need help on choosing spring and shock

[kna62181]

hey guys. i am thinking lower my car down. what is the best choice to get? give me some name. i want spring and shock too. thanks
pic of me and my car. :)

[coOOlcelica]

get trds shock strut and spring package or willing to spend a little

more then by TEIN or even better go with all hotchkis suspension

that is what i am planning to do!!!!!

[ProToolsKid]

Hotchkis

[coOOlcelica]

but the hotckhis springs dont give u much of a drop

though.....what if u use some other aftermaket springs for a

bigger drop????

[ProToolsKid]

Uhh the springs are a 1.5 front and 1.75 rear you use the shocks that are actually coilovers W/ these springs to drop even more. I think you can slam the car on the ground and drag your bumper if you want.
Here is the Hotchkis drop
http://www.simpletoast.com/josiah/celica_pics/Celica%20Pics%2010-30-01/HotchkisPics2/Side.JPG

[ctkrider]

hey protoolskid, u say that the hotchkis springs and shocks together, they are a coilover system? So are you saying that the hotchkis shocks are adjustable in height? If so, do you know if they will work with my TRD springs? Thanks

[ProToolsKid]

Ask Someone at Hotchkis
email
"Jim Dew"
jdew@hotchkis.net

[BLOOPER]

If you are going to spend the bucks on the Hotchkis coilovers you should order the Bilstein coilovers. Nitrogen gas inserts and adjustable to a 2" drop. Promo price of $899, usually $2300.

[coOOlcelica]

hey protoolskid...i am going to eventually to buy the hotchkis shocks..struts....wondering if possible to use my groudn control coilovers to have a bigger drop...

also thanxs..for the number of suddhir man!!!!!

[Novus]

Tein, Apex, B&G, Skunk, C-One and Hotchkis all make full race coilover setups for our car. They are all in excess of $1000. They should all be fully adjustable both height and stiffness. Those are all the ones I can think of.

Another way to go is Ground Control coilovers with Koni Adjustable shocks. I believe Koni makes shocks that are made for lowered applications. I don't think you can use the GC coilovers with the Hotchkis struts. It'd be an interesting setup if you can. KYB also makes shocks for our car, but I don't think they will play well with the GCs.

A cheaper way to go is get one of the many sets of lowering springs available from Tanabe, Eibach, TRD, Hotchkis, etc. and get a set of Koni adjustables as previosly mentioned.

Finally you can get the TRD Spring+Shock package for ~$600. These are not adjustable, but they are TRD (The shocks are remarked KYBs I believe, and the springs are Eibach), and they do lower the car.

Oh, and Hotchkis uses Bilstein inserts in their struts. Bilstein's web page says they still have not released shocks for our car, but they are in development. Chances are they are done or close to done if Hotchkis is using their stuff. It might be possible to use the GC coilovers with them, and they probably won't be as expensive as the Hotchkis struts.

I'm suprised autxr hasn't swooped into post something in this thread, but maybe he's getting tired of answering every suspension question on the board. I'd say use the search function but I think most of the archives got cleared out during the move.

[David Draper]

Well, it kinda depends on how much you're willing to spend, but you can get the TRD shocks/springs set for $599.

If you're looking for coil-overs, the Hotchkis are the best way to go.

Let me know if you're interested, and I'll get you THE BEST price!

Thanks,
David :)

[ctkrider]

Are you sure the KYB's are adjustable in height? I think autoxr (Scott) said that they were only adjustable in terms of how stiff you want to make them. And one more question, are you sure the TRD shocks, will it lower my car some more? (BTW I have TRD springs). David Draper, can you answer any of these questions? Thanks-

Richard

[coOOlcelica]

yo thanks "novus" for the help!!!!!!!!!

i think i am going to get hotchkis sturts and go with ground control coilovers...

[kna62181]

well thanks u guys. that really help alot. anyway, i just wanna lower my car down to where it would look good and drive good. not looking for hitting the ground. i live in louisiana , road are suck over here ;). i like how low the bmw is . what do you guys thinnk?

my car:

[ProToolsKid]

Originally posted by coOOlcelica
yo thanks "novus" for the help!!!!!!!!!

i think i am going to get hotchkis sturts and go with ground control coilovers...

