Suspension - Testimonials please

[Veloc]

I thought it would be good if we can have a thread to share experience in using suspension. Many suspension including OEM nowadays do not last. And for some of us, we love to just compare many different ones and get the best one. But that is an expensive hobby! So let us share here. Details to share are:

Car:
Brand and model: (suspension brand and model)
Durability: (no of years it served you before soften or scrapped)
Roads used on: (smooth, bumpy, gravel etc)

*Optional
Comfort:
Handling:

---------- Post added at 06:21 PM ---------- 6 hour anti-bump limit - Previous post was at 06:18 PM ----------

Let me start...

Car: Toyota Corolla AE111
Brand and model: APM Performax rear abs with stock springs
Durability: 6 months :( Didn't scrap but got soft after 6 months.
Roads used on: Mostly city drive with occasional bumpy roads. No gravel.

*Optional
Comfort: When new, not too soft and a little bit stiff. Just nice balance for comfort and handling.
Handling: Nicely, slightly stiff.

 

[g4i8y0t]

Car: Civic SO4
Engine: SOHC 1.6 Manual
Brand and model: Tokico OEM shock with original spring
Durability: I bought them brand new about 2 years ago and have covered about 50,000km. Recently could feel them going a bit soft and my front wheel hit the wheel arch when taking fast corners and hitting bump at the same time.
Roads used on: Highway (50%), kampung roads (30%), town (20%)

Comfort: 7.5/10
Handling: 2/10

*I was thinking of getting APM Performax to replace my Tokicos but after reading your review I'm changing my mind...

 

[GasPedal]

Car: Toyota Corolla EE90 1991 1.3carb [convert 4age 20v BT]
Brand and model: GAB coil with stock kayaba absorber
Durability: already 1 year [till now still feel like new]
Roads used on: paved road around sungai petani kedah

*Optional
Comfort: not very comfy, but not as bad as coilover/adjustable suspension
Handling: good, give u confident around bend, and during cilok2 at 5000rpm :)
mechanic said handling will be better if match with GAB damper, but stiffer.

 

[ae92 corolla]

Hi sifu, sorry to use this thread...

I am thinking of buying APM performax sport spring for my

Car model : AE92 (1989 model)
Description : 4AFE engine (no modification), using 195x50x15R tyre

Currently the distance between body and tyre is 3 figure... and im using stock absorber and spring, its Monroe gas absorber (just found out last week when i clean my wheel arch)...

Question:

1) How low will my car be if i use the APM Performax spring for all 4 corners? (How many fingers)
2) How is the durability? Will it spoil my existing absorber?
3) Where can i get it changed? Any recommended worskshop?

Thank You

 

[Veloc]

Hi sifu, sorry to use this thread...

I am thinking of buying APM performax sport spring for my

Car model : AE92 (1989 model)
Description : 4AFE engine (no modification), using 195x50x15R tyre

Currently the distance between body and tyre is 3 figure... and im using stock absorber and spring, its Monroe gas absorber (just found out last week when i clean my wheel arch)...

Question:

1) How low will my car be if i use the APM Performax spring for all 4 corners? (How many fingers)
2) How is the durability? Will it spoil my existing absorber?
3) Where can i get it changed? Any recommended worskshop?

Thank You

First of all, you have one of the best absorbers around Monroe GT gas is stiff thus good for handling. And are you sure your car comes ori with Monroe? Nobody changed it? Toyota AE normally use KYB.

To ans you, I only have experience on apm performax absorbers and not springs. But I have heard testimonies around.

1.) It will usually be lowered to 3 fingers. SInce your car already 3 fingers, maybe it will be the same
2.) I don't think so because it is not a self chopped spring. The travel and rate has been calculated to work with stock absorbers. However, since it is APM and most people reported that it is prone to go fast, then perhaps it will put more load on your absorbers.
3.) Don't know... Need to ask people in your area.

Please share you experience of suspension here please. This suppose to be opened in a different thread.

