PP Shock Blowout

[JOKER M1]

All good questions, none of which I can answer. I’m surs Kelly will chime in and if not give him a call. Great knowledgeable guy to talk to

While I'm going to use up the PP struts first on my SP080 springs, I'm deciding on weather I should go with the Handling Springs and FRPP Track struts or just use the FRPP track struts with the SP080's. SP080's have the same spring rate as the minimum drop set above, just lower ride height obviously. I'm hoping the PP struts hold up for at least a year or two, but when that time comes I'd like to have a good idea of a go to combination and thus far I've not heard anything bad about FP track struts.

My question is, do the FP track struts over dampen a 170 lb front and 740 lb rear spring (making it a bit unsettled on bumpy roads) and does it help with mid corner push? Since switching to the SP080's on factory PP struts reduced mid corner push from moderate to mild (slightly reduced), so the SP080's did help alleviate the slightly overly strong push entering a corner, but it's still not flat.

I'm on stock PP sway bars, CB05 cradle lockout and FP outer toe link bearings. I also have MM caster / camber plates up front which use spherical bearings instead of the rubber bushings, so the only compliance in the front is the rear lower link inner solid rubber bushing, the front is super tight and the rear has now come along nicely and seems to communicate with the front (CB05 did most of the work in that department).

I'm very hesitant to mess with sway bars as I think the now mild push is ok, but I wouldn't mind flat, however I do NOT want over steer, especially not on a big power car. My old 1997 MX-5 M-Edition I had back in college was super flat mid-corner. Granted it didn't have nearly enough power to over steer mid-corner like GT does, but it was nice and predictable, awesome little car on the twisties.

So far i'm quite astonished at how much handling potential is locked away in a PP S550 with just a few changes. It's no wonder the SS got such glorious reviews on it's handling balance compared to the PP GT...but I think there's plenty of potential to bring it up to par for relatively little cost, I just want to make the most effective decision and avoid wasting money on something that isn't going to achieve what I want.

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[JOKER M1]

Finished install today and made a quick run around town. I only had the PP shocks & struts installed with the BMR SP763 kit for a couple weeks and I was disappointed with the feel from the beginning. Now with the FP Track shocks & struts and the BMR SP763’s it brings this car to a whole new level of handling, total night and day difference.

 

[BmacIL]

Finished install today and made a quick run around town. I only had the PP shocks & struts installed with the BMR SP763 kit for a couple weeks and I was disappointed with the feel from the beginning. Now with the FP Track shocks & struts and the BMR SP763’s it brings this car to a whole new level of handling, total night and day difference.

Yes!!

 

[JOKER M1]

@BmacIL whats with this offset between the spring & shock shaft

 

[Norm Peterson]

Most likely to reduce bending loads in the shaft. Might indirectly improve steering feel a little.


Norm

 

[BmacIL]

I'd tend to agree with Norm. The spring axis appears to be aligned with the the shaft just fine.

 

[Norm Peterson]

While we can't see the top of the spring in the picture, I think the spring axis is slightly inclined relative to the strut axis. You do get some moment at the strut to knuckle attachment that a little 'skew' in the spring axis would oppose. I've read something on this somewhere, not quite sure where at the moment but I think it was somewhere other than RCVD.


Norm

 

[JOKER M1]

As you get to the top of the spring everything seems to align to the center. Just seems odd, so I’m assuming that’s just how it is and I’m not installing it wrong.

 

[Norm Peterson]

Actually, one of the places I saw it was in 'Race Car Vehicle Dynamics'

Norm

 

[JOKER M1]

You da man norm. Not that I’ll take it any further but at least I have a slight understanding.

 

[highvoltage]

Well i can tell you that over 800 miles of driving with over 800lbs in my car and I’m running the PP shocks and STEEDA Extreme Ultralites and no blow out. But i will be changing the rear shocks and mounts out shortly after that abuse. Not sure to what shock though yet.

 

[Nuked]

One of my front struts was leaking when I did my spring install. That was stock PP setup with ~10k miles or so. Didn't have the funds to replace all the shocks/struts at the time, so they will be done this fall. My rears looked OK, just that one front that was leaking. My Focus ST killed it's rear shocks in 20k miles, same for the GF's Escape. I think Ford just has some subpar OEM shock/struts honestly.

 

[JOKER M1]

When it comes time to replace them I would consider the FP Track, I’ve driven my buddies STEEDA coil over kit and it’s very nice but I’m extremly satisfied with my BMR 763 kit with the track set up

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