Where to go from D Specs/Steeda Ultralights

[lovebread]

Now that I've fixed the lack of power in my car, I'm trying to get a handle on the suspension.

The car, which is mostly used for street driving, roll racing and hill climbing has Steeda Ultralights and Tokico D specs (full soft) GT500 USM, Steeda UCA/Mount, BMR adj. panhard bar and brace and stock GT500 LCA. I've tried messing with the D specs to find a suitable level of road harshness but after months of adjustment it just seems like there is no way to make this setup less "bone jarring". The car handles amazingly well, but every bump is carried through the suspension into the cabin that I can't deal with it for DDing on CA roads.

My local suspension shop told me that beyond continuing to adjust the D specs (and possibly getting camber plates), I should be looking towards coilover systems and started recommending griggs/cortex products. Does anyone have any recommendations for the 1k-1500 dollar range? I'm seeing a lot of s197 cars try out less expensive vendors like D2/BC and GC and was wondering how they compared to standard aftermarket suspension with camber plates.

Thanks!

 

[86Fbody]

Can't comment on what setup is best but I know Cortex and GC use Koni's. I didn't hear the best things about the D specs and have always been a Koni guy anyway, Dutch pride, and I would look at anyone who uses their shocks. My Yellows are leaps and bounds better then the stock Illumina's, when I hit pot holes now, other then cringing because I don't want to crack a rim, the ride is ridiculously good.

 

[draxxus131]

Don't settle for anything less than $1500, or you will be kicking yourself in the rear later. I to am running Tokico D-specs, which are awesome for the price compared to others (Infinite adjustability with Tokico) which are preset or have to click to a specific point to achieve a certain rebound/compression. I would tell you if you could afford it go with CorteX, if you cannot go with KW V3 coilovers.

Coming from a guy who used countless sets of coilovers in my tuner/JDM days, when purchasing a set, anything under $1200 was EXACTLY THAT. It was under everything else in the market; sub-par! The welds cracked just from road vibration, they tend to leak due to inferior seals. Also the valves installed within are dreadful, they tend to have a parasitic sap because of no coating or plating done to it. The more "GLASS" the finish of the valve is the better. So you end up having this floppy ride quality, you think it's good but far from it; until ACTUAL QUALITY lands in your lap!

Any coilver you see with what they call helper/assist springs BUY THEM IMMEDIATELY, those parts OOZE quality from every section. The alloy tubing will NEVER: rust, scratch easily, discolor. These companies know what people want in a product and they take the time to check for this detail.

GRIGGS is awesome, CorteX as well, Ground Control (GC) my sibling has used from time to time (HE STILL CHOOSES TEIN OVER GC).

As a side note, Tokico puts a more aggressive valve system into the shock and strut for D-spec's, which translates to that "bone-jarring" and spine curdling ride. Koni on the other hand a slightly more plush valving job, which is smart on their part to help "please" the masses if you get my drift.

 

[86Fbody]

Draxxus, do you have proof the Tokico's are more aggressively valved? I had seem a shock dyno comparing the D specs to the Yellows and the results seemed to contradict what you're saying.

 

[Alejandro5.0]

My car rides fine with tokico Ds, paired along with some MM springs

 

[lovebread]

The D Specs ride fine on highway stretches/mountain roads but are awful on the street, which in NorCal are mostly ridden with potholes. I'm coming from STR.Ts and those were much more "plush".

KW V3s are way out of my price range, GCs seemed to be to be the middle of the road option. Can't have your cake and eat it too it seems.

 

[draxxus131]

Please do show me the graph if you do have one, I have yet to see one for my own D-spec's. Knowledge of this was given to me by Tokico tech, when they developed their model they used an off the shelf Koni shock and strut. Other then that it was just words nothing more.

 

[draxxus131]

I guess you can take it as my inference, most mustangs I step into owned by friends and acquaintances have Koni yellow or STRT installed on all 4 corners. It was when I bought my vehicle which came with Tokico D-spec in the trunk sitting there, I installed them with the stock springs and went "holy crap" that is stiff on low settings.

I really am NOT trying to say Tokico is better overall over Koni, more of a harsher ride compared to Koni. I prefer a Koni setup for street, it just feels a bit smoother!

This is when I called up Tokico before they went out of business here in the states and asked a few questions about the products they make and procedure for testing.

 

[lovebread]

Shamelessly stolen from another site for now, I'll take some pictures of the booklet when I get home.

 

[86Fbody]

Explain what we are seeing here lovebread

 

[draxxus131]

Please elaborate that would be awesome lovebread

 

[lovebread]

http://imgur.com/a/ggAJ5#esPbpkL

Here is the full guide for the D Specs as requested!

 

[86Fbody]

After searching online for "comparison between tokico d specs and koni sports" and several of the sites suggest Koni's over Tokico's, including Sam Strano who has a great reputation as a Mustang Auto X'er.

 

[1hot281]

Koni double adjustables FTW