 

[ae92 corolla]

Sori bro, but thanks for the info... im nt sure whether it had been changed previously or not (cause i bought from my uncle who is a second buyer) .... i will share my experience here...

Car : Toyota Corolla AE92 (4AFE 1.6 liter Carb engine)
Brand and model : Monroe gas absorber with stock springs (says made in Australia)
Durability : Using for more than 13 years (if i remember correctly, car was passed to me by my uncle). Still feel okay as i carry four adults passenger before..
Roads used on : Town and highway

 

[DanzEterna]

Car: Proton Perdana 6a12TT
Brand and model: hotbits hi lo adjustable suspension
Durability: quite soft, thinking of changing to GAB hi lo/ soft hard.
Roads used on: tarmac.

*Optional
Comfort: 7/10
Handling:3/10

 

[g4i8y0t]

any more reviews?

 

[shawnzz]

Car: Suzuki Swift Sport
Brand and model: Titan Hi Lo
Durability: used for 9 month, cant comment
Roads used on: City roads/highway port hole

Comfort: 5/10 (subjective, i find it comfortable, my friends find it stiff)
Handling:8/10 (rear tends to over oversteer, But i like it)

 

[Izso]

Car : Wira Aeroback SE 1.5
Brand and Model : Improve hi/lo + 8k front 6k rear springs
Durability : dunno. Too stiff and changed it after 3 months.
Roads used on : KL roads + track
Comfort : (0/10) Hell no. Not at all. Bouncy and jiggly. Good if you have well endowed female friends you want to make fun of.
Handling : (6/10) You rely super heavily on good tyres. Otherwise it's flat cornering (zero body roll) and your physical body will roll more than the car. If you have rubbish tyres expect to oversteer a lot.

Brand and Model : Improve Comfort semi adjustable rear and fixed front + stock springs
Durability : 1 year.
Roads used on : KL roads
Comfort : (7/10) Very comfy. Feels like stock except slightly stiffer.
Handling : (3/10) Very wishy washy, slow to respond when cornering and all. Does not like fast direction changes. But then again the name says it all - "Comfort" so can't really complain.

Brand and Model : Hotbits Silver Hi/Lo + 4.5k front 4k rear springs
Durability : still using
Roads used on : KL roads + track
Comfort : (5/10) Ok la. For height-adjustables this is considered comfy. You still feel every bump on the road but it's not bone jarring. Going over speedbumps doesn't break your back either but when going over a bump you get that extra 'jump' after passing through the rear. I don't like this as it makes my custom rear board and contents of my boot jump if I'm just a little too fast over the bump.
Handling : (7/10) Has some bodyroll but it makes the car more easier to predict and control. Stiff enough to allow me to plough through corners faster than I'm normally comfortable without being unpredictable. Reaction time is fast it holds its place quite well when under pressure. Quite good if you ask me.

 

[YYC]

Car: Proton Iswara 1.3 2001
Brand and model: KYB RS & G|A|B sport spring
Durability: 21 months and still rock.
Roads used on: City and highway


Comfort: 7/10. Used to be 5/10 before I installed front spring cushions, added cushions because car too low.
Handling: 5/10. Spring cushion no good for handling, not as sharp as it should be.

 

[ACQ2305]

Car : Wira 4g91
Brand : GAB Hi : Lo , 2005 model..
Durability : Use it for 6 years, squeezed the life out of it. Was not absorbing the bumps anymore.. hahaha
Roads used : 1 year in KL roads, 5 years back in Sarawak, i would say, highway and some rough roads, bumpy and uneven..
Comfort : 4-5/10 Kinda harsh, does rattles the inside of my car, but it does not bother me back then..
Handling : 7.5 / 10 ?? Find it planted with minimal body roll.. Only had a front stabilizer bar and 17in rims..

