adapting struts

[sc4u2nv]

Like every other saturn tuner, i don't have that much cash to throw at my car. I was wondering if anybody has tried adapting struts from another car to fit the s-series. I don't have the money for coil-overs, but wish to be able to upgrade the rears to something with just a little more dampening.

[Apollo96SL2]

Funny you should ask - I've been wondering the exact same thing recently. My recently acquired SL2 has Eibach springs on dead KYB GR-2 struts - pretty much the only struts out there that have any performance upgrade at all, and even that's minimal. So I need to replace the struts anyway. I'm wondering if there's something built for some other car I could get that would fit my SL2.

Unfortunately, I don't have an answer for you.

[Apollo96SL2]

OK, maybe somebody can help me with this research or give me a reality check or something...

The S series takes KYB GR-2 part# 234055 for the front, 234056 for the rear. Rather than look up Saturn S series, I looked up the KYB part numbers to see what applications they had on several sites.

All the sites listed the S series. A few, including Summit Racing, also list them as replacements for the L series. Interesting.

So I tried some other sites, and looked up struts available for the L series. And what do I find on the Tire Rack site but Koni Sport struts available for the L series. This may seem surprising, Konis for the L but not the S, but keep in mind that the L series was based on the Opel Vectra, and a German (though still GM) car is quite likely to have an upgrade available for it.

So if a KYB GR-2 for an S series also fits an L series...

...and there are Koni Sports available for the L series...

...then theoretically, those Koni Sports may fit an S series...! [img]{SMILIES_PATH}/shock.gif[/img]

I've never heard of ANYONE finding or using Koni Sports on an S series, other than a few brave souls who have modified Carrera strut housings to take a Koni insert.

Unfortunately, I can't get the Tire Rack site to give me part numbers. Koni's PDF catalog lists the following part numbers for the 1996-2002 Opel Vectra (from which the L series is derived):

Left front: 8710-1346LSport
Right front: 8710-1346RSport
Rear (both sides): 80-2754Sport

Can anyone confirm this finding? I'd like to have someone double or triple check this line of reasoning to either verify that I'm correct or disprove it before anyone goes spending $650 on a set of Konis only to find they don't fit after all. Maybe someone (or someones) with access to both an S series and an L series could park side-by-side, pull the wheels, and stare 'n' compare. Personally, I don't have the cash to snag a set of Konis myself, as wonderful as they are (my Miata came with them), or I'd test fit them for myself.

[xthekoreanx]

So if a KYB GR-2 for an S series also fits an L series...

...and there are Koni Sports available for the L series...

...then theoretically, those Koni Sports may fit an S series...! [img]{SMILIES_PATH}/shock.gif[/img]

ummm... many years of math has taught me how to prove u wrong here...




So if a CAT is an ANIMAL...

... and a DOG is an ANIMAL...

...then theoretically, a CAT is a DOG...

now look at what u wrote and interchange a few words... and youll see this isnt always true...

Jason

[sc4u2nv]

he did say the koni's MAY fit the s-series. at least i'm not the only trying to figure this out.

[Apollo96SL2]

he did say the koni's MAY fit the s-series. at least i'm not the only trying to figure this out.

Exactly. No promises here.

I also posted this to the SPC list. At least a couple of people did their own research, and verified that the *front* struts on the L series and S series do use the same part number. No one's verified the rear yet.

But even on the fronts, no promises. If we can convince a Koni dealer near me to loan me a set of these struts to test fit, I'll go for it (can't afford Konis myself, though, so I'll just be getting more KYBs). But that's probably not going to happen.

[sc4u2nv]

unfortunatly, the kyb's offer no more dampaning than stock.

to let everyone know what's really going on, i've got a guy locally who "drifts" a 240. he told that a FF couldn't drift without the e-brake. after proving him wrong with the current setup, i got to wondering what i could really do with this chassis with just a bit more tuning in a "grip" enviroment. i know there are several guys who run showroom stock classes with the s-series, but i am looking for the ultimate low buck setup for these twisty country roads around my area. my car has already earned the nickname e-ticket ride, but i'm greedy and i want more. Short of putting hoosiers on my car, i want to extract the most possible out of this "pathetic" little SC2. I have embarrassed one of the locals who has a Z06, but he really can't drive his car. There is another guy with a TT 300Z that I would like to take out, but the straightaways own me. That car is just too damn fast on the straights. I've thought about hooking the N2O back up, but I really want to beat him in a 136whp car with a hell of a driver versus just "evening" out the power difference. Let's face it, I'll never rule the drag strip, maybe I can be king of the twisties though. Again, any help with this would be greatly appreciated.

[saturnracing2]

dude, saturns can't handle........their okay but get a hatch with gsr suspension in a twistie and he willl own you with an ls motor maybe even a single cam vtec

[ArghIGiveUp]

A thread from April? Geez.

Anyway, who says Saturns can't handle? I'm all about turning corners, and have driven a lot of different cars. S-series handle great in stock form for what they are, and have a lot of room for improvement if the parts can be had.

[Apollo96SL2]

Geez, reviving a thread from April just to bash the car...

An S series will never handle as well as a Miata. I have a few years of racing experience in each, and I have no illusions about which car handled better. But a Saturn ain't bad, either, with a decent suspension setup, good alignment, good tires, and a decent driver. It would be better if better parts were available, sure. But part of the appeal of racing a Saturn is that it's... well, different... [img]{SMILIES_PATH}/lol.gif[/img]

Oh, and to tie up the loose ends of the original thread... A couple of people from the Saturn Performance Club responded to a similar post I made over on their e-mail list on this subject. They'd already tried bolting up L-series Konis to an S-series, and found that it was not, in fact, a direct bolt-on. At minimum, the strut would have to be modified somewhat to fit. At worst, it won't fit at all.

Ah well, it was an idea....

[TheMU47]

the closest design match I've found was in a Scooby WRX.

look into that.

[lilcraigford]

There was a breif appearence of "SpringTech" struts, but apparently they already went by the wayside. One of the Different Racing brothers has SpringTech struts in his street car, I beleive.