H&R Coilovers - Initial Review

[Verdugo]

This is a very initial review, since I'm going to give them some time to settle a bit before I get an alignment. Since I'll be out of town next Wednesday until almost the end of the month, alignment will probably happen sometime in September.

Anyway...the install went as well as I would've expected. HUGE props to Jason and Ivan for all their help, and to Garret for his enthusiasm. Jason had done these on his car the night before, and he knew the install pretty well. However, since my suspension had been airtooled on before (when I had my springs installed at Garage SPL), the nuts and bolts were really hard to take off. The nut that holds on the top hats to the struts was impossible to take off by hand, so we had to drop off my stock struts at a tire shop and wait an hour until they could disassemble them. We also had some problems getting the clip that holds the brake lines onto the struts on the rear...Ivan figured out how to pry them off with a screwdriver and hammer, but I know I probably couldn't do it again if you asked me. Otherwise, the install was easy in theory...just a pain in the arse since the nuts and bolts were on so tight. It was basically a bolt-off and bolt-on procedure. Given the downtime waiting for the stock struts to be disassembled and going back and forth between Jason tweaking his install and Ivan putting in a new Perrin uppipe, the total time took pretty much 4 - 5 hours.

As for the ride so far...it's a pretty jarring ride on uneven ground, but I think that's pretty much to be accepted when it comes to coilovers. I define uneven ground as broken up concrete and potholes...basically your typical downtown driving. On suburban roads and neighborhoods, it feels better than my dying stock struts with my Tein Hi-Tech springs. On the freeway, it feels about the same as my old setup. Jason did such a great install that I don't hear any clunking whatsoever.

Finally, about the handling...it's a night and day difference. The way my car handles now, even before getting an alignment, completely makes up for the jarring ride at times. Jason was following me home after dinner on Saturday night and he watched me take a long 270-degree onramp at about 70 mph...the car felt very stable and neutral (partially thanks in part to my sway bars and endlinks too) without a single hint of understeer. It felt absolutely phenomenal!

This coilover kit may not be the best for someone who tracks their car and needs the dampening adjustability, but for me, the fact that I can adjust the ride height and that H&Rs don't need to be rebuilt make this absolutely perfect for my needs. I'll have more of a review after I get my car aligned and maybe do more runs in the twisties

[PhreeZe]

Advice, to save yourself some stress, upgrade your top hats. Will make things easier in the long run.

These coils are too soft for track use. But I feel they are perfect for street and auto-x.

Anyways to keep this quick and nice, these coilovers are great. Very pricey though. Retail for $1700. Good german quality though.

Jason

[Verdugo]

Originally posted by PhreeZe
Advice, to save yourself some stress, upgrade your top hats. Will make things easier in the long run.

Indeed...that would've saved us a good hour and a half at least...heh

I would've gotten them if I could've afforded them...maybe later down the road

[PhreeZe]

I would of gotten them if I would remembered. I totally blanked out on that. Oh well. Maybe next week.

Jason

[snailwrx]

dang, verdugo what next? your ride keeps getting nicer, first the volks and now h&r coilovers. plus the most important sticker of all "redsuns". keep up the mods

[Ferg]

Nice job Armin, can't wait to see it in person