18 replies to this topic

[SUBARU]

Hey, I'm getting ready to dump the car a bit and am looking for peoples opinions (real life opinions, not arm chair expert opinions) on King Lows Vs Whiteline Controls. To give you an idea of what I want to do, I want to successfully fill the gap that is so prominent in the GenIII's front wheel arch. I've got 16's at the moment, but will have the 17's fitted soon and won't be putting new springs on until I've fitted the new wheels and tyres, purely so that I can get the proper alignments done when the springs are installed. I'm also looking for better stabillity while cornering - upgraded links and swaybars will follow after the springs are installed. Paul, I know you're going to say Kings are cr@p, but how did you come to that conclusion? The price at which I have been offered the Whiteline springs is very attractive, but I'm unsure as to how much it will lower the car. As far as I have been informed, controls drop the car by about 15mm-40mm. That's quite a bit of variation and I need to know how low it will take a GENIII based on the rates specific for those springs. Anyone know the rates for the controls and lows? Discuss options, suggestions e.t.c.

[Mav]

When i had my RX, i got some bilsteins and kings low's. the stiffer suspension made my strut brace and swaybars work better, in the end i had no problems with kings, the ride was great (bumpy but go figure with stiff arse suspension) and the car handled like a dream with no body roll, and they were at a nice height ( i did have wagon springs on the back which stopped the rear sagging which is common for gen 3's (were second hand so no choice in the matter )). all in all i would go back to them. unfortunately i dont have any comparison for whiteline gl mate.

[SUBARU]

When i had my RX, i got some bilsteins and kings low's. the stiffer suspension made my strut brace and swaybars work better, in the end i had no problems with kings, the ride was great (bumpy but go figure with stiff arse suspension) and the car handled like a dream with no body roll, and they were at a nice height ( i did have wagon springs on the back which stopped the rear sagging which is common for gen 3's (were second hand so no choice in the matter )). all in all i would go back to them.

unfortunately i dont have any comparison for whiteline gl mate.

Thanks... You had wagon springs in the back of a sedan? How'd that work?

My rear springs are much softer than my front at the moment... Sometimes it looks as though I've had the rear lowered but not the front!

I'm hoping that new springs in the back will help that a bit.

[Mav]

tbh mate, the wagon springs worked fine, didnt sit too high or an y thing stupid like that, as i said it stopped the terrbile sag the gen 3's get etcetc. and yea i hated the gap at the front, the damn thing sat so high on stock springs.

[SUBARU]

tbh mate, the wagon springs worked fine, didnt sit too high or an y thing stupid like that, as i said it stopped the terrbile sag the gen 3's get etcetc.

and yea i hated the gap at the front, the damn thing sat so high on stock springs.

Interesting mate... I thought that the wagon springs didn't fit in the sedan at all! It's food for thought....

[Mav]

well they came fitted on the bilstein struts. tbh i was lazy and didnt want to pull out the rear seats etc to fit them so had my local mechanics do it. they didnt have any probs so i guess it was striaght bolt-in

[Soop]

Chris - I wasn't going to say anything. I'd figured I have said it enough. My main complaint with the Kings is they're too hard for street applications. They rattle your teeth out. They sagged very quickly. Because they are so hard everything else in the car gets flogged. Suspension components, interior components rattle and break. They car may look good, but i dreaded having to get into mine. With the billies I have no extra body roll, the car corners flat and direct and the ride is smooth.

[B4TT]

I love my billies I just need a decent set of springs to match them

[alexGT]

i've had king lows in my wagon for over a year and a half now, i find them absolutely perfect for my application. i love the ride height, handling is great, NVH is fine even considering i have 18s. and for the price you really can't go wrong.

[CRUISN]

I reckon the front Kings in mine have sagged as they are the same springs as the LX had, but it sits lower at the front and higher at the back compared to the LX. Later i will be looking to upgrade the suspension to something decent.

[ams]

I have King lows, although never having driven on the Whitelines, I also have nothing to compare them with.
I'm happy with how much its been lowered by and i'm reasonably happy with how they drive, a little bumpy (nowhere near the point of interior bits breaking).

I think if i had my time again i'd have paid the extra $100 that i was quoted to upgrade from Kings to WL's but i'm happy enough.

Pics with 17" BBS's.




- Alex.

[SUBARU]

Hey Alex, thanks for the response mate, and thanks for posting pics too! Much appreciated. Chris...

[rxliberty2000]

Ok, I have ran Kings in my wagon for close to 3 years now (1 year as an RX and 2 years with Billies in the GTB spec). I am very happy with them. I don't find them too harsh on the street, and I have got BIG rear sway bar with links and front strut brace. They have sagged over the 3 years though, and now with a front lip I find them sitting too low (I love the look though). For the money I would find it hard to buy anything else. If was wanted to spend a little more money I would look at Tien Springs or Ebuch Springs. I am going to save up for coilovers though. -Mickey P.S. you are more then welcome to come for a ride in my wagon if you want to see how they feel too. Just send me a msg.

[SUBARU]

Thanks Mickey! I'll let you know...

[Josh.]

They don't make super/ultra lows for the Gen 3.

Maybe just adjust the dampening on your coilovers?

[Cam.]

BC's can ride so much better than billies with king springs...

[bigboyscottyb]

i have had a lot of differing suspension set ups, by far the best set up i have ever had is as Cam says BC's they are the best bang for buck coilovers you can get.
- Standard shocks with King springs are a very harsh ride i had this years ago when i just wanted to drop my car, does the job but is not a comfortable ride.
- STi shocks with king lows, this is a good set up but still stiff, but still a good ride handling is much better, but i would definately recommend regreasing the struts before they go back in
- STi shocks woth STi black springs, wont lower the car much but still a comforable ride, they have a tendancy to float a bit
- STi Shocks with whiteline controls - i had these in forester and they were a good ride, nice and low but still firm enough to handle well
- BC coilovers - great, cant emphasis this enough (when they are set up correctly) much better than the HKS hypermax coilovers i had if your not tracking you car then BC's are the way to go