I'm glad you asked! No, it's definitely not a mild setup. Everything feels much tighter and more aggressive but due to the upgrade in shocks and springs and their high quality, ride quality happens to improve as well. But my car certainly feels a lot sportier after the upgrade.

As for other springs, there's a reason the drop is what it is. 1.5" starts to get into the realm of messing up the geometry of the suspension. I can't reccomend a drop that low, but I think eibach has some that go low. Also, the bilstein shocks aren't meant for springs with more than a 1.5" drop.

 

Thank you for the detailed response. Im all about function>form so I'll just go with the swift's then. What wheels/tires are those by the way. Looks very nice and I like the way it sits.

 

Sweet. That helps a ton, $300 I don't have to spend. 1 other question/favor... could you measure the fender to wheel center (not floor) distance in the front/rear?

 

I'm glad I could help BlazinCaucasian!

Yeah the measurements are:
Front - 13.25"
Rear - 14.00"

Fender height from the ground is
Front - 25.5"
Rear - 27.0"

 

Thanks a ton man!!!

 

Mind posting stock measurements from your car? I'd like to compare!

 

I will get some later today. I like the fender to center measurement way better than fender to floor measurement as tire diameters vary with wear and personal choice. Whereas fender to center is independent of all that.

 

I got the measurements.

Front (avg): 13 3/4"
Rear (avg): 14 1/8"

I didn't measure down to the ground; I guess I should have. Looks about right though. The drop on these is pretty mild, which is great IMO. I'm debating whether to do these or piece together a coilover kit with these shocks. I bet Bilstein makes perches for coilover sleeves. Anyways thanks for the info man.

 

Thanks for the measurements! Yeah it's pretty mild but I like it a lot. I still scrape some places I never would have thought. I like the set it and forget it simplicity of the shock/spring combo.

 

Great job man! Nice write-up and awesome photos! So glad to see nice post like this, function FTW!

 

It's not even from valving to the spring rates, most of the comfort comes from good high speed damping, which should be independent of low speed damping for a quality damper. Many shock companies (KYB AGXs are terrible at this) set the damping curve pretty much flat across the speed range, which results in very stiff high speed damping along with stiff low speed damping.

The problem is that high speed damping is what soaks up small bumps and irregularities in the pavement. These are very small bumps and ripples, not big holes. These are where the wheel needs to move up and down very quickly. This is why a lot of "performance" shocks tend to feel bouncy on the highway. Their high speed damping is too stiff and the shock transmits all the force from the small changes in road surface directly to the chassis instead of allowing the wheel to move with the pavement like it like it should. Often times they're so stiff they take the spring completely out of the equation over wavy pavement.

I remember giving a friend a ride in my old Integra that had AGX's many many years ago. She was like 40 weeks pregnant and almost peed in my car because of the bouncing as we drove down Hwy 100 in St Louis Park, MN.

Bilstein is unbelievably good at setting up high speed damping in their shocks. I had a set of H&R coilovers (which use bilstein monotubes) on my MR2 and they were phenomenal.

Also, some words of wisdom from the godfather of handling in regards to adjustability:
"Make it adjustable and they will adjust it wrong." -Colin Chapman.

 

Perfectly sums up what I was trying to portray with this thread.

 

Thanks!

 

Interesting combo. I wonder how these would compare to Bilstein Pro-Kit which has BOTH the *sport* dampers (B12) and Eibach springs? The kit is around $890 TOTAL. It does lower a bit more (30mm F&R). The Spec R prings here appear ideal though compared to Eibach Pro-Kit springs, which I assume are the standard Pro-kit springs you can buy separately.

 

Yea I have been torn between that kit and using other springs. Bilstein is legit though. If they put these shocks together with those springs it's highly likely they designed the shocks specifically around those springs. The springs are progressive rate too which should help with ride quality.

 

I don't think so...I think it's a marketing strategy with Eibach. The Bilstein B12KIT (has B8 shocks) are the same as the B6, but are set up for a lower ride with the Eibachs to avoid bottoming out. I really think the Swift SpecRs are much better overall than the Eibachs.

 

Something to note with this setup and wheel/tire size.. I run 18x9.5 with +20 offset wheels all around with 275x35x18 tires. I hit the inside of the fender, especially that screw that holds the fender liner at the top of the inner-fender. I am going to have to get the fenders rolled (at least) - or maybe different offset wheel.

The rub happens with certain larger bumps in the road and during hard braking/cornering - especially if hard braking and hit any bump in road surface.

 

So you have OPs set up as well?
Is that up front? 275/9.5 there will rub with +20 if you're 1.2" lower. You shouldn't rub at all in the rear.

 

Mine are 18x9.5 +15. No rubbing in the front with 275/35R18. Lightly rolled fenders in the rear or else it would rub

 

Interesting..would think it would rub in front without rolling...especially lowered 1.2" at +15 with 275s. I have the Sprint SpecRs in the rear with 275/30 /19 on 9.5, but I'm +25 there. Plenty of room! I'm still surprised you rub though, since you're only lowered 1" in the rear.