COILOVER SUSPENSION SET UP GREAT PRICES
Scooby Regular
Joined: Oct 2007
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From: Devon
[QUOTE=bren@apex;7500161]
The pics are of inverted units, you didnt buy the inverted version.
[QUOTE]
If those are inverted then I have been had. Mine were inverted and have the adjusters underneath (not like the picture which have the adjusters on top). I assume therefore that the either I have the wrong product or the pictures are indeed of non-inverted ones. I am guessing the latter hopefully?
The pics are of inverted units, you didnt buy the inverted version.
[QUOTE]
If those are inverted then I have been had. Mine were inverted and have the adjusters underneath (not like the picture which have the adjusters on top). I assume therefore that the either I have the wrong product or the pictures are indeed of non-inverted ones. I am guessing the latter hopefully?
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From: Bedford
The Apex units are coloured black and red as standard, it was just the initial batch that were gold and red.
The coilovers are designed to be fitted by experienced and knowledgable mechanics only, theyre not the sort of thing that should be fitted and set up by someone without experience of this specific type of product hence no instructions.
The pics are of inverted units, you didnt buy the inverted version.
Those Autobahn coilovers arent the same as ours. The damper is a different design, the damping rate is harsher for low speed stuff, the range of adjustment isnt the same as ours, they dont have a bearing mounted spring platform etc. Theyre a different product.
The coilovers are designed to be fitted by experienced and knowledgable mechanics only, theyre not the sort of thing that should be fitted and set up by someone without experience of this specific type of product hence no instructions.
The pics are of inverted units, you didnt buy the inverted version.
Those Autobahn coilovers arent the same as ours. The damper is a different design, the damping rate is harsher for low speed stuff, the range of adjustment isnt the same as ours, they dont have a bearing mounted spring platform etc. Theyre a different product.
I did buy inverted ones and they are pink coloured as in above post.
I did ask yesterday that they are marked for GDB but my car is MY05 WRX with PCD 100. And also there are no sides marked on struts!
Kemp
Id start with 5 from soft and go from there but its got a lot to do with personal preference. The damping adjustment helps you fine tune the units to youre preference.
Inverted have adjusters on the bottom.
raj_kemp,
I believe Kevs on the phone sorting this for you now.
If those are inverted then I have been had.
raj_kemp,
I believe Kevs on the phone sorting this for you now.
We have two sets of rims and tyres for our Impreza. One set of 17s with Dunlop DZ02G track tyres and another set with Toyo T1Rs. We have just taken the Dunlops off and fitted the T1Rs, its the first time Ive run the car with T1Rs and our coilovers. I was thinking that our 6/5 springs might be a little stiff for road use but wanted to wait until Id changed tyres as the DZ02G track tyres arent designed for comfort and cause numerous issues including excess noise, tramlining and stiff sidewalls that transmit a lot of impacts to the suspension.
Now the cars on T1Rs its a different kettle of fish. The ride is now far superior and although grip levels are evidently reduced the car tracks as it should, theres no noise and, more importantly to this thread, the ride quality has increased significantly and Im now more than happy with the coilovers for how I use the car on the road.
I need to do some serious back road driving to see how well they cope with the bumpier stuff as the car may cope with poorly finished surfaces better if I drop the rates down to 5/4kg.mm. We will see.
Still, 6/5 work well. Originally I didnt want customers coming out in the car to see what the suspension was like to the harshness introduced with the track rubber. Im now very confident that the suspension on our car will speak for itself for those wanting an uprated but still refined road set up
Now the cars on T1Rs its a different kettle of fish. The ride is now far superior and although grip levels are evidently reduced the car tracks as it should, theres no noise and, more importantly to this thread, the ride quality has increased significantly and Im now more than happy with the coilovers for how I use the car on the road.
I need to do some serious back road driving to see how well they cope with the bumpier stuff as the car may cope with poorly finished surfaces better if I drop the rates down to 5/4kg.mm. We will see.
