Coilovers vs. H&R race?

[gearheadE30]

legal. Swaybar mounting is unrestricted IN FRONT even in stock. I beleive front and rear in S/T

Cool, looks like I'll do this mod when I weld up the coilovers.

I like my H&R races. They are idiot proof to install and maintain.

coilovers aren't much more difficult, and races are more or less out of the question at this point.

[nando]

I run in SM so whatever :p

I don't get paid thousands of dollars to autox so really who gives a crap? it's for fun mainly. I like competition and on the local level I'm fairly competitive even with my heavy AWD car that's way underprepared for it's class. I still don't get how people think standard "lowering springs" are a better ride than coilovers just because of soft rates. bottoming out FTL.. my ride quality is just as good and sometimes feels better with 3x the rates as my old H&Rs. and it certainly handles better.

different strokes for different folks I guess?

(drunk post so take with grain of salt)

[einstein57]

I like my H&R races. They are idiot proof to install and maintain.

[DSP74]

legal. Swaybar mounting is unrestricted IN FRONT even in stock. I beleive front and rear in S/T

[gearheadE30]

Cool. I was looking at camber plates, but they are a little bit out of my price range at this point. Maybe in a couple months.

As for the comfort factor, I will probably end up with a set of softer springs for the street and stiffer for the autox, as (the rears at least) they are easier to change out than stock springs.

Out of curiosity, do you know if M3 swaybar mounts relocated to the front strut is legal in STS? The wording in the SCCA rulebook makes me think it is, but then it says that "the suspension geometry must remain unchanged."

[rwh11385]

Good plan, invest in education and you won't be disappointed... unless you're like philosophy or psychology...

$360 is not expensive but if you go for camber plates, Konis, GC RSMs, it adds up quick. I only want to do it with camber plates, and that (?) $250 does add to the equation.

GC is hard to compete with for the value and the benefits. But buy from a vendor like Bimmerworld or Valley Motorwerks and save the headache of a small business with not enough customer service time.

For DD, springs and sways may be more comfortable, but C/Os add flexibility and linear rates. I went through a year of HS and most of college on coilovers and enjoyed them. H&R sports have been a nice change and can still have fun though. (But part of the reason for switching out was to re-install with replaced needle bearings to remove popping and to change up the rates / add M3-front swaybar links)

Do what makes the most sense, both Race or GC's would work fine.

[gearheadE30]

Actually, for me at least, I'm trying to avoid "cheaping out." Which is exactly why I posted earlier (I can't remember if it was in this thread or not. I have another going on e30tech, which may be half the problem....) that I don't really want Cosmos. Now that it seems that the majority says that they use 2.8" springs, they aren't going to be considered anymore.

Nando and rwh-$360 is not "that expensive," but I'd prefer to do it right for a reasonable price. I've only been looking at coilovers for the past month or so, and have done enough research to realize (finally) that it would cost about this price for any of these options. After speaking with some of the companies that sell universals, I don't trust them enough to put my car and my saftey on the line to save $20. The lower price would have, however, let me buy some new Konis to go in the front end. I have also since learned that there is no need to cut the strut tubes if I run reasonable ride height. Konis are still on the list, but are no longer as important.

Just as a side note, I don't have a whole lot of money to spend here, partially because I have a 1-day a week job, and that won't change. My education doesn't leave time for that, and I'm still in high school. And yes, I am actually trying in school so that I don't end up working at McDonald's for the rest of my life.

/rant. Sorry for anyone who actually read that whole thing ;)

[rwh11385]

because all the standard springs out there are 2.5" id. so if you want to change the rates, you have to search for an oddball size spring, rather than having a plethora of cheap 2.5" id springs available to you in the new/used market, in any lengths of .5" and 25lbs/in increments.

I just don't understand cheaping out on something like this.. it's $200. I guess that's more than your weekly Mcburger paycheck?

dude, chris, they're e30 owners. that pool has been steadily cheaper as the cars have.

ERS springs are a dime a dozen and swapping them is worth a lot... but i guess the initial cost saving is worth it to some

[nando]

cosmo is 2.8" ID...if you could no figure that out from my post. Please explain why the different ID makes them utterly useless.

because all the standard springs out there are 2.5" id. so if you want to change the rates, you have to search for an oddball size spring, rather than having a plethora of cheap 2.5" id springs available to you in the new/used market, in any lengths of .5" and 25lbs/in increments.

