Stagea Suspension

[Sydneykid]

Sk are the 260rs suspension the same as the R33/34 GTR exactly the same? Just want to clarify this thats all. Will it fit? And how will it work? Good or bad?

In general the R33GTR suspension settings (both shock and spring rates) are very aggressive. Much more so than the R32GTR, for no reasons that I can discern other than perhaps market perception. When I was doing the engineering on the Group Buy kits last year, I tried several R33GTR suspension kits on my Stagea. I found them to be “out of character” for the Stagea. The extra rear weight, longer overhang and higher CoG made the suspension feel unbalanced. Plus the aftermarket R33GTR rear shocks are much shorter than the Stageas and this caused some topping out problems when the ride height was selected high enough to carry rear seat passengers and or cargo.

So I came up with some quite different settings for the Group Buy kit, using R34GTT 4 door rear and R33GTR front with shock valving changes more in line with R32GTR, Then I used the stabiliser bars rates (particularly the rear) to overcome the extra rear weight, longer overhang and higher CoG.

Depending on the drivers preferences there are a number of combinations that work, the most common one being a trade off of a little handling for a lot of ride comfort. This seems popular with the guys who have rough roads on their normal journeys.

The bottom line, I wouldn’t buy an off the shelf R33GTR coil over kit and expect it to work particularly well in a Stagea.

cheers

[stasis]

thats what i have in mind as well but im still debating on wheter to get a GTR (plenty of choices_ or to get a Tein Coilover type HA for a 260rs (limited choices). From ypur experience do you have an idea of the Teins type HA? As for spring rate front: 10㎏ rear: 9㎏ for type Ha.

BTW does blistein do coilover for 260rs?

Edited July 19, 2006 by stasis

[Sydneykid]

thats what i have in mind as well but im still debating on wheter to get a GTR (plenty of choices_ or to get a Tein Coilover type HA for a 260rs (limited choices). From ypur experience do you have an idea of the Teins type HA? As for spring rate front: 10㎏ rear: 9㎏ for type Ha.

BTW does blistein do coilover for 260rs?

Keep in mind the standard GTR spring rates are around 3.3 kg/mm front and rear, Stagea RS4’s are slightly less. So 10 kg /mm is around 3 times the standard spring rate, which is fairly typical Japanese. In Australia, a sports spring would usually be 20-25% higher in rate than standard. The shock rates are equally as drastic, in particular the rebound, as an attempt to control the extreme spring rate.

That should give you some idea of what to expect if you choose a Japanese coil over kit. They are all pretty much the same. Plus it will most likely come with spherical bearing in the strut tops, which adds to the NVH something fierce, compared to the standard rubber mounts.

I can arrange a coil over conversion for Bilstein shocks suitably valved, using Eibach (the best) coil springs in equally suitable rates. They enable the use of the standard strut top rubber insulators.

In addition, Bilstein have a high end (high quality) coil over kit with dual springs, adjustable shocks (bump and rebound in one adjuster) with adjustable height.

PM if you require any further details on each set up.

Cheers

Edited July 20, 2006 by Sydneykid

[Terminal]

Well, i can vouch for the suspension upgrade doing its job properly. Although i do have TEIN not Bilstein, i do have the whilteline bars, and also adjustable camber arms. In the brake test, stopping as quick as possible from 60kph, i stopped a good 1m, maybe 1.5m shorter than an MR2. also on the stop and swerve test i missed the cones up to 75kph, which is as good as most small cars. everyone should upgrade from the soft spongey stock suspension and go for some nice tight coilovers and a set of sway bars.

[Tangles]

Do standard springs go soft & spongey with age?

IMO: standard springs with the Bilstein shocks + Whiteline swaybars & pineapples is a fantastic compliment of each other.......... the minimum suspn upgrade as such. Not too stiff at 60kph but puuurrfect from 80kph+.

:sorcerer:

[IMPORTD]

I think mine are standard, and my left hand side front is sqeaking with every bump in the road...

Will know more Thursday

[stasis]

Hi Sk,

quicl question. I got my car . Took it for an aligment and guess wat? They couldnt match the camber to both side!! They got close but couldnt really match it. Do i need a camber adjuster? Or from your experience why does it not able not match for the camber?

