Let's talk coilovers

[2fnloud]

Just keep the stock ECS struts

[Rakuny]

Nah...I don't want springs. I want to be able to tuck my car based on my preference.

So it seems the GC setup will probably be a lot more hassle free...but you're just not sure yet if the coilover sleeve will fit the rear bilsteins? I'm sure someone must have done this setup before...

I really don't know the sizing.. after looking around it seems that almost all the coilover sleeves I looked at were 2".. maybe that's a pretty standard shock body diamater.
my EVO MR bilstein rear struts are like 50mm diamater.. I swear I measured my front struts as being just larger than that maybe 51 or 52mm.. I'll have to double check. (fyi, 2" = 50.8MM)
here are the bilstein coilover sleeves, little more than I thought $280 for all four.
Bilstein B4BOA0000117 - Bilstein Coil-Over Sleeve Kits - Overview - SummitRacing.com

Edit: I'm not sure if you saw the link on the first page but if you are interested in keeping your ECS you could go with ground controls on the stock struts. should still give you the adjustability your looking for. here is the link again.
http://www.stealth316.com/2-gc-springs.htm
From your posts it's hard to tell exactly what your goals are.

[Jimvr4]

I replaced all my stock ECS two years ago and went with Tein S-Tech / H-Tech springs. I don't think I could possibly go lower than I have as there is only 1 finger gap on all corners. The ride quality is great too after fixing a rubbing issue with adjustable control arms and some slight negative camber. I don't think I could do much better with coilovers.

[NOMIEZVR4]

My goals are just to have a lowered car that doesn't adversely affect handling. If in the process of lowering the car the handling improves, great. If not, no biggie. But I do want adjust ability in the height of the car.I think ill just pick up a set of GC's and keep the stock shocks but with a much lower ride height wont the stock shocks get destroyed prematurely?

[j2k4]

I replaced all my stock ECS two years ago and went with Tein S-Tech / H-Tech springs. I don't think I could possibly go lower than I have as there is only 1 finger gap on all corners. The ride quality is great too after fixing a rubbing issue with adjustable control arms and some slight negative camber. I don't think I could do much better with coilovers.

Jim-

I just did S-Techs all-around, and went down just shy of 2" in front and 1.5" in back, about what's advertized.

I've still got just shy of a two-fingers-width gap - did yours "settle" some, as the consumers (us), also seem to say?

I'm on KYBs, btw.

My goals are just to have a lowered car that doesn't adversely affect handling. If in the process of lowering the car the handling improves, great. If not, no biggie. But I do want adjust ability in the height of the car.I think ill just pick up a set of GC's and keep the stock shocks but with a much lower ride height wont the stock shocks get destroyed prematurely?

My understanding of it is that as long as the struts are new - or damn close to it - you should be okay as to life-span of stock/stock replacement stuff - it's when they get strapped onto older/higher mileage stuff that strut-life starts to bite.

Mine were just installed, and my struts have about 4500 miles on them, so - we'll see.

[Jimvr4]

Jim-

I just did S-Techs all-around, and went down just shy of 2" in front and 1.5" in back, about what's advertized.

I've still got just shy of a two-fingers-width gap - did yours "settle" some, as the consumers (us), also seem to say?

I'm on KYBs, btw.

My understanding of it is that as long as the struts are new - or damn close to it - you should be okay as to life-span of stock/stock replacement stuff - it's when they get strapped onto older/higher mileage stuff that strut-life starts to bite.

Mine were just installed, and my struts have about 4500 miles on them, so - we'll see.

I could place a 1 inch wide steel ruler in there after initial installation and settling. It's definitely changed another 1/2 inch from there possibly due to adding 2 degrees of negative camber. IDK about the life question - it seems to me the strut is just a viscous damper. It doesn't move quickly in either direction but I don't know that having it's rest point a couple inches lower causes any added stresses. It seems to me it should recover fine as long as you don't bottom out.

[Maximal]

I'm happy with my Megans. I've heard more complaints about the more expensive Teins than I have the Megans and of course they're better than the ksports. The more expensive options haven't really been tested that well since they're not as popular so it's a gamble to see whether it's worth the money or not.

[j2k4]

I could place a 1 inch wide steel ruler in there after initial installation and settling. It's definitely changed another 1/2 inch from there possibly due to adding 2 degrees of negative camber. IDK about the life question - it seems to me the strut is just a viscous damper. It doesn't move quickly in either direction but I don't know that having it's rest point a couple inches lower causes any added stresses. It seems to me it should recover fine as long as you don't bottom out.

The new springs/old struts question seemed to hinge in the springs' moving the strut travel to a different part of the the strut-rod.

Seems sensible enough...

[Rakuny]

I thought it was because the inner surface of the strut gets worn slightly as the miles get put on.. lowering the car then puts the internal movement of the shock down to an area that's not worn and affects the seal around the shimstack/piston and the ID of the shock body.

[j2k4]

The new springs/old struts question seemed to hinge in the springs' moving the strut travel to a different part of the the strut-rod.

Seems sensible enough...

I thought it was because the inner surface of the strut gets worn slightly as the miles get put on.. lowering the car then puts the internal movement of the shock down to an area that's not worn and affects the seal around the shimstack/piston and the ID of the shock body.

A better way of saying the same thing. Thanks.