honestabe

Anyone run a Vogtland kit, there are two on there website. Their descriptions are hard to follow. This is the cheaper on at $595
http://www.vogtlandsuspension.com/p1...duct_info.html

Alternatives I'm considering are Tokicos with: Progress, Hotchkis, or H&R race. I keep hearing tho that anything more than a 1.5" drop would not improve handling. The Vogtlands seem to be a great price and a conservative drop of 1.4".

ack154

iTrader: (7)

There are a few people with Vogtland springs - but no suspension "kits" from them - mostly b/c at the bottom of that page it says it is "in development."

honestabe

hmm good catch I didn't notice.

ack154

iTrader: (7)

Seems promising though... I hear good things about their stuff. And at that price, a shock/spring set wouldn't be a bad deal for quality stuff.

FlintC

from what i understand the struts will be koni yellows, even if not the exact ones, similar valving/dampening would be awesome. im running koni yellows all around w/ vogtland springs, hotchkis sways and rear adjustable kjb end links and like it. still got some tweaking to do and need good tires but over all pretty satisfied

honestabe

Thanks Flint, you're right. The two kits I saw on the site are: part# 69084 ($881.27) vs 969084T ($595.57). I actually received an email from Vogtland and they explained that the more expensive kit uses Konis as Flint said, allowing for external adjustable dampening. The cheaper one uses Tokicos (not adjustable, as we know), hence the 'T' at the end of the pn.

Seems like a sweet deal to me, 1.4" F/R drop. Spring rates for their lowering springs are F171, R321. $600 with free shipping (!) compared to my alternative of tokicos+h&r sports $700 with shipping. I think I'm sold! Nowhere on the forum have I seen anyone with a kit, so hopefully this gives people good info.

testa422

iTrader: (6)

dont know if hes still around but there was a guy, Joe, from west virginia who had a NIA body kit and was lowered on Vogtland springs...saw him at a car show and the drop looked really nice

2006bluetc

Yea that's me.Thanks btw. I'll post up a pic. The springs were great and The ride has not rough at all. I liked the look with the lip kit. It was just the right amount to still be able to drive most everywhere with scraping. Now I have the Kaminari bodykit and airbags lol

Anyway here is a pic

honestabe

That looks good. I can't tell from that angle, but the springs have a drop that lowers the front 'much' more than the back (1.6F 1.2R). How does that look? I don't have a lip kit either.

Strange thing is the kit that I'm considering says an even 1.4". I don't get that, unless the Tokicos differ in height. I'm prbly going to order the kit (vogtland springs + Tokicos) tonight

honestabe

Update: so I did order this kit when I last posted, took this long to get here and when I rushed to open up the box... there were Tokico struts.... only :?

?? No springs at all. So I write an angry email to Vogtland and they tell me yea the springs should have come with it BUT no, they weren't going to be installed on the Tokicos!!

Does that make any sense? The Tokicos didn't come with top mounts, so maybe that's why they didn't/couldn't put the springs on the struts. I guess I need to use the stock upper perch mounts, which means I'm gonna need to rent a spring compressor or ask someone to take it off and put it on the Tokicos.

I was hoping I'd have two separate spring-strut sets, stock and this kit. Do aftermarket struts ever come with top mounts? I guess coilovers do.

RoboCop

iTrader: (1)

Many coilovers don't come with top mounts because stock fits best. Whenever it comes to having pillowball top mounts, then of course, they must provide the top mounts.

Are they sending the springs?

honestabe

I'm waiting to hear back from them.

I never knew that most coilovers and all aftermarket struts require the use of the stock struts' upper perch and mounting plate. I'm talking about the stuff in the first image on page 5 of this http://www.trdsparks.com/install/19425inst.pdf

The struts came with nothing to retain the spring on top, only on the bottom where the perches are welded to the strut
(not for the tc)

honestabe

Springs are on their way straight from Germany... so yea. Despite the shipping mix ups they've shown good customer service to get me my stuff.

Anyway, the only question I have is when I install, do I cut the bump stops? I'm guessing no, but no directions came with the tokicos. From what I understand cutting bump stops is meant to save stock shocks when adding aftermarket, shorter than stock, springs. I'm not really sure tho.

honestabe

bump, do I need to cut the bump stops? ^

ScikoTRDtC

i had agx struts and vogtland springs on my celica...the drop looked decent but my ride quality really went down the drain. unless you plan on putting other suspension parts on i wouldnt go with the combo..but of course that was on a celica not a tc lol

honestabe

I think spring+struts are the only suspension components that directly affect ride quality so don't think I can add more to it to improve ride quality... unless you meant that since its harsh its only worth it if I go all out with other parts?

Anyway, no one knows whether I should cut the bump stops?? I thought the point of doing it was for the stock shocks + aftermarket springs scenario, because they aren't designed for each other. Can anyone explain it better?

2006bluetc

I cut my bump stops when installing the vogtland springs. Also the ride quality will still be ok with this set up. It isn't going to beat the crap out of you while driving.

honestabe

Installed the Vogtland lowering springs on Tokico Blues the weekend before last. Spring compressors are a pain lol and so is taking off the top retaining nut (no air tools). Using a rubber mallet to get that impact motion worked well.

So far the car seems to stay much flatter when cornering yet not too much harsher since the springs are progressive. I haven't gotten my alignment yet so I haven't really pushed the car to see how it responds.

I'm pretty happy though, the fronts lowered much more than I thought they would. Not sure if it's fully settled but I have 1 finger in the front and 2 in the back. I think it looks great, I'll post pics tonight maybe.

honestabe

honestabe