Im still in the process of a performance suspension build, but here is whats going on, and the effects of it.

Here we go....

D2 Coilovers

Holy crap, thats what the road feels like! I mean seriously, I've never felt the dips on one side of the car, with out it effecting the opposite side. Really nice adjustable coil overs. Not just your basic (like progress and tein basics) up and down adjustments. You've got your ride height adjustments. Then there are spring rate adjustments (do not effect ride height). Camber adjustments (makes all the difference when you run a small camber amount like -2 or -3. Keeps the tire on the road, and is already set for a turn.) And the ever important damping levels. (which mine are set to full firm. Took a few days to get used to it, but now I know my roads better. lol)

Energy Suspension end link mod.

I've done this to every car, so the effects were not a surprise to me, but to a suspension newb, you'll love it. Best bang for buck mod out there! This will help keep lateral movement threw turns at a minimal. It will also help with going over bumps and such. Now I did these after the D2 coilovers, so I really wasn't noticing much, but body roll was cut down by at least 5%.

Progress rear stabilizer bar.

Another good bang for your buck mod. This really showed much improvement, and I was able to hit a few very sharp low banked 90degree turns about 4-5 mph faster, and exited carrying speed, instead of being bog down into low RPMs. Now I have do have some down sides here... Make sure for the first few trips, you check your bolts. I lost one because it worked its way loose. But after the re-tighten everything has been fine. You should always re-check your bolts after suspension upgrade. I just neglected to do it this time. Flaw 2 is the following. If you really push your car like I do threw turns, you'll notice it wants to push with the rear bar. By push I mean, the front wants to turn in more than your expecting it too. However, its just a slight move on the steering wheel, and it'll correct, but you're going to have to work the wheel threw the turn. Small price to pay for great handling.

Wheels:

15X7 Drag DR20 +10 offsets wrapped in Goodyear Eagle LS 185/60.

DO NOT BUY THESE TIRES IF YOU LIKE RAIN TRACTION! THEY SUCK! But in the dry traction they are not bad. They make some more road noise than you'd like, but not too bad. I have these streched a bit. So the sidewalls are a little stiffer than normal. This makes for improved cornering by having less tire flex.

Currently my overall review on my set up.

Improvement over stock 60% better. I still have a few issues right now to deal with. I get a little wheel hop on short fast turns under hard acceleration. Not to much of a issue. I rub. (just need to push the fenders out a bit, and roll the back.)

So whats next?

Meagan H Brace
JIC Magic Control arm bars
Weapon R roof bars
Weapon R rear cage
Front strut brace.
Energy Suspension Control Arm bushings
Energy Suspension Rear trailing arm bushings.
Energy Suspension Motor Mounts.

Once parts are ordered, and installed, I will provide updated reviews on the parts. And update the overall effect in combination with my current set up

 

cool stuff. you definitely need the mid chassis braces and front strut brace and bushings to get a better feel. I think the Megan and JIC pieces you have up there are in the same place. I'd go with JIC over megan. but i may be wrong.

i'll be watching with how it goes.

 

The control arm bushings well help to eliminate wheel hop.

The JIC Arm Bar connects your control arms to help reduce deflection and keep them flat. Also reduces flex.

The Meagan H Brace is a replacement for the stock bracing. It reduces flex from the body to engine cradle.

Not sure if you read wrong or not, but the list at the bottom are parts to be purchased still. And if I looked at it right, they shouldn't interfere with each other. If they do, then I try one, try the other, and pick the one that worked best, and sell the other.

Also, the strut tower brace, probably not going to do anything but look pretty. lol. Our strut towers are really close and connecting to the firewall. So there is limited flex due to it being tied in together. however, the connection of both, probably can't hurt. lol.

 

word.
my suspension mods so far are:

tein htechs
hotchkis front strut brace
cusco mid chassis brace
progress rear sway
18" TRD's on pirelli pzero nero

i'm personally keeping the box more for street than track at the moment since it's my DD. i'm interested in that particular JIC piece though, if your description is correct. hmm ...

yup, the bushings reduce the hop and give you better steering feel. and i agree, the front strut bar is pretty much for show, but hey, can't hurt.

and yes, get rid of those goodyears. get some sticky rubber!

 

I plan to get Toyo Proxy R1R's. They are a summer/rain tire only though. And are a autocross compound. They also recommend running -2 camber on them at min. so it should be perfect for my set up.

 

nice set up

 

i just have the top strut mount and the tein drop springs and the meagun H brace and it handles better the some cars and for what it is i take turns like 15 to 20 faster then i would with reg stuff in lol i have to get the sways and the other stuff though but i love the way it handles turns i have people bragging for me to other people that i would out take there hondas and other cars in turns lol.

 

Wow what a mega huge run on sentence. lol. My head hurts.


Anyways, I will be ordering a new goody tonight. Not exactly sure which of the ones I'll be ordering, but it'll more than likely be a brace of some sort.

