As I got off track on the tranny thread I will do the right thing.
Finally got my Kings lows on Thursday and are having them fitted on Monday.
When I booked in for a front wheel alignment they asked if I wanted the rears done as well.
Do I need rears aligned? I noticed the rears have worn more on the outside tread.
When I got to my mechanic to book the job in he said 'yeah, sits a bit high':woot:
pics to follow
Cheers

it's good to check it when it's on the aligner..
my left rear was toeing in a bit, but that had nothing to do with the lowering tho..

Brad GT
Did you find the ride much stiffer when you fitted the Kings Low?

im not a fan of king springs mate..
I found the pedders low springs to be the best suited to my 380, best ride quality and the car sits level..
it was nicer through the corners but still retained the good ride quality that the 380 has..
Lovells springs made the car sit too high in the front , and kings are a bit harsh for my liking in the GT.

i've since added the rear swaybar, and with the 20's, the car handles unreal..
but, i have noticed the bit harsher ride with the wheels , but certainly not with the springs.


i deal alot with suspension parts and a friend of mine owns a Pedders shop, so i thought i'd try the pedders and i liked them the best, so i paid for them :)

Had Kings lows fitted allround today with front and rear alignment
Very pleased with look and ride seems unchanged.
Have posted pics in album.
Now for some 19,s (after new front rotors!)

Does anyone know if the VRX/SX springs are different to the base model springs?

I believe the VRX/GT springs are firmer. Not sure about the SX

Cheers Chrisv,

I was just thinking of selling the VRX springs when I get the king lows fitted.

You will love the look and the ride

Does anyone know if the VRX/SX springs are different to the base model springs?


I believe the VRX/GT springs are firmer. Not sure about the SX

GT/VRX/SX all get same the sports tuned suspension, 17" wheels and front strut brace.

Oh and my 05' DB too, (not OEM of course).

I think the GT/VRX/SX shockers are a bit firmer than other models but the springs are the same.

But I've also heard that the GT/VRX/SX springs are 10mm shorter/lower than the other models.

Anyone know for sure?

KJ.

I reckon you are right, a service man thought mine was a bit lower than a standard DB/ES.

Though this (http://www.mitsubishi-motors.com.au/media/62332/mit2281_380_seriesiii_bro_v2_new.pdf) brochure does not indicate a difference.

Type40 mentioned that the springs are exactly the same across the 380 line up. The only difference is the shockers are firmer in the SX/VRX/GT range.

The problem is that the brochure only says 'sports suspension' and doesn't explain anywhere what the differences are between that and the standard suspension. They carry on about 'specially tuned MBOS sports suspension' but nowhere do they explain what MBOS is or what it even stands for - any guesses? Mitsu Bishi Optional (Optimal?) Suspension is my guess. Sounds to me like nothing more than marketing hype. I've checked front sway bar bushes and they are the same across the range, so odds on the same for the rear sway bar bushes.

On page 25 of the brochure is a small graphic of "380 dimensions", and it shows only one diagram and one set of measurements.

Two of the dimensions shown are overall height 1480mm and ground clearance 162mm.

This suggests to me that all models have the same height and ground clearance, which would tend to rule out lowered springs anywhere in the range.

I'm thinking that firmer shocks and a front strut brace are the only differences.

KJ.

A little bit off topic but does anyone know if the KYB Excel-G Twin Tube Gas Shock is any better than the so called VRX Sports Tuned Shocks or are they the same thing?

This appears to be the only after market shocks available.

A little bit off topic but does anyone know if the KYB Excel-G Twin Tube Gas Shock is any better than the so called VRX Sports Tuned Shocks or are they the same thing?

This appears to be the only after market shocks available.

I contacted Shawn from Phillcom a few months ago about new shocks.

He recommended Boge and then got back to me to say that Boge don't yet make anything for a 380.

I suggested KYB Excel-G and he confirmed that they seem to be the only after-market shocks out there for a 380.

