I posted in another thread but it was a little off topic. I am finally fixing up my suspension after the performance mods are to my liking and it has taken a toll on my stocker suspension lol. I am planning on giving sam a call about the setup but just wanted some suggestions and had a few questions. Right now both rear wheel wells are sittin at 28 7/8" off the ground and fronts are both right around 27". The gaps drive me crazy but i cant really lower the car much because of the true duals. When you do the "heater hose mod" only and just replace the stock shock with bilstiens and stay with stock springs does it make the car sit funny in the back and does it require an adj panhard bar? Same question for the koni's with fronts on the lower perch and hose mod in the rear on stock springs... I have a budget of about 1200 for the setup and may need to fit mounts and end links in if they are in bad shape. Its mostly a DD car with a few trips to the drag strip for fun.

 

Hello,
You should be fine using aftermarket shocks and stock springs, the spring is what determines the ride hite. But if you decide you want to lower a vehicle that is the time to get a adjustable panhard bar. If you have any other questions feel free to ask.
Thanks Again,
Brad

 

I want to stick with the stock springs due to the fact that i Drive it alot and dont race that often but i do want to get rid of that gap in the rear and make the stance a little better. The 2 options im thinking of are the koni shocks so i can lower the front 3/4" and pull out the rear isolator and add heater hose to it to lower the rear 3/4 -1" and also considered just replacing with bilstiens and performing the rear spring mod to take out some of the gap in the rear. I wanted some insight from anyone who has done this and if i need an adj. panhard bar for that small of a drop. If so i may just go with a more aggressive setup.

 

If you lower only with the "hose mod" you don't need an adjustable PHB.

Only the Koni's have the spring perch on the front shock that moves and allows a drop. You can use the hose-mod in the rear with either Koni or Bilstein.

Koni's are not $1200, in fact they start @ $854/set.

Bilstein's are $435/set (but probably going up a little bit soon). Bilstein's are not adjustable for damping so you can't do anything to tune the feel, ride, or response. And they don't have the ability to lower the front of the car the approximately 5/8-3/4" the Koni's do.

 

Thank you sam, im glad you took the time to go over some of these things with me on the phone and whatever setup i go with will be done through you. I think a good starting point would be to just get koni's and if i want to do anything different in the future i dont have to replace them. Not having to replace the panhard bar with this setup unless i go lower is a bonus as well. I really think that with what mods i have and the clearance issue, I should start with the drop the koni's and the hose mod can do (1/2 - 1" for some) for me and go from there. I see alot of posts of ppl wanting some feedback on this particular setup since it seems popular and i have not seen many. Any of you have any feeback on this setup or if you started at this point and ended up with different springs ect and how you liked it? Once this is done i will post before and after pics as well as my opinion of the setup.

 

Do the Konis with Sam, period.

If you're doing your own work, add either:
1. His sway bars, if you like turning or
2. UMI's LCAs and PHB package.

How are your brakes? If they aren't feeling so good, do those with the shocks, simple Hawk pads, new rotors, and bleed the system instead of 1 or 2. You will love the car all over again and feel in control of the beast.

 

I have new rotors that went on this last year but the brakes do need some work ( getting some softness in the pedal and pads are pretty worn ) and i mentioned to sam that i wanted to pick up some hawk pads also.. i have slotted rotors so what pads match those the best? I dont plan on lowering the car any further then what the koni's and Hose mod do for me unless i can tuck my exhaust up further. I like your suggestion and if i plan on doing more for the suspension i will definately go through sam and pick those pieces up. Keep the suggestions coming! Im looking for some opinions on the koni setup with stock springs... Jmilz28 i see you did an m6 swap, a little off topic but what was your price tag on that and how difficult was the swap. I plan on doing that swap as soon as i can after the suspension.