No don't use GC's W/ Hotchkis it won't work..... It'll work better W/ the hotchkis springs and you can drop it more than you'll ever need to. Why would you need to get the GC's too that's a waste of $$$.
$200 Hotchkis springs
$375+ GCs
Look at the replacement parts that come W/ the kit.
Look at the size of the front shock
Look the springs they come W/ replcement bump stops.
What other kit covers all these parts?
IMHO GC's too bouncy, I love the ride I have W/ the hotchkis springs and I will stand by Hotchkis quality. Currently I have the springs, camber Links and plates I'm getting the Shocks and sway bars when available.
http://www.hotchkistuning.com/images/Celica/parts/celica_coilover.jpg
http://www.hotchkistuning.com/images/Celica/parts/celica_springs.jpg
http://www.simpletoast.com/josiah/celica_pics/Celica%20Pics%2010-30-01/HotchkisPics/Camber%20Link%204.JPG
http://www.simpletoast.com/josiah/celica_pics/Celica%20Pics%2010-30-01/HotchkisPics2/Rear%20Spring%202.JPG
http://www.simpletoast.com/josiah/celica_pics/Celica%20Pics%2010-30-01/HotchkisPics/Engine%207.JPG

[Novus]

Neither the KYBs or the Konis are adjustable in height, but Koni does have a version of their shocks that are made for lowered applications. All that means is that the shock body is shorter so you don't shorten the shock bound when you lower the car.

All the race coilover sets come with everything that the hotchkis setup does. Ground Controls do not replace the shocks and struts is all. Hence the need for new shocks. Most people complain about the GCs being bouncy because they don't get new shocks.

Hotchkis looks to be the best setup right now. They are made for the Celica. Most of the other full coilover sets are cookie cutter designs.

I'm thinking more that using the GCs with Hotchkis struts/shocks is possible. GCs are just Eibach springs with a new top hat and adjustable spring seats, but I don't think it's worth it. Full coilover sets already have everything that you need to adjust the ride height and the springs are designed to work with the shocks/struts. Hotchkis did a lot of work to design their suspension setup. There's no reason to mess that up with GCs.

Something else I noticed is that the Hotchkis setup doesn't come with helper springs. At least it doesn't look like they do. I don't know exactly what this means since I'm not to sure what the helper springs are supposed to do. I want to say they are there to help the upper springs when they are decompressed due to lowering, but I could be wrong. If that's true then the hotchkis set might not be height adjustable. In that case GCs would be neccesary to change the ride height on the Hotchkis struts/shocks. Realize that the GCs also do not have helper springs so they might make the ride bouncier than if you used the matching Hotchkis springs. Tein, APEX, and B&G all use helper springs and I know they are all height adjustable.

Whatever you decide to do or try, the Hotckis struts/shocks look to be the best on the market, but also the most expensive.

I'm not an expert on suspensions, but I've tried to learn a lot so I can choose the best setup. Suspensions are complicated things. If all you really want is to be able to slam the car I'd get GCs and wait till they destroy the stock shocks and then get some Konis. Atleast, that's the cheapest way to go. Otherwise verify that the Hochkis setup is height adjustable. If they are get them. If not I'd get one of the other full coilover sets. Personally, I'm not worried about the suspension being height adjustable anymore.

[coOOlcelica]

ok protoolskid...i am not wasting money on gcc's i already have those pos...but i am going to get all hotchkis suspension package done...and get rid of gcc's as soon they come out....

also home much ride height can you adjust with the hotchkis coilover suspension?

[ProToolsKid]

I'll get the exact drop from Hotchkis and let you know.

[Ridin13]

Does somebody know the prices for these setups?
Thanks

[coOOlcelica]

i think the price for the hotchkis strut shock package is about $1700 dollars!!!!!

