RA65 lowering - What brand springs to get?

**eightsixboy** · 21-09-2011, 04:37 PM

Hi all,

Trying to decide on what springs to get for my ra65, there is to many options

King - heard alot of bad stories but they are cheap
Aurora - seem pretty helpfull and cheapish
AJPS - buys from Aurora? Dave is very helpfull and knows his sh*t
Kmac - will make to suit any height just like Aurora.

Im sure theres more brands out there but there the ones I am considering.

Im looking to lower the car around 30-40mm, nothing to crazy as it'll be my daily and want a captive spring ie legal. Doesnt have to be uber stiff, only around 4kg would be fine.

What are your thoughts?

**Donmik** · 25-09-2011, 11:05 AM

Hey Mate,

I ran a set of King Springs in my SA63, with a set of koni shocks and i was quiet impressed with the overall performance of the car... I'm not saying this set up is the ultimate, but it definatly done the job, just depends what your after...
I would definatly do a shock absorber swap with installation of the springs to compliment the setup, however, i probably wouldn't recommend the koni shocks (too expensive for the performance in an everyday car) when a set ot of something like Monroe Sport GT's would be just as good (for the street).

The biggest thing i found when i lowered the car with this set up was the standard tyre profile (70) caused noticable tyre movement through high speed cornering... but once again, depends on what your after....

hope this might be slightly helpful,
Mik.

**eightsixboy** · 25-09-2011, 07:50 PM

Cool thanks for the reply.

I got a 'trade' quote for Koni adjustable and the price was well a little ridiculous, I can get 4 KYB shocks for the price of 1 1/2 koni's. Im a little turned of by King springs as after doing some research most people say there pretty sub par and I guess the price of them reflects that. Its funny how places who use them say there good but I guess they have to say that.

Thinking of going Kmac or Aurora now, I dont really want anything uber stiff so a 40-50mm drop with a captive spring should still be possible.

I'm going 15's with a 50 or 55 profile so they should be fine.

**CELICASUPRA7M** · 25-09-2011, 07:52 PM

Makita, Ryobi... its all good

jokes. Kings are OK

**Donmik** · 25-09-2011, 09:46 PM

Touché!!!! Makita do make a good product!!!!

In all seriousness though, I haven't had anything to do with the other brands,
but I was running kings (with a 1/4 coil cut off) to suit a custom spring retaining plate, with the monroe gt shocks, ajustable camber strut tops (3 degrees on the front, 3.5 degrees on the rear), front and rear custom strut braces, stitched suspension control arms, urathane bushes through out and a low profile tyre....
The setup was so direct that it actually caused hair line cracks in the frame of the car between the strut and the windscreen.....
But boy did she handle grrrrrrreat!!!!

Good luck with it, let us know what you decide...
Mik.

**Donmik** · 25-09-2011, 09:49 PM

Ps. I just meant kings are a good product for the price you pay, but like I said I don't know the performance of the other brands....

**eightsixboy** · 26-09-2011, 09:27 AM

What camber tops were you running?

**Donmik** · 26-09-2011, 11:00 AM

I was running K-Mac, but a while ago I was looking for replacements and I heard K-Mac weren't doing them anymore....

Apparently 'whiteline' now do them....
But I'm not sure....

**eightsixboy** · 26-09-2011, 11:46 AM

Hmmmm interesting. I heard that whiteline were made by King and then whiteline stopped selling springs, either way Im not convinced with King and/or whiteline, will end up going aurora i think, pretty sure they make all of ajps's springs and they are good.

Shocks is easy, KYB all the way, cant really beat them for the price. Still cant get over how expensive the Koni's are, they would have to be insanely epic to warrant the cost.

**Donmik** · 26-09-2011, 12:42 PM

Well there you go, your more informed then me.....

Let me know how it all goes when its done, Im interested to know...

Cheers,
Mik

**eightsixboy** · 26-09-2011, 01:04 PM

I just ordered my springs from aurora so Ill post up pics when there in, just have to find shocks now. I can get rear KYB's but there isnt a listing for fronts which is annoying.

**CELICASUPRA7M** · 26-09-2011, 01:09 PM

i have KYB AGX in the front of my ra60 and they are WAY to stiff, even on the lowest setting. Be ok for a track car tho.

**Donmik** · 26-09-2011, 01:14 PM

Way too stiff??? Is there such a thing???

Would you like me try find out some info for you regarding the shocks? I got a few people in the spare parts area???

**eightsixboy** · 26-09-2011, 02:09 PM

It would have been for another car as there is no listing for the older celicas for the kyb's, they prob arnt valved for the ra60, not unless im looking in the wrong catalogue lol.