Ive been doing a lil reading and it seems like the major difference between some of the manufacturers, TEIN, BC, Fortune, DG5, PBM, Stance etc. is the shocks inside them.

My question is cant the shocks be replaced with a better more reputable brand? Shocks all come in the same basic sizes why cant I measure the shocks that come in and swap them out with some blistens or koni units?

If I were to buy some Megans today and swap out the shocks with konis next year what that be possible? I know the spring rates still wouldnt be ideal but this is just a idea i had.

 

if you're going to do that, why bother buying the coil over at all?

the springs and height adjust collars are the cheap generic parts, even the best name brand (hypercoil) springs are only $65 each...

the height adjuster collars are generic circle track stuff too, summit carries them.

 

cause its easier to buy the whole kit rather than piece them together.

Also if the shocks on my cheap coils blow after a couple of years, I wanna upgrade.

Or if you cant afford 3k for good name brand coils. buy cheap ones for $800 and put another $600 in shocks. All Im doing is posing a question.

 

No, they would need to be re-valved. You are wasting time and money. Spend the extra money, do it right and do it right once.

 

Im just posing a question. I had an idea and wanted to discuss it.

I already have a decent set of coil overs. Ground Control fyi. I know what to do and not to do as far as modifications to my car goes.

And to re-valve them you have to take the shocks out of the housings. Like I said, I just wanted to have the discussion. Some of us dont have 2k+ to throw at our cars. And suspension components on some of our cars, namely FC owners is way past its prime.

 

To actually answer your question of whether you can upgrade something like the Megans, 1NSIGHT, the easy answer is "no."

In most coilover systems (the referenced BC, Stance, Tein, Megan), the damper is not an insert in a secondary housing. The damper body is what makes up the structure for the perches and mounts; open up what you can see and you'll be covered in oil.

Also, the cheaper units are not made to be taken apart. Could you probably figure out how to take them apart, thread the bodes for a gland nut, use Bilstein pistons and Penske rods and Ohlins seals and make a good damper? Yeah, but it would be way cheaper and easier just to buy the nice setup to being with.

If you already have Ground-control sleeves, and you just need dampers you will want to upgrade in the future, then going to a Koni or Bilstein damper will be your best bet. There are pluses and minuses there you will need to look into, but given you already have the GCs you are halfway there.

Hopefully that helps a bit.

 

Thank you. I thought that the shocks WERE dropped into housings; not built around them. I haven't had too many coil overs in my hands.