[AkUmA]

Originally posted by ctkrider
Are you sure the KYB's are adjustable in height? I think autoxr (Scott) said that they were only adjustable in terms of how stiff you want to make them. And one more question, are you sure the TRD shocks, will it lower my car some more? (BTW I have TRD springs). David Draper, can you answer any of these questions? Thanks-

Richard

the springs and struts drop the car 1.5 inches. so i dont think it will drop the car more. it will give you a much better ride vs the stock strut and trd spring setup. and they are non-adjustable.:)

[ceLL-ILL-cA]

what about H&R springs? those are good, there not progressive rate, which is better, becuase the change in spring rate does not upset the balance of the car in cornering,plus the drop is almost the same as hotchkns, 1.5 front 1.3 rear

[Bo]

Originally posted by ProToolsKid


No don't use GC's W/ Hotchkis it won't work..... It'll work better W/ the hotchkis springs and you can drop it more than you'll ever need to. Why would you need to get the GC's too that's a waste of $$$.
$200 Hotchkis springs
$375+ GCs
Look at the replacement parts that come W/ the kit.
Look at the size of the front shock
Look the springs they come W/ replcement bump stops.
What other kit covers all these parts?
IMHO GC's too bouncy, I love the ride I have W/ the hotchkis springs and I will stand by Hotchkis quality. Currently I have the springs, camber Links and plates I'm getting the Shocks and sway bars when available.
http://www.hotchkistuning.com/images/Celica/parts/celica_coilover.jpg
http://www.hotchkistuning.com/images/Celica/parts/celica_springs.jpg
http://www.simpletoast.com/josiah/celica_pics/Celica%20Pics%2010-30-01/HotchkisPics/Camber%20Link%204.JPG
http://www.simpletoast.com/josiah/celica_pics/Celica%20Pics%2010-30-01/HotchkisPics2/Rear%20Spring%202.JPG
http://www.simpletoast.com/josiah/celica_pics/Celica%20Pics%2010-30-01/HotchkisPics/Engine%207.JPG

I'm sure you know more about the availability on these things than me. You're on their nutz about as much as I am TRD's. :D But, I talked to John Hotchkis and he gave me the lowdown on all the products they are digging in for our and prospective vehicles. he showed me the sway bars which look like mirror images of my TRD ones. He said that they were available. I didn't ask much about them as I don't need them, but I took video of them to post on here. They're all red, that's about all I could tell ya really. :) He did however give me a walk-through of the baddest Tundra I have ever seen. They even added Celica mirrors to it! Anyways, give them a call and you might be able to score a set. I can't remember how much, but it was a pretty good number.

[David Draper]

Hey guys,

For those interested parties, I can get you the spring/coilover set for $1899!

Any takers? :D

EDIT: By the way, the drop on the Hotchkis kit is 1 7/8".

[Phaseshift]

I have H&R springs on my ride. I was thinking of getting just the TRD shocks. Would that be a good combination?

[Downshift]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by ProToolsKid
[B]Uhh the springs are a 1.5 front and 1.75 rear you use the shocks that are actually coilovers W/ these springs to drop even more. I think you can slam the car on the ground and drag your bumper if you want.
Here is the Hotchkis drop


Hey ProToolsKid, how often do you scrape the road with your setup?

Thanks

[aZnTrD2k]

OMG this thread is almost 7mos old....

[Oo DaRk StAr oO]

OMG!!! 11/13/01 what the hell TTT

[CelicaNamja79]

Looks like someone pulled this one off of search mode......

[Phaseshift]

:confused:

*Cough* it's dusty in here...

[Downshift]

Old or not Wouldn

[LEDmod]

What is the drop on the Sportline??
From the catalong from one of the store said
it's like 1 7/8" front and 2 1/4" (??) something like that..
Back has more drop.... why is that...
Does anyone knows the exact drop on this???
This seems to have good drop and good price....

[HilfigerCelica]

Hey ProToolsKid, how often do you scrape the road with your setup?

Thanks [/B]

Don't worry about scraping with the Hotchkis springs. Just use a little common sense and you'll be ok.

[Downshift]

Thanks

[Bo]

Originally posted by Dooly
What is the drop on the Sportline??
From the catalong from one of the store said
it's like 1 7/8" front and 2 1/4" (??) something like that..
Back has more drop.... why is that...
Does anyone knows the exact drop on this???
This seems to have good drop and good price....

Well... I use the appendages measurement with mine coupled with the TRD Sportivo kit. 1 finger gap in front and back. ;)