Quick Question

[yokotas13]

I'm not normally one to rock the boat, but I agree with Grant that a 1 post explanation could be helpful: I'm getting a little lost on this as well: too many side issues and tangents!

That said, Grant, you should take a leaf out of your own book: when he asked if they'd fit, you merely said yes, with absolutely no mention of what parts needed to be swapped and changed between standard suspension and the shocks he has coming. If he had just taken that advice at face value and pulled his car apart, there would have been an extremely rude shock for him to discover that he then had to modify the new suspension (albeit with parts he would have sitting there from the std stuff) before he could put it all back together. It wasn't until SK and yourself started discussions that it became clear that it isn't a straight "whip out the old ones and slot in the new ones" process.

Just my 2 cents' worth...

No offence tintended to any involved: this is merely an observation from someone who is pretty mechanically inept.

your right, i sohuld have told him he woudl have to swap tophats.

i wasnt speific enough

[Oddy man]

this really has turned into a great thread - very informative

so tell me what i need to do to make them fit, Im rather inept when it comes to suspension

We recently failed to successfully change some CV joints in a mazda 626, so you'll need to spell it out

For everyone else as well

[wolverine]

if they are standard R33 shocks etc do not do it oddyman.

buy some stagea specific shocks from the group buy.

live long and prosper.

[RubyRS4]

I've got a set of Stagea shocks if thats what you're looking for?

[Oddy man]

I (obviously) have shocks on the Stagea now, and there's nothing wrong with them, other than creaking on braking (anyone know how to stop this?)

The r33 gtst struts that are coming are FREE, and they're lowered so I thought I'd fit them

apart from the tangents, all everyone's said is 'do it' or 'don't do it'

TELL ME WHY, just so that I will know in future how both work

[rb26stagea]

Tangent#5073: I had creaking issues on braking and around slow corners, but it was suspension bushes causing the noise... Once they were greased up, it was like pretty much silent again... Hope that helps...

[RubyRS4]

TELL ME WHY, just so that I will know in future how both work

Well, from what I've come to understand:

The GTST suspension is not valved/sprung correctly to handle the heavier Stagea front end.

But you can put the rear GTST suspension in the Stagea, so long as you swap the hats (taking the bolt pattern from the GTST's 115mm to the Stagea's 80mm) so it will bolt up into the back of the Stag.

How's that for your answer? 5 pages later

[mitchy_]

other way round..

33 gtr front shocks are alright for a stagea, and it takes the heaver front end into account.

the rear is the same as a 33 gts-t, bar the top hats, but i wouldnt use them... the stagea is heavier, and has ALOT more rear overhang than that of an R33 gts-t... remember torque == force x distance.. so the extra weight, and being further from the fulcrum point makes the 33 gts-t shocks a bad idea.

go buy a set of coilovers to suit a stagea, or have the 33 ones re-valved to suit, or buy sydneykids set... just dont put shocks designed for a smaller, lighter car into it.

[Oddy man]

Excellent, I'm pretty clear now

A Question for Grant, if you're still paying attention

How do your struts handle?

Are they installed 'as is'? i.e: bolt straight on (apart from the rear hats)?

What do they feel like on the track?

[GoldZilla]

I'm in the process of installing a set of the Sydneykid shocks, springs, stabilisers and a few other bits in my car at the moment. I'll let you know how it feels to drive and ride in in a few days - even the first few days should provide some idea of the improvements everyone else who has used them will attest to.