megan racing coilovers?

[ddub]

I am planning on buying coilovers for my 04 wrx and have been looking into Megan racing coilovers. I don't want to spend over a $1000 and want the adjustments. Some people say there bad and others say there good. I haven't read anything about people actually having problems with them though. Does anyone have any advice on these coilovers or another preferance?
Also, how hard is it to install coilovers? I know the rear seat must come out and also read about people having trouble getting the bottom strut bolts lose. Has anyone had this problem?
I saw the thread on the Helix DNA coilovers. They look pretty good, but I saw his bolt broke on the top.
If you have coilovers set on the softest setting, How hard will they ride on a bumpy road?

[Nick Koan]

From what I've heard, the Megan Racing ones are good for the street, but not that great when you go (ironically) racing or other competitive driving.

[cody]

It's likely that the bolt on top broke from over-torquing...I wouldn't judge the Helix DNA coilovers by that isolated issue.

Have you considered going with KYB AGX and some nice springs? It's a great compromise if you want to keep your car streetable.

[sperry]

I don't know anything about the Megan Racing stuff in particular, but here's what I've learned about coilovers over the years:

You tend to get what you pay for. Cheap coilovers ride like cheap coilovers and break/wear out quickly. IMO, the cheapest I'd go for coilovers is $1500, and the Tein Flex's are *awesome* units at about that price. If you need to go cheaper than $1500, get some good lowering springs and some matching struts. (Edit: Cody's spot on w/ the AGX + Eibach springs... you won't have the ride-height adjustment, but the car will be lower, stiffer, *very* streetable, and have 4-position rebound adjustment... a great setup.)

Coilovers are always harsh. If you want a car that's lower and handle's better, it has to be stiffer. There's no such thing as a coilover that is adjustable enough to give stock like ride on the street and kart like ride on the track. Unless you're willing to drop big bucks on some dampers that have a huge range, and are willing to swap springs, it can't be done.

In addition to the installation issue you mentioned (installation really isn't that hard... installing springs is more work), you should also realize that you'll probably need camber bolts to keep the rear tires aligned properly, and you may need top mounts specific to the coilovers.

[ddub]

I already have lowering springs on and had them for a while now. I would like to have the ride height adjustment so I can raise and lower it for winter and summer. When I put my camber plates on with the springs, it didn't lower the front as much as I wanted it to. There is still about a 1.5in gap between the wheel and fender lip.
The Tien Flex coilovers would be sick with the EDFC. I just don't have the money since I'm still in college. I expect a harder ride with coilovers, but it seems like they should be alright on the softest setting for rough road situations. Right now I am either thinking the Helix, Megans, or just wait. I also figured the top bolt on the helixs broke from overtorquing. Those bolts only call for about 14 ft-lbs of torque.

[tysonK]

What about a used set? I see pretty good prices on norcal classifieds on i-club and on here for instance.

To tell you the truth unless you are auto-xing or tracking, I don't think coilvers are worth it. They do make the car look great though.

If you have not had a ride in a car with coilovers I HIGHLY suggest you do that before buying.

[AtomicLabMonkey]

Originally Posted by nKoan

From what I've heard, the Megan Racing ones are bad for the street, but not that significant when you go (ironically) racing or other competitive driving.

I don't think that distinction is ironic, really. It doesn't take much to design a part for racing use only. It's expected that it will have just enough functionality to get the job done, you can require the racer to modify the car to make the part work, has to be lightweight, and it probably won't last forever.

Street parts have pretty much the opposite expectations; people want lots of functionality, don't want to cut up their cars, demand low NVH, and it has to last forever with no maintenance. It's a much more demanding task.

