Eibach basher welcome

[steve13gt]

Eibach bashers welcome

So I am going to have to replace my front coilovers for the 3rd time.. I don't plan on doing this every year.. Basically what keeps happening is the front struts keep wearing out and have a ton of play, not sure why eibach hasn't corrected this issue, or maybe they have by now. Any coilovers out there that can stand street abuse? Having them rebuilt doesn't work for me as I can't leave the car on stands while I wait for them. Car spends 98% of the time on the street, with track days few and far between.

 

[ArizonaGT]

Tell us about your driving habits.

 

[steve13gt]

Mostly highway cruising. Haven't even tracked one this year.. Roads are smooth out here. Probably drive it for 10,000 km a year

 

[sheizasosay]

Aren't you a Ford service tech? Something similar? Just trying to rule out installation error. Oh and that whole "can't leave it on jack stands" deal....I get that 100%. You need to buy a beater. Preferrably a truck.

Where is all the play at?

 

[RichV]

So I am going to have to replace my front coilovers for the 3rd time.. I don't plan on doing this every year.. Basically what keeps happening is the front struts keep wearing out and have a ton of play, not sure why eibach hasn't corrected this issue, or maybe they have by now. Any coilovers out there that can stand street abuse? Having them rebuilt doesn't work for me as I can't leave the car on stands while I wait for them. Car spends 98% of the time on the street, with track days few and far between.

How many miles before they start to get worn?

I imagine the spring rates are matched to the shock? And you're not crazy dropping it on its face?

 

[Darkside323]

Well my Eibach r1 coilovers bent like bananas after being in my car for about 4 years. Guess they couldnt handle the abuse of LA roads. I currently run the Griggs Koni/Ground Control front coilovers and those things are built beefy.

 

[Lucky_13]

Coils are fine for the street, but based on what I've heard eibach coilovers are not made well. Both Sam Strano and Jason at vorshlag advised me to keep a wide berth. If you're still set pn coils, maybe something from ST or KW would fit the bill for a street car better?

 

[sheizasosay]

If it's a street car then why do you need coilovers? Bit of an expensive route don't you think?

 

[jmauld]

Are the eibach coilovers twin tube or monotube? One of the advantages of monotubes is that they can be inverted, which is almost a requirement for a strut based car that is driven aggressively, on really sticky tires.

The side loads that are placed on the shaft of the struts is tremendous. Even KONIs have trouble dealing with this in some situations.

Something for you to check is to make sure you are not binding the top strut mount. Remove the spring and place the strut back on the car as it would normally be installed. Then use a jack to lift the hub to your normal ride height. Turn the steering wheel from side to side and make sure you are getting free motion, without the top hat hitting or rubbing against anything. You'll want to account for bump travel while doing this.

But again, lots of "shock" companies will build struts and not account for the side load placed on them by a strut suspension. Shocks don't have to deal with these loads.

 

[steve13gt]

Aren't you a Ford service tech? Something similar? Just trying to rule out installation error. Oh and that whole "can't leave it on jack stands" deal....I get that 100%. You need to buy a beater. Preferrably a truck.

Where is all the play at?

I have a beater but it only comes out for the winter, don't have space to keep them both on the road. Caterpillar truck tech btw.

How many miles before they start to get worn?

I imagine the spring rates are matched to the shock? And you're not crazy dropping it on its face?

Running 350lb front 250lb rear, well within what eibach says is okay

Well my Eibach r1 coilovers bent like bananas after being in my car for about 4 years. Guess they couldnt handle the abuse of LA roads. I currently run the Griggs Koni/Ground Control front coilovers and those things are built beefy.

Griggs and gc are the same?

Coils are fine for the street, but based on what I've heard eibach coilovers are not made well. Both Sam Strano and Jason at vorshlag advised me to keep a wide berth. If you're still set pn coils, maybe something from ST or KW would fit the bill for a street car better?

I looked at kW, but I don't want progressive front shocks, the loss in the cars handling will probably be significant

If it's a street car then why do you need coilovers? Bit of an expensive route don't you think?

I always heard a good coilovers kit will outperform a spring shock combo,
Street or track. I didn't mind dropping the extra cash, when I thought it was a high quality piece

Are the eibach coilovers twin tube or monotube? One of the advantages of monotubes is that they can be inverted, which is almost a requirement for a strut based car that is driven aggressively, on really sticky tires.