 

here is a update.... Ordered a H brace today.

When it arrives, I am going to paint it red to go with my car since its blue. Just a small detail, that nobody will probably notice but me. lol.

 

you can see the h brace if you have the stock side skirts it hangs pretty low on the car. I like it when you are walking up to the car you see it right away lol. I know almost all my post are run ons but i dont care because i dont like to put marks at the end i just keep typing lol. LOL!!! With the set up i have on my car i run auto cross and time trials and the handling is fine i want to get the rest of the set up so i can get all the body roll out LOL!!! I dont have to muc h body roll right now just in the slalom LOL!!!

 

Your set up isn't nearly as solid as you think. And here is why:

Stock shocks/struts. These will only last so long. Its never a good idea to lower on stock struts and shocks. Once your car gets a little more abuse on it, expect the ride to get hella bouncy.

Your stop strut mount. Ok, not 100% sure what you mean by this, but I am going to guess a Strut Bar? If so, yeah, front strut bar, doesn't do much of anything on our cars. The wheel base is small, and the strut towers are to close to the firewall to get that extra flex.

However if you mean Strut Mounts as in, actual mounts, only thing your going to get from that is a better ride, and if you're running Cusco's then adjustable camber.

I've heard that Tannabe's are a better buy that Tein for just lowering springs. So I can't really say 100% that your springs aren't that good. But I know they've got nothing on my entire assembly. Your set at that height, and that stiffness with the same spring rate. As to where on my D2's I can adjust all of that, plus damping.

As I mentioned before, idle height for performance is control arms flat. So take a gander under your car and see if the two flat sections on your control arm, are indeed flat with the road. If so, then you are at optimal height for performance. Some cars need just 1" to get that height, other cars need 2 to 3"s to get the control arms flat with the road.

But anyways, I plan to grind down the H-brace for extra clearance. I sit pretty low as it is, and the last thing I need is to hang up on a sewer lid, and rip out my bottom end. It should be on its way now to Kentucky from Cali. So as long as the weather stays nice next week, I should have it on, and give it a road test.

BTW CC. I edited your post in the quote. Now it can be read with out with out wanting to strangle a 2 year old.

 

Update time _____es :D




Ok, so, with everything else added to the box, this was next on the list. Here we have a H-Brace, knock off style!

Basically, I noticed a few improvements. First thing I noticed was how much better it takes bumps in the front. And that's a big positive when you ride as low as I do, and as stiff as I do.

Second thing I noticed was turning. Turns a lot better. Pulls right along and holds the line a little better in the turn. However it still understeer in on big swooping banked high speed turns.

Third thing I noticed..... I need to paint my car orange add a rebel flag and a big 01 on the doors. I freaking Dukes of Hazzard'd it on some of the fun Kentucky Back roads. I was basically going threw a 45mph speed zone (which is a very reasonable speed for our back roads) at 80mph. And the front now wants to stay a little more firm and level, even when in the air. lol. Scared the shiznite out of me, the first time. 2nd time, I bet every farmer eating dinner was like did someone just yell "weeee!"?

I lost tons of ground clearance, and my driveway has now become off limits to the xB. Stupid giant lipped curb.

Overall, if your at stock height. You'll love it. Even with a TRD drop, it should still be at a reasonable ground clearance with the H Brace.

But even dropped, its still worth it. If your really care about handling, you should get this.

4 out of 5. Only reason a 4, is because of ground clearance issues.

 

looks good but no way with my drop I get that... I can't get over speed bumps barely now

 

Weak!



That's my ride height....

 

nice. that's the same color as my cusco brace, which has different points where the bars are welded.

 

Yeah, I was to poor to get the one I wanted. I wanted a Tanabe, but this will do for now.

When I rip it off, i'll replace it with a tanabe brace. lol

 

LOL if I was as high as you it would be no problem

 

i am raked. I am as low as I can go on the front with out rubbing the snot out of my tires. But I run +10 offsets on a 15" rim. The rear of my car is about 1/2" higher, which allows people to ride in the back of my car, with out sagging lower in the back, and it looks cool raked. lol.

With where the bar is positioned, its not as big of a road hazard as some make it out to be. Don't get me wrong, speed bumps are a PITA, But if you go over them with some angle, instead of head on, you'll be amazed what you can clear. I mean, after all, I drove up on the curb with out the help of any 2X4's or crap like that. All because I know how to drive a lowered car. You learn fast when you drive a bagged cavalier 1/2" off the ground. Of course I could always lift up to clear things, but I hardly did.

 

I agree but I even bottom out on an angle sometimes.....I would probably knock it off LOL... i have been driving lowered cars for over 20 years back when Suspension Techniques about the only game in town

 

I love my h brace i had mine for like half a year and i take turns like they are nothing lol but i have a lot of mods on suspension LOL!!!