[sperry]

Originally Posted by ddub

I already have lowering springs on and had them for a while now. I would like to have the ride height adjustment so I can raise and lower it for winter and summer. When I put my camber plates on with the springs, it didn't lower the front as much as I wanted it to. There is still about a 1.5in gap between the wheel and fender lip.
The Tien Flex coilovers would be sick with the EDFC. I just don't have the money since I'm still in college. I expect a harder ride with coilovers, but it seems like they should be alright on the softest setting for rough road situations. Right now I am either thinking the Helix, Megans, or just wait. I also figured the top bolt on the helixs broke from overtorquing. Those bolts only call for about 14 ft-lbs of torque.

Damper adjustment isn't really for "harder or softer ride". It's for modifying how the spring is controlled for handling purposes. Because the spring is a fixed rate, you're making the car more or less oversprung by changing the damper.

If you set the dampers to "full soft" changes are the car won't be as harsh, but it will be bouncy. If you set it to "full stiff" the car won't bounce, but it will chatter over small bumps.

Ideally there is only one damper setting for a particular spring rate, and on a set of stiff coilovers, it's not going to be comfortable.

What you need to do is look into a set of ground control spring perches and eibach springs matched to the stock struts (though I'd still recommend some AGX's). That way you'll have the street ride and height adjustability:

$400 gets you the adjustable perches and springs and installs in place of your lowering springs.



http://www.ground-control-store.com/...hp/II=82/CA=25

[cody]

Damn, those are cool and not very expensive. You even get to customize your spring rates? Wow!

[ddub]

The ground controls do seem like a good idea and I was looking into this. I wouldn't want to lower my car anymore than it is now without replacing the stock struts. I know it would ride like shit since the stock struts aren't designed to work with lowered setup.
If I got the ground control coilover kit with new struts, wouldn't that be the same thing as getting a set of coilovers. It seems like the groundcontrol coilover kit with adjustable struts would ride better than a full coilover set since the springs have a greater diameter.

[ddub]

also, How are the non adjustable KYB's? what spring rates would you recommend for a 04 sedan? I don't know if I would want to install this stuff myself, I don't have a spring compresser.

[Nick Koan]

Originally Posted by AtomicLabMonkey

I don't think that distinction is ironic, really. It doesn't take much to design a part for racing use only. It's expected that it will have just enough functionality to get the job done, you can require the racer to modify the car to make the part work, has to be lightweight, and it probably won't last forever.

Street parts have pretty much the opposite expectations; people want lots of functionality, don't want to cut up their cars, demand low NVH, and it has to last forever with no maintenance. It's a much more demanding task.

I totally screwed that up. Typing too fast.

I meant, they are good on the street, but not good racing.

[AtomicLabMonkey]

Originally Posted by ddub

I wouldn't want to lower my car anymore than it is now without replacing the stock struts. I know it would ride like shit since the stock struts aren't designed to work with lowered setup.

Chassis ride height does not have a direct effect on ride quality, unless you're referring to lowering it so much that you're riding around on the bumpstops.

[AtomicLabMonkey]

Originally Posted by nKoan

I totally screwed that up. Typing too fast.

I meant, they are good on the street, but not good racing.

My statement still stands.

[cody]

The stock struts wear out a lot faster when coupled with lowering springs.

[sperry]

Originally Posted by ddub

The ground controls do seem like a good idea and I was looking into this. I wouldn't want to lower my car anymore than it is now without replacing the stock struts. I know it would ride like shit since the stock struts aren't designed to work with lowered setup.
If I got the ground control coilover kit with new struts, wouldn't that be the same thing as getting a set of coilovers. It seems like the groundcontrol coilover kit with adjustable struts would ride better than a full coilover set since the springs have a greater diameter.

The GC kit uses 2.5" ID springs, same as 90% of all coilover kits out there. The difference is that you're not getting them with the high rates that racing coilovers have, and they're high quality bits, unlike a lot of the cheaper coilovers on the market.

IMO you need a set of KYB AGX struts and the matching GC coilover conversion kit. They have a specific setup for the WRX on AGX's. Then you'll have a 4-step rebound adjustable, high quality strut, street springs that will handle much better than stock but not be too harsh, and height adjustment. And I believe you'll be in the $1000-$1200 range (I don't know the current price for AGX's, but they used to be around $600 for a set).

