mx5cartalk.com

My Bilsteins look to have plenty of life left in them, and I am considering lowering the car a little as its a bit barge arsed at present. After seeing Uncle Arthurs 50mm lowered beast on the weekend, mine looks like a block of flats as compared to a lovely single level bungalow.

What springs do I need front and back to achieve something like a 30mm drop ?

Cheers

Wayne

King Springs Lows. Should do the trick. Well it did 4 me

speak to heasmans,
apparently you can lower the car using the standard springs. (no cutting)

Easy to lower without cutting - take an oxy flame to the coils.
Stop when car has reached desired height.
To raise the car - do this in reverse - turn car over first - then repeat!
Chances are your shocks are on the way out.
You'll think they are good caus your fillings are getting looser every time you drive it- but its a little more complex than that.
Mine has done 90 thousand k's - Bilstiens seem rock hard - but they need rebuilding...
And you can do it when you get new springs!

Yeah, but tell him the price for rebuilt Billy's


Jules

Wayne,

Malibu is riding on lowered Kings 30mm.
Similar springs to Arthur's but his are a bit lower.

If I could do my time again, with all the rave reviews, I would probably consider Tein Flex+Tein springs.




Jules

Since putting the Tein SS' in my Clubman I've found that it's lower by only about 20mm at the front and 25mm at the back, and that's after dropping the perch heights by about 12mm from standard. I could go another 10mm lower but all the time you are reducing the travel in the shock. I do recall though that the Bilsteins had more travel in them compared to the Tein's. What I've also found is lower does not necessarily mean better.

I'm now at half the collar height that's shown here.


Here are the Bilstein's out of the car to compare

I was told its about $250 to get the shocks rebuilt - and add the cost of pulling em off.
A set of Tiens would be $2k?

New Koni's - $1200ish?
Would they be better than rebuilt Bilstiens?
Maybe?

David

$250/set for rebuild, valved to your liking to match any spring you want. (330/250 is pretty good for road use)
Koni/Kings are $1,280 from Mania
AVO's are about $1500 with Kings
Tein's can be had for $1695 from GT Suspension

I weight it all up and waited till I could afford the Tein SS, the steps after that would be Tein Flex at $2,300 which allow the ride height to be adjusted seperate to the spring perch height for going really low, and Bilstein PSS9's at $2,800.

* COUGH COUGH*

I think I'll look at getting the Billys rebuilt by someone local and ask them to have a look at the springs when I choose and appropriate wheel.

My fillings are OK at the moment too. I dont find it that harsh a ride. Its fun round corners anyways..

what about brad's bilsteins? they just require new boots:

http://www.aus-cartalk.com/viewtopic.php?t=17833

Or brand new ones.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/KYB-GR-2 ... otohosting

Those KYB's are the bottom of the rung compared to Bilsteins, Koni, Tein's etc. There is a reason they are so cheap.

GR2's are shite. Even less damping than worn out stock shocks.

It'll be about $1200 fitted for 4 bilstiens - but revalved to suit Australian conditions...