Corona02WS6

OK...im new to this forum. I've done tons of searching for shock and spring applications for my 2002 TA. Icant seem to find out the best setup because everyone has different opinions. I was wondering what you guys think about H&R springs and the QA1 shocks?

I basically want a 1"-1.25" drop and have good street handling and strip in the summer a few times. Thanks for your input!

Corona02WS6

Anyone....please help!!

lsx24

iTrader: (45)

Don't know about H&R springs, although they are popular for looks. I do know QA1 are not what you would call a 'performance' shock. There are more options out there you may want to consider such as Bilstein.

josh99ta

iTrader: (1)

Agreed. If drag racing is your main focus then go with the QA1 set, but if you're only hitting the track a few times a year and do most driving on the streets (which is what I do, and I have owned the HAL QA1 shocks) I'd go with Bilstein HDs or Konis. I just wasn't a big fan of the QA1 set on the street. They could be dialed in to be close, and really shined at the track, but the Bilsteins I had before and now have are much better on the street IMO. Its all about sacrafice though. Bilsteins will be good on the street and in the curves but they'll hurt you a little at the drag strip. QA1s will excel at the track but you give up a little on the street. Just need to decide which one you want.

trackbird

iTrader: (4)

H&R springs are under that car.

The spring rates are 600+/200+ in lbs. I like mine, but there is no way I'd try them with QA1 shocks. There is no way those shocks will damp those springs. I autocross on the springs and H&R is one of the top spring companies in the business, but they are famous for european cars (BMW, Porsche, Mercedes Benz, etc). They are probably among the more track ready lowering springs you'll find for these cars (road race track, not drag).

JasonWW

iTrader: (2)

There's an old saying,
You can set up a car for drag strip use and have it handle like crap on the street or
You can set it up for handling and still do pretty good at the drag strip.

Personally, I'd go with a handling setup because it makes the car so much fun to drive and it's safer, too (IE less likely to slide of the road!).

No Juice

iTrader: (11)

I've searched this over and over. Basically what I have found is that if you want to run QA1's, your best bet for springs is the stockers on all four corners. You can remove the rear isolator to lower the rear.
If you want that even lower look go with an aftermarket spring (Eibach or Hotchkis) with Koni's or HD's on all four corners.

Corona02WS6

thanks guys...i think i'll go with the H&R springs and bilstein shocks since i wont be doing much drag racing. i really just want the looks and good handling on the street for most of the part.

ZaneO

Bilstein HDs are not going to be the optimum shock for those springs. Bilstein HDs are meant for stock spring height and stock spring rates. H&Rs are FAR from stock.

Koni SA would be the best option, but a cheaper alternative would be revalved Bilsteins from Sam Strano. www.stranoparts.com

trackbird

iTrader: (4)

Zane is right, that is what I was indirectly trying to say when I said that I'd not run those with the QA1's. Actually, I'd only run those with Koni's (and I do). Even at that, they have about the highest rate of any lowering springs for our cars that I know of. I'm afraid that Bilstiens will be somewhat "helpless" when dealing with that spring rate. I'd look at revalved Bilstiens from Sam Strano or Koni SA's (or DA's, but SA's will do fine). That's a lot of spring rate (nearly double the stock springs).

lsx24

iTrader: (45)

I'd like to second the advice of Sam Strano, he has very accurate information from testing various combos of springs and shocks, and in addition he is a sponser.

Btw, if you are worried about the koni's being too stiff for the street, don't hesitate, because the various koni-cars I have ridden in, tested, and driven have a rebound adjuster. That way, you can utilize the setting to dial-in more stiffness (like for a track day) or less stiffness (like for the freeway ride home).

JakeFusion

iTrader: (7)

I am wondering whether the H&R springs are a progressive rate spring? I'm thinking about adding them and revalved Bilsteins, but I've heard that a progressive rate spring can cause some problems with dampening them correctly. Trackbird, do you know?

JakeFusion

iTrader: (7)

Actually, I found an older post from Trackbird, in case anyone else wanted to know the answer to my question:

A "bunch of spring rate" is:

647 in lb front
258 in lb rear

Both non progressive (straight rate).

That seems to qualify as "a bunch".

Yeehaw.

trackbird

iTrader: (4)

It appears (after more consideration) that the rears are closer to 200 in lbs (or slightly over) and the fronts may be running closer to 600 in lbs (than 647). I had to calculate the spring rate using a formula and a micrometer to get those rates. The formula is usually close, but it appears that I was slightly off on the rears (after comparing to Sam Strano's car with a softer spring, mine are stiffer, but not 258 in lbs kind of stiffer, we decided it has to be closer to 200 in lbs).

Yes, it's a "bunch" of spring rate (compared to stock).

Sorry, I hadn't been back to this thread for a while, I'd have replied sooner.

Actually, I just realized that rate info was in post #5. I guess I didn't forget to list it. But there it is again.

JakeFusion

iTrader: (7)

Ya, I saw that in post 5, but I was wondering if the H&Rs were straight rate or progressive. Now I know. One question about the H&Rs though... would you daily drive on them? I'm used to a very stiff and horrible ride, but are these springs overkill, Trackbird? Thanks.

trackbird

iTrader: (4)

I do daily drive them. Right now I'm "beater free" and I drive my Z daily (it has snow tires in it right now). I don't have an issue with them, but I'm running Koni DA's as well, so I can "tweak" it a little if I'd like to.

JasonWW

iTrader: (2)

Jake, keep in mind that ride height has an effect of ride quality as well. With my setup 550/170 and Koni SA the ride is quite good. About like factory. The 600 lb rate up front shoudln't be much different than mine, but I think the 200lb rear might be more than I would want. But hey, if your used to a slightly firmer ride, then it should be no problem.

The ride height looks about like my car, so it shouldn't be any harsher in that regard, either. The only issue you might have is if you are running the stock rear bumpstop. At that height I'm sure you would have little travel which might feel too rough in everyday driving. If you were to get to this point and feel that the bumpstop is making it too rough, you could trim it down a little to give some more travel or to soften it. But that is a bridge to cross once you get there.

So if the rates are really 600/200 and you are running good shocks, then I think you will be pleasantly surprised how well it rides.

trackbird

iTrader: (4)

Unless you are running Koni DA's. Short bumpstops cost me a $570 shock overhaul on the rear DA's after I crushed them.

JakeFusion

iTrader: (7)

Thanks for the input Jason! It's good to know that a properly setup suspension can ride well and still carve a corner like its on rails. I'm thinking I should do the H&Rs and the Bilstein revalved or the Koni SAs. I figured with a good shock to dampen those high rates, it'd balance out nicely. Coming home today, as my mind was on the suspension, I was in behind a Civic that had been lowered down way too much. With every dip in the road the backend was bouncing and shifting around. I thought to myself, "If only he'd buy a strut/shock that will control that crap."

So, how hard are Konis to adjust? I might even get a DA, but I don't know enough about rebound and compression to accurately setup the car just yet.

trackbird

iTrader: (4)

You don't need DA's (and I have a set). I think you can do 99% of what I do with just the SA's. I do use my compression adjuster, but I don't "have to" and it adds an extra layer of complication to the mix. SA's will do everything you ask. As a side note, Sam is not running DA's on the car he won the nationals in SCCA Solo II with this year (if that gives you an idea). You can go quite far on SA's or revalved Bilstiens.

The front rebound adjuster can be "fun" to get to, but once you learn to adjust it using an allen wrench (4mm or a small standard), it's not bad at all (just install them with the adjusters facing "out" so you can reach them).