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Which one? Skunk2 or GC Adjustable Coilovers?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Accessories & Modifications' started by Justdidit, Nov 15, 2012.

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Skunk2 or GC Adjustable Coilovers?

Poll closed Nov 17, 2012.
  1. Skunk2

    66.7%
  2. Ground Control

    33.3%
Multiple votes are allowed.
  1. Steven Harvey

    Steven Harvey Junior Member

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    6061 billet aluminum the kit is lightweight, durable, and rust resistant. The steel shock body is electroplated with zinc to resist rust and the elements. $1,235.00 for 4 at andy's autosport.
    [​IMG]
     
  2. Justdidit

    Justdidit LVNPZEV

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    Where did you read this?

    Sleeves are on - bottoming out is only on the rear - Front is great! Got the new rear 340lb/in springs delivered today - hopefully get those installed this wknd.

    Still working out the camber...
     
  3. Justdidit

    Justdidit LVNPZEV

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    a Bit more than the $350 i paid....

    Pretty....but until i've wore these out or see the need to spend that much dough, these are fine. :)

    [​IMG]
     
  4. Justdidit

    Justdidit LVNPZEV

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    haha i've seen the youtube video of that car - the photo makes it hard to believe but the video is stooopid. Ridiculous...

     
  5. Steven Harvey

    Steven Harvey Junior Member

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    It reminds me of back to the future. Where we're going we don't need roads, possible a tow truck though.
     
  6. Steven Harvey

    Steven Harvey Junior Member

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    through experience I have noticed that putting lowering spring on stock shocks can cause strange effects one effect which I hate the most is at low speeds like in a parking lot the car will bounce quickly almost like your driving on cobblestones. You can always tell lowering springs from coil-overs by the bounciness.

    When you lower a car with springs or coil sleeves you reduce the amount or suspension travel and your shocks will bottom out and hit the bump stops during certain cornering. by getting coil-over suspension rather than just the sleeves, you can adjust the spring rate and dampening to get a better quality feel.

    [​IMG]

    if you are going to lower your car without changing your dampening you will wear your shocks out quicker. changing the rate at which a spring coils and recoils will equally effect how the shock extends and compresses with it. basically if you lower your ride height to much and don't change your shocks you will have too much bump or compression dampening and not enough rebound dampening, this will decreases the amount the shock is going to compress while at the same time increase the amount the shock is going to extend so when you go over the top of a crest the shock will still want to travel upwards rather than want to push down on the road ultimately keeping the tires in contact with the road.
     
  7. Justdidit

    Justdidit LVNPZEV

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    I disagree that all springs give you a bouncy ride and I've lowered plenty of cars. I agree however the 'bouncy' look is seen a lot of ricer cars - usually because the dampening system - oem shocks/struts can't handle the higher spring rate - usually from cheaper spring mfrs. This was taken into affect when Ground Control designed the sleeves with a shorter spring but close to stock spring rate.

    The GC rear springs are Eibach rated at 250lbs/in as I originally bought them - from what I've read - designed to give you close to OEM ride but with improved handling. In fact before i lowered the rear to the lowest setting the car didn't bottom out and it didn't bounce around like I was "driving on cobblestones"

    Nice drawing - but I would hope anyone lowering the car would understand that if you "lower your car you reduce struts travel" - with oem spring rate but shorter springs, this can cause your car to bottom the struts and possibly blow them out. This is why i'm going to a higher rate of spring 340lbs/in because I don't want to bottom out - but w/o changing my rear struts I could end up with a bouncy ride. But this being considered if you read my earlier post of wanting to swap the rear struts for aftermarket Corollas, Koni Yellow, Bilstein HD or Tokico HTS. These are all stronger shocks capable of handling the stronger spring rate - reducing any 'bouncy feel' that might come from the stiffer springs - than the OEM KYB struts that came on my Touring model. Also pretty sure your NOT adjusting the Spring rate as you suggested - your only adjusting the Shock dampening system. Hince most adjustable coilovers including the one you posted - you adjust the shock - not the spring. The spring rate stays the same - what your adjusting is the how fast or how slow the shock slows down the spring.

    Agreed at the current setup, sleeves at the lowest setting, the KYBs will probably blow soon, but their cheap and I will eventually swap them out. But by increasing the spring rate, making the springs stiffer, harder for the car to compress them, the car has a less chance of bottoming out...but I will suffer from most likely a bouncy ride in the back because the OEM struts won't be able to slow or keep up with the stiffer springs.
     
