I'm not sure I want to lower the car, because I'm worried about bottoming out over stuff like speed bumps, the concrete lip going up my driveway, etc, etc....plus I like to change the oil without jacking the car

does anyone have these types of issues with lowering springs? I know it looks cool and all, but I don't really care about that, I just want the car to handle above average, with minimal investment (I'm replacing the stock Touring shocks with Bilsteins)

 

I have the racing beat springs and have no troubles what so ever with going over speed bumps and curves. I say "go for it!"

 

i have eibach springs and can't fit my floor jack under the car anymore, have to use the stock one to raise it first. worth it though!

 

if you dont want to lower your car then why do it? and it already handles better then average, now if your shocks are shot thats a diffrent thing

 

I have Eibachs on the car. I think some of my problems deviate form the size of my wheels. I don;t bottom out on anything I don't think. Just hitting smething a buit hard will slam tires to the wheel wells. Also, your lil black front lip see's a lot more action. Worst part: When I got a flat, my car was too low in the front with the flat tire to fit the jack under.....I don't know what the differences would be on stock wheels.

 

yah i'm thinking about getting the tanabe springs..they drop the car 2" all around..the car is gonna be slammed with the wheels i got on it...hope i dont get too much tire rub with it

 

I have the Racing Beat springs with Tokico adjustables on all 4 corners. Car looks great, handles awesome, and rides very nice with the struts set at the softest setting. I can still get my floor jack under the car, so I say go for it!

When I first installed the struts/springs, I did have some front end bottoming out issues, but I replaced the front upper strut mounts, and haven't had a problem since. Rotary Performance recommends replacing them whenever you replace struts.

 

ok, thanks....I heard the RB springs were only 10% stiffer than stock...is that true? do you know what the spring rate is? are they progressive or linear?

I have no interest in progressive springs at all....some say the Eibachs are progressive or others say no

 

the eibachs ARE linear. The RB are linear as well and have a better looking drop since they try to get rid of the rear jacked look. The RB are around 260/240LB? eibach and others are higher around the 300s

 

I've got the Eibach Pro-Kit, and my front lip is scraped all the hell. Also, I had my car towed to the shop once and my exhaust scraped on the ground when they took it off the truck.

You will have to watch those high concrete lips on driveways, or those store entrances that have a steep incline into the parking lot.

 

I have eibachs an tokico illuminas. relatively cheap (compared to coilovers) and I like the way they look and ride. I rarely scrape. just take sharp edges at an angle.

If you are concerned about getting your jack under your car, get (2) 1ft pieces if 2X4. drive up onto them to give you enough room to slide the jack under. it takes me 2 per side, just FYI.

 

My fd came with eibach's. I love them. I hardly ever bottom out on speed bumps. And to change the oil, I just use lift ramps.

 

Ask yourself, "what would Jesus do?"

(Sorry, I couldn't resist. I'm just funnin' with ya.) Somehow, I think Jesus would go with the standard suspension though. I mean, if God wanted us to have lower cars, He would have made them that way. LOL.
(OK, I'll stop now.)

 

eibachs are progressive

 

try driving your car up onto something like a 2x4

 

But seriously, folks. Good move on the Bilsteins, but why don't you leave everything else alone? It's already such a great handling car. Maybe some super tires, like S-03's or S02's, and that's really all you have to do to have one of the most balanced and best handling cars in the world. I remember reading tests on the PFS cars when they first came out, and all the suspension and tire changes he did produced a car which didn't handle as well as the standard R models.

 

good point jconn....also notice that the "G Games" auto-x car had coilovers and fat tires, and that's about it! it didn't even have the ubquitous strut tower bar, which everyone seems to think is a mandatory upgrade for non R models

bottom line is, this car doesn't need much help to kick bootie in the corners

 

I have Eibachs and Koni's. I lost a stock exhaust tip when going over a bumpy road when I first got them(I was going a bit fast though). In general I have no problems with them. I get a little rub occasionaly if I hit a bump and my supsension is set to the softer side.

 

Yeah, strut bars help on a McPhereson strut suspension, but on a car with double A-arms, like ours, I think they're of marginal value. People who have added one to their car have said it both ways, with some claiming to feel a difference, and others say they didn't really feel a difference, so you've got to wonder if it isn't he placebo effect at work.

I've driven both a Touring Model and an R-2 straight off the showroom floor, and there definitely is a difference.
The responses of the R-model felt sharper (and the ride was harsher.) I think the shocks and the few bushing differences are mainly responsible for that, with the strut bar and the tires maybe adding something at the margins.

 

I have added a front strut tower brace to my PEP and it made a noticeable difference. The car doesn't handle better per se but the steering feel improved and the car feels more solid. I actually have fewer squeeks and rattles in the dash than before. I would recommend one to anybody.

Plus, it looks cool.

 

I took off the strut tower bar on my r1 when I was doing some installs and I was amazed by the difference. the car felt way more slopy w/o the bar, and turn in seemed a bit off too.

 

There are such things as low profile jacks ... the lowest of which are screw types. You could consider one of those if you can't manage to clear ramps to drive up on.

The other solution is just a little common sense problem solving. The back of the car won't sit nearly as close to the ground as under the front will, and you can easily slide a regular (even my huge) floor jack under there. Jack the car up from the subframe piece directly behind the differential (in between the diff and the fuel tank), put the back on stands by the same piece of subframe where the sus arms join. If that doesn't lift the front enough for you, lose some weight. Just kidding ... if that doesn't angle the front enough for you to get under from behind the front wheels, then just jack the front of the car up from behind the wheels somewhere in there and put it on either some 2x4, 4x4, or ramps. I have a tendency to put the jack back under the back on that piece behind the diff just barely pressuring it, just in case things start slipping.

 

you guys that are running a front strut tower brace and love it, do you have a rear brace as well?

 

Yeah, but we had a thread on this subject not too long ago, and some who had added a strut bar said they didn't notice any real difference, so go figure.

 

Yep, I also have a front strut bar and I did notice some more stiffness when I put it on. However, if someone went into my garage today, removed it without me knowing it.... chances are I wouldn't notice a difference.