Brand : DII (RED), not D2 (Purple).. tight budget
Durability : Since 2011 March till present..
Roads used : 50 - 50..Smooth, and uneven surfaces..
Comfort : First 3 months, was ok.. Seem to get a bit bouncy since then.. if compared to GAB 5 / 10
Handling : 5 / 10 A bit more body roll if compared to GAB.. Soft, but better in terms of comfort.. Might go for a change,depends on priority..

 

[DareDan]

Car: Myvi 1.3
Brand and model: KYB RS Pro Hi/Lo
Durability: 9 months so far so good
Roads used on: City, highway and Industrial road with lots of hole...

Comfort: 7/10.
Handling: 6/10.

 

[nadziad]

CAR; satria neo cps
Brand:sdw d2 adjustable
Durability:1 year+
Road use: rural place, city place
Comfort:7/10 better than stock suspension
handling:9/10 haha taking corner during hi speed

 

[zuruzuruz]

Car: kia spectra
Brand: Titan Hi Lo
Durability: been using it for 5 years aledi, the moderate comfort that it used to hv hv gone
Road use: rural area 20%, city area 80%
Comfort: 6/10 new (4/10 after 5 years)
Handling: 10/10 I can take any corners that i want anytime anywhere, provided with some good tyres... last time i whack my car on a corner, it was with a mugen rr, it felt like i was at par with him :P

 

[kcng]

Car Model : Proton Satria Neo (non-cps)
Brand and Model : IMP Hyperflex II (Hi-Lo-Soft-Hard) + 8k springs front / 6k springs rear
Durability : 2 years exactly (60,000 km +/-) before sending in to service
Roads used on : KL roads + highway + regular ulu yam / kuala klawang / genting sempah + occasional SIC open track day
Comfort : (2/10)
Regardless of the amount of "clicks", u lost all comfort. You can feel every single bump / rut / unevenness of the road and surface. Maybe I pair it with the wrong springs configuration. But then again, personally I do not care about comfort.
:embarassed:
Handling : (7/10)
Comparing to R3 springs + stock shocks combi previously, bodyroll is zero (regular town/road usage) and bodyroll will only kicks in if being pushed (touge trips / SIC). Bodyroll comes in gradually and this gives me plenty of time to feel how much more grip I have.
Accelerate/brakes better too as hard acceleration will not cause the car to squat or hard braking will not cause the nose to dive too much.

My 2 sen

 

[darween13]

