I just got all my Cortex stuff in...
Watts Link - Street
Torque Arm
Coil-Overs - Street (entry level with revalved konis)
Currently running the following suspension:
Tokico D-spec
Steeda extreme sport springs
J&M Extreme Joint UCA w/ Steeda 3rd member link
J&M Extreme Joint LCA's
BMR Relocation Brackets
BMR PHB
Steeda Heavy Duty caster/camber plates
(before I go any further...This thread is not meant as a debate on anything. As you can see the parts are already purchased and I am fully committed to running these parts. This thread was created because I have not seen much pic wise in the Cortex department, so I figured I would put it out there for people who might like to know. If you don't like their set up or whatever, awesome, it's a good thing I wasn't using your money ;-) )
After some time running this suspension, I wanted to try and get the rear end under control, it still really feels like there is a giant log underneath the car...While I think it will always have that feeling, after some extensive reading, I think the following set up will help get it as good as it will be and I think will be much better.
I did A LOT of researching and going back and fourth. I finally landed on Cortex and Griggs (please do not get into the chicken and the egg, here...I do NOT care who created what first), I spoke to both Filip and Bruce, both super nice and extremely helpful guys. I called both numbers and they both picked up the phone, that's pretty cool that you can call a company and talk to the owner with out issue. After conversations with both, I landed on Cortex for one main reason, IT'S FULLY BOLT IN, Griggs absolutely requires welding and, while you can weld with Cortex, it is not a requirement ..with Griggs it is. For me that meant, that I would have to do one of two things...either do the install myself and then flat bed to a shop and have them finish the welding or have a shop that can weld install and that just becomes way more than I want to spend. That also means that one day when I sell the car and I put it back to stock, it will be very hard to sell his stuff, because Ill either have to cut pieces out or hope that they can be purchased separately from Griggs. Mostly the cost of install and welding sent me to Filip and Cortex...Everyone thinks there stuff is crazy money, but in reality for the current offerings it really isn't. I mean the whiteline kit is roughly $100 less than Cortex and from reading and pictures, I think far superior (just my uneducated opinion, going off of forums and pics
) and Whiteline has a bit of a peppered past. Plus CJ at Sinister Mustang hooked me up and I just couldn't say no.
That lead to the following...
Their entry level street coil overs with revalved Koni yellows. Part of me wishes they were the Tokcio D-specs that are double adjustable, but in reality I have no idea how to set them up and since I bought them, I have not messed with them. Also, I will be doing mostly street driving. I reality, I didnt even want to mess with coil overs, I like just installing springs, and being done with it...but I really HATED that design of the springs on top of the axle, in some stupid cups, that are held there just by the weight of the car. I understand that it has worked for many years and there are thousands of cars that run this set up, very effectively, but I think it is a stupid and lazy design. To me, the springs are just rattling around loosely while driving and I wanted to eliminate that. I did a LOT of searching and finding that almost no one moves the springs from the axle onto the shocks (again, because it is fine for 99.9% of people), Griggs and Cortex were really the only ones I could find that had set ups that made a TRUE coil-over set up, since I was going Cortex for the T/A and the Watts, I might as well keep with the name and rock their stuff instead of going another route. This just seems so much more secure and logical to have the springs on the shocks...the other advantage is that far out on the axle, they have more "leverage" and so you can achieve the same results with planting tires to the ground with a softer and more ride friendly spring rate. I love the stand of my car now (and so does everyone I talk to, lol), but they are rough and I guess I am getting old, because if I can get rid of that, it wouldn't hurt my feelings. As you can see the springs are eibach and the front caster camber plates are ground control...the entire set up is very well made and stout. The last time I have a set of coil overs was about 10 years ago, when you have to rings that you had to spin together and the tighten against each other and it was ALWAYS a pain in the ass to get them "unlocked after some time...these have what looks like a "set" screw that tighetens up the single ring, which seems like it will be a lot friendlier in the adjusting department. So now for the pics....
Fronts:
Rears:
Rear Brackets:
The Torque Arm (its a stout peices...it is heavy and should be able to take the punishment):
T/A Brackets:
This piece goes up into the drive shaft tunnel and connects to the body where the 2 piece D/S joint attaches and then attaches to the black piece which is connected to the floor on the underside of the car.
This connects the back of the T/A with the diff cover
AAAANNNDDDD the watts link:
The "rods" of the arms are aluminum and very light weight and look really nice...I dont know why I assumed they would be steel of some sort.
Since the car is a daily driver in Oregon, where it rains a pretty good amount, I got the rod end dust cover, Filip said to put a little grease in it and it should really keep out the gunk and crud from the wet from daily driving.
