G4(D2) Coilovers installed, Help need advice on spring rates page 2 Options

[Mangozac]

OK I finally got my coilovers, installed them yesterday, and took pics today.

I finally got my G4 coilovers yesterday, after a really long wait (a bunch of things like Chinese New Year stuffed things up). G4 are exactly the same as the D2 brand units, except that they are blue, not purple.

I was planning to take more pics of the install but forgot and then was too dirty to want to touch my camera :\







So she got a much needed clean today and I got to take pics of the final result. She's looking sweet! Everything seems OK but I'll take it for an alignment and get them to make sure that everything is set up properly. Oh you can also see my brake calipers that I painted yelloow at Christmas time
The tyres are new also. 215/45/r17 Kumho Ecsta Sevens. They could be a little grippier but for the price they are good.









Enjoy!

This post has been edited by Mangozac: Mar 27, 2008 - 5:28 PM

[tim86]

Very nice... how does it handle? Any issues with bumps or rubbing? Just wondering bc I was exploring coilovers for the future... also you have the same tire size as me, I think its a good profile

This post has been edited by tim86: Mar 22, 2008 - 3:45 AM

[malpaso]

that looks really good... have you more pics from installation? any issues or plug and play?

[purplegt4]

very nice. good job!

[_mikeE]

Very nice drop, bumpy ride or smooth? Also how much did it cost you?

[Mangozac]

Thanks guys!

The difference in handling is noticeable - she doesn't slide as easily when cornering and feels much more controlled. No rubbing yet but I'm going to go for a drive around the shopping centre to test it out on the speed bumps today whilst there is nobody there.

The downside: you can feel bumps in the road a lot more. Actually, the stock suspension is really quite comfortable when you compare it to something else. When I went for my first test drive I had the damping set at half way and it was really stiff. I turned them all down to the softest setting and it was much better.

Adjustability is so cool!

Tim, yeah I did have 215/40/r17s but I think the 215/45s are a better profile - they look a bit more serious and less toyish IMHO. I would prefer to go up a wheel size though - I don't like the widened gap between the tyre and the skirt/lip edges. Maybe one day.....

Martin, sorry but I don't have any more pics. A friend was watching and playing with the camera and I thought he was taking install pics but he was actually just taking random photos of parts of the car - NOT the install

No issues at all on installation. It was literally unbolt the old shock assembly (3 bolts on top of strut tower, 2 bots onto steering knuckle and brake line bracket) and bolt the coilover back. The only customising you have to do are the brake line brackets which have to be bent to a suitable shape - I'll take some pics of them next time I have the wheels off. You can see in my install pic that the rears have that extra linkage for the rear stabiliser bar - I just measured the position of that on the stock shock and set it to the same relative position on the coilover.

Mike, the ride is bumpy, but not unbearably so. Yet to try it at over 60km/h (~30mph) though. Cost me about AU$1370 (~US$1100) and then installed myself.

[purplegt4]

alignment time.

[tim86]

One last question... How low are coilovers adjusted in those pics, because I would like to get some eventually that can be adjusted up a bit so the car isnt so low. Plus that drop looks about the right height, gotta take those speed bumps slow though

[Sthen]

they looks really nice

[trdproven]

Looks good, I am also in the market to get coilovers just waiting for a good time or opportunity. when I do, I'll be selling my intrax and trd springs.

[Mangozac]

One last question... How low are coilovers adjusted in those pics, because I would like to get some eventually that can be adjusted up a bit so the car isnt so low. Plus that drop looks about the right height, gotta take those speed bumps slow though

Ummm they can only be raised probably another inch. Maybe 1.5".

I tried on some speed bumps today and although none were especially big I had fine clearance on all of them. The ride is definitely a lot bumpier but it handles really great and looks fantastic - a fair trade off in my opinion

Oh and yes an alignment is definitely in the plans ASAP.