The side loads that are placed on the shaft of the struts is tremendous. Even KONIs have trouble dealing with this in some situations.

Something for you to check is to make sure you are not binding the top strut mount. Remove the spring and place the strut back on the car as it would normally be installed. Then use a jack to lift the hub to your normal ride height. Turn the steering wheel from side to side and make sure you are getting free motion, without the top hat hitting or rubbing against anything. You'll want to account for bump travel while doing this.

But again, lots of "shock" companies will build struts and not account for the side load placed on them by a strut suspension. Shocks don't have to deal with these loads.

Monotube, never seen inverted fronts?

 

[jmauld]

I think the bilsteins are inverted.

 

[Whiskey11]

I have a beater but it only comes out for the winter, don't have space to keep them both on the road. Caterpillar truck tech btw.



Running 350lb front 250lb rear, well within what eibach says is okay



Griggs and gc are the same?



I looked at kW, but I don't want progressive front shocks, the loss in the cars handling will probably be significant




I always heard a good coilovers kit will outperform a spring shock combo,
Street or track. I didn't mind dropping the extra cash, when I thought it was a high quality piece



Monotube, never seen inverted fronts?

Griggs and Ground Control are not the same company, but GC produces the struts that Griggs uses to Griggs' specifications.

There are a number of high end coilovers that have inverted front struts. Penske produces a front strut for our cars ($2700 for just the struts and a really basic valving!) that is inverted. Bilstein has inverted struts as well. They are out there.

FWIW, I've been daily driving my GC Coilovers all spring/summer/fall for two years now and they are still going strong. LOTS of autocross runs on them too.

 

[csamsh]

AST's are really good at being dual purpose. Don't know when they'll be back in the US market.

I'd get Bilsteins, were I in OP's shoes.

 

[csamsh]

I always heard a good coilovers kit will outperform a spring shock combo,
Street or track. I didn't mind dropping the extra cash, when I thought it was a high quality piece

key word highlighted. I would consider the AST's that I have to be the low end of "good" monotube coilovers.

They're pricier than the Ground Control and KW's of the world, but those are twin tubes, so it's a different deal.

 

[sheizasosay]

key word highlighted. I would consider the AST's that I have to be the low end of "good" monotube coilovers.

They're pricier than the Ground Control and KW's of the world, but those are twin tubes, so it's a different deal.

Are they pricier? The KW Clubsports are $3100. It was pricey enough to make Terry from Vorshlag make a mistake and call them monotubes. Because he would have never have guessed that twintubes would be that expensive. I'm assuming that he assumed. And even the KW V3's are pricey. Vorhslag needs to do a back, back, forward, roll *high punch* on Bilstein and get those coilovers available.

Ground Control are definitely cheaper by comparison. I don't think the AST prices are too bad. And I'm definitely jealous of your setup.

 

[steve13gt]

So the griggs/ GC are basically Konis with sleeves, but done properly?

I'd hope to hear back from eibach, that they've maybe updated or revised something... Other than them wearing out annually, they are good now ( after working out lots of kinks)
Otherwise I've been looking at MCS and AST... I don't want rear "true" coilovers so cortex is sorta out. Not sure how I feel about something that is modified to accept sleeves.

 

[sheizasosay]

You never answered....where is the play that you are talking about.

 

[steve13gt]

Sorry, its between the shock shaft and the shock body. and its... excessive!

 

[Darkside323]

The front Griggs/GC Coilovers are a housing made to contain a Koni cartridge. Can be made to be single or double adjustable and can be offset to fit 315 front tires.

 

[Whiskey11]

The front Griggs/GC Coilovers are a housing made to contain a Koni cartridge. Can be made to be single or double adjustable and can be offset to fit 315 front tires.

This. The Koni cartridge is different than your off the shelf Koni Yellows. Even the rears which I've seen bear both the Sport's part number and a different part number are revalved to the specs that Ground Control asks for by Koni before they ever reach their location. The GC Koni inserts are not a set of Koni Sports/Yellows with collared sleeves although GC does offer a collared sleeve if you want to make that mistake!