so i know what the recommended suspension setup is cough cough * koni/gc *cough…but i was wondering has anyone thought to try skunk 2 sport shocks with the off the shelf rates ground control sleeves? not that i’m going to do this, i just wanted to know if it’s a possibility. thanks guys
I use the skunk2/GC and I think they ride very well!
you got any pictures with them installed on the car? also, what would you say the ride is like? harsh/too bouncy? i don’t know haha i’ve just been trying to get some opinions on this setup.
anybody else on this?
I’m sure it’s possible. I did a lot of research before I bought my Koni/GC setup and I have tried a few other combos in the past. There is a reason why it’s such a popular combo. IMO Don’t bother with anything else in that price range. Also, Skunk 2 suspensions are completely mediocre. You might get a few people vouching for them on here but I suspect it’s because they’ve never owned a Koni/GC setup.
skunk 2 full coilovers are fine if you dont ride slammed…but i’ve been riding slammed since the beginning of summer…the ride has gone to trash…
the koni/gc setup is conducive to riding slammed?
There isn’t a good suspension setup if you’re really low. If you’re really low you’re just stressing everything out. Some shocks are shorter and thus provide additional travel so at least you’re not bottoming out, but as a general rule the lower you go the worse your ride quality will be and the more you’ll be putting wear on things like ball joints, bushings…etc. The best thing you can do for “ride quality” is to ensure that you have enough shock travel. If you’re riding on your bump stops or bottoming out then it doesn’t matter what suspension you’re running.
This is partially why I feel you can’t really trust most of the stuff that is said regarding different suspension setups, the average person has not done the due diligence to confirm their suspension travel before talking about it online.
thanks guys for input. i know if it’s the do it right the first time but i mainly wanted to see if anybody had any insight on this particular combination. i don’t plan on riding slammed as this is my daily driver, probably and inch or 2 just to get rid of some gap. but the reason i wanted to get a sleeve was because i would like the ability to raise the car some when winter comes or better yet i’d just swap to my oem shocks/springs. the car may see auto-x at some point in it’s life but i’m mainly going for appearance. not a slammed look, just lowered. also comfortability is not a big concern neither because no one else drives my car or rides with me besides my brother who is also into cars. i just don’t want something really cheap+bad quality but i also don’t want to go overboard if i never utilize the full capabilities of the better suspension. i want koni/gc’s but saving is rough. i pay insurance, gas, for my two beagles,parents make me pay"rent" and i work at little caesars. being 17 and payed under minimum wage doesnt help. also pay by-weekly sucks.
so thanks guys again for your input.
Having your suspension adjustable is very nice, but I sincerely doubt you’ll change the ride height as much as you think you might. It’s not all that difficult to do but requires an alignment after ANY height changes. If you think saving for parts is expensive then you’re not going to want to pay for an alignment twice a year.
Looks like the only benefit to the S2 shocks is that they’re shorter than stock but if you aren’t going to lower the car much then that isn’t a huge deal and I’d be surprised if the S2s are better quality than the other options in your price range. Ride quality is going to be dependent more on your spring rate and suspension travel limits than the shock valving (at least in this specific situation you’re in). And I’d wager a bet that the S2s will not be as reliable or last as long as something like a KYB GR2 or Tokico Blue. Unless you have some solid testimonials that the S2s are better then I don’t see why you’d take that risk, there are other options which have a solid track record.
Seeing the financial situation you’re in my suggestion would be to not even bother, just keep the car stock and start saving your money for something important like college. And you should definitely make sure you’ve got a couple grand in the bank for emergency reasons, in case the car breaks down and needs repairs…etc
But I’m guessing that recommendation will fall on deaf ears, and in that case here’s what I’d recommend. Don’t buy anything new if you can help it. It’s not too hard to find a nearly new set of Koni/GC for a very good price. And I’d focus on getting good shocks and worry less about the coilovers. I like GC as a company because they support Grassroots Motorsports guys like us but their product isn’t anything epic. You could stick some cheap eBay coilovers on there and you’d never know the difference either than how they look and fit. If you can, I’d try to find something used or possibly even just get cheap coilovers on eBay, the only is sure with those is you likely won’t be able to confirm the spring rates.
Thanks for the response Colin. No its not falling on deaf ears because college has been the topic of discussion haha. Im probably just going to go to community college first for automotive technology. I already go to a school that offers auto tech training. So when Im done ill have two state certifications in brakes and steering and suspension. But Im stuck in between wanting to be automotive tech and mechanical engineer and what’s holding me back is the fact Im not in love with mathematics.
anyway, yeah maybe ill try gr2s or blues. Just wanted some suggestions on that particular setup. Also college is something nobody in my family has ever done nor pushed. They didn’t save for me and i pay for everything i have literally. From toothpaste to the towel i use in the shower. Its stressful because every kid talks about how they can build cars with their money ( i kid you not) already has their shit together because of their parents and don’t pay a penny for anything but what they want. So truly my car is a testament to the budget build idea. Lol man i try to tell them but they don’t care about hondas. My dad makes me pay for my own food. I never even eat dinner at home man, me and my twin are used to be left hanging i guess. Sorry for the rant but no one gets my current situation, and since it came up just needed to vent it
I was once in your place. IMO don’t bother with buying anything now for the suspension (Colin’s recommendation). As for your career and life, since you really don’t have the funds to invest in your car, I suggest trying to simply enjoy it in its stock form and keep up with maintenance. You could actually do more damage to the car and compromise the safety by skimping on parts. The best advice I can give is advice that someone one gave me. Choose the life path that seems the most difficult (the long-cut) and yields the least-instant results, keep yourself focused and choose books over partying when necessary. If you have opportunities, study hard, plan and create new ones. If you have patience and keep your debt low you will be able to fully invest in your car hobby in time.
thanks man. words much appreciated. never was a partier though. but yeah man your probably right. either that or just skrimp and scrape to buy some suspension if it bothers me that much(which it doesnt) but yeah i’ll just enjoy it in stock form for now haha
This is fantastic advice Jon 
haha your advice helped too colin:)