Thread: Fe3 v Bilsteins

Alright I need new struts for my 98 and was hoping to get a proper upgrade rather than the GR2s... now I've read that the oe Fe3 struts are firmer than the Bilsteins that came with the Fe4 on the GXPs... is that true? I know the Comp G was more capable handling-wise and grippier than the GXP but are the Fe3 struts themselves better than the Bilsteins? Also I've came to believe the Gr2s and Excel Gs are the same until I read up that Excel Gs are a replacement to the Comp G's struts where as the GR2s aren't, can anyone confirm this?

btw here's the excel g parts #s 339015 and 339148 ... don't really understand why there's 2 and not 3

Originally Posted by 91parkave

Where did you read any of this bilstein was the stiffest and th he gxp handles the best out the wbody architecture.

hmmm so Bilsteins were the best, fair

Originally Posted by 91parkave

Where did you read any of this bilstein was the stiffest and th he gxp handles the best out the wbody architecture.

Alright I recall reading up on road tests by C&D where the Comp G with its 235s outgripped the GXP with its 255 front w/ sticky summers. Now even though this has little to do with handling I just wanted to point out, seriously .82 with 255F/235R summer tires? Isn't that a little poor for a car that has Bilstein HDs and (I don't remember what tires)? But that's besides the point, I remember reading a thread i think either on this forum or Club GP where someone said "Fe3 struts were more for sport and Bilsteins for comfort" I think they meant the Bilsteins that came with the Lacrosse instead with the GXP.

Originally Posted by 91parkave

Gxp never came with HD bilsteins they were actually closer to the comfort. The aftermarket bilsteins were available as HD and comfort series. Also I don't what article you read but the gxp does in fact out handle the comp g stock for stock on the car and driver road test. Not by mouth sadly as the gxp still suffered from the comp g sway bars and in general terrible wbody suspension architecture

Alright so you see where my confusion lies. As far as handling goes I guess the GXP is superior but what does disappoint me is this http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/...-gxp-road-test ... .82 Gs on 255 Potenzas... Those are about as good of a tire as you can get especially at that time and .82 Gs of grip? I mean it can have the handling of a Miata but if it has .82 Gs of grip on Potenzas the thing won't be competitive against... well anything around corners. In comparison the Comp-G in a completely different test from motorweek posted a not much better .83 Gs http://www.motorweek.org/reviews/roa...x_program_2229 ... but instead of 255 Extreme performance tires this was on 235 BfGoodriches (which I presume are a lot more down in quality). Now with my car I'd love competent handling and grip, I'm even willing to go the extra mile and throw on coilovers... but what's the point of spending $1300 on coilovers and $600 on summer tires with another $600 on wheels if the thing handles like a Camry, grips like a stock Accord and rides about as well as a NASCAR?

Originally Posted by 91parkave

Coilovers do not cost that much. I have a writeup on them if you check my threads out. All your doing is cutting the perch and installing a sleeve buy your springs and bearings and convert your top mount. I went a step further with my custom spherical bearinged top mounts to ensure zero play instead of bushings like most do.

How effective are they though? I'll definitely check out your thread but is it worth the trouble? How does your vehicle handle?

Originally Posted by 91parkave

Very. My car handles pretty good but I've also got alot of miles on my bilsteins now. I've been looking into other shocks to see what I can stuff in that have more rebound control and better dampening with a shorter body.

If you switch to say something like AGXes make a thread for us, let us know how the thing's handling. I'll wait out till spring for coilovers since fall is right around the corner and winter's in like 3 months. Do you generally have to get rid of the sway bars w/ coilovers? I wanna run like 280# up front (w/ 2.5" drop) and maybe 350# rear (w/ 1" drop maybe) which I think is the stiffest rear spring from qa1 so will I have to get rid of any sway bars ... or can I run an addco rear sway bar? I'm willing to spend a bit of money to get pretty much the best handling possible because if I try and sell my car now well... people/dealers are gonna rob me blind because no one really wants a 97-03 GP. Then I'd have to track down a good F-body, buy that and spend another $1k for Konis w/ springs and sway bars and all that... I'd rather not do all that, not trying to outhandle a Miata (lol honestly not a lot of things can outhandle a Miata) but I'm not trying to go to the track/autox and get my ass handed to me by Mustangs and F-bodies.

Originally Posted by 91parkave

Agx didn't hold up well bilstein is a far better shock and has survived far longer than the agx did. I'm on 450 lb front springs btw

Hmmmm I feel like 450 is a little stiff up front but then again your car has more weight than mine as well. You know exactly what I'm trying to do when I want to soften up the front which is to have as much grip as possible up front and desperately try to get the rear to rotate as much as possible. If not AGXes... what other struts are you looking at?

Originally Posted by 91parkave

Not by much ls4 only weighs about 50lbs more than 3800.I was If I was home I would've made the strange engineering shocks work 10way control but just not enough time to mess with em right now

Alright I'll keep a lookout for your thread for whatever you do. Power is easy, it's easy with any 3800 even the NA ones when they're Turbo'd... but competent handling on these things seem to be really difficult... imo you can have a car that rides really really well or handles really really well... my GP atm does neither and with the GP I wanna try out the handling route, if I had say a Regal or a LaCrosse I wouldn't care as long as they rode well I'd just add power and call it a day.