When they first checked it (aligment peopel) both sides where way off meaning one was like 1. somethin (passenger side) and the right was like 2.0 something)dricers side.

They asked me had the car been into any accidents before and i said dont think so/ What do you think?

[Terminal]

probably has bumped into a gutter or 2. get a whiteline camber kit before you start replacing camber arms

[Sydneykid]

Hi Sk,

quicl question. I got my car . Took it for an aligment and guess wat? They couldnt match the camber to both side!! They got close but couldnt really match it. Do i need a camber adjuster? Or from your experience why does it not able not match for the camber?

When they first checked it (aligment peopel) both sides where way off meaning one was like 1. somethin (passenger side) and the right was like 2.0 something)dricers side.

They asked me had the car been into any accidents before and i said dont think so/ What do you think?

The standard rear camber adjusters only do 0.25 degrees, so not much adjustment there.

Check the ride height, centre of wheel to guard on all 4 corners. Mine was RHS (drivers) down, 8 mm as it spent a lot of its life with one person in it. Levelled it up by swapping springs around and the camber was then even.

Post up the ride heights and we will go from there.

Cheers : D

[BoyWhoCriedWolf]

SK, do you have the upper and lower rear stagea spring od's, what is the unsprung sring height?

Thanks Gary.

[stasis]

Hi Sk,

got the maesurements today. both fronts are 350mm and both rears are 347mm. Let me know if you need additional info. thanks

[Ska]

err, yeah

actually it slipped my mind, i've been flat out lately. i'll get onto it this weekend, i promise

*COUGH* so how did it go...........?

[Terminal]

haha, you wouldn't believe it if i told you. i won't be able to get onto it for another few weekends now, i don't even have time to scratch my own nuts. i haven't forgotten however, leave it with me

[Sydneykid]

Hi Sk,

got the maesurements today. both fronts are 350mm and both rears are 347mm. Let me know if you need additional info. thanks

That's pretty low, at that height the camber goes a bit all over the place, 1.75 degrees one side and 2.25 degrees the other is not so bad a difference (I have seen worse). The standard adjusters are good for around 0.25 degrees of adjustment. So you should be able to get the cambers a bit closer together using them. ie; take some off the side with 2.25 and add some to the 1.75. Although 1.75 is already too much.

My recommendation would be to get some an adjustable camber kit for the rear and most likely one for the front as well. This is what is usually needed for each height increment, note that all measurements are centre of wheel to guard;

Standard (new) height is 390/385 mm front and 280/375 mm rear

360/350 mm needs only the standard rear camber adjusters

350/340 mm needs 1 front camber kit and 1 rear camber kit

340/330 mm needs I front camber kit and 2 rear camber kits

Details are in the Group buy thread

http://www.skylinesaustralia.com/forums/in...showtopic=85592

Hope that was of some help

cheers

[stasis]

thanks SK

[chook]

Anyone have or tried KYB shockies in their Stagea, putting in a set of KYB "New SR Special" with stock springs. Not after a train on rails, just a nice stock feel.

http://www.s-ds.cc/product/201

[qikstagea]

is there any simple/not super expensive way to adapt the rear links of an RS4 to take coilovers designed for an RS260?

[Sydneykid]

is there any simple/not super expensive way to adapt the rear links of an RS4 to take coilovers designed for an RS260?

Got nothing to do with "rear links".

The 260RS uprights are R33GTR, the shocks bolt to them. So you would have to change the uprights. But that also means changing drive shafts, diff, cradle, brakes etc.

Have a look at Brad's thread on swapping the R33GTR rear end into his Stagea

That's basically what you would have to do.

cheers

PS; why would you bother anyway, there is nothing great about 260RS shocks

[qikstagea]

if you read it, i wasnt after a set of 260 shocks, but a set that were originally madfe for an rs260. Saw a cheap set of teins but for an RS260. Not gonna worry about it anyway.

[Ska]

i'm actually made of sugar, so yes i melt in the rain.

no, i park in a dirt carpark at work, so i'm not about to get on the ground underneath my car.

....is it stil raining.....

............still raining......................?