I'm thinking about adding some better rims/tires, adjustable gas struts, and anti-sway kit.

I'm most likely going to enter some slaloms since they have a motorsports club in my city and they organize that a couple times a month.

For tires, I was thinking about some 16' winter rims instead of alloy wheels to save some money. I think I can get some 6.5' or 7' wide. Does anybody see any disadvantage to that except for the weight?

If I get some gas struts, do I need to add anything else to have it work properly? I'm also thinking about an anti-sway kit to dimishe body roll. Are they worth the $200?
P.S. I don't want to lower my ride, just stiffen it as much as possible without spending too much money.

I'm just posting to hear from you guys if you have any alternatives, suggestions, and/or advice. Any comments will be greatly appreciated.

Good day to all,
Dave

 

I know the front and rear upper strut bars will improve your handling a lot. I noticed a big difference when I installed mine.

 

The swaybars will improve handling best, then the stiffer suspension. Even though you don't want to lower, it might be a good idea if handling is what you're looking for. Nothing too drastic like some people think (Lower the better) but just a little bit to lower your center of gravity and also to stiffen up the spring rates, ie; lowering springs have stiffer spring rates to keep from bottoming out.

Adjustable gas shocks will help with the ride quality and not necessarily with the handling aspects as much as you think. Body roll isn't controlled by shocks but rather by a combination of your springs/shocks & swaybars.
Install a set of strut bars and of course tire choice is important as well. You could spend $1000 on a set of coilovers and have cheap tires with a huge sidewall ruining your grip. As you hit a corner, the tires grip the road of course and if you have poor sidewalls the tires will roll under the rim.
That's where lo-pro tires come in, the lower the profile the stiffer the sidewall is but don't go with a sidewall so small that would cause you to hit a curb or pothole and ruin your rims instantly.

 

^^^^^^ well said.

 

so if I understood correctly, I should eliminate the gas struts idea. Instead I get some lowering springs for ride stiffness and coilovers? I'm kinda foggy on how things go together for a car's suspension. Do these parts give my any limitations during winter (as in chance of rust...).

How much do good coilovers go for?

I'm getting some new tires for the new rims. most likely some 50 or 55 for a stiff sidewall.

 

I wouldnt go for a set of coilovers unless you want to spend $600 plus. Get some front and rear strut bars (can be had off ebay for dirt cheap) and some lowering springs (eibach or other NAME BRAND). You'll probably need a camber kit but that is cheap off ebay or at JEGs. Obviously after you install the springs it will require an alignment. ALX is right the sway bars will help you more but you will sure as hell notice a big difference with strut bars and springs.

 

By reading on this forum, I gathered that Tein springs are good quality. So I checked ebay and found these
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/TEIN-...QQcmdZViewItem

does this look like a good choice? Any other good product suggestions?

I saw some Skunk2 camber kits from front and rear wheels but at $150US a pair.. that seems a bit pricey, are any adjusctable camber kits suitable or do some have major quality problems?

Thanks

 

You can find the Tein's for cheaper. with the springs you should also get new shocks, personally I don't see the NEED for adjustable shocks, but its a personal opinion. I think Tokico are the agreed quality shocks on here. you can get a set for 400 or less.

 

adding a rear sway bar will help with adding oversteer right?

 

so I guesss a combo like this one would be good
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/92-00...QQcmdZViewItem