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

[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.