Big Update with some part reviews! I'm going to copy/paste and modify what I had posted on the 034 strut mount thread here to add some feedback on the bilstein shocks.
I had my new suspension setup installed Saturday at Emmanule Design in Anaheim. Here are the parts they installed, as well as what I currently have installed:
Bilstein B8 shocks F/R
034 Dynamic+ Camber Mounts
034 HD Rear Shock Mounts
New OEM Strut bearings
eMMotion Lowering springs (have been on the vehicle for 20k+ miles)
eMMotion Rear Sway Bar (has been installed for 10k+ miles)
An alignment was done after the installation. I need to look into it a bit more but my camber and caster were uneven L/R. I'm guessing from a shifted subframe, I don't think that was touched. If we even the 2 sides out it gives me about -2.3-2.4 each side. Here's the alignment sheet:
20180115_115206 by
Jon Collier, on Flickr
I've put about 125 miles on this setup so far, 90% of it being street and highway miles and 10% of it being a very spirited blast through Little Tujunga road on Sunday. One of my favorite canyon roads as it's fairly tight so the speeds stay low overall versus with longer sweepers like on Hwy 2.
Street and Highway impressions, the car turns sharply and drives well. Massive improvement in ride quality and comfort from the bilsteins, like it's a completely new car. Bumps are sharper because of the mounts but the car is so much more controlled and stable over bumps, dips, road imperfections, etc. Really the biggest surprise there.
I'd say that there is a increase in road noise with the mounts, maybe 25% more which is expected. No additional vibrations or odd feelings in the steering wheel. More road is transferred directly into the car due to less isolation but nothing that a few clicks of your radio can't solve. No low speed noise from the mounts, aside from bumps transferring more noise the suspension is 100% quiet at all speeds.
Canyon impressions, there was a huge change in handling dynamics with the new shocks, but until I put some more time on the setup I'm a bit torn. I think the car has actually softened up in corners, to the point that I felt the car wallow a bit through corner and my brain went "that's not good". Totally controlled, no rubbing or bottoming out, but I guess I was expecting the shocks to give a bit more compression damping over the stock shocks.
The biggest improvement I think is from the mounts and the ability to hear what each corner is doing. With less isolation in the front and rear mounts, tire noise is transferred into the cabin in hard cornering, giving you much better feedback on how hard it's working. As soon as you're in a corner you can hear the grip/howl come up from the fenders. I pushed the car as hard as I like to and could tell when I could apply more throttle in a corner or when I could turn harder. Very nice improvement there, and a reasonable trade for the NVH increases.
Front mounts, $300 to get over -2 degrees front camber without any real negatives or concerns you'd have with spherical bearing camber plates, these things are a bargain. If you don't like the idea of some additional road noise but want negative camber up front you'd have to look to $1000 lower control arms or some hybrid Clubsport setup. I think these mounts are WELL worth any trade offs.
Rear mounts, you could probably do without and be fine, but I do like hearing more tire feedback, and at $40 each they are cheaper than most OEM mounts I found online.
Shocks, I just need more time to give my feedback. My goal was to create the "ultimate cup kit" with this suspension, something that gives you some mild lowering without compromises in spring rate, handling, comfort, and is very function in the canyons and on the track. On the street the car feels damn near luxurious, I no longer dread rough pavement, potholes, etc. In the canyons the car was rock solid and didn't even blink during the drive, and soaked up the odd mid-corner bumps that could have really unsettled a stiffer setup. The car feels like it wants to rotate into the turns more now, and grip was always there. My plan is to spend as much time driving the canyons as I can and plan a track day soon to familiarize myself with the car again and update later on.
IMG_20171216_091531 by Jon Collier, on Flickr
20171224_100607_HDR by Jon Collier, on Flickr