He said they would be perfectly OK, maybe not as good as Boges (if Boge made them that is!), but he didn't say how they compared with stock VRX shocks. I don't think they are the same, as KYB only released them a year or so ago for the 380 and the VRX has been around for a few years now.

So my suggestion is 'ask Shawn'.

KJ.

I contacted Shawn from Phillcom a few months ago about new shocks.

He recommended Boge and then got back to me to say that Boge don't yet make anything for a 380.

I suggested KYB Excel-G and he confirmed that they seem to be the only after-market shocks out there for a 380.

He said they would be perfectly OK, maybe not as good as Boges (if Boge made them that is!), but he didn't say how they compared with stock VRX shocks. I don't think they are the same, as KYB only released them a year or so ago for the 380 and the VRX has been around for a few years now.

So my suggestion is 'ask Shawn'.

KJ.

Fair enough, its just that the factory shocks are KYB so wouldn't want to "upgrade" to what I already have in the VRX :nuts:

my GT had KYB's in it when i lowered it , so i kept them in there.....i thought it might of had Monroe stock shocks in it considering they are next door to the mitsi factory, then i would of taken them out for sure..
I havn't checked my new BOGE book for 380 shocks, but i know there is a listing for KYB for replacements, which i'd say the Excel-G's are the factory fitted ones anyway, they are certainly not like KYB's higher model shocks.

Had Kings lows fitted allround today with front and rear alignment
Very pleased with look and ride seems unchanged.
Have posted pics in album.
Now for some 19,s (after new front rotors!)

If you dont mind , who did the lowering and how much,already have front spring ready to go on but no rears yet so that sould keep cost down a bit . Thanks in advance.

If you dont mind , who did the lowering and how much,already have front spring ready to go on but no rears yet so that sould keep cost down a bit . Thanks in advance.

Rhemac motors in Gawler
PM me and I'll give you the details
Chris

If you dont mind , who did the lowering and how much,already have front spring ready to go on but no rears yet so that sould keep cost down a bit . Thanks in advance.

pffttt too bad you havent tried to the AMC//LOWERINGCREW that will keep ya costs down...lol


if you havent seen it,check THIS OUT (http://www.aussiemagna.com/forums/showthread.php?t=76903)

Go to the last few pages..............

If you dont mind , who did the lowering and how much,already have front spring ready to go on but no rears yet so that sould keep cost down a bit . Thanks in advance.

you missed out

I am sure Michael can rustle up the troops

BTW it is SO much nicer to drive with the just the fronts over stock

It is just so planted to the road know

you missed out

I am sure Michael can rustle up the troops

BTW it is SO much nicer to drive with the just the fronts over stock

It is just so planted to the road know

This could be just a placebo effect, but I noticed that the 380 now brakes easier and gets the power to the ground better?

Still cant get over how better the handling is....

by the way kj380, MBOS was just marketing - it stands for Mitsubishi Body Optimised Suspension - they used it to describe suspension on all models, not just sport models.

Reminds me of Holden's old RTS (Radial Tuned Suspension) name they came up with for the Kingswood HZ which was supposedly a massive improvement over the HQ...

This could be just a placebo effect, but I noticed that the 380 now brakes easier and gets the power to the ground better?

Still cant get over how better the handling is....

I noticed that too

I dont think it is placebo

you missed out

I am sure Michael can rustle up the troops

BTW it is SO much nicer to drive with the just the fronts over stock

It is just so planted to the road know

but,usually the cost is a three meet ,two event attendance record though....lol

It is just so planted to the road know
__________________

Still cant get over how better the handling is....

:swearing:

Ugh....aaargh...*&$# !!!

(incoherent sounds from me being dragged towards a suspension shop)

It is just so planted to the road know
__________________

Still cant get over how better the handling is....

:swearing:

Ugh....aaargh...*&$# !!!

(incoherent sounds from me being dragged towards a suspension shop)

Oh and it brakes better too

not to mention how it looks as well.......................