Car: Mitsubishi Lancer GT
Brand: Titan Hi-Lo Performance Shocks + Original Lancer GT Springs
Durability: 10,000KM – About 4 months now; so, unsure on durability but the need to service every 25,000KM will keep it intact I believe (lifetime warranty) – Could not comment much.
Road use: City (50%), Highway (30%), Bumpy + Gravel + Pot Hole-filled-routes (20%)
Comfort: 10/10 (Still new is one of the factor and as said the need to service every 25,000KM will ensure comfort I believe) – Could not comment much.
Handling: 10/10 – The shocks handles well both in high speed and low speed; keeps the car firm, less body roll unlike the original shocks – impressed and very satisfied with the performance.
Points to Note: Titan Suspension is fully custom made and built to customer’s requirements; hence, there are 3 level of setup within its full Hi-Lo suspension; 1) Soft 2) Medium 3) Hard. And within these setups, there are 2 levels of adjustment to each primary level; i.e.: Soft – Soft & Soft  Medium, Medium – Medium & Medium  Hard, Hard – Hard & Stiffest
Having said these, Titan Custom Setup comes with its own pair of advantages and disadvantages. Hence, I will share my experience of searching the right setup for you all to judge the brands and desired setups that are available out there.
Since the beginning of this year, I wanted to swap my original suspension to a hi-lo setup primarily for cosmetic purposes as I was about to swap my wheels from the Ori Lancer GT wheels to Volks TE37 SL. So, I contacted few sifu’s in ZTH as well as scouted around accessory shops for the right setup / suspension. The brands in discussion included: BC Racing, GAB, D&D, D2, and KW (Ori German made from Singapore).
I dropped KW from the list due to its price though I believe that suspension could have all been worth it for the price. I had the chance to test out BC Racing, GAB & D&D as well as Titan; all full set Hi-Lo in Lancer GT. Having tested all, I wasn’t satisfied with the setup – it was too stiff for my liking and ride was very bumpy. That factor singularly was a put off hence I refrained from taking the car for a full spin to test out the handling.
However, at Titan, the mechanic suggested that I couple their performance shocks with my original springs to preferable get the setup that I desire. As it stands, Lancer GT’s suspension and handling isn’t bad at all albeit the body roll, so, I decided to give it a try. And, the result is satisfactory and was to my liking. The stiffness increased perhaps by 20% compared to the original setting but handling wise, the car improved by miles as opposed to the original setting. I was extremely happy with the outcome simply because I managed to drop the height to 2 fingers both front and rear while not compromising much on the ride comfort and was able to extract a significant amount of difference in terms of handling.
However, this setup comes with its unique advantages and disadvantages – and for those who are keen or are thinking of going down this path; please read with caution and evaluate all avenues available before you proceed – it took me approx. 5 months to settle down for something that I liked.
Disadvantages:
Titan is custom made – there could be recurring issues which would need you to return to the shop occasionally; at least in the beginning stage of installation – primarily due to the manual human assembling steps rather than machine automated assembling process of the suspension.
Only one outlet in Cheras – Ampang; and only Titan mechanics are able to repair / troubleshoot the suspension – no alternative hence, the accessibility to the shop and its service is limited.
Need for servicing at every 25,000KM interval – additional cost in terms of time and money.
Price affordability – the full set of performance shocks is equivalent to full set of Hi-Lo setup of certain brands; hence, it may not entail some as the best investment.
Advantages:
Being custom made – everything could be customized to your preference; in terms of height, comfort, stiffness, handling as well as the quality of built of the shocks.
Price vs Output – worth every penny spent (from personal perspective) as the suspension really performs the way I would like it to with minimal compromise on other factors.
Lifetime warranty albeit the additional maintenance cost; and resale value is great for Titan Suspension – can trade off with Titan for new shocks / setup in case of change in ride.
Disclaimer: I am not by any means is an advertiser or boot licker of Titan. All that is mentioned is based on my personal experience of using Titan with comparison with other brands that were within my reach and it took me quite a bit of my time and resources to finally settle down with the brand that gave me the setup that I desired. Each individual has their own preference and Titan may not be their choice; hence, as mentioned, proceed with caution and invest correctly in the setup that is desired to avoid regrets in the long run. This comment is just meant to be a guide and perhaps for those who are tinkering to do it in less time than the 5 months that I consumed.

 

[shiroitenshi]

Car: Honda Civic EG (own)
Brand and model: Spoon sports (Yellow, Street ver. Non adjustable)
Durability: like ori OEM honda. Used from early 2004s to 2010, finally the front seals leaked, rear still doesn't.
Roads used on: All kinds, including unpaved roads.
Comfort: 3/10, You don't carry old folks with this.
Handling: 7/10, Don't like the rebound, too fast. (personal opinion btw)

Car: Honda Civic EG (own)
Brand and model: Omnipower monotubes spring 12kg, 10kg, 8kg. Using 10kg front with 8kg rear.
Durability: Hasn't failed yet, 2 years already. Still using.
Roads used on: All kinds, including unpaved roads.
Comfort: 5/10 when slow, at higher speeds 90kmh+, really comfy, 8/10. You can carry old folks/your parents with this, but only on the highways. surprising to find that monotubes really responsive. Rebound is average, compression damping a little low, but I guess that's how I find it comfortable.
Handling: 8/10, Quite good. Feels like on rails. Almost Ohlins, but that is overstating it.

