[BlackStig]

I'm currently saving up for a good set of Tokico D-Specs but after some thinking I came to terms with a few things that may be able to change my decision making track.

1.) There are two models of struts out there that I have come to learn, have felt in action (albeit on other cars) and am satisfied with. They are the KYB AGX and The Tokico Illumina.

- The AGX is an amazing entry level adjustable strut and felt extremely solid on my RX7 when I used to drive that car around. Not only does it help drastically minimize body roll over stock it also adds a feel and handling prowess that, for the money, I feel cannot be topped.

- The Illumina is a great strut as well. I have a friend and fellow drifter with an 2000 GT and he uses Illuminas all the way around. His car didn't feel as solid as I would have hoped but it still proved to be slightly better than the Tokicos that come standard on the Bullitt.

2.) If the above listed struts have been proven to run anywhere in the same orbit as the D-Specs, I would love to give them a try. I'm currently running Hotchkis racing springs now and believe that a good strut would be the right touch for the 1-2 punch I'm looking for.


3.) The main decisive factor in these is the fact that they are 200-400 dollars less than the D-Specs. Even on fleaBay they are considerably less money when purchased as a set than the D-Specs are. Now I know this is for a reason and we all know the saying that you get what you pay for, but my Bullitt is not only a drifter but is also my daily driver. To add to that, I'm a broke college kid, LOL!


I'm just wondering if anyone here has any experience in MOTORSPORTS with any of the above listed struts. I'm not too concerned about the daily driving aspect of it all as the roads I travel across aren't too bad save for a few speed bumps. I don't street race or canyon drive so I'm not too concerned with how it handles in the twisties, but if anyone can speak from a Road Racing, Drifting or Autocross point-of-view, I am definitely all ears as to what would be said.

This would be even better if someone had a Bullitt and could speak of the difference in characteristic from the stock Tokicos to something aftermarket.

I've pretty much mastered the control of the car with stock suspension, here are two videos showcasing this.

The first is a video shot at a Turner Field drifting event, it's on completely stock suspension and you can see that I'm having to DRIVE MY ASS OFF to make it work, LMAO! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA:

YouTube - Black Stig's SouthSide Drift Entry Video

This second video is from the Elite Summer Nationals. All I've done at this point is Neoprine bushings in the rack and Hotchkis Racing Springs. It also has a custom race-spec alignment with specialized Camber, Caster, Toe settings. I don't have to work nearly as hard to initiate a slide or maintain the slide, but as you can see, going from driving at the limit to being able to relax a tad threw me for quite a loop and forced me to relearn the car.

YouTube - Black Stig Drifting At Elite Summer Nationals 2008

Well, there you have it . . .and information or suggestions that could be offered would be awesome!

Thanks guys!

-Stig

[StangSuspension]

The D-specs were supposed to be the replacement for the Illuminas, but Tokico never really got rid of the Illuminas for some reason.

Honestly the D-specs are a more advanced shock than both the Illumina and AGX.

The D-specs adjust both rebound AND compression, while the illumina's and AGX only adjust compression. The D-specs will give a much wider range of useage and functionality due to the fact that both rebound and compression are adjusted in relation to eachother.

Sincerely,

[BlackStig]

Hmmm, I see . . .my biggest novelty was the cost difference between the AGX/Illumina and the D-Spec, it's so broad. If it were only 100 bucks or so, it wouldn't concern me as greatly, however, the price difference ranges anywhere from 250 to 400 dollars for the set.

I still have some more suspension pieces to purchase before I'm ready for struts as I understand how drifting and this chassis as a platform work, but when I'm ready, I think the D-Spec will definitely be the way to go.

I had someone explain that the AGX, for the money, performs really well when you consider the price, but sometimes I guess you don't put a price on performance.

Thanks for your input, it's always great to hear from a professional on the matter.

-Stig

[StangSuspension]

I guess it really depends on your budget, and the goals for the car.

The "best" product is different for everyone.....

Sincerely,

[BlackStig]

Well eventually it will have to become a full on drifter simply because of my route that I'm choosing to follow, but that time is far ahead of us. Currently, I would just like to make it a more competent drifter, minimize the body roll, add some steering angle, inspire a little more confidence when driving on a new circuit and that's really about it. The car seems to be great as is, but every time I do something new to help improve the car, I wind up learning the setup then out driving it as quickly as I can put it on.

As far as budget is concerned, well that's a relative question in and of itself. There are months when I have only a few extra bucks to spend and there are months when I can spare a grand or two. Perhaps, going by what you are saying, I should just save up a few grand, get my D-Specs as originally planned and maybe swap out the Hotchkis for a nice set of Vogtland springs or something.

The Hotchkis springs gave me a great drop, but I need to bring the rear down another inch or two, right now I have this drag racer setup where my rear is perched higher than my front. It looks mean as hell but it insights a bit of tail happy behavior when entering turns and tail happy = twitchy when sideways and that leads to unpredictability.

I really liked how my BMW's were setup where as the rear was slightly lower than the front, that helped even the heavier models feel capable in all facets.

I need to talk to some of these companies and see if they'll lend me some assistance with building my car, HAHAHAHA! That always helps things go by smoother.

-Stig