jglaze

Went in for a pre-DE tech inspection today and my suspension failed the inspection, which means it's time for a new setup. I'd already started down the route of acquiring a DSC box (I do have, and would like to keep PASM enabled), GT3 LCAs, and new drop links, but now I'm left wondering what direction I should head with the struts.

I do the occasional DE (max 4-5 events/yr), running street tires. Most of my time, however, is spent avoiding potholes around Boston. Since the car isn't a DD, I'd be ok with a slight drop (I had been looking at Eibach springs) and slightly more aggressive setup, but I'm planning to err on the conservative side (no solid bushings/monoballs/full race coilovers/etc). I'm also not interested in dropping massive amounts of $$$ since I unexpectedly had to buy a new DD two weeks ago.

Help me spend my money...just don't tell my wife.

Hella-Buggin'

If you want the DSC and PASM, go for Bilstein Damptronics.
Other wise, I hear great things about the Ohlin R&T, although you loose the dash switchable adjustment. I'll probably do the damptronics when mine fail. 80k so far and they seem to be in good shape though.

Hella-Buggin'

I have the GT3 LCA's and am running 2 degrees up front. That's the max my tech recommended for a car driven on the street as much as mine. He also recommended avoiding monoballs due to increased stress on rough city streets.
I imagine Boston is on par with San Francisco for crappy roads.

jglaze

Yeah, it was recommended that I keep within the tolerances of the stock GT3 alignment. As a recent transplant from SF, I can attest that the roads in Boston are FAR worse than those in the Bay Area. I'm at 90k, and have only had the car on beantown roads for a year and I think that's what broke my car...

Damptronics do seem to be the way to go, but hopefully someone will chime in whose gone that route.

motopix

I have new B16s, gt3 LCAs and the DSC box. It's a great setup. Expensive though...

I have the old set of B16s damptronics sitting around until I put in some effort into sending them to Bilstein to be rebuilt. Let me know if you have any interest in them. Rebuilding is pretty cheap from what I understand.

swartzzz

I am curious what failed the inspection? Was it a strut leaking???

semicycler

B16 Damptronics, GT3 style split LCA's in front for more camber than the stock setup allows, DSC box, and perhaps sway bars either H&R to keep costs down or used GT3. If you drop more than about 1/2" then consider sway bar drop links too to take out any preload. Just use the rubber boots over the endlinks to keep the noise down.

Keep all the rubber bushings but refresh the upper strut mounts with new OEM parts while you are in there. Shoot for GT3 alignment specs, maybe a hair higher negative camber in front. It's a fantastic street setup and takes corners amazingly well.

lowbee

So if my car is not lowered but want more negative front camber, do I need the GT3 LCA ? or is that only required for lowered cars ?

For the DSC box, I assume I can get a file (program) to make the non-sport mode even more comfortable (softer) on bad road but still benefit from the dynamic changing of the damping rate at each corner independently during braking and cornering ?

Are my understandings correct ? TIA

And if the OP want to spend less than B16, why not consider replacing only the dampers with Bilstein Sports B6 for a fraction of the price and still get the benefit of PASM ?

swartzzz

Only two ways to get more than -1 degree of negative camber. Either camber plates on the top of the strut, or Lower Control Arms. You benefit with a slightly wider track with the Control Arms. In my opinion, it was the best suspension mod I made.

Also, the new DSC control module will have two settings, stock and NOT stock! The TPC guys have those shocks doing what they are capable of doing! A great addition to the set-up. If you do the LCA's, consider the rear toe links. They really keep the rear track in check and pointed where it should. With an aggressive camber alignment, the factory toe links with rubber are not stable. I used Champion, btw.

gasongasoff

Can you explain more? My drop on B16's is probably around 1/2" or more, and I have H&R front/rear swaybars, but I reused the OEM drop links...

kisik

Not sure what failed. The cheapest way just to replace stock for B4s OEM replacement. Get LCAs + DSC box. That it is it. If you get to DEs seriously, all New England tracks are very uneven with lots of pavement and height changes. No need for stiff setup. Soft is good. Keep stock. You will be fine. I am in Boston too. Send me pm if you have any questions. Invest more in coaching and good instructors. Your car is fine. Join us for Palmer. More challenging than Glen.

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997.1 C2S

177mph

My .02. I went with Damptronics and they are the perfect compromise between city streets and track events.

lowbee

The B4 & B6 are priced pretty close, and I am not sure I understand how they are different. Is the B6 stiffer or does it have wider dynamic ranges ?

Fined

I think nwGTS has detailed a pretty in depth look into suspension changes in one of his threads around someplace

nwGTS

On mobile so can't dig it up but it's abridged in the link in my sig and easily findable in the list of threads in my profile. Semicycler has good advice here too.