EVO Spring with vr4 strut?

[tektic]

If I got tein springs for EVO 8 would they fit in place of the stock vr4 springs?
Or they only work with the modifyed EVO 8 struts?

 

[CutlassJim]

I'm not %100 sure because I've never done it but I want to say they will fit fine. They look identical.

 

[ktmrider]

Fit, yes. "Work"? Depends on definition.

Read up on the endless threads for Suspension ( 1g/2g/EVO interchange ). Mismatched parts = crappy ride and premature failure of said parts.

 

[tektic]

tein Springs and evo shocks it is then. It Just doesn't seem right to weld new shocks right out of the box. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/dunno.gif

 

[bmxr152]

Just get some evo stuts. I have some evo bilstein struts and love the way it rides now. Sold my hotbits for these and some cash.

 

[prove_it]

Do not put tein springs on evo shocks. tein springs will blow the evo struts fast. Read up on it over on the evo forums. Swift, espilar, and robispec are the only proven springs for evo struts.

Trust me, you don't want to fork over the money for evo struts then blow one 5k miles later.

 

[tektic]

A couple people on this board has EVO struts and tein springs on their vr4s. Ride hight looks great. I've read everything here on the subject. Never read anything you just said.

 

[prove_it]

Go over to EVOM and you will find about 100 threads regarding the tein springs.

 

[tektic]

Will do. I've only been looking here.

 

[cheekychimp]

Quoting prove_it:
Do not put tein springs on evo shocks. tein springs will blow the evo struts fast. Read up on it over on the evo forums. Swift, espilar, and robispec are the only proven springs for evo struts.



Is this just a compatibility issue with the EVO struts or are the springs themselves poorly manufactured? I ask because I just picked up a set of Ohlins for the GTi in the UK. I had been intending to put the Tein lowering springs that came with the car on the Ohlins shocks. Would that be a bad decision?

 

[ktmrider]

^^ The Tein-S ( green ) models are crap. They're for lowering only, rumor is S = Show. The drop and higher spring rate basically blows out the stock strut piston/seals in short order, sometimes in as little as 5k miles.

Tein-H ( bronze ) are a better choice IMO. Rumor is H = Handling. Less drop, better spring rate, easier on the boingers.

Again IMO the super drop/hella frush/slammed trend is ridiculous however I'm a Go type, not a Show type.

 

[cheekychimp]

Roger that Mike and Thank You /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/worthy.gif

I was putting the Tein (green) springs on purely because they look almost new whereas the Ohlins springs look a little rough (nothing a little paint won't fix, it's not a show car). Could well be the Tein springs were the demise of the previous struts. Less than 5K doesn't sound unreasonable for UK roads, seeing as they look brand new. I think I'll just fit the Ohlins units as is.

 

[prove_it]

Mike hit the nail on the head. Like I said, over on EVOM they only recommend Swift, espilar, and robispec springs. Personally I think the swift springs will work great for us since the front drop is 1.4" where the rear is only .6" drop. Which I think will resolve the front being so high on the VR4. No one has blown struts with these. They are a progressive rated spring so ride is actually improved on the KYB struts too.

 

[ApexHunter]

The problem with the Tein S-Tech is not the quality, but the spec. The spring is too short, particularly in the rear. The piston is too low in the stroke when static. We all know that factory dampers don't like to go too low. This has little to do with manufacturer. General rule of thumb has always been to swap out OE dampers if you plan on going low. Nothing new here.

The S-Tech is actually a more aggressive, more handling biased spring than the H-Tech. The H-Tech was developed for drivers who wanted to go a little lower without sacrificing too much in terms of ride quality. Hence the longer rear spring and softer rear rate.

Tein makes a great spring. They are progressive rate, and use high quality spring steel. If you want to use a more aggressive spring, be it the S-Tech or similar, then you need to use appropriate shocks.

Paul, my vote is for the Ohlins springs. I would assume that they are matched to those shocks, so it would be hard to do better, especially when we are talking about Ohlins. They seem to know what they are doing.

 

[tektic]

So is there Ohlins Fixed-Perch Struts @ $1799 a set...

Is there anything a little more reasonably priced up to the task of lowering springs? kyb is same as stock right, so your saying no good. Bilstein is ~$300 a corner but can handle a tein s-tech?

I'm going to look into getting new sleeves for my ground control springs even though they seemed a bit harsh in my dsm.

 

[cheekychimp]

I picked up these Ohlins for $500-USD. Bought as is but I had them checked out and figured it was worth it even if I had to go for a rebuild. You can get Bilsteins revalved for lowering springs. KC helped me do a set for Robispec springs. But then like you said Bilsteins at $300 a corner, revalving costs plus springs and you are close to if not over that $1799 price for nice new fancy struts. I just chose to go that route because the Bilsteins/Robispec setup was widely reported to be very comfortable on the street but still offer very good track performance. I think I'm getting old because all my coil over setups are just too harsh for me nowadays.

 

[ktmrider]

Quoting ApexHunter:
The problem with the Tein S-Tech is not the quality, but the spec. The spring is too short, particularly in the rear. The piston is too low in the stroke when static.

Tein makes a great spring. They are progressive rate, and use high quality spring steel. If you want to use a more aggressive spring, be it the S-Tech or similar, then you need to use appropriate shocks.

Thanks AH, I should have stated my prior response better.

Tein products are of great quality. They are "crap" for the OP's stated application, KYB EVO struts.

I ran Tein-H on my old bugeye WRX with well-used OEM stuts for a good 10k, no issues at all.

 

[prove_it]

Teins won't work with the bilstiens either. Like mentioned before it has to do with the factory stroke in the strut bodies. Also as far as getting bilsteins for 300 a corner? If you buy new yea, but why do that. I've found sets for around 400 shipped used. Run them til the blow you want to rebuild them. $80 bucks a strut to have them rebuilt and revalved to your own specs. It comes down to deciding on spending 1k now or in pieces pretty much. I still think the bilsteins/springs are cheaper in the long run than a GOOD set of coilovers. That's my opinion though. I had 13k on my KYB's with cut front spring then blew one front due to it having a scratch on the strut rod. You can find KYB's for 100 bucks now in days that are still in good shape. I want the comfort of bilsteins but the KYB's due help the GVR4 a lot. With my rear lsd and 25mm rear sway I can power oversteer in mid corner. Coilovers would do the same, but I only spent 180 on my evo swap so far.

 

[cheekychimp]

^^^ Yeah sorry, forgot to mention, I didn't get my Bilsteins new ... just in very good shape, KC doesn't sell rubbish!

 

[ApexHunter]

Blacksheep has some Koni's for sale here: click

Many of the Koni yellow shocks are significantly shorter that the OE shock they replace, making them ideal for lowering. I can speak from experience in Honda/Acura and Miata applications but i don't know for sure on the DSM/GVR4.