Too low on coils

[ceese]

I know what you fans of drop and tucked tires are thinking that there is no such thing. While I think it looks good on some cars, for me I’m looking for a less conspicuous drop.

I installed a set of STs this weekend. I originally was looking at the Street Comforts and SHS coils but was told they did very little to increase the performance handling characteristics and my primary reason for the coils was performance and handling - appearance was secondary but still important.

From my research the STs were the next best thing. At maximum height they were suppose to offer a less aggressive drop while giving me much improved handling.

With that said the front drop looks good but the rear drop is a lower than I’d like by about .75". I'd like to get the rear high enough to remove any tire tuck and to make the drop less conspicuous. I remember reading somewhere about spacers but it’s also my understanding that they can be dangerous. Anyone used them? Any other suggestions on how to get rid of the tire tuck without going to a smaller tire size.

[tp.]

get longer springs?

[ceese]

get longer springs?

As simple as that sounds, I hadn't considered it. I'll email ST and see what they suggest.

[tp.]

i think if u wanted minimal drop shoudl have went with HR prenium or sport lower kit. the shox are lighter than OEm so u will get some better response

[Pretarion]

I've been in the market for suspension for a while now. I researched a lot of spring/shock combos, but never really was interested in coilovers, mainly because of the price. I was told about the ST coils, that they are made by KW, but use galvanized steel on the ST's, where as the KW's use stainless steel. The construct is exactly the same.
Our cars are naturally lower in the rear. To get a even drop from front to back, you will need to drop the front coils a bit lower than the rears.
If you don't mind me asking, how much did you get the ST's for, and from what company.

[ceese]

I've been in the market for suspension for a while now. I researched a lot of spring/shock combos, but never really was interested in coilovers, mainly because of the price. I was told about the ST coils, that they are made by KW, but use galvanized steel on the ST's, where as the KW's use stainless steel. The construct is exactly the same.
Our cars are naturally lower in the rear. To get a even drop from front to back, you will need to drop the front coils a bit lower than the rears.
If you don't mind me asking, how much did you get the ST's for, and from what company.

rawaudi hooked me up with a link. They were $750 shipped from this shop

http://www.drivtechonline.com/ST_Sus...i-a3-90873.htm


I dropped the fronts lower than the rears with a miniscule amount of rake. I just want to get rid of the tire tuck even though it is only very slight.

I really like the ride quality of these a lot. It's not crazy stiff on normal streets - minute comfort difference from stock, significantly less body roll on corners and they deffinitely help keep too much weight from being redistributed from the front so overall the car is launching better from a dead stop and gripping better on acceleration. I'm going to keep them on my car for at least a couple weeks and see if I can come up with a solution for the height or I might feel differently about the tuck after I install my 19" wheels. There's a chance I might decide to sell them though so let me know if you are interested and I'll give you a good deal on a set of coils with only a couple hundred miles on them.

[ceese]

i think if u wanted minimal drop shoudl have went with HR prenium or sport lower kit. the shox are lighter than OEm so u will get some better response

Those fall into the SHS and KW street comfort category and are more appearance oriented and less performance centric. I may have to eat some asthetic loss for the improved handling. The STs are inexpensive coils made by a good company and I know that at some point in the next year or two, I'm probably going to replace them for something that offers both height and dampening control but before dropping that kind of money I wanted to get a better feel for coilovers in general.

Special thanks to zcspec for help with the install - I managed to make myself usefull only when I tipped the pizza guy.

[rawaudi]

rawaudi hooked me up with a link. They were $750 shipped from this shop

Thats Me!

Ceese, did you think about getting Euro Sline springs? They will run you ~500ish but give you a lower drop than US Sline and still provide OE ride quality.

A couple of us were looking at them but couldn't get a group buy going and I couldn't justify spending 500 when I can get coils for 700....

[cldub]

Thats Me!

Ceese, did you think about getting Euro Sline springs? They will run you ~500ish but give you a lower drop than US Sline and still provide OE ride quality.

A couple of us were looking at them but couldn't get a group buy going and I couldn't justify spending 500 when I can get coils for 700....

I got my coils for $500 brand new!

[pjunk1]

ceese, the new c/o's were recently put on? if so, the coils have yet to settle and may droop a bit over the next few weeks. then, more rear tire tuck.

i don't know much about coil spacers but i'm assuming the spacers are placed in the 'cup' (lack of the correct term) portion of the lower control arm. i'm not sure if you've looked in the the 'cup' but it's pretty deep. i'd figure the spacer would stay fairly secure inside this 'cup'. what would scare me is maxing out the height of the threaded perch.

maybe someone with better knowledge of coil spacers can chime in.

