wzard999

Seeking objective and subjective input from those with experience, what do you think about these two opposing spring setups for an xA?

H&R Race or Eibach Sportline?

I'd also like to know if you'd recommend coupling the H&R race springs with Tokico HP blues. I know the blues are a good marriage with the Sportlines, but I wonder if the H&R race springs are too stiff for the blues.

itscurtsk

will you consider the df210? i've had the sportline tokico set up, it gets a little bouncy at times because it is progressive springs. if you're gonna spend that much getting springs and struts/shocks, there's always racelands.

wzard999

Hmmm. . . I had a progressive Eibach spring setup on an Escort, and didn't have any trouble at all with bounciness. Different car, different springs; but I wonder if the progressive design is what caused your bounciness.

If progressive spring design does in fact lead to bounciness in the xA suspension, then I wonder if the H&R Race springs would avoid or mitigate it. The reason I wonder is because I haven't been able to source any specifications for the H&R Race spring rate. Are they progressive or linear? Photos of the actual H&R Race springs would be great; then, maybe I could determine the answer.

I never even considered Tanabes. Just never heard of or had any experience with that brand. I'd rather go with a brand I can trust. Otherwise, I'll need to do more research on them. That's also part of the reason I'm staying far away from Raceland coilovers. Not only have I never heard of them; but they're just too cheap to be any good. $370 for a full set of coilovers?! Yeah, I don't think so. I can tell just by looking at a bunch of internet pics that they won't hold up to extended, regular use. They may be fine for a show car, but I'm extremely fond of the backroads. Eibach, H&R and Tokico are names I know with products I'm sure will stand the test of time and abuse.

Now, about those DF210s matched with Tokico HPs. Thoughts?

itscurtsk

I never had the DF210s but there's a whole thread for it on forums and on clubxb forums too. It is comparable to stock. Everyone would recommended either the Tanabe or Eibachs because they give the best drop. If you're not looking for that much for a drop, there are the Tanabe NF210s and the Eibach Prokit. Tokico Blues increased performance in handling, and also stiffness. I'm just a daily commuter in Socal so weather is good. Racelands is what I can afford and gives me enough to pretty much have 0 fender gap. Ride quality to me feels the same as the Eibach, but everyone has their own opinion and judgement. I do agree that it probably won't last as long as springs / shocks, but also factor in weather like snow, and what type of driving you do such as track or back roads, dirt, etc.

wzard999

I appreciate the input. I'm really looking for a setup that rivals the first gen new Cooper S, or a new Fiesta ST, or a Civic Type R, or the like. The more 'race-inspired' and planted, the better. I'm not necessarily striving for drop cred, but that cute-ute fender gap is just plain godawful on a stock xA. I'm thinking 1.5 to 2 inches should do the trick. More of a priority is the car's handling profile. If it makes any difference, I absolutely adore the feel of my cousin's new 8-6 (FRS, BRZ, whatever you want to call it). If I could at least approach that 8-6's tactical dynamic in my xA, then I'll be a happy camper.

How about the adjustable Koni yellows matched with Road Magnets or H&R race? Now, Koni warns of anything over a 35mm drop, so do you think the 51mm / 56mm drop on the H&Rs is cause for concern with the Konis? The Road Magnets only drop 38mm F/R, so I wouldn't be worried with those springs matched with Koni yellows; but I haven't a clue as to their reliability. . .

itscurtsk

If you want to get the Koni yellows, how about Ksport Coilovers because you're spending about the same amount unless you found a good deal or something. You get great drop plus adjustable dampening. Either way, it's gonna be hard to match the FRS set up because the xA's suspension system is way different, with the rear springs separated from the shocks. You can improve handling with getting a rear sway bar and changing out the front sway bar bushings seen here http://www.clubxb.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5982. I got it done on my car around 80k miles and the difference was day and night. Rear sway bar reduced A LOT of the body roll I used to get too.

wzard999

Progress rear sway bar? Check.
Urethane endlink bushings? Check.

You're absolutely right. The difference in handling with the PU bushings and rear roll bar compared to stock is night and day. Not to mention, after around 90k, those stock endlink bushings might as well not even be there.

I'm not even considering coilovers. If I did want coilovers, though, I'd dive on something top tier and geared more toward functional racing performance instead of show cred. I also don't really see myself tinkering around with coilovers, much less the Koni yellows that I'm eye-balling. And a full-blown coilover setup is just not something I even want to attempt right now. After doing that, I might as well gut the car and weld in a cage. I like my AC and stereo system just as much as the next guy. If I do jump on the Konis, once I have them set to an optimal position, they'll stay that way. The main reason I'm considering them is because they'll tighten up the suspension better than any non-adjustable shock could ever dream of. They'll also do a better job complimenting higher spring rates. Oh, and I also discovered a helluva deal on a full set.