[3s-gte_man]

hey man good stuff with teh G4's all them companies making stuff for the 6th gen now....also man where on the goldy are you i see you got jdm lights and that...would like to catch up and that...

I'm just past commera towards tamborine mountain (nearly on it) and about to get some tein's with edfc inthe couple of months.....also for the american people austrlian roads...mainly the ones in this area are crap compared to the roads in the states i know for a fact. so wont be so bad in the states, europe and japan etc.

[Mangozac]

hey man good stuff with teh G4's all them companies making stuff for the 6th gen now....also man where on the goldy are you i see you got jdm lights and that...would like to catch up and that...

I'm just past commera towards tamborine mountain (nearly on it) and about to get some tein's with edfc inthe couple of months.....also for the american people austrlian roads...mainly the ones in this area are crap compared to the roads in the states i know for a fact. so wont be so bad in the states, europe and japan etc.

Thanks dude yeah it's great to actually be able to get some performance stuff!

I'm at Mermaid Beach. Definitely have to catch up - doing a cruise with another 6GC.net-er would be the bomb! To you cruise round to the spit much? I cruise past there pretty often on a Sunday arvo but am too intimidated to stop. If there were another 6GC I'd definitely be up for stopping and showing off

EDFC FTW!

Zac

[aznpnoiboi55]

looks great man...how much did you spend on those?....i want get me ones too! any links?

[Mangozac]

looks great man...how much did you spend on those?....i want get me ones too! any links?

As I said above, AU$1370 (around US$1100). Bought it throught a local supplier from Just Jap http://justjap.com/store/home.php

[_mikeE]

Just out of curiosity, any reason why you chose this setup rather than the Tein SS setup? the Tein's are just a bit more money but if u look around u could get some for about that price.

[Mangozac]

Mike,

The Teins were quoted at $2600 here, plus were an 8-10 week wait. Also, Just Jap stock a heap of spare parts for the G4s so if anything ever breaks I'll be able to fix them pretty quickly.

[malpaso]

I have one more question. Is there any part number or something on it? I mean every part has some special code or number to identify it self... thanks

[Mangozac]

I have one more question. Is there any part number or something on it? I mean every part has some special code or number to identify it self... thanks

There probably is but I don't know what it is. I just ordered by application (i.e. street spec for ST204). During assembly the only parts I noticed with numbers were the springs.

Got the alignment done today. I apparently had something on back to front but other than that no big issues.

[malpaso]

I have one more question. Is there any part number or something on it? I mean every part has some special code or number to identify it self... thanks

There probably is but I don't know what it is. I just ordered by application (i.e. street spec for ST204). During assembly the only parts I noticed with numbers were the springs.

Got the alignment done today. I apparently had something on back to front but other than that no big issues.

You know there is one thing confusing... in your picture are all coilovers ''the same'' (I means the same style)



but every where are coilovers for front and for rear different in the picture



or other brand



so if I get it right I must be 100% sure it's for Celica 6gen w/o superstrut suspension nothing like using universal coils or coils for different models (7gen or something).

[3s-gte_man]

I have one more question. Is there any part number or something on it? I mean every part has some special code or number to identify it self... thanks

There probably is but I don't know what it is. I just ordered by application (i.e. street spec for ST204). During assembly the only parts I noticed with numbers were the springs.

Got the alignment done today. I apparently had something on back to front but other than that no big issues.

You know there is one thing confusing... in your picture are all coilovers ''the same'' (I means the same style)



but every where are coilovers for front and for rear different in the picture



or other brand



so if I get it right I must be 100% sure it's for Celica 6gen w/o superstrut suspension nothing like using universal coils or coils for different models (7gen or something).

cause most coil-over are on Japanese RWD cars like supra's skylines, 180sx (240sx for you guys in states, 300zx etc.... and that single bolt bit is for where that bolt to hub assembly for a rwd car with the drive shaft and that....it s simple effective design....celica's (FWD ones...not sure about 7th gens but all the st serise ones (4,5,6th gens) and probably other cars the rear hub assembly is much like the front with a almost mcferson strut set up....that is the reason why.

