I need to know the real truth here. I keep on hearing different things. Some say they are the same others say the TII is way better. Give me the lodown.
peace,
Charles

 

TII has stiffer springs and bigger sway bars..

 

Thats not true. The GXL has the same springs and swaybars as the Turbo. It differs in dampers and wheels. The GXL had the AAS (Auto Adjusting Suspension) which adjusted between 3 positions automatically based on braking, cornering and acceleration and manually between two positions when the driver pushed a button in between the seats. the system worked, but did next to nothing so its considered worthless at best. Anyway, the original AAS would be shot by now due to age/miles.

The Turbo had dampers which were not adjustable and about the same stiffness as the GXL dampers on the stiffest setting.

The difference in feel between the 2 cars in more due to the seats and the wheels and tires. The 87 Turbo came on heavy 16*7 in wheels with 205/55 Goodyears. The 89 GXL came on much lighter 15*6 205/60 Bridgestones which were better tires. The lighter weight of the GXL combination, the extra sidewall height and the narrower wheel makes the GXL ride much smoother.

Another difference between 87 and 89 is in the bushings and rubber/plastic suspension mounts. The 89 is more refined and smoother, but more disconnected. The 87 is harsher, but more direct and 'tighter"

This is all of course about the original cars when they were new.

 

So would it be better to stick with the GXL setup and go with AGX shocks from KYB in a month or do the TII suspension swap?
Charles

 

Get the adjustable shocks, TII parts will be used.

New > Used
Adjustable > Old TII stuff

 

The Turbo suspension is considered the heavy duty suspension where as the GXL is not but its got the auto adjust suspension. Since you have the 5 lug suspension you are good to go and just get new shocks and some springs and ride out. -Gabe

 

That is incorrect.

The 87 T2 (and Sports) suspension had slightly larger sway bars, completely different springs (the S5 springs don't even look the same) and the sway bars used radically different end links (S5 sway bars used ball joint plastic end links, while the S4 sway bars, no matter what size, were attached with conventional rod links with rubber bushings).

However you were correct in that the wheels and shocks were also different.

The big difference in the S4 T2 vs the S5 coupe suspension, was that the S5 coupe suspension is much mushier, that it lacked the tightness of the S4 heavy duty suspension. But the S5 coupe suspension was a little more forgiving and softer in the day to day driving. The S5 sway bar end links also have been know to shear in half occasionally.

 

Icemark is the S4 pimp!

 

So I'm thinking...
Go with a TII Sway bra conversion, and get me some AGX shocks and that would be better than both. Correct?

 

Ice is right, but you can make your AAS much stiffer by manually adjusting each shock counter clockwise. After I did a couple crazy tests with someone in the hatch, when you go from normal to sport the shocks turn 90 degrees and then turn more the faster you go. In my gxl I set the 'normal' mode to a little more than what sport was. It is STIFF now, but not quite AGX on full hard but a little more than halfway.

 

how would i tell if the aas is working?
i cant really tell much difference in the cornering/ride when i switch from normal/sport
is that the tell-tale sigh right there?

Xentrix, how would i manually adjust the aas??

 

if u cant tell if the aas is working, then its not. it makes a big difference on highways.

you can take off the servo on the shock and manually turn the ****. its said that you can turn the **** farther then the servo, therefor making it stiffer.

 

all springs/struts and shocks in the aftermarket will fit all FC's, regardless of model, 4 lug or 5 lug

 

yeah, like that other guy said. there are 2, 8 or 10 mm nuts that you need to remove to get to the little thing you move. break out needle nose pliars to change it.

** reminder **
double check wich way the servo moves when you go from normal to sport mode. my car was all counterclock wise but it'd suck if you did it all and your car was mushy.

 

So the thing you need to move is on top of the shock, and you should be able to adjust it from the inside of the car without taking out the suspension? I would like to know exactly how to do this. Please go alittle more indepth. Maybe a pisture somewhere I could go look at?
Charles

 

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