. and i was not happy. i should have done it myself, like every other car i have ever owned. i was just afraid of breaking something on the new car, and though i would let them be liable for it. well, i was not happy and now i'm pissed that i paid someone 70 dollars to do something i could have done much better. oh and i could have done it faster too.

i think you will be much happier having done it yourself with some help from us them paying 150 dollars to get it done. then take the 150 and buy some guages or something.

 

150 bucks to install springs... it only take about 1 hr to do with all the right tools..... did joes (karash) in my living room half drunk....

 

hey guys. I was just thinking of something. why is the spring rate heavier in the back then in the front when the front is where all the weight is. I just thought about that. sorry if it is a stupid question, but I just don't understand why it would be. when I was looking for the spring rates to post up I notice that.

-chad-

 

boostfed: rear is heavier for launches! )) btw

1) installation is really simple
2) get an aligment after you lower the car

 

^ highly unlikely. that would be a really really poor design if they are designing spring rates around launches. most of the weight is in the front of the car, and therefor the suspension is stiffer up there. the spring rates are only a factor in the wheel rate which is the actual spring rate the wheel sees. it depends on where the strut/spring is mounted relative to the pivot of the control arm. the farther in it is, the stiff the spring you need. if you move it far outside, you can use a softer spring and it will have the same effect as a heavy spring mounted farther inside. i would imagine that either the control arm in the rear is shorter, and the strut is mounted more inward in the rear thus requiring a stiffer spring. don't quote me on that one because i have not bother to look at the suspension geometry of these cars yet because i have not even been thinking about changing anything yet.

but yeah, lesson learned is spring rate is highly dependent on the suspension geometry.

something else to consider is the use of the antiroll bars. if a heavy antiroll bar is used up front is also has an effect of stiffening up the front springs. again, haven't looked at the evos numbers but just remember other stuff plays a factor in suspension design then just slamming the car as low as you can go.

 

Soooo, what are you trying to say?

 

he wanted to know why the spring rates were heavier in the rear then in the front. so i explained how suspension geometry effects wheel rates. and how spring rates should not really be compared from car model to car model, and from front to back without taking that into consideration.

 

Care to explain?

 

that explain it?

 

Explain what?

 

"Explain what?" I agree! Dude, you've got me much confused. What has mounting lowering springs got to do with "changing the location of the spring/strut mounting point"? Furthermore, "heavier antiroll bars" do not stiffen the front springs. Stiffer (read generally thicker diameter) antiroll bars resist the the tendency of the car to roll about its centerline thereby increasing roll stiffness and promoting the shift from understeer to oversteer. Jeez, read a book or something!