who makes the stiffest lowest spring

[BLUNT]

without going coilovers. does anyone make linear springs or are they all progressive like h&r's.

[02fanatic]

Blunt: My H&R Sports (on Hugo) are about as stiff as you'd want to go on an '02....very firm but won't break your hiney when going over bumps! :-)

John

[BLUNT]

thanks john, i have a set for my colorado car along with sports. i wanted to drop this other car on the ground so i have to dodge cigarette butts on the road. seems like i may have to go coilovers to get it that low. i cut the stockers already but its too soft. but in all fairness i have no clue what this thing has for shocks.

[Nick]

ireland's stage 2 spring is supposed to be linear rate, but I think the drop is 2"

[BLUNT]

thanks nick

[gwb72tii]

I believe Ireland makes another set past stage 2, really designed for racing

[jdirecto]

I cuncur H&R's with Bilstein Sport on all corners' the way to go. I've used it on two of my cars and they are pretty firm.

Joey

[_z_]

I believe Ireland makes another set past stage 2, really designed for racing

ya I'd call Ireland. I bet they can get you low enough to scrape moss off a driveway!

[BLUNT]

i went with the stage 2's after searching the forum. sounds like these will be nice and low and stiff. i want it just slightly less than windshield shattering stiff

[Brandon]

Get coilovers...once you have them you'll never go back to anything else...especially if you enjoy your 02 at the occasional driver's school...plus you can adjust the ride height as low or high as you'd like. If you go rear coilover in addition to fronts, remember you must reinforce or brace the shock towers because they will bust right through into the trunk if you don't...and by brace I mean something welded right to the nipples of the shock tower...the best bet would be to extend a roll cage to them....You need ALOT of re-inforcement....

[jerry]

i want it just slightly less than windshield shattering stiff

just a friendly comment...

every time you take compliance out of a system (suspension, in your case) you are merely transferring all those shock loads to some other component. be it engine mounts and/or brackets, welds on the trailing arms or brackets or even welds on the body sheet metal, such as doors or trunk seams. so, as you stiffen up a car you need to add to your habits of inspection of weak points.

the energy has to be dissipated somehow. perhaps a sore butt is one means. maybe this could be construed as an excuse to grow a big heavy butt as a shock wave dissipator. pass the cake and ice cream, please

[KFunk]

Shox.com has B&G springs for $180, and they claim a 2" drop.

I know nothing about B&G at all, but I've heard they might actually be a high quality company that just isn't very well known in the US.

[NickVyse]

If you go rear coilover in addition to fronts, remember you must reinforce or brace the shock towers because they will bust right through into the trunk if you don't...and by brace I mean something welded right to the nipples of the shock tower...the best bet would be to extend a roll cage to them....You need ALOT of re-inforcement....

I drove about 5,000 VERY hard miles without any reinforcement at the rear using coilovers and nothing burst through. My back end was about as saggy as Pavarotti's, but that's another story.

[Lee]

without going coilovers. does anyone make linear springs or are they all progressive like h&r's.

Hi Blunt. I am afraid that there is no way around coil-overs if you want a very low car. I guess that you are building something impresssive too and that with 200 street HP, you will need a slammed car. You will be able to pick your spring rate and length, cut the front struts to avoid bottoming and even corner balance the car. Believe me. COIL-OVERS is the answer. And do not forget to everse the rear subframe mounts to get rid of that extra (and excessive) negative camber/toe you get when lowering the 2002.

[Mike_R]

i have the B&G springs and IE sway bars with Bilstien Sports. a full 2" drop and nice stiff handling.