Still, 6/5 work well. Originally I didnt want customers coming out in the car to see what the suspension was like to the harshness introduced with the track rubber. Im now very confident that the suspension on our car will speak for itself for those wanting an uprated but still refined road set up
Hi Bren,
Hope to have a comparison against my 5/4 (inverted, same as yours) at a trackday sometime in the new year.
Other params differ a little, but it's basically an STi4 with a bit less power than yours (STi5?). Has Whiteline ALK, droplinks and 22mm rear bar. One difference is lower unsprung weight - I use small rotors and aftermarket 4-pots plus 16" forged Rays for track work.
What geometry did you go for? On my old D2's, initially 6/4 then 5/4, I went for 1.5deg camber all round and really minimal toe (0.2mm front, parallel rear), with extra camber/caster added via topmounts on the track (unknown amount). Was slightly twitchy on a motorway run because of the toe, but was awesome everywhere else.
Hope to have a comparison against my 5/4 (inverted, same as yours) at a trackday sometime in the new year.
Other params differ a little, but it's basically an STi4 with a bit less power than yours (STi5?). Has Whiteline ALK, droplinks and 22mm rear bar. One difference is lower unsprung weight - I use small rotors and aftermarket 4-pots plus 16" forged Rays for track work.
What geometry did you go for? On my old D2's, initially 6/4 then 5/4, I went for 1.5deg camber all round and really minimal toe (0.2mm front, parallel rear), with extra camber/caster added via topmounts on the track (unknown amount). Was slightly twitchy on a motorway run because of the toe, but was awesome everywhere else.
STi6. Our cars got a custom ALK, full set of adjustable bearinged alignment arms but is still on the standard rear roll bar.
We are running 2 degree of camber all round, 1mm of front toe in, parallel rear toe, cant remember how much castor.
We are running 2 degree of camber all round, 1mm of front toe in, parallel rear toe, cant remember how much castor.
Last edited by bren@apex; Dec 22, 2007 at 10:45 AM.
Scooby Regular
Joined: Jul 2005
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From: Bedford
Scooby Regular
Joined: Sep 2004
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From: Wirral
Hi Bren,
can you get hold of these items for our coilovers?
Import Image Racing Webstore
if so how much
would be handy!
Pete
can you get hold of these items for our coilovers?
Import Image Racing Webstore
if so how much
would be handy!
Pete
Scooby Regular
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 129
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From: south shields
how much adjustment is on the height with these kits? my rear shocks sound like they've gone.....AGAIN! i'll deffo have a set for an 04 STI(wr1) if they arent too low.think my prodrive springs are around 25mm front/20mm rear.dont really want it much lower than that for getting on/off my drive.
Getting these fitted today so will report back.
btw - are these people the manufacturers?
Taiwan Bor-Chuann= BC-racing =
btw - are these people the manufacturers?
Taiwan Bor-Chuann= BC-racing =
We can get the extenders, Im just ordering some now.
I havent tried setting maximum ride height on our Impreza but I know you can run Nissans at above standard height with no problems.
We dont generally discuss details of our manufacturers but we are looking at more disclosure of these units in the near future
I havent tried setting maximum ride height on our Impreza but I know you can run Nissans at above standard height with no problems.
We dont generally discuss details of our manufacturers but we are looking at more disclosure of these units in the near future
Review
Picked up the car today after having the coilovers fitted by API (thanks to David, Nathan and the rest). API also fitted an anti-lift kit, camber bolts and had the car weighed, balanced and all that. Given I've had a bit more than just the coilovers fitted some of my comments may be attributable to the anti-lift kit.
I've not had coilovers before and to be honest I was going to just get standard shock absorbers to replace my aging originals. But when I saw the price of these I thought I'd take the risk. I'm by no means an expert so take this review with a pinch of salt. Additionally, I've only done about 100 miles on them (half motorway and half twistys) - so it just represents my immediate reactions.
The car looks no different as I'd asked the ride height to be the same. They may settle a little over the next month in which case they'll need to be adjusted if it's not even. API didn't have any problems fitting them they tell me.