[ceese]

Thats Me!

Ceese, did you think about getting Euro Sline springs? They will run you ~500ish but give you a lower drop than US Sline and still provide OE ride quality.

A couple of us were looking at them but couldn't get a group buy going and I couldn't justify spending 500 when I can get coils for 700....

I did consider that route, but I wanted something that would increase the handling capabilities of the stock shocks - I think the STs while not super aggressive as coils go, give me significantly improved handling over what I would have gotten with the euro springs.

I took it into Fine Tuning in Seattle today due to a bolt issue we had when installing the rear shock. Along with double checking the entire install, Chris suggested a custom machined spacer and said that it could be done with complete safety :-) He'll have a quote for me this afternoon.

Overall, I think I can live with the current ride height as I'm really happy with the ride quality and handling - just a little higher in the rear would make it pefrect for me. I can't wait to get it out to the track to hammer on it.

[rawaudi]

Just get some wire wheels. A nice set of 12 inch tires will make your car look higher!

[ceese]

Like a set of BBS off a 4000.



These would look tight but I'd have to go with smaller brakes too.

[Pretarion]

There's a chance I might decide to sell them though so let me know if you are interested and I'll give you a good deal on a set of coils with only a couple hundred miles on them.

Thanks for the info. I would definitely be interested in them if you are going to sell. I am in the same situation as your, as far as using 19" wheels.
Can you take a picture of what your car looks like right now?

[ceese]

Thanks for the info. I would definitely be interested in them if you are going to sell. I am in the same situation as your, as far as using 19" wheels.
Can you take a picture of what your car looks like right now?

This is them at the highest setting in the rear. The photo is flattened out so you can get a good idea. I'm going to have to see it when I put my 19s on - the are wider and taller so they should fill out the well a lot better.

[Pretarion]

That's a great drop. Looks clean. Can't wait to see the wheels on it.

[kgw]

KW will sell you a pair of spacers for $70-75. I am using the 30mm spacers (middle ones): no issues at all.



Here's a previous thread on the issue: http://forums.fourtitude.com/showthr...s#post77037624

[Subaruski1]

Not the best pic but these are konis with stock wheels. I can't remember the height setting on the rear but it was definitely not at the highest.

[ceese]

Not the best pic but these are konis with stock wheels. I can't remember the height setting on the rear but it was definitely not at the highest.

That's exactly what I was looking for. The 30mm seems like the best approach so I can bring the threading down and not ride the extreme edge of the threads (currently down three threads so there is just one thread at the top).

I got the same story from my mechanic as the thread about riding the extreme heigh of the shock but when we did the install there was a lot of room once the shock was compressed and I don't think 10mm will make any difference since they typically engineer in flex on these things.

I found them at AMI for $38 a piece.

I did get a chance to go for a drive tonight after I picked it up from the shop and wow - loving the ride. It really reduces the front end lift when I'm accelerating and it reduces the body roll by over 60%. I'm curious to see how well they handle at speed.

Did you notice any handling difference after installing the spacers?


Thanks for the heads up.

[kgw]

No difference that I can tell. . .I installed them myself, fairly easy to do if you take out the single bolt that holds the lower control arm. I used a bottle jack under the control arm in able to raise it back up to insert the bolt.

[ceese]

No difference that I can tell. . .I installed them myself, fairly easy to do if you take out the single bolt that holds the lower control arm. I used a bottle jack under the control arm in able to raise it back up to insert the bolt.

Cool, your car looks good. Are those 17s or 18s. Hard to tell in the picture.


The thing that's always bugged me about extreme dropped cars and my current ride height is that it throws off the lines of the car. The wells are designed for a specific gap and when you lower it too much it throws off the gap because the verticle distance between the top of the wheel is a lot smaller than the horizontal gaps at the side of the tires. You don't get this with cars that such as many BMWs and Porsches because they are designed to be low.



I couldn't find a better picture than this but I was looking for a good side shot of the RS3 where there is no wheel tuck and they minimize the horizontal gap with the design of the side skirts.

[JaseZilla]

This is them at the highest setting in the rear. The photo is flattened out so you can get a good idea. I'm going to have to see it when I put my 19s on - the are wider and taller so they should fill out the well a lot better.

To me, that looks amazing. That is exactly how I want my car to look.

[LWNY]

Cool, your car looks good. Are those 17s or 18s. Hard to tell in the picture.


The thing that's always bugged me about extreme dropped cars and my current ride height is that it throws off the lines of the car. The wells are designed for a specific gap and when you lower it too much it throws off the gap because the verticle distance between the top of the wheel is a lot smaller than the horizontal gaps at the side of the tires. You don't get this with cars that such as many BMWs and Porsches because they are designed to be low.

