[8th_Sin]

I am planning on getting some tannabe sustec springs and I have HEARD (remember I am a newb in this relm) that the stock shocks can withstand lowering and hold up (not like DSM shocks).

Who makes the stock shocks. ALso what are you thoughts on lowering on stock springs.

Please only answer if you have first hand expierence. I know this is a new board and alot of DSM owners on it, so do NOT give me the DSM answer.

TIA

 

[Claudius]

I am planning on getting some tannabe sustec springs

Do you have specs / a datasheet please?

Who makes the stock shocks.

KYB.

ALso what are you thoughts on lowering on stock springs.

Not a good idea since damper travel is reduced and repeated bottoming out can make the dampers leak, heat up and fail.

 

[8th_Sin]

Re: Re: Stock shocks

Do you have specs / a datasheet please?

Having trouble finding any rates or data, but here are the springs.

http://www.tanabe-usa.com/springs/gf210.asp

 

[Claudius]

The spring rates for the Evo 8 can actually be found in the application chart. They are given as 4.4 kg/mm front and 5.7 kg/mm rear. That's roughly 25% harder than stock. Probably not too bad, as the hydraulics setting in the dampers tend to be hard and the springs soft (you know, when you drive over a speed bump it's hard, but when you enter a corner fast the car rolls a lot).

The part that makes me unsure is the "down rate". Appearently given in inches, this seems to be the drop in ride height after fitting these springs. As you can see, the front is lowered by 1.5 inches and the rear by one inch. This alters the car's weight distribution and necessarily increases the stress on the front struts.

From a handling point of view, this altered weight distribution combined with the much harder rear springs will give the car more oversteer under WOT That's not a newbie setup, but can be more fun for the enthusiast for 300 bucks.

You should be aware that the stock struts are a simple dual tube construction made out of low spec material, that the oil quantity in them isnt huge and that they may start to leak after hard use, especially if you autocross. If you just drive to work, you should be fine. Although 1.5 inches is a significant reduction in damper travel... your decision!

 

[dyuyeno]

Keep in mind that the evo's in europe and japan come with stiffer springs. Its how the car was designed. A number of tuners advocate using stiff lowering springs as part of a budget alternative to coilovers. robert fuller (robispec) set up my car with lowering springs, swaybar, bushings etc; significantly better handling at the track...

 

[evo_dadi]

the tanabe gf210 actually works pretty good with the stock dampers.one of the guys i autox with runs this on his stock dampers and is actually running some fast times but he hit the limit of it already so now he's switched to coilovers.it also depends on what youre planning to run your car on,as a daily lowering springs are not bad but once you start looking into some performance the springs can only do so much hence coilovers are better.

 

[dyuyeno]

Go to evolutionm.net or socalevo.net and ask Robi about his budget setup with Espelir GT springs. He's produced some pretty fast track cars using the stock struts and claims that they hold up just fine.

 

[evo_dadi]

oh yeah forgot about those springs also^^ theyre pretty good also and i was planning on getting those before also but got mesome coilovers instead

 

[turbosmartevo8]

i got the tein s-tech springs...lowered the car 1.8 inthe front and 1.0 in the rear...handles better..less body roll...only thing to look out for is scraping the front bumper.. allthough i agree..for me it was just a temporary change because i got a gift certificate to this one tuner shop back home for me in NC and that was all they had that fit my car and they were closing down...so i had to get something or 150 bucks would be lost ! But as far as it goes...they did improve the handeling..but not nearly as well as a good set of coilovers would...

 

[GPTourer]

Everyone around here with a lowered Evo seems to have the Tein S-techs, and they just look too low to me, especially in the front. I want the front to come down more then the back, but the S's just go too far with it IMO.

I'm also thinking of upgrading to the MR Billstein's. Anyone know how they hold up to lowering? And would they still be superior to the regular Evo struts on a lowered vehicle?

 

[vtluu]

To answer the original question, the stock shocks in the GSR and RS are made by KYB. The MR shocks are made by Bilstein, as everybody probably already knows.

 

[TuningTech]

FYI, I have the 210 on my evo on the stock struts/shocks. It is stiffer but a higher spring rate than stock is much better thena lower one. The car does tend to oversteer with this setup wich I like but one of the previous guys is right...its not for a inexperienced driver in general. The Teins seem very soft especially under high speed braking. I know a couple of people who track these springs regualarly and are happy with them for their current...not ready fro full coilovers yet.....setup.

Alfred at TTech