They definitely feel harder on the road. But not as much as I thought they would. The car still rides the bumps rather than crashes through them. On the motorway you feel the road much more and the car seems to react more to smaller steering wheel movements. I personally like the way the car feels but think passengers would find it tiring.
On the A-roads, bends and roundabouts seemed to take on a whole new meaning. I know my original suspension was tired (it had covered 75k miles). But the car now feels very confident round corners. Meaning I feel better about putting my foot down a little earlier as you exit the bend. Much more settled and less roll. However, my assumption is that it'll provide a lot less warning when/if it finally decides to let go on a corner. Only way I can describe it is that it feels more planted. You feel the bumps but you still feel like you're riding over them rather than bouncing over them.
On the B-roads, it feels quite harsh and I did find myself trying to avoid the bumps and hoping for smooth tarmac. But it still felt better than before. That is, it felt like I was able to make quicker progress from A to B. But have to say I only did about 10 miles on a B-road and only 5 miles of it was free of traffic.
So all in all, not being an expert, but knowing I had to replace my original shocks, I'm v. happy so far. They didn't cost much more than OEM replacements and I think they suit the car perfectly and make corners much more fun. So here's me hoping nothing goes wrong with them.
I've not had coilovers before and to be honest I was going to just get standard shock absorbers to replace my aging originals. But when I saw the price of these I thought I'd take the risk. I'm by no means an expert so take this review with a pinch of salt. Additionally, I've only done about 100 miles on them (half motorway and half twistys) - so it just represents my immediate reactions.
The car looks no different as I'd asked the ride height to be the same. They may settle a little over the next month in which case they'll need to be adjusted if it's not even. API didn't have any problems fitting them they tell me.
They definitely feel harder on the road. But not as much as I thought they would. The car still rides the bumps rather than crashes through them. On the motorway you feel the road much more and the car seems to react more to smaller steering wheel movements. I personally like the way the car feels but think passengers would find it tiring.
On the A-roads, bends and roundabouts seemed to take on a whole new meaning. I know my original suspension was tired (it had covered 75k miles). But the car now feels very confident round corners. Meaning I feel better about putting my foot down a little earlier as you exit the bend. Much more settled and less roll. However, my assumption is that it'll provide a lot less warning when/if it finally decides to let go on a corner. Only way I can describe it is that it feels more planted. You feel the bumps but you still feel like you're riding over them rather than bouncing over them.
On the B-roads, it feels quite harsh and I did find myself trying to avoid the bumps and hoping for smooth tarmac. But it still felt better than before. That is, it felt like I was able to make quicker progress from A to B. But have to say I only did about 10 miles on a B-road and only 5 miles of it was free of traffic.
So all in all, not being an expert, but knowing I had to replace my original shocks, I'm v. happy so far. They didn't cost much more than OEM replacements and I think they suit the car perfectly and make corners much more fun. So here's me hoping nothing goes wrong with them.
Which spring rates did you go for and normal or inverted?
Dont worry about potential problems, theyre very robust and if you do have an issue then we dont shirk from aftersales. Even if you have an issue outside the warrenty period its still a painless process to resolve. If you have a damper failure then theres no messing about having yours rebuilt, we just replace it with a new one meaning you dont have to send the complete coilover unit back to us if you dont want to. We just send you a new damper and it can be installed by yourself or your local garage. If we dont have a spare damper unit in stock then we will strip and cannibalise a complete kit if needs be to minimise any delays.
Apex has been around for years now, we dont plan on going anywhere in the near future so spares should be available for years to come.
Relaibility hasnt been an issue with these coilovers in the first instance though, they are dependable products
Dont worry about potential problems, theyre very robust and if you do have an issue then we dont shirk from aftersales. Even if you have an issue outside the warrenty period its still a painless process to resolve. If you have a damper failure then theres no messing about having yours rebuilt, we just replace it with a new one meaning you dont have to send the complete coilover unit back to us if you dont want to. We just send you a new damper and it can be installed by yourself or your local garage. If we dont have a spare damper unit in stock then we will strip and cannibalise a complete kit if needs be to minimise any delays.
