I remember reading a thread a while back that did a back to back comparison of some of the most used springs for our cars. I am just about to purchase a new set of springs and now I can't find the thread. I just got a brand new set of Tokico Illuminas for $200 and am looking for the right springs to compliment the new shocks/struts. Any opinions out there?

 

Will you be running on the street or is this for a racing application?
The search function is off tonight otherwise I would suggest a search.
There is a great little company out of So Cal that made a great set of springs. The model was TMC-400 and they were the original set of spring for the Spec Rx7 class.
They used to be $139 for all four springs and they were the stiffest springs you could get without going to the coil over. Check with Dave Turner Motorsports in San Diego.

 

Racing beat, Eibach, or Suspension Technique would be good choice for street driving

 

RACING BEAT. =)
I'd say

 

B&G, US made, and King springs out of Austrailia are a couple of additional options.

 

I posted this together a few years back and thought I would put it here as well.

I was pulling together info on most the spring sets out there and I created a spreadsheet for comparison. This includes brands and what the guys at Mazda Comp suggested as well as a top local autocross racer.

Spring Rate Comparison
Brand Front Rear Ratio a Ratio b
Stock 100 85 118% 85%
Sus Tech 120 80 150% 67%
R Beat 145 110 132% 76%
TMC 155 125 124% 81%
Eibach 171 100 171% 58%
D Turner 225 155 145% 69%
Mazda A 225 160 141% 71%
Mazda B 250 170 147% 68%
S West 285 155 184% 54%
Mazda IT 300 175 171% 58%

Hope it is helpful.

 

What about height? Doesn't the spring more or less determine the stance or usually drop? Some of these springs must have different stiffness along the compress such as

linear
vs
soft then progressively harders
vs
hard all the way through

Also, anyone mixed these springs, say Eibach Front 171s with Mazda B Rear 170s?
What's Mazda B anyway?

 

For auto-x or racing, you want the front springs to be close to twice as stiff as the rear on the FB.

 

What are Mazda A/B springs?

 

Probably different racing classes or for 12a or 13b cars since they had a different weight limit.

I have suspension techniques springs and tokico illumina struts on my car, I think they're meant to be 1 1/2"drop but with how sagged my stock springs were it only dropped about a 1/2". They are progressive springs and I think that rating for them is for the first inch or two of compression, after that they get stiffer. I think they're good for the street but if you do auto-x or anything you'll want stiffer springs.

 

I have the Illuminas with RB springs. Not bad. If you want to see videos of the car during autocross, go to Youtube and search Kentetsu...

 

I love my King springs with illuminas $.02
glew out

 

Mazda A and B are two suggested spring rates from the guys at Mazda Comp years ago.

 

I've got some B & G's on order that I'm gunna put around (and next too) some Illuminas. I'll let you know how that goes in a few weeks. Supposed 1.4" drop.

 

i have some eibachs and illuminas on my SA. ill be driving it for the first time this week. ill also be taking it to the deals gap meet. ill let you know how i like them.

i also plan on running suspension techniques and tokico HP on the DD. should be a great set up for an every day driver.

where the hell did you geta set of illuminas for $200??

 

I actually got my illuminas for under $400....shox.com, great place!

 

yeah, thats where i got mine. $373 with free shipping. respeed also offers a great deal on them, but not $200 good! im looking to buy HP for the DD, but if i can get illuminas that cheap then ill go with them.

 

I found them on ebay. Just got lucky I guess.