It is just so planted to the road know
__________________

Still cant get over how better the handling is....

:swearing:

Ugh....aaargh...*&$# !!!

(incoherent sounds from me being dragged towards a suspension shop)

Ha ha ha ha ....... & don't forget the swaybar :P

Well, I don't know guys.

I went for a 250k thereabouts trip yesterday from Bribie Isl to Esk return. The roads are very bumpy and there was lots of weather about, corrugated surfaces and B doubles. A challenging trip on a road I haven't been on before and I had my wife and young son in the back.
The ride was quite jiggly just with the standard sports suspension and sometimes hard.
Bit worried what would happen with lowered springs on the same trip. On the Bruce highway (our main route north of Brisbane) it would be fine - billiard table smooth, but I'm going to be doing other trips like yesterday quite often.
Also don't forget - harder suspension in the wet is not a good thing. I'm quite confident with the grip in the wet at the moment - if I get a slight slide it's very controllable. With stiffer springs it'll slide in the wet more often, that's unavoidable, but on country roads you don't want that mixed in with bad surfaces. Something to think about.

Well, I don't know guys.

I went for a 250k thereabouts trip yesterday from Bribie Isl to Esk return. The roads are very bumpy and there was lots of weather about, corrugated surfaces and B doubles. A challenging trip on a road I haven't been on before and I had my wife and young son in the back.
The ride was quite jiggly just with the standard sports suspension and sometimes hard.
Bit worried what would happen with lowered springs on the same trip. On the Bruce highway (our main route north of Brisbane) it would be fine - billiard table smooth, but I'm going to be doing other trips like yesterday quite often.
Also don't forget - harder suspension in the wet is not a good thing. I'm quite confident with the grip in the wet at the moment - if I get a slight slide it's very controllable. With stiffer springs it'll slide in the wet more often, that's unavoidable, but on country roads you don't want that mixed in with bad surfaces. Something to think about.

Mate if you're gonna be doing lots of bumpy crap road stuff yeah i would stick with what you have. For me I don't do that normally with the 380 so I don't mind the firmness & would like to stiffen it up more with better shocks & a front bar if I could get them.

When I get on a real rough road it is not fun. I think you should setup for what you do most.

Thanks mate.

Have you investigated whether the Galant has an upgrade available? I have often thought we should be able to get Koni Yellows from the States. I would definitely replace my shocks with those if I could get them.

Well, I don't know guys.

I went for a 250k thereabouts trip yesterday from Bribie Isl to Esk return. The roads are very bumpy and there was lots of weather about, corrugated surfaces and B doubles. A challenging trip on a road I haven't been on before and I had my wife and young son in the back.
The ride was quite jiggly just with the standard sports suspension and sometimes hard.
Bit worried what would happen with lowered springs on the same trip. On the Bruce highway (our main route north of Brisbane) it would be fine - billiard table smooth, but I'm going to be doing other trips like yesterday quite often.
Also don't forget - harder suspension in the wet is not a good thing. I'm quite confident with the grip in the wet at the moment - if I get a slight slide it's very controllable. With stiffer springs it'll slide in the wet more often, that's unavoidable, but on country roads you don't want that mixed in with bad surfaces. Something to think about.

Have a chat to Maggie3.5 or BradGT. They have the pedders suspension, which is apparently not as hard as the king lows.

The king lows are quite firm, but I dont mind too much. I live in the country and got to admit the king lows can be a bit harsh at times, but soon as I go for a spirited drive, they put a smile on my face every time. :)

Thanks mate.

Have you investigated whether the Galant has an upgrade available? I have often thought we should be able to get Koni Yellows from the States. I would definitely replace my shocks with those if I could get them.

I did a while back & it seems they are in a worse position than us for after market parts, might have another look when I get some spare time. Been thinking of trying to pick up a front bar cheap to send to Selby & get a front one bent up. If it makes as much diff as the rear I would be very happy.