Apex has been around for years now, we dont plan on going anywhere in the near future so spares should be available for years to come.
Relaibility hasnt been an issue with these coilovers in the first instance though, they are dependable products
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Joined: Jul 2005
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From: Bedford
Installed front ones today and will be doing rears tomorrow.
It was easy but I noticed that upper OE camber bolts have to be passed other way around (opposite to OE strut fitment) due to arrangements of the holes!
Has any one else has noticed this?
(by the way they are inverted ones for WRX05)
Kemp
It was easy but I noticed that upper OE camber bolts have to be passed other way around (opposite to OE strut fitment) due to arrangements of the holes!
Has any one else has noticed this?
(by the way they are inverted ones for WRX05)
Kemp
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Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 180
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From: Bedford
Hi all,
Fitted rears today and they were easier than fronts. Took for little ride.
Wow, car goes like its on rail. Accelerates faster and turns quicker.
Ride is bit on harsher side and loud noise on potholes (running 5 clicks from soft).
Bit of oversteer probably due to stiff rear ARB. Hope after alignment and stiffer front ARB + ALK, I can control o..steer.
All in all, very good sofar!
Kemp
Fitted rears today and they were easier than fronts. Took for little ride.
Wow, car goes like its on rail. Accelerates faster and turns quicker.
Ride is bit on harsher side and loud noise on potholes (running 5 clicks from soft).
Bit of oversteer probably due to stiff rear ARB. Hope after alignment and stiffer front ARB + ALK, I can control o..steer.
All in all, very good sofar!
Kemp
Are GB prices still on? Do you fit and set alignment? Prices??
Good watching (and talking to) you at Elvington, you gave the RX7 a run,round the twisty bits at least.
I am mainly wanting to lower my 04 Sti as I have just fitted 18's, and may start occasional track daying also.
Good watching (and talking to) you at Elvington, you gave the RX7 a run,round the twisty bits at least.
I am mainly wanting to lower my 04 Sti as I have just fitted 18's, and may start occasional track daying also.
Officially the GB has finished but we can extend it if you want one
We have one set of 5/4 inverted STis in stock but can fit different springs if you want to go stiffer. Our Impreza runs 6/5s which are ok on track but Id prefer 5/4 for general road use.
The RX7 was on track tyres, Toyo R888s. Says something about our cars set up that it was easily a match in the twisties considering we were just running standard road rubber
The inverted set up is £633.75, normally £845.
We have one set of 5/4 inverted STis in stock but can fit different springs if you want to go stiffer. Our Impreza runs 6/5s which are ok on track but Id prefer 5/4 for general road use.
The RX7 was on track tyres, Toyo R888s. Says something about our cars set up that it was easily a match in the twisties considering we were just running standard road rubber
The inverted set up is £633.75, normally £845.
Last edited by bren@apex; Jan 18, 2008 at 10:43 AM.
...on your classic, but the 04 car is heavier.
What tyres are you running, out of interest, Bren?
Guy with the KW v3's - replacing the one faulty strut would be more rational, surely, having gone to the expense of separate rebound/compression units complete with adjustable topmounts. As JohnF said earlier the v3's have the greater potential IF set up carefully.
Andy
What tyres are you running, out of interest, Bren?
Guy with the KW v3's - replacing the one faulty strut would be more rational, surely, having gone to the expense of separate rebound/compression units complete with adjustable topmounts. As JohnF said earlier the v3's have the greater potential IF set up carefully.
Andy
True.
Toyo T1-Rs.
Forget what I said about the KWs, its 90% down to a faulty coilover but not 100% so until its 100% theres nothing to be said. He needs to swap the units side to side to see if the noise follows the coilover.
Toyo T1-Rs.
Forget what I said about the KWs, its 90% down to a faulty coilover but not 100% so until its 100% theres nothing to be said. He needs to swap the units side to side to see if the noise follows the coilover.
