I'm almost done with my FC subframe swap but I still need to struts/coilovers. I've heard coilovers are the way to go to get more adjustment back into the suspension geometry and I want to do this right the first time. I relocated the subframe 1" back so the wheel sits in the right spot.

What coilovers should I purchase? Anyone using coilovers with an FC subframe that work well and you'd recommend?

I've read here that BC Racing Gold work well for this swap, but they are $1000 a set and I can't buy just the front ones. I'll do it if I have to, but I'd rather spend less or buy just the front ones used.

 

My BC racing distributor was more than happy to sell me just the front FC3S coilovers.

 

ACBron Motorsport in Australia makes a coilover with their 1st gen adjustable bearing plate, valving and spring rate but using the lower mount to suit FC knuckle. This is what I have on my car.

I suspect any FC coilover will be firmer than ideal for a 1st gen.

 

If you call the suppliers directly, they may sell you just the fronts. I have ISC N1s and I like them

 

It looks like I can go straight to BC racing and order front coilovers for the FC individually, and they will be able to use an FB top mount instead. Looks to be around $645. Until I started this thread I didn't realize that would be possible. Thanks! I'll post back when I have pictures of them installed

 

I cut the spring seats off of some KYB AGXs and I am just running 2.5" generic coils. I have 12" 225s on right now but the collar is extremely close to the lip of my wheels (street wheels are 15x6 Volvo S40 wheels, offset unknown) and I just so happen to have picked up some 14" springs to rectify that.

I also picked up another subframe to modify the suspension pickup points even further than I did. I marked and drilled the new pickup points on my existing subframe with the car on jackstands... not realizing that the floor of my garage is not level. D'oh. But the handling is much improved with the pickup points higher, I'd like to say I made them 24mm higher and 6mm outboard initially, but I don't have my notes handy. But because I measured level off of a non-level work space, I ended up with the holes a bit skewed and ended up with -.7 degrees camber on one side and +.1 on the other. Camber was evenly positive on both sides before the redrilling.

 

peejay, I'm curious what pickups you raised - the LCA's I assume? Or did you raise the entire subframe? I'm going to be looking into this in the near future and am wondering how you improved the handling.

 

Only the forward mounting points.



It also seems to have improved bumpsteer, although the untouched FC layout seems to have an extreme amount of toe-out in bump, so improved doesn't necessarily mean perfect, just better.