Watts Link Brackets and Brace:
Watts Link - Street
Torque Arm
Coil-Overs - Street (entry level with revalved konis)
Currently running the following suspension:
Tokico D-spec
Steeda extreme sport springs
J&M Extreme Joint UCA w/ Steeda 3rd member link
J&M Extreme Joint LCA's
BMR Relocation Brackets
BMR PHB
Steeda Heavy Duty caster/camber plates
(before I go any further...This thread is not meant as a debate on anything. As you can see the parts are already purchased and I am fully committed to running these parts. This thread was created because I have not seen much pic wise in the Cortex department, so I figured I would put it out there for people who might like to know. If you don't like their set up or whatever, awesome, it's a good thing I wasn't using your money ;-) )
After some time running this suspension, I wanted to try and get the rear end under control, it still really feels like there is a giant log underneath the car...While I think it will always have that feeling, after some extensive reading, I think the following set up will help get it as good as it will be and I think will be much better.
I did A LOT of researching and going back and fourth. I finally landed on Cortex and Griggs (please do not get into the chicken and the egg, here...I do NOT care who created what first), I spoke to both Filip and Bruce, both super nice and extremely helpful guys. I called both numbers and they both picked up the phone, that's pretty cool that you can call a company and talk to the owner with out issue. After conversations with both, I landed on Cortex for one main reason, IT'S FULLY BOLT IN, Griggs absolutely requires welding and, while you can weld with Cortex, it is not a requirement ..with Griggs it is. For me that meant, that I would have to do one of two things...either do the install myself and then flat bed to a shop and have them finish the welding or have a shop that can weld install and that just becomes way more than I want to spend. That also means that one day when I sell the car and I put it back to stock, it will be very hard to sell his stuff, because Ill either have to cut pieces out or hope that they can be purchased separately from Griggs. Mostly the cost of install and welding sent me to Filip and Cortex...Everyone thinks there stuff is crazy money, but in reality for the current offerings it really isn't. I mean the whiteline kit is roughly $100 less than Cortex and from reading and pictures, I think far superior (just my uneducated opinion, going off of forums and pics
) and Whiteline has a bit of a peppered past. Plus CJ at Sinister Mustang hooked me up and I just couldn't say no. That lead to the following...
Their entry level street coil overs with revalved Koni yellows. Part of me wishes they were the Tokcio D-specs that are double adjustable, but in reality I have no idea how to set them up and since I bought them, I have not messed with them. Also, I will be doing mostly street driving. I reality, I didnt even want to mess with coil overs, I like just installing springs, and being done with it...but I really HATED that design of the springs on top of the axle, in some stupid cups, that are held there just by the weight of the car. I understand that it has worked for many years and there are thousands of cars that run this set up, very effectively, but I think it is a stupid and lazy design. To me, the springs are just rattling around loosely while driving and I wanted to eliminate that. I did a LOT of searching and finding that almost no one moves the springs from the axle onto the shocks (again, because it is fine for 99.9% of people), Griggs and Cortex were really the only ones I could find that had set ups that made a TRUE coil-over set up, since I was going Cortex for the T/A and the Watts, I might as well keep with the name and rock their stuff instead of going another route. This just seems so much more secure and logical to have the springs on the shocks...the other advantage is that far out on the axle, they have more "leverage" and so you can achieve the same results with planting tires to the ground with a softer and more ride friendly spring rate. I love the stand of my car now (and so does everyone I talk to, lol), but they are rough and I guess I am getting old, because if I can get rid of that, it wouldn't hurt my feelings
. As you can see the springs are eibach and the front caster camber plates are ground control...the entire set up is very well made and stout. The last time I have a set of coil overs was about 10 years ago, when you have to rings that you had to spin together and the tighten against each other and it was ALWAYS a pain in the ass to get them "unlocked after some time...these have what looks like a "set" screw that tighetens up the single ring, which seems like it will be a lot friendlier in the adjusting department. So now for the pics....Fronts:
Rears:
Rear Brackets:
The Torque Arm (its a stout peices...it is heavy and should be able to take the punishment):
T/A Brackets:
This piece goes up into the drive shaft tunnel and connects to the body where the 2 piece D/S joint attaches and then attaches to the black piece which is connected to the floor on the underside of the car.
This connects the back of the T/A with the diff cover
AAAANNNDDDD the watts link:
The "rods" of the arms are aluminum and very light weight and look really nice...I dont know why I assumed they would be steel of some sort.
Since the car is a daily driver in Oregon, where it rains a pretty good amount, I got the rod end dust cover, Filip said to put a little grease in it and it should really keep out the gunk and crud from the wet from daily driving.
Watts Link Brackets and Brace:
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