I couldn't find a better picture than this but I was looking for a good side shot of the RS3 where there is no wheel tuck and they minimize the horizontal gap with the design of the side skirts.

The RS3 has a redesigned front fender, looks like they widened it and dropped the wheel arch at the same time, since it was to be much lower than a stock A3. You can order the RS3 front fender if you are annoyed by the gap and you don't want a 1960's hot rod jacked up rear look.

[ceese]

The RS3 has a redesigned front fender, looks like they widened it and dropped the wheel arch at the same time, since it was to be much lower than a stock A3. You can order the RS3 front fender if you are annoyed by the gap and you don't want a 1960's hot rod jacked up rear look.

The Vortex body kit was designed with lowered cars in mind. It makes a huge difference with adjusting the lines of the car. Guess it's time to install the skirts in my basement.

It's also not as low as my car

[Dj Toobs]

I also have ST coils installed. I adjusted my rear like 3 times and yes i have gotten it high enough to clear my tires. I've driven in them for about 1 year and 25,000 miles and they are great!

Are you sure you have adjusted them correctly? If you have adjusted the coils while the actual coil is still on your car, it wont adjust right. You have to take it off and spin it yourself by hand. That so call tool adjuster that come with it is a joke.

[ceese]

I also have ST coils installed. I adjusted my rear like 3 times and yes i have gotten it high enough to clear my tires. I've driven in them for about 1 year and 25,000 miles and they are great!

Are you sure you have adjusted them correctly? If you have adjusted the coils while the actual coil is still on your car, it wont adjust right. You have to take it off and spin it yourself by hand. That so call tool adjuster that come with it is a joke.

Yes they're installed correctly. I know what you are talking about - the top wheel of the spring spacer spins with the bottom when you turn it. The fender is pretty much in line with the top of my wheel. I'd be really happy with a half inch gap. The drop is starting to grow on me the more I look at it though.

[newSWARTZ]

Lower it

[Maitre Absolut]

with KW's i can pretty much go as high as i want in the rear

you're not the first person to bring up this issue with ST's

[TBomb]

with KW's i can pretty much go as high as i want in the rear

you're not the first person to bring up this issue with ST's

I find that so odd since the ST's are supposed to be the same as KW V1's just coated instead of stainless. Which KW's are you running? I have my rear perches half way down and I am at 23.5" FTG.

[kgw]

My wheels are 8x17, 43 et. I wanted to keep the unsprung weight down, and the RS 320's, Conti Extreme Contacts, and the TAR-OX brakes all help.

Without the spacers, the rears were tucked up in the wheel wells; with the 43 et the wheels sit flush with the body, so with passengers or a loaded hatch the tires would rub on bumps or sweeping curves. With the spacers, all is good!

[ceese]

My wheels are 8x17, 43 et. I wanted to keep the unsprung weight down, and the RS 320's, Conti Extreme Contacts, and the TAR-OX brakes all help.

Without the spacers, the rears were tucked up in the wheel wells; with the 43 et the wheels sit flush with the body, so with passengers or a loaded hatch the tires would rub on bumps or sweeping curves. With the spacers, all is good!

I have that problem with the stock height on my winter wheels.

Question, I was looking at the spacer pics you posted. How does it get installed does the top of the dial slide into it or does it sit below the dial and the dial slides down into it? Or is it threaded and does it replace the bottom of the dial? It's hard to tell from the picture.

[kgw]

The spacers aren't threaded; what you do is drop the lower control arm to lower the spring enough to slide the spacer up and over the dial ring from the bottom. Here's some pics I just took:





That's the left rear spring, btw. Does that clarify it?

[rawaudi]

Since were comparing coil heights.

Me on Konis:

I have 1 finger between fender and tire. Haven't measured ride height yet. Set to medium dampening and the ride is pretty stiff. Definitely not OEM comfort.

[ceese]

The spacers aren't threaded; what you do is drop the lower control arm to lower the spring enough to slide the spacer up and over the dial ring from the bottom. Here's some pics I just took:

That's the left rear spring, btw. Does that clarify it?

Exactly what I wanted to know - thanks

[ceese]

[QUOTE=rawaudi;77972703]Since were comparing coil heights.

Me on Konis:

I have 1 finger between fender and tire. Haven't measured ride height yet. Set to medium dampening and the ride is pretty stiff. Definitely not OEM comfort.

QUOTE]

Your's has got to be .5" to .75" higher than mine. Funny how that makes such a huge difference.