  8. maestro8

    maestro8 Nouveau Member

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    Keep in mind the rear tires are what keep the car from swapping ends in a turn. Hit a bump while turning at high speed... car, meet guardrail. Guardrail, meet car.
     
  9. Justdidit

    Justdidit LVNPZEV

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    True. :) thats why until the new springs and most likely new rear struts are in place, I will keep my car at normal public highway speeds - and off any coned courses.
     
  10. Justdidit

    Justdidit LVNPZEV

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    Looking at this for the Front:
    [​IMG]
    Eibach Springs Alignment Camber Kit - Front - Pro-Alignment - Front + / -1.75
     
  11. Justdidit

    Justdidit LVNPZEV

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    (Right) 340lb/in up from the previously ordered (Left) 250lb/in - Quite beefier - no issues bottoming out - nor bouncy :)

    [​IMG]
     
  12. Wilsid

    Wilsid Junior Member

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    I'm looking into buying a set of coilovers,The BC's are $1000 and the megan's are $845, but
    I want a good set, what are your reccomendations even another brand. Also the tires are 185/65/15 h rated.
    THANKS
     
  13. Justdidit

    Justdidit LVNPZEV

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    Hard to recommend anything other than what I have experience with. The Ground Control Sleeves that I recently installed are great for the $$$ but a full Coil-over setup like the Megans with new shocks/struts would be best. The stock struts on my 2008Touring were/are KYB so there was no point of buying the same strut. At some point if I find that my stock shocks are failling or the camber on the current setup isn't what I want - I'll probably splurge for the full setup. I don't hear many complaints about the Megans from users that have them installed on other makes/models.
     
  14. Wilsid

    Wilsid Junior Member

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    Just went by my tire guy, he says wider tires does nothing for better cornering, that higher
    rated tires are for that, as you go up in rating the stiffer the side wall. A W rated tire will
    corner better than a T rated tire. His words not mine.
     
  15. maestro8

    maestro8 Nouveau Member

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    The tire guy isn't telling the whole story.

    Wider tires on a poorly tuned suspension will not do much to help cornering. If the tire isn't making full contact with the road under hard cornering, making that tire wider doesn't fix your geometry problem... cause you've got a geometry problem.

    Reading the temperature across your tires (inner, middle, outer) immediately after a few laps on a road course will tell you how well your geometry is set up, as well as if you're running the proper tire pressure. Focus on proper alignment and geometry first... then dial up your tire width if you're not getting the grip you need.

    Sidewalls... mmm... I wouldn't fidget with speed ratings so much as compound. If you're driving around on 480 treadwear tires you're not going to get much grip out of them.
     
    Justdidit likes this.
  16. Wilsid

    Wilsid Junior Member

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    My Megans came sat, I got the rear installed today, lowered the rear 1", very easy to
    lower without taking off. I set the damper at 24 for now. Will do the fronts
    tomorrow. You have to take the back apart, two nuts inside and one outside.
     
  17. Justdidit

    Justdidit LVNPZEV

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    Wilsid is referring 'Taking the back apart like so - in 1 piece" :)

    [​IMG]

    These 2 red bolts inside and the 1 yellow is removed from outside/under the car - All 14mm.

    [​IMG]

    Keep us posted on the Megans! I'm curious to know of the quality and performance. :)
     
  18. Wilsid

    Wilsid Junior Member

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    Got the fronts on today, lowered the front 1/2'', went over a long bridge over the water gusts
    45 mph didn't move the car at all, before I started on this car you would fight the wheel, then
    you would feel the wind a little bit, now nothing, It's almost a sports car. You have to go down
    to the tower strut bar, but you don't have to take it off. The back is 1/8" lower than the front
    when I started the back 3/8" highter than the front. Wife took it for a ride and loved it. Now I need
    to see how it is at 100mph. I went 80 mph over the bridge. Went to toyota, tork bottom nuts 19mm
    71 lbs tops 12mm and 14mm to 39 lbs. Takes about 45 minutes for each wheel.
     
  19. maestro8

    maestro8 Nouveau Member

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    Like a tortoise with spots is almost a cheetah? LOL!
     
  20. Justdidit

    Justdidit LVNPZEV

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    Awesome! Post some picture when you have the time.