Dampers/Shocks

[nattman]

So, I'm thinking suspension options for my S13 for when i finally get my finger out and start working on it. The chassis is already polybushed so I'm thinking in what to do spring wise. I don't want to go coilovers because I've had a few coiloverd cars and the ride is sodding awful for day to day driving. Ive decided I'm gonna try good old lowering springs and shocks but I've come a bit unstuck when it comes to the shocks. I can't really find anything other than standard replacement stuff. I did see some adjustable gas type somewhere but they were circa £300 odd quid which im not gonna spend. The car is mainly going to be used for weekend outings and maybe the odd track day, nothing serious. Any thoughts?

[zeppelin101]

Don't write all coilovers off from previous experience. The Apex "limo" coilovers which are the softest off the shelf in terms of spring rate get good reviews from a ride perspective. Admittedly though, most of them are oversprung and the damping is squiffy so I know what you mean...

As far as shocks off the shelf, there isn't a great deal out there. Some places will sell you Koni Sports, which I would highly recommend based on my experience with them on another car years ago but they aren't terribly cheap; probably about the same as your average coilover setup.

KYB have two units available for these cars, but you can't really go beyond a 30mm drop on even the uprated ones without drastically shortening the life of them apparently. I have no experience of them though, I'm just going off other people's reports from here and there.

I would spend the extra and get the Koni's personally if you're dead set against any kind of coilovers with some sensible springs (maybe H&R or some such). It won't be cheap, but it will ride nice and improve body control hugely.

Alternatively, contact Apex and ask them for a set of the "limo" coilovers.

The only other thing to do after that is a custom job, which is definitely not going to be appealing!

[nattman]

Thanks for the info bud. I'll have a look at the limo coilovers. Not going custom thats for sure. 😀

[R3K1355]

Apex still list KYB AGX shocks, they're adjustable, they also list adjustable Koni's as well.

Might work out cheaper to buy Apex Limo's tho.

[nattman]

Cheaper is a relative term. Those limo coilovers cost more than i paid for the car. 😮

[zeppelin101]

Short of getting something second hand, that's about the best you'll do in terms of price.

[nattman]

Yeh it seems second hand is the way its going.

[R3K1355]

Cheaper is a relative term. Those limo coilovers cost more than i paid for the car. ��

If you bought the car that cheap you got a stonking deal, even in a shabby state people are asking well over a grand, easily two if it's rough but got MOT.

[nattman]

Yeh trust me mate, i stole it off the guy.

[dukey]

I had the kyb standard shocks brand new with lowering springs (apex I think) shocks lasted a couple months and became so dangerous to drive.

[nattman]

That's not ideal is it. Ha. Looking like I'm just gonna have to suck it up an buy some coilovers.

[Rochester]

I had the kyb standard shocks brand new with lowering springs (apex I think) shocks lasted a couple months and became so dangerous to drive.

KYB come with a twelve month or 10,000 mile warranty so you should have got your money back.

On the OP's point I am a big fan of Konis, been using them for over 30 years now on various cars, latterly 20 odd years on the front end of my S13.

They don't quite last forever, but over that time and over 120K miles I have only had to buy two pairs of them, first pair lasted 110K before one of the pair failed, second pair fitted 10K ago and work beautifully with Whiteline Control front springs (2.8 Kg mm / 155 lb in) given + 3/4 turn on the adjuster.

Sadly Koni UK don't offer the same lifetime warranty that they do in the USA but they're a damned good buy. Good safe effective and genuinely adjustable supple damping with no crashes and bangs or unwanted dramas.

However.... I was running KYB AGX adjustables on the rear, which, while perfectly acceptable, don't have a patch on the pair of Apex Comfy coilovers I now have on the rear (4 kg mm / 220 lb in) .

Lucked into someone selling the rears only on here and my goodness me what a revelation. No crashes, no bangs, supple and completely effective at tying down and planting my car's rear end. Brilliant.

Wish now the seller had still had the fronts too !. Keeping my eye out for a second hand pair of Comfy fronts against future need and because I suspect that if they are that good on the rear then I may finally be persuaded to be prised away from my beloved Konis.

So to put it shortly, IMHO Konis good, yes, but Apex Comfies better. AGX's if the cash is short.

[dukey]

They would have if I used them in an oem manor and didn't lower it

[nattman]

Plenty to think about. Thanks for all the input chaps.

[pointz]

Cheaper is a relative term. Those limo coilovers cost more than i paid for the car. ��

Cheaper is a relative term and s-body ownership don't go together!!

[R3K1355]

Yeh trust me mate, i stole it off the guy.

Unfortunately thats probably where the good times end

Although parts/tuning and stuff is still pretty affordable compared to other cars, but you are gunna have to get the wallet out to keep the car in decent nick, it's a good 20 years old after all.

[nattman]

Yeh i can believe that.
Its in pretty good condition though. The guy had it 10 years and really looked after it. All the worst of the welding, chassis rauls, turrets etc has already been professionally done so they're sold. I've got a massive amount of service history and paperwork for it, anything that needed doing the guy done. It was always dry stored as well so hasn't rotted that bad, it was just that it sat for the last two years in his garage that the rot got a grip of the rear sills. I'll get a project thread up after xmas with some decent pics and stuff. I have seen much worse examples sell for 3x the money so I'm well happy with it regardless of what the future holds. 😀