[malpaso]

...
cause most coil-over are on Japanese RWD cars like supra's skylines, 180sx (240sx for you guys in states, 300zx etc.... and that single bolt bit is for where that bolt to hub assembly for a rwd car with the drive shaft and that....it s simple effective design....celica's (FWD ones...not sure about 7th gens but all the st serise ones (4,5,6th gens) and probably other cars the rear hub assembly is much like the front with a almost mcferson strut set up....that is the reason why.

I got it! So those in pictures are not exactly for mcperson strut Celicas... just to show some of that brand... thanks!

[trdproven]

Celica rears and fronts look identical. I think those pics above are representations.

[Mangozac]

If you look carefully at the uni on top of the box and the one on the floor you will notice a subtle difference in the bottom piece. Everybodys' replies have been spot on.

Oh another thing. I left all the adjustment knobs in the tops of the coilovers - they are really long so can't jump out or anything. They guy at Pedders said that some people freak out about a rattling noise but it's just the adjusters!

[3s-gte_man]

If you look carefully at the uni on top of the box and the one on the floor you will notice a subtle difference in the bottom piece. Everybodys' replies have been spot on.

Oh another thing. I left all the adjustment knobs in the tops of the coilovers - they are really long so can't jump out or anything. They guy at Pedders said that some people freak out about a rattling noise but it's just the adjusters!

yeah i thought they would make a bad rattle but they really don't my mates have d2's and a s2 s14 and evo 6 they handle good but yeah i want tein's (i found a place that will deliver with efdc and the motors all that for about 2000-2100 based on our AUD to YEN at the time. and i want green to go with the yellow..aussie aussie aussie...oi oi oi...lol

[Mangozac]

OK here's the deal:

I finally got a highway drive yesterday and it is really nasty. It's not that I can't stand it but I have to drive my Grandma on the highway every so often and she is going to break a bone!

At the recommendation of Rom (DSRTFX) I got 7.5kg/mm fronts and 5.1kg/mm rears but it's just way too hard. I called the supplier and unfortunately they can't swap the coils - I have to buy new ones at AU$55 a pop. Upon doing some research I found the following:

Stock rates: 2.9 front / 2.3 rear
Tein S-tech: 4 front / 3 rear

Do you reckon I should just go for 4/3 or go a little higher (maybe 4.5/3.5)? Do you think I'd be able to sell the current coils for cheap?

Some prompt replies would be great.

[playr158]

raise the car up a little bit and set your dampeners to softer

This post has been edited by playr158: Mar 27, 2008 - 5:57 PM

[Mangozac]

raise the car up a little bit and set your dampeners to softer

The dampers are already on softest.

[purplegt4]

lol driving grandma with race suspension...

[trdproven]

i agree raising it would help but would defeat the purpose but then again, you have another purpose - to drop grandma

[Mangozac]

Well funny enough I've since driven Grandma round quite a bit and she hasn't been at all concerned! Granted for long trips she sits on a big pillow anyway.

I had a clunking noise coming from one of the fronts yesterday and after pulling the wheel off it turned out that the nut which holds the strut to the camber plate had loosened off a little. Tightened back up and all is well.

I'm still of two minds about the ride quality. Don't get me wrong - I love the handling the way it is. I can take corners so hard! Even when I do slide out in a corner it's still surprisingly controllable. The problem is that it's kind of embarrassing when you have to drive other people (especially ladies) who aren't all that appreciative of my super handling - I usually don't drive the car hard when there are other people in it.

At this stage I'm a bit low on funds anyway to change to softer springs so will just have to leave it for now. I'd say I'll change it in the future though...

[raz128]

I've got the D2 coilovers and I had the same initial reaction as you...that it's too hard, though the springs have softened out a bit since I installed the coilovers.

Give it a bit of time, Mangozac