Car: Honda Civic EK (friend's ride)
Brand and model: Ohlins monotubes (spring rate forgotten)
Durability: Sold already, third owner now and still on those same coilovers. More than 7 years.
Roads used on: All kinds, including unpaved roads.
Comfort: 6/10 when slow, at higher speeds 90kmh+, really comfy, 9/10. You can carry old folks/your parents with this.
Handling: 10/10, Quite good. Feels like on rails. Best handling honda I've driven.

Car: Nissan Sentra (My around town car)
Brand and model: APM standard absorbers; springs some random taiwan brand.
Durability: 5 years and still no leaks.
Roads used on: Town roads with minor potholes.
Comfort: 10/10 when slow, at higher speeds 90kmh+, really bouncy but not harsh. 10/10. (then again, my sentra is pretty heavy)
Handling: 2/10, handles like a bus, but comfortable.

Car: Proton Wira (friend's ride, carpool shared driving.)
Brand and model: Performax, Taiwan lowering springs.
Durability: 2 years and going
Roads used on: All kinds, including unpaved roads.
Comfort: 8/10 when slow, at higher speeds 90kmh+, quite harsh. 4/10.
Handling: 6/10, handles okay, but not for spirited driving.

Overall, I think your choice should be based on budget and usage. You want good handling, sacrifice a bit of comfort. If you want comfort, sacrifice handling.

Based on my experience with APM normal and Performax series, they're pretty good value for money if you are looking for OEM replacement. Of course if performance is paramount, go for monotubes. After using twintubes for so long, monotubes is my new addiction. Takes a little time to get it right by tweaking the damping knobs, but when you hit that sweet spot,

 

[g4i8y0t]

I have something to share here. Today I went to a kampung shop in the middle of a paddy field in Parit Buntar to modify my OEM Tokico absorber. What they did is take out the absorber, drilled a hole to drain the oil inside and replaced it with higher viscosity oil. I'm not sure what type of oil but I did see some barrel with SAE90 printed on them. Then they pumped in the gas and welded the hole, that's it. I was a bit skeptical at first and was expecting a harsher ride. To my surprise, it's not like that at all. The ride is firm and very stable. Sharp corners can be attacked with greater speeds than before. Minor bumps are all soaked up well. Larger bumps/holes could be felt a bit more. It made me thinking that this is the damping rate that my car should have in the very first place. I don't know how long the absorbers will last, but the guy said it should last at least a year. The price I paid in total was RM150 for all 4 absorbers, including 4 new bump stops.

Car: Civic SO4
Engine: SOHC 1.6 Manual
Brand and model: Modified Tokico OEM absorber with original spring
Durability: I only installed them today
Roads used on: Highway (50%), kampung roads (30%), town (20%)

Comfort: 6.5/10
Handling: 6/10

 

[Izso]

I have something to share here. Today I went to a kampung shop in the middle of a paddy field in Parit Buntar to modify my OEM Tokico absorber. What they did is take out the absorber, drilled a hole to drain the oil inside and replaced it with higher viscosity oil. I'm not sure what type of oil but I did see some barrel with SAE90 printed on them. Then they pumped in the gas and welded the hole, that's it. I was a bit skeptical at first and was expecting a harsher ride. To my surprise, it's not like that at all. The ride is firm and very stable. Sharp corners can be attacked with greater speeds than before. Minor bumps are all soaked up well. Larger bumps/holes could be felt a bit more. It made me thinking that this is the damping rate that my car should have in the very first place. I don't know how long the absorbers will last, but the guy said it should last at least a year. The price I paid in total was RM150 for all 4 absorbers, including 4 new bump stops.

Car: Civic SO4
Engine: SOHC 1.6 Manual
Brand and model: Modified Tokico OEM absorber with original spring
Durability: I only installed them today
Roads used on: Highway (50%), kampung roads (30%), town (20%)

Comfort: 6.5/10
Handling: 6/10

Padi field? Seriously? That gives "Bawah pokok" a whooooooooooole new meaning