I recently installed the iON Performance Race Spec springs on my MSP. Since then, the car has been aligned and driven hard on the short infield road course at Texas Motor Speedway. Here are my initial thoughts:
Condition:
The springs arrived in fair condition. The fronts and rears were boxed separately in the manufacturer's packaging labeled with part numbers, lot number, etc. My only complaint is the springs were not adequately separated in the box and rubbed off the otherwise nice yellow coating in a couple spots.
Install:
No different than any other aftermarket springs I guess. The notable thing here is that there are no instructions included (I wasn't expecting any). The do-it-yourselfer should possess good or better mechanical skill and have access to a set of tools (see list below). The shop manual will also help you a great deal here. Torque your bolts to spec! The entire job took me about 6 working hours with much of that spent on the @#%$! endlink bolts which were rusted severely.
Looks:
The initial drop was disappointing, especially in the rear. After a quick spin, the rear settled a bit and I ended up with the following approximate measurements from the top of the fenderwell to ground (passing directly over wheel center).
LF Before: 26" After: 24.375"
RF Before: 26.125" After: 24.5"
LR Before: 25.625" After: 24.875"
RR Before: 25.75" After: 25"
So the net result was approximately 1.625" drop in front and 0.75" drop in rear. It's notable that the car is slightly lower unloaded on the driver side (0.125"). This was consistent before and after so no function of the springs but rather the weight distribution of the car. The look is nice with almost no wheel gap in front and a tiny bit in the rear. The rear should settle a bit more over time and balance the look of the car.
Ride Comfort:
The ride is barely but noticeably stiffer than the stock MSP suspension. Not so much that it will impact my daily drive at all. In fact, I was expecting worse. No rubbing tires or hitting bumpstops on the stock wheels whatsoever. It feels like the springs are just barely being dampened by the struts, however, and...speculation follows...I anticipate premature strut failure (as advertised). But hey, I wanted to go adjustable anyway
Handling:
Track handling is largely unchanged from stock. Perhaps a degree or two more holding in hard cornering but not much. The car tracks a line well with little body roll, but you already knew that I wish I had more to add here, but I don't think you can improve the (already good) handling of this car much without major $$. The lower center of gravity provides a slightly better perspective of the track and it 'feels' more sporty.
Tools and Supplies Required:
Your brain...don't ever work on your car without it
Jack stands
Floor jack
Miscellaneous metric sockets, wrenches, and extensions (10 to 21mm)
Possible allen key (hex) for the endlink bolt depending on condition
Possible breaker bar
Spring compressors
Torque wrench (20-100 lb-ft range will be necessary)
Gloves or band-aids...you choose
Summary:
I paid $199+shipping and I'm satisfied so far. I can safely recommend these springs to those who want to achieve a lowered look with slightly stiffer handling. Although I have no personal experience, I think they will probably compare very favorably to other aftermarket options.
I will also provide a 30-day follow up with updated measurements and additional commentary as necessary.
Peace...(hippy)
Condition:
The springs arrived in fair condition. The fronts and rears were boxed separately in the manufacturer's packaging labeled with part numbers, lot number, etc. My only complaint is the springs were not adequately separated in the box and rubbed off the otherwise nice yellow coating in a couple spots.
Install:
No different than any other aftermarket springs I guess. The notable thing here is that there are no instructions included (I wasn't expecting any). The do-it-yourselfer should possess good or better mechanical skill and have access to a set of tools (see list below). The shop manual will also help you a great deal here. Torque your bolts to spec! The entire job took me about 6 working hours with much of that spent on the @#%$! endlink bolts which were rusted severely.
Looks:
The initial drop was disappointing, especially in the rear. After a quick spin, the rear settled a bit and I ended up with the following approximate measurements from the top of the fenderwell to ground (passing directly over wheel center).
LF Before: 26" After: 24.375"
RF Before: 26.125" After: 24.5"
LR Before: 25.625" After: 24.875"
RR Before: 25.75" After: 25"
So the net result was approximately 1.625" drop in front and 0.75" drop in rear. It's notable that the car is slightly lower unloaded on the driver side (0.125"). This was consistent before and after so no function of the springs but rather the weight distribution of the car. The look is nice with almost no wheel gap in front and a tiny bit in the rear. The rear should settle a bit more over time and balance the look of the car.
Ride Comfort:
The ride is barely but noticeably stiffer than the stock MSP suspension. Not so much that it will impact my daily drive at all. In fact, I was expecting worse. No rubbing tires or hitting bumpstops on the stock wheels whatsoever. It feels like the springs are just barely being dampened by the struts, however, and...speculation follows...I anticipate premature strut failure (as advertised). But hey, I wanted to go adjustable anyway
Handling:
Track handling is largely unchanged from stock. Perhaps a degree or two more holding in hard cornering but not much. The car tracks a line well with little body roll, but you already knew that
I wish I had more to add here, but I don't think you can improve the (already good) handling of this car much without major $$. The lower center of gravity provides a slightly better perspective of the track and it 'feels' more sporty.Tools and Supplies Required:
Your brain...don't ever work on your car without it
Jack stands
Floor jack
Miscellaneous metric sockets, wrenches, and extensions (10 to 21mm)
Possible allen key (hex) for the endlink bolt depending on condition
Possible breaker bar
Spring compressors
Torque wrench (20-100 lb-ft range will be necessary)
Gloves or band-aids...you choose
Summary:
I paid $199+shipping and I'm satisfied so far. I can safely recommend these springs to those who want to achieve a lowered look with slightly stiffer handling. Although I have no personal experience, I think they will probably compare very favorably to other aftermarket options.
I will also provide a 30-day follow up with updated measurements and additional commentary as necessary.
Peace...(hippy)
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