Getsum Posted April 20, 2023 Report Share Posted April 20, 2023 (edited) Hello All, newbie to this forum as I just bought an 89 TSI SHP that was built by Adam, a member here for a while. I previously owned a 1983 Starion in 1986 but it was totaled when a lady turned in front of me...I always missed that car so I jumped at the chance when I saw one up for sale. One thing I know I want to immediately replace is these horrible riding coil overs...it's like I'm in a go-cart with no suspension. Do I want it to handle well? Yes! At the expense of my kidneys and shaking the interior to death? No. I do not know how rare the SHP struts are but I would like to go back to the original or at least something close. Any help finding these would be appreciated. I posted in the parts wanted section and read through the lists of parts people are selling but did not see any. Anyway, it's good to see a forum for these cars. I am into the JDM cars as I lived in Japan for 15 years and my wife is Japanese as well. I also own a car repair facility, we do it all from rebuilds, diag, paint body, glass, engines, transmissions, tires alignments...all of it. Elite Automotive Repair in Mountain Home Arkansas Thanks! Edited April 20, 2023 by Getsum Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1SICDSM Posted April 20, 2023 Report Share Posted April 20, 2023 welcome to the family.very clean car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kev Posted April 20, 2023 Report Share Posted April 20, 2023 Not sure what brand of coilovers are on the car but softer (lower stiffness) springs might be available for it. Most coilover manufacturers use eibach or an eibach knockoff spring, so they are typically easily replaceable with alternate stiffness springs. I run ground control coilovers with a much softer spring rate than most coilover manufacturers provide with their coilover kits and I love them: 350/250# for the front/rear with 7" front and 8" rear springs. Finding a 'good' set of SHP struts is going to be difficult. There never really was a good option for rebuilding these and any sets you find will be 35 year old originals. Even finding aftermarket stock replacement non-SHP struts is very difficult these days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoldStar Posted April 20, 2023 Report Share Posted April 20, 2023 Welcome to the club. And echoing what Kev said; you're going to have a difficult time finding a good set of struts, whether SHP or non-SHP. Mitsubishi didn't put them in anything else IIRC. If they are really expensive ones like you stated in your other posts, they should be fully adjustable. I have a set of KSport coilovers which are, and I'm confident I could duplicate stock ride quality if I didn't lower mine so much. Since you already have the set, I highly recommend just adjusting them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Getsum Posted April 20, 2023 Author Report Share Posted April 20, 2023 Thank you for the warm welcome and advice. I talked to Adam, who had them built, and he stated they were made by one of the best brands and cost around $2K; he said he did not care for the ride either...I'll find out the brand/ details and post. While they do their job and the car handles like it's on rails, the regular everyday ride sucks...think being in a 1980 suspensionless go-cart. The front lower lip on the bumper will be destroyed in short order as well seeing as it is 3 inches off the ground. I will have to get in touch with the manufacturer and see what they have for adjustments and maybe look at changing out the springs, if that's an option (all good advice if replacements are not possible). I would really prefer to go to a standard strut as I am not racing the car, driving around like a chad with my rims cambered out, throwing it around corners at speed nor am I track driving it...I simply have no need for this system. I plan on preserving the car, not destroying it...which is what eventually happens to most cars that are tuned to death and driven like they were (at least that's what I see on a daily basis in my car shop). Thanks again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kev Posted April 20, 2023 Report Share Posted April 20, 2023 There aren't many coilover options for our cars. If you post a photo of them, we probably could easily tell what brand they are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TexasQuest Posted April 20, 2023 Report Share Posted April 20, 2023 Welcome, beautiful car! Currently there is no new bolt-in strut available for these cars. Some people cut the rear housings and convert them to inserts like the front struts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Getsum Posted April 21, 2023 Author Report Share Posted April 21, 2023 OK, was just texting with Adam. They were made by Legion Elite Coilovers...a guy named Isaiah Clay is the owner. I saw that they did not get good reviews on this forum; I've seen mixed reviews elsewhere....I guess I can now see why. :-( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Preludedude Posted April 21, 2023 Report Share Posted April 21, 2023 Isaiah took $220 MaxSpeedingRod Coilovers and modified them to fit the Starion/Conquest. So you are riding on $220 coilovers. Some people have been happy with them. Some people not so happy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tux Posted April 21, 2023 Report Share Posted April 21, 2023 (edited) Isaiah took $220 MaxSpeedingRod Coilovers and [poorly] modified them to fit the Starion/Conquest. So you are riding on $220 coilovers. Some people have been happy with them. Some people not so happy. fixed that for you. Edited April 21, 2023 by tux Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1SICDSM Posted April 21, 2023 Report Share Posted April 21, 2023 i run eibach springs and those mokeeh struts.rides nice.only issue i have is the front hits little harder then i would like.needs more compression in struts.but parts are limited. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Getsum Posted April 21, 2023 Author Report Share Posted April 21, 2023 Yeah, I read that as well. That would explain why they feel as if I'm riding on an unsuspended suspension. There are adjustments...I will see what comes from them and report back. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psu_Crash Posted April 23, 2023 Report Share Posted April 23, 2023 At this point in the game coil overs are really your only good option. Get a better set and set them up as you like. I run D2s and i couldn't be happier 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TexasQuest Posted April 23, 2023 Report Share Posted April 23, 2023 1 hour ago, psu_Crash said: At this point in the game coil overs are really your only good option. Get a better set and set them up as you like. I run D2s and i couldn't be happier +1 I have the KSport Kontrol coilovers for my car and they are fantastic. The Legion coilovers are the bottom of the barrel and the main reason you are unhappy with them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thermo13teen Posted April 23, 2023 Report Share Posted April 23, 2023 Nice whip Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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