blades11b

iTrader: (1)

Alright im making this post for all those out there thinking of this combo.. I read post after post of people saying just how awesome this combo is. Every time i read it i couldent help but thinking ehh no way it can be that great i mean come on.... so ill give you guys a write up on my experiences after install all the way to my trip down the coast here in california with everythign from smooth driving to snow... yes it snowed here in southern california... in february. Well the other day i finished up with the Koni 4/4's and my setup is as follows: Koni 4/4's, Strano Springs, Vredestein (or however you spell them) 295/35/18 in the back and 275/35/18 in the front (if i remember right)

After i finished the car i took it out around where i live for a test drive. Right when i rolled out of the drive way i noticed a huge difference i mean wow i took it through a series of turns at about 90MPH and it felt great felt like the car was on rails. after that i buzed it up to about 130mph and still felt wonderful the car actually felt extremly stable at that speed.

Yesterday i got back from a trip that took me down to San Diego and back up to Laguna beach for a couple days. Before i left i Softened the shocks up a little more for the ride down and it felt great on the highway all through the San Diego and Los Angelas area. I left Laguna beach yesterday morning to come back and the weather was terrible and every highway out of the Los Angelas Area was closed due to snow except for one so i ran the 5 freeway out to highway 14 and on in to home (a little town called ridgecrest) and it rained the entire way home and started snowing once i got out of the valley through it all i ran the car up to about 90mph and set it on cruise and it didnt give a **** and handled perfect and never slipped one bit

Verdict: I love not only the Springs and shocks but the tires are amazing also i had more than one time where i had to get on the brakes and the car stopped on a dime way better than the factory tires, The car rode great it was firm but it still had dampening.

Downs.. Although it was good there are still some downs On freeways like the 15 and 5 in southern california there were literally some bumps where pieces have been jointed to over passes that quit literally tryed to throw me through the T tops the ride dampens but cant compensate for that much roughness. on another side if you have done your exhaust. (like most of us have) and it hangs down lower than stock you might run into trouble the guy who ran mine ran it a little too low. it never presented a problem until i lowered the car now going in and out of driveways it drags and scrapes and down in the beach cities all the entrances are humped up and my exhaust drug on every one so bad that i thought it might tear it off a couple times despite my efforts to come in at an angle. This is not the springs fault though as i said my exhaust is ran too low just keep it in mind if your thinking of the combo.

AxisOfOil

think your drag is bad? Try sportlines. lol.
I think I need to replace my exhaust as soon as the Strano's get to my doorstep... this 1.25" clearance thing is killing me.

I'm sooo glad to hear, once again, that they handle nicely.
and by the way, your car looks sick... except for the dust on the tires. lol..

blades11b

iTrader: (1)

Thanks i love the car... dust is har do beat here i live in the desert

litemup02

iTrader: (39)

Good to hear..will be getting the 4/4's soon, have hotchkis springs on the shelf that are just screaming for the koni's

Detoxx03

iTrader: (14)

I felt the same way about mine before I put them on but man does my car ride and handle great.

slow ride 02

I have mine, but haven't installed them yet. I am concerned about this rough ride, the front springs (sams) are rated at 550 lbs, 1LE's are rated at 360 lbs and stock are 292 lbs. Thinking about the lower pearch and hose mod. What do you guys (that have them) think?

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

Assumptions based only on pure rate aren't accurate. Remember that my springs have to be stiffer due to the fact you have to support the same mass with a lesser amount of travel and that mine don't have the pre-load that stock springs do.

I'll let the others address the ride as I have never hidden the fact that lower and stiffer springs are firmer. But the shocks are the trick regarding harshness and many feel that my stuff (including springs) rides better than stock. Not softer, but less harsh.

slow ride 02

Yes I understand that any lowering springs will have to stiffer to support the same mass. I also understand that the ride will be firmer. I knew these things when I bought the springs. I kind of got caught up the frenzy, you only had a few sets left, and I was not able to talk to you first. I have been following this combo for quite a while. And almost everyone loves them. The only thing I have seen bad, are the few that say " It felt like it was going to put me through the T-Top's. I am just concerned, that,s all. and thought maybe I should just use the stock springs with the the koni's?

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

I completely understand where you are coming form, and lowering springs aren't for everyone. That said, the combination is one, if not the best riding there is.

I'd suggest you ask those that claim they are going to smack their heads what the details are about their setups. How stiff are the shocks, how much tire pressure, what sizes, any increase in unsprung weight, what other mods are done (as any number of things can have a result on the ride), etc.....

You will never, ever get consensus from everyone on everything because everyone is different.

If you are concerned about the ride and want the best ride, and can live with the lowering you get with the lower perch/isolator mod then I'd have to recommend that's exactly what you do. You can always add springs later if you change you mind.....

MeentSS02

iTrader: (11)

Ridgecrest huh? I haven't been to China Lake in a while...not that I really want to go back

Nice review - my Koni 4/4s and Strano Springs are waiting to join his sway bars that are already on the car. I just need some warm weather and a little motivation to get out there and actually install them.

RevGTO

iTrader: (12)

You own the springs, man. The only way to find out if you like them is to install them. If you do and don't like them, you can pull them off and you'll have no problem selling them here. I know it'd be a pain to do the job twice, but how else will you know?

00CaliforniaZ28

iTrader: (11)

Trust me, I know ALL about that! I see the expansion joints coming, and just hang on for dear life, because its a hell of a jolt. When I took off my last set of rims, one of them was dented, and I dont have any doubts that those joints were probably the cause. But like you said, there really isnt much the springs/shocks can do in an instance like that, just shitty So Cal freeways for ya!

SS DNA

iTrader: (7)

This is the Setup I want. I can only imagine what it feels like

slow ride 02

I too live in So Cal, Orange County

cookba

iTrader: (10)

i have had my koni 4/4 and strano sway bars for more than a year. i have driven from CA to FL then from FL to CA. i enjoyed every minute of it, except Camaro seats arent that comfortable after 10 hours of driving. I have rode on cars with the sportlines and the G2 springs as well. although the G2 set up was nice, the cars were slammed and scrapped, i havent once scrapped with my full exhaust hanging underneath. i would like to hear more about the Vredestein tires though?!?!

blades11b

iTrader: (1)

sorry guys havent been on in a couple days got alot to address apparently, as i said in my post there is quit literally nothing you can do to compensate for those freeway joints except driving a SUV or something the ride is great i do love it alot it feels like it dampens more than stock and like the car is super glued to the road. As far as the Vredesteins go i love them also they are just the right length i only had to grind down the bump stops in the back i didnt have to hammer mod anything and they dont rub up front they have excellent wet traction as well as dry used to anything over like 2000rpm for a launch i would burn the tires down now it will launch nicely. so far i have no complaints about he tires at all although i have noticed they are a little narrower than other 295's ive seen on the road.

I would quit literally suggest this setup to everyone and anyone the entire package has livened my car up so much its rediculous when i first got the car it had all stock suspension down to the rims with a set of BF's for tires i buzzed it up to like 145 and the car didnt feel stable at all... the other day i took it to 130 and it felt just like i was going like 80 or 90 it felt great.

blades11b

iTrader: (1)

oh and take it from the rest of us guys in SoCal the freeways are horrible. dont let that comment about being ejected through the T Tops scare you away from the combo

sheikss

iTrader: (11)

Once you get them on make sure to post some pics. I thought you had lowered yours already?

MeentSS02

iTrader: (11)

It is lowered already, but I'm switching things up - going from Ground Control adjustable perches on Bilsteins to this. It should sit almost exactly the same as before, but this time with more spring rate front and rear and better shocks.