The only thing you'll be missing from a "true" coilover kit is the camber adjustment, which is frankly unnecessary on a street car, plus the pillow balls add a ton of NVH to the car which is annoying on the road.

Also, the ground control kits and eibach springs they use are very high quality. My WRX has a custom short-stroke Koni/GC setup with 500/450 eibach springs. It's stiff as hell, and harsh on the street, but handles great for a lot cheaper than something like Whiteline Group4's or Tein RA's, while maintaining equivalent quality (they're just not that pretty).

[Nick Koan]

Originally Posted by AtomicLabMonkey

My statement still stands.

For sure, the comment is right on IMO.

The irony wasn't that it wasn't good on both mediums, I meant its more ironic that coilovers called 'Megan Racing' are better on the street then at 'racing'

[cody]

I payed $400 for my KYB AGX's 2 years ago on Ebay.

[ddub]

Thanks for the info. I did see the AGX's for 600$. The GC's with the AGX's would be a great setup.

[MPREZIV]

Tein Flex. 'Nuff said. The ride quality is shit by comparison, I must say. Springs fully un-loaded, and dampers adjusted sufficiently, and it'll still beat the crap out of you on Reno roads. And yes, the NVH quality with the P/U mounts is def. annoying, but I just crank up the tunes, and it all goes away!

[cody]

Here's a link to a current sale for the KYB AGX from the same seller I bought them from. They were awesome to deal with.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/KYB-A...26245833QQrdZ1

[MikeK]

Originally Posted by MPREZIV

I just crank up the tunes, and it all goes away!

That works with most car problems!

[ddub]

Is there anything tricky about installing the GC's with the AGX's? Would it be easy to do myself or would you recommend taking it somewhere? I am still thinking about the helix's and Megan's as well. I don't see how the Megan's could be that bad just because they are cheaper. If I got stiff springs with the GC's, It would probably ride the same as coilovers. I have been in my buddies twin turbo 300z with coilovers. That rides pretty hard over bumps, but he has it slammed. I have also been in a turbo RSX with coilovers. It drove awesome on the road. My car rides harder right now with lowering springs and stock struts, but its not bad.

[Libila]

I agree with Sperry 100% on the GC/AGX combo. With the link Cody posted above and the current price of the GC's, you will spend a little less than the Megan's cost for that combo.

From what Garage Tuning has said, the Megans are ideal for street driving and light track duty. On the softest setting (on a early Impreza) they are said to feel like a stock STi.

They also make a "track" version of their coilover with higher spring rates. Both "street" and "track" sets have 32 points of dampening adjustability. They're basically the Apexi N1 Type V's, just restamped with a different logo. They're made by the same people with the same specifications.

[sperry]

Originally Posted by ddub

Is there anything tricky about installing the GC's with the AGX's? Would it be easy to do myself or would you recommend taking it somewhere? I am still thinking about the helix's and Megan's as well. I don't see how the Megan's could be that bad just because they are cheaper. If I got stiff springs with the GC's, It would probably ride the same as coilovers. I have been in my buddies twin turbo 300z with coilovers. That rides pretty hard over bumps, but he has it slammed. I have also been in a turbo RSX with coilovers. It drove awesome on the road. My car rides harder right now with lowering springs and stock struts, but its not bad.

Stiff springs and matching dampers in a GC setup will ride very harshly... that's exactly what's on my car. My point about going the GC/AGX route is that you can specify the rates to be exactly the way you want 'em. Give Ground Control a call (they're there right now, I just got off the phone ordering some rear top mounts) and talk to them about what rates are right for your uses: 530.677.8600.

(And no, I'm not associated w/ GC at all, I just happen to need a set of rear top mounts that work with my GC coilovers... so why not go to the source!)