Disadvantage of OEM size springs vs 2.5" ID springs?

[MSMvsS14]

I've been thinking hard about going with the 8610 and Koni yellow combo on the S14. I currently have worn out Tokico blues with 1.5-ish inch lowering springs of unknown rate. I need to replace them as the car is scary to drive as is. I want to keep the budget lower as I'll be buying a house possibly within the month.

I've taken the insert out of the Tokicos and measured the ID @ around 27.5mm and a housing depth of 12". So I'm sure they will work with the 8610's per Koni specs.

I'm contemplating installing the 8610 inserts into the struts and sticking with the OEM (6" I think) diameter springs and then adding camber plates up top. I'll try out the springs I've got and replace if necessary. This will give me better suspension on the cheap with the camber adjustment that I require.

So the question(s). Will I be losing anything other than height adjustment? Is there any drawback to 6" ID springs vs 2.5" ID. If it's only a matter of height then I'm okay with the current height as it sits now. I notice on the sleeved setups that some of you run, the lower spring perch is next to the tire while strut/spring combos have the perch above the tire. Does this limit shock travel?

Forgive the weakness of my suspension knowledge. Thoughts?

-Steve

[jmauld]

The OEM style springs take up more room then the 2.5" springs, so you will not have as much camber adjustment due to lack of room to move the spring. You will also have trouble getting a set that is stiff enough to keep the car off of the bumpstops.

If you can live with that, it's a simple setup and perhaps worth it, just for that reason.

[MSMvsS14]

Ah, didn't think of that. So the clearance toward the engine bay side will restrict my camber adjustment. That could pose a problem. I'd like to be able to run at least 2* negative camber...

For spring rates I wanted to try something in the neighborhood of 500 lb/in front and 400 rear. Not sure if these are available in the larger size.

FWIW, I really like the setup that alot of y'all run with the 2.5" springs. I'm just not sure where to get all the piecemeal parts (i.e.- tophats, lower perch, threaded sleeves, etc...) at short notice. I need suspension like last week, and I need off the shelf stuff, not a one-at-a-time scavenger hunt.

-Steve

EDIT: Also, on a related note. What are the odds that a set of worn out coilovers would be almost as easy to mod with the 8610's. I know this has been discussed before, just don't know if anyone has actually tried it.

[Def]

Everybody pretty much gave up on modding coilovers to fit a Koni insert.

Did you mean 47.5mm on the ID of the Tokicos? Also, you could run a GC sleeve on your existing spring perch and just cut away the excess. It's best if the perch is level all the way around and not stepped.

You can get a used set of GC coilovers for various cars all over the place for $100-150 that'll probably get you 90% of the way to a complete setup if you've got the dampers worked out. Or you could just call GC up and pay $400 and get a shiny set with whatever spring rates you want. 450-500 up front and about 375-400 in the rear is a good match it seems.

[MSMvsS14]

Yes, the ID of the Tokicos, but that is using the actual numbered rule on my digital caliper. I just found out it's missing a battery cover. So it's round abouts that. :-(

The lower perch is lower on the pictures I've seen than the perch on the Tokicos. It sits about 1.5" above the top of the tire. I'd probably have to use a shorter spring. I'm sure I could cut the whole perch off and then weld a new level one at the correct height.

I was more worried about the parts. If I call GC, will they actually sell me just the sleeve, lower perch, and top hats?

And when you say 'gave up'- meaning lost interest or too hard to make it work? I would think between the Tokico housings and the coilovers, I could make it work. Worst case I could perhaps just cut off the coilovers below the lower threaded portion and weld the lower half of the Tokicos to it. I'm really thinking of picking up a blown set to give it a go.

Slap me if I'm stoopit.

-Steve

[Def]

Once you start talking about cutting and welding different struts together and cobbling together something, I think it'll honestly be easier to just get some of Richard's(veilside180sx) housings.

GC doesn't sell individual stuff, but the kit should have everything you need, and they might possibly work with you if you were ordering a whole kit from the get-go... or not... they can be huge asses in my experience.

[ckcadavona]

I think you need to decide if you're going with the tokico strut housing or a custom housings. Keep in mind that paying for small parts/odds and ends will add up. Is the savings worth being limited to what the tokico housings have to offer? Finding spring rates will be a pain in the rear considering the rates you want to run. You can get random parts from Truechoice and other places. It'll be a little more expensive then dealing with GC but the advantage is you don't have to deal with GC. :)

[SHAWNATGERBROCK]

A cheaper then GC alternative is what I did on my Sentra track car ... basic e-bay coilover sets ( like $40 ) ... toss the springs and just use the sleeves , then do a net seach for springs , I went with a local source ( Competition Motorsports ) and got BlueCoil springs for $65 ea. in the length and rate I wanted ... BlueCoil, Eibach, H&R are all available for fairly reasonable online in a number of lengths and rates !!

Where a new set of GC are $400 ... you can do the same for around $250 or less if you can find used stuff ...