I just don't understand cheaping out on something like this.. it's $200. I guess that's more than your weekly Mcburger paycheck?

[nando]

consider WHAT shocks just as much as what springs...

lets start by the Cosmos being Aluminum construction (won't rust). They come with the same type of adjustable perch as GC AND have a very nice teflon addition that eliminates noises. They're springs are 2.8" vs 2.5" GC just in case you were wondering compatability. been rocking them two years. i rate 10/10 performance. ebay spring rates of 8/10 (450/560) but you can custom order. they are in UK i think so lead times may apply.

bare aluminum corrodes very easily actually - especially if it's exposed to salt/sand.

ditto on them being worthless if they don't use 2.5" springs. and is $360 for GC really that expensive?

[etxxz]

Measure the spring's INSIDE diameter.....Not to be a dick but you guys using the Cosmo setup are fucking something up. I CONTINUE to here conficting information about the size of the springs.....From 2.5 to 2.8 to 3.5" springs......WTF is it??????


And while I've been on the Cosmo is fine band wagon lately, if they do not use 2.5" springs they are utterly useless

cosmo is 2.8" ID...if you could no figure that out from my post. Please explain why the different ID makes them utterly useless.

[gearheadE30]

And while I've been on the Cosmo is fine band wagon lately, if they do not use 2.5" springs they are utterly useless

Yeah, no kidding. That's another topic that makes me a bit wary.

318isbmw and smonkbmw, I would go H&R races if they weren't about the same price as coilovers. At $350, I think coilovers offer a lot more for the money. I am also not much of a fan of progressive rate springs on an e30. All of the linearly-sprung cars I've driven were much more predictable on bumpy surfaces like the autox courses I drive on.

I have found many sources for rear adjusters; that isn't a problem. If I could get universal front adjusters, however, I would save between $50 and $100.

The reason I want the adjusters to be treated in some way is that aluminum corrodes easily. For some reason, this seems especially true in Indiana. The salt evenmade the aluminum lips on my rims start to corrode :(...

As for swaybars reducing roll, I konw, except the car also exhibits excessive dives and bottoms out too easily. Bars won't fix that ;). I will eventually go stiffer bars, though, probably with an iX bar in the rear and a cabrio bar front with M3 mounts if they are legal in STS.

[DSP74]

lets start by the Cosmos being Aluminum construction (won't rust). They come with the same type of adjustable perch as GC AND have a very nice teflon addition that eliminates noises. They're springs are 2.8" vs 2.5" GC just in case you were wondering compatability..

Measure the spring's INSIDE diameter.....Not to be a dick but you guys using the Cosmo setup are fucking something up. I CONTINUE to here conficting information about the size of the springs.....From 2.5 to 2.8 to 3.5" springs......WTF is it??????


And while I've been on the Cosmo is fine band wagon lately, if they do not use 2.5" springs they are utterly useless

[DSP74]

My ground Control setup on my Camaro after similar useage, with probably several hundred miles of autox runs the threads were SHOT on the adjusters...From the springs rubbing them....Which isn't to say someone elses wouldn't do the same thing.....Probably would it's just aluminum.......

[z31maniac]

OK, after a day on the web, I have it narrowed down to there options:

GC coilovers-$360
Cosmo coilovers-$190
Ireland Engineering front, Cosmo or GC rear-$???

Opinions? I don't know if Cosmos could stand up to multiple winters, considering the bare metal. GCs are a bit pricey for what you get, even if the quality is much better and there is a greater range of adjustment. The IE combination seems like a good deal, and I could just pick up some GC/eibach springs. The price is in the middle, assuming I could find rear adjusters. I don't want the IE 1 7/8 inch spring limitation.

Suggestions? Opinions? Snide remarks?

As far as longevity is concerned I can give you some input on the GC E30 track/school kit.

The car I bought had this suspension already installed, he put it on the car about 5 years and 8000 miles ago. The collars and adjusters, plates, everything still look great (it was a FL car too) the only thing that looks a little ragged are the allen head screws that hold the camber adjustment. And GC just sent me some new ones to put in there.