About my cuz's 8-6 - yeah, I know. . . and I'm green with envy because of it. The only way to match that chassis is to have that chassis. His Lotus 7 is another one I wouldn't mind owning ;)

itscurtsk

Best of luck to you on whichever route you take. Please update the experience when you have it on, I'm looking forward to your review

wzard999

Thanks! I've opted for the Koni yellows. BTW, autoanything.com is the place to go right now for anyone who's in the market. Their 15% sale puts these puppies at a price-point that's unbeatable. Now, it's just a matter of deciding on the ideal spring.

H&R Race or Road Magnet? I don't know. I just sent the folks at Road Magnet an e-mail, inquiring for more details - most importantly, the criteria they used to determine the specs for their xA/xB set. We'll see. If they're willing to divulge some crucial info, then they may be the best bet. H&R, though, has got a rock-solid rep and the products to back it up. Not to mention, if it weren't for the questionable drop, their Race springs would be right up my alley. I'm still not entirely discounting Eibach either. Right now, it's anybody's game.

Rest assured I'll post up once I test out my setup. If it's good enough, it may even warrant a trip to Appalachian country. Some absolutely killer roads hidden in them mountains.

wzard999

Yep, I know it's been a while, but I'm back with nothing but good news. Not sure if I mentioned it in a previous post or not, but I have the following setup.

Koni yellows
Road Magnet springs
Progress rear sway
Konig Helium wheels - 15 x 6.5 +40
Hankook Ventus tires - 195/55
20mm rear hub spacers by www.2zero6factory.com
Prothane front sway bar endlink bushing replacements

Yeah, I could ask for a better setup, mainly more race-inspired rubber; but with the way I have it set up right now, I am more than a happy camper. I went more function over form, and I'm very happy that I did. The car is so planted now that I still haven't discovered the handling limits! If there's anyone here from Missouri, I highly recommend highway "C" from highway "D" to highway "32" around Hickory Canyons Natural Area. It's mostly downhill when traveling in this direction. And it's as if god dug his finger into the earth and sketched the backbone of a dragon. It's really that good This is where I most recently pushed the modified suspension to about 7/10ths.

Adjustability with shocks is the way to go. Full stiff on the Konis is definitely driveable, but only on smooth tarmac. I currently have the fronts set to full stiff with the rears at about 3/4s, but that's only because I just got back from the glorious highway "C". It's fine for my back, but driving in downtown St. Louis is asking for a beating. When pushing the limits, though, in the hills of southern Missouri, full stiff is definitely the way to go. Road maintenance in this vicinity of the state (which is mostly rural) is surprisingly good. Otherwise, with the common road irregularities of suburban metro-east and downtown Saint Louis, 1/2 to 3/4 is about right. To each their own, though. A bouncy chassis is worse than a compliant one over bumps, if you ask me. I only dial it up for canyon-carving, back road busting duty, and only when I know that the road is in good shape.

Going from the stock steelies to the Heliums was like uncorking a swarm of hornets. At about 11-pounds a pop, they're just spectacular! They shaved about 10 pounds of rotating mass off of each corner, resulting in better hole-shots and more kick to the ___. The K&N Typhoon CAI system, above 3,500 RPM, also added a commendable bite to the little bugger's excitement factor.

I was pretty dismissive at first about purchasing springs from a company I never heard of. But, now that I have them on, I'd say it was the best decision I could make. The Road Magnets are compliant enough with the shocks set for smooth, yet responsive enough with the shocks set for race. And they appear as though they'll outlast at least 2 whole xA lifespans. Not to mention, they're manufactured by a rather old American company that got its start by busting out precision springs of all sorts over 100 years back. They're also backed by a 100% lifetime satisfaction guarantee/warranty. They're also considerably inexpensive. The drop is what I'd call 'mild' (around 1.5-1.75 inches). It's enough to pull that CG down for a dramatic increase in maneuverability, but not so much as to adversely distort the rest of the suspension geometry. I also haven't had any nasty encounters with curbs, speed bumps, dips or humps. There have been a couple of times in parking garages when I opened the door to find that my rockers were just a couple of inches off the pavement, but no problems yet. No rubbing in the fender wells either, even when pushing it.

Here's a YouTube video of a quick walk-around: