BmacIL's Guard GT Build

[saf1]

Changed to Koni Yellow rear shocks last week. I had felt that the rear of the car wasn't settled over bumps while cornering, and after a lot of driving and thinking, determined that I needed more compression damping in the rear. I got an awesome deal on a pair of Koni rears with billet mounts and decided to go for it.

My thoughts:
The added compression damping did the trick. Going over bumps through corners, the car is much more planted. I am currently set at 1/4 turn from full soft. I've also noticed that the rear of the car is much more responsive during direction changes (expected) and because of the increased low speed stiffness, has the feeling of rotating more easily and naturally without the tire breaking loose. Downsides? Well, I feel bumps through the seat more, but only a small amount more. The overall improvement in body control and composure is well worth it.

Edit: my assumptions were incorrect! The Konis actually have less compression damping than the Steeda. However, even at 1/4 turn from soft, have more rebound. That is where my improvement is coming from.

So you like the Konis eh? I ran Konis years ago on my 89 mustang and loved them. This time around I went with Steeda adjustable has you know. Anyway - sounds like they are working out rather well.

I'm wondering if Ford has considered packaging up the magnaride on the '18 model cars and offering it has a kit. Seems like it is getting positive reviews.

Sponsored

 

[GTP]

[MENTION=10281]BmacIL[/MENTION], sounds like it was a placebo effect in the beginning. And it seems that the vendors won't publish actual measured data for their shocks and springs.

As you know, GT350 springs on Steeda adjustables was too stiff for me as DD, and I never could figure out how much percentage to blame the shocks and how much to blame the springs.

Do you know for a fact that Koni yellow has lower compression damping than Steeda?

 

[BmacIL]

[MENTION=10281]BmacIL[/MENTION], sounds like it was a placebo effect in the beginning. And it seems that the vendors won't publish actual measured data for their shocks and springs.

As you know, GT350 springs on Steeda adjustables was too stiff for me as DD, and I never could figure out how much percentage to blame the shocks and how much to blame the springs.

Do you know for a fact that Koni yellow has lower compression damping than Steeda?

Yes, Steeda told me that theirs has about 25-30% more.

 

[GTP]

Then I wish I had tried yellows before I uninstalled my suspension. I fail to see the utility of the adjustable shocks, when the soft setting should be closer to the midpoint.

And I wonder if Viking dual-adjustment is a smarter purchase for the rear.

 

[BmacIL]

Then I wish I had tried yellows before I uninstalled my suspension. I fail to see the utility of the adjustable shocks, when the soft setting should be closer to the midpoint.

And I wonder if Viking dual-adjustment is a smarter purchase for the rear.

I would probably now go Bilstein if buying anything. FRPP track, too. The yellows are a bit firmer feeling overall, but the car just doesn't get upset with bumps. It used to kick out a little like a live axle car. Now it stays planted after switching to the Koni.

 

[GTP]

I would probably now go Bilstein if buying anything. FRPP track, too. The yellows are a bit firmer feeling overall, but the car just doesn't get upset with bumps. It used to kick out a little like a live axle car. Now it stays planted after switching to the Koni.

When you say "I", do you mean you or me? :lol:

 

[BmacIL]

When you say "I", do you mean you or me? :lol:

Both :lol:. If I were buying a new suspension setup I would probably get Bilsteins with BMR SP089/SP082, or same springs with the FRPP track handling dampers, and probably then go with GT350R bars all around.

 

[saf1]

So you are still running GT350R springs in the front, BMR in the rear and mixing Steeda front with Koni Yellow's in the rear?

 

[BmacIL]

So you are still running GT350R springs in the front, BMR in the rear and mixing Steeda front with Koni Yellow's in the rear?

Correct. For the moment I'm pretty happy with that, but want to change to Koni fronts in the future just to get them matching better.

 

[Competition Orange]

As you know I've been toying with the idea of getting Konis with my BMR handling springs or jumping to a base level coilover.

Why would you remove the Konis in favor of the bilsteins?

Also, I've been really eyeing an MGW shifter, can you explain how it feels? Did you have any shifter mods prior to?

Thanks.

 

[BmacIL]

As you know I've been toying with the idea of getting Konis with my BMR handling springs or jumping to a base level coilover.

Why would you remove the Konis in favor of the bilsteins?

Also, I've been really eyeing an MGW shifter, can you explain how it feels? Did you have any shifter mods prior to?

Thanks.

I probably won't do that, but I know that the Bilsteins are two things: 1) monotube, which gives them better control over a larger range of velocities and 2) much more consistently matched in sets than Konis. The valving will be spot on based on feedback from those in the know.

The MGW feels like you actually have a gated shifter of sorts, and you're gliding a through metal gates. There's no rubbery/plasticky feel anymore. It doesn't feel like you're going to break the shifter when you bang gears hard. All the occasional vagueness of gear selection is eliminated. You always know what gear you're going in. Also, gear lockouts at high RPM are gone. Being transmission-mounted, it's always aligned and it just goes in.

The only hardware I had before was the Energy Suspension shifter bushing, which replaces the stock super soft one in the shifter tail bracket. It helped, and was very cheap, but was a far cry away from this. The other is BG Syncroshift II fluid, which every MT82 owner should have in their car. It meets the Ford spec for fluid. It's just a little notchier in the cold (sub 45 F weather), but after the first few shifts it's the same, and then buttery smooth when warm.

 

[Competition Orange]

I probably won't do that, but I know that the Bilsteins are two things: 1) monotube, which gives them better control over a larger range of velocities and 2) much more consistently matched in sets than Konis. The valving will be spot on based on feedback from those in the know.

The MGW feels like you actually have a gated shifter of sorts, and you're gliding a through metal gates. There's no rubbery/plasticky feel anymore. It doesn't feel like you're going to break the shifter when you bang gears hard. All the occasional vagueness of gear selection is eliminated. You always know what gear you're going in. Also, gear lockouts at high RPM are gone. Being transmission-mounted, it's always aligned and it just goes in.

The only hardware I had before was the Energy Suspension shifter bushing, which replaces the stock super soft one in the shifter tail bracket. It helped, and was very cheap, but was a far cry away from this. The other is BG Syncroshift II fluid, which every MT82 owner should have in their car. It meets the Ford spec for fluid. It's just a little notchier in the cold (sub 45 F weather), but after the first few shifts it's the same, and then buttery smooth when warm.

Are the Bilsteins out yet?

I had the PSS10s on my old GTI and besides the springs being progressive and a bit soft I liked them.

See, my issue with the MGW is that I have a shifter bracket that mounts the shifter to the trans vs body mounted already. Shifts are pretty good overall, but it adds a boat load of NVH to the cabin, like massive amounts. How's the NVH on the MGW?

 

[BmacIL]

Are the Bilsteins out yet?

I had the PSS10s on my old GTI and besides the springs being progressive and a bit soft I liked them.

See, my issue with the MGW is that I have a shifter bracket that mounts the shifter to the trans vs body mounted already. Shifts are pretty good overall, but it adds a boat load of NVH to the cabin, like massive amounts. How's the NVH on the MGW?

It's actually a bit less NVH than just the replacement bushing in the shifter bracket. Since you're not transferring those vibrations through the body, it's overall less. You do hear a just a tiny bit of gear meshing/noise when you're putting load on the shifter with your hand. Otherwise it's no more noisy than stock. There is some vibration you can feel through the shifter, but it's not objectionable at all. I'm certain you'd have quite a bit less NVH with it.

 

[GT 550]

Hi BmacIL, just wondering if you've installed the BMR TCA048 verticals yet?

 

[BmacIL]

Hi BmacIL, just wondering if you've installed the BMR TCA048 verticals yet?

Not yet! I am in the process of moving into a house very shortly. Once I'm settled I will install for sure

Sponsored