Thread: Improving handling on stock springs.

So I just read a bunch of articles and I really don't want to bother with all of the stuff involved in lowering the car. What's the best handling stock spring setup for a daily driver? I was thinking Konis or KYB AGX, bushings, braces, and swaybars. Would that get me somewhere close to how a car with quality lowering springs (hypercos) would handle?

If your going to change the struts you might as well put on new springs. A set of hypercos or road magnents with konis or agx would make a huge difference compaired to anything else you can do.

Octotat 3 point rear strut tower brace

Stickier tires with stiffer sidewall

progress rear sway bar

3 point FSTB





(just get some springs, it is no more difficult to lower your car than to replace your struts)

What's involved with putting on quality lowering springs that isn't involved when putting on Konis (aside from the price)? You have to take the springs off the OEM struts and then put the Konis into the OEM springs. Or put them into the hypercos. Same difference, except you might need to compress the springs a bit less with the spring compressor?

A bit wrong. Lowering your car will require an alignment. Lowering or raising your car completely throws off your toe and if you do your own alignments, adds another hour or two to the job. If the struts you are replacing are stock length and spring perch height, no major alignment required, just a touch up alignment.

I would do an alignment if I took out the front struts anyway.

well I thought If you take off your struts an replace them, even retaining the stock springs, you still should get an alignment.. Really any time you disconnect the hub from strut your taking apart part of your vehicle that is sensitive to an alignment, right??

I just had my hypercoils and koni's on yesterday ...

Oh an alignment is what, 50-75 bucks max? For a good shop to hook it ip right.

Seriously to go through the work you have to go through to replace your struts you might a well replac the springs while you are in there..

I just saw Isfahan's response.. LoL

Three factors...one, the extra money to buy the springs, obviously. 200-300 bucks. Two, my driveway is really steep and I don't know if I can get into it without scraping if I go down too much. Maybe I'd be ok with just an inch drop though. I can always back in if I need to. Three, ride quality- I do drive this car a lot, on a daily basis, and I don't want to get thrown around everywhere.

Do I need to do anything to correct the camber with the hyperco/road magnet springs? If they're going to make that big of a difference in handling I guess I can try to save up for them. My goal is to have all of the suspension and brakes done by the end of the summer.

a progress rear swaybar all alone on a stock SE-R (even at the first setting) will make a world of difference. i'd get a rear swaybar first before anything else if i were to do my suspension all over again