Coilovers - Steeda vs. X

[S550_Newbie]

So if I am understanding everything correctly would it make sense that I need better dampers than the Koni STR.T's with higher rate springs? I know to fix the squat I will need a higher rate spring in the rear for certain. 740 is not near enough, I ran the 874 Steeda Ultra Lights (about hitting my fenders) and it was a huge difference from the BMR at 740. I wish I could go somewhere and test drive different configurations since I know jack until I get something installed and test it, steep and expensive learning curve. Since my car is a PP1 I have discovered I have to be careful about advertised drop rates of springs because a 1" drop on my car in the rear will just about put the fender on the tire. That's why I was asking about coilovers since I can adjust the ride height from stock to minimal drop. I want handling more than I care about stance or looks. The reason I was asking about the Steeda coilovers is price and spring rates along with their general reputation in the suspension market. The front rates can be had from 150 to 450 and the rear operate from 850 - 1000. They seem like quality from the brochure <--- lol, but they do.

Sponsored

 

[Roadway 5.0]

When I had the Steeda Ultra light springs in the back it was much better but the rear end was too low and sat unevenly, it was very noticable. The car is cornering pretty well but feels a little out of whack up front, the steer in should be more responsive instead of loose feeling, I think that might be the sway bar end links??? .

I recommend you put your Ultralite rear springs back in, and use a 1/4” spring spacer to bring the rear up.

Your steering is off due to lowering the front of the car more than an inch. Steeda’s roll-center correction and bumpsteer kit fixes this—the kit also improves things thanks to a stiffer bushing or bearing.

Are the GT350R springs linear? I have no doubt they have a higher spring rate than 200 in the front and the 740 I am running in the rears now. When I had the Steeda Ultra Light springs in the rear the power was getting to the road quicker than with the BMR performance I have in there now, it was noticable.

Ultralites are 225lb/in in the front, not 200. GT350R springs are linear front, dual-rate rear.

there's your first "problem". You need a better class of damper and if you're gonna be picky about getting them "just so".

+1.

 

[S550_Newbie]

I recommend you put your Ultralite rear springs back in, and use a 1/4” - 1/2” spring spacer to bring the rear up.

Your steering is off due to lowering the front of the car more than an inch. Steeda’s roll-center correction and bumpsteer kit fixes this—the kit also improves things thanks to a stiffer bushing or bearing.



Ultralites are 225lb/in in the front, not 200. GT350R springs are linear front, dual-rate rear.



+1.

The problem I had with the ultra lights in the rear is the car sat at a difference of 1/2" in ride height between the passenger and driver side so I would have to run a 1/2" spacer on the driver side and then add equal spacers, seems like something is wrong with the rear springs. Once I installed the BMR rear springs the car was even on both sides, the only thing that changed at that time was the springs. Can I run the rear spacers like that to even out the rear ride height?

"Your steering is off due to lowering the front of the car more than an inch. Steeda’s roll-center correction and bumpsteer kit fixes this—the kit also improves things thanks to a stiffer bushing or bearing."

This sounds exactly like what I am feeling with the steering, it just doesn't feel right. I will give this a shot. Damn, this all started with lowering springs. Drop your car for performance and looks they said, they never tell you about all the other things you are going to need to support that drop if you really want handling...sigh

 

[shogun32]

That's why I was asking about coilovers since I can adjust the ride height from stock to minimal drop.

careful about that assumption. Read the fine print carefully. Some of them top-out at 1" down. I have a lathe so can cheat by putting in an extra spacer. Otherwise you need to source a longer spring to get back some preload range.

The problem I had with the ultra lights in the rear is the car sat at a difference of 1/2" in ride height between the passenger and driver side

That's un-possible. One of the springs was shorter than the other, or mis-labeled and you didn't actually have a matching pair. Or you installed it wrong the first time (not indexed properly to the seat) and you did it correctly (accident?) the second time around.

Damn, this all started with lowering springs. Drop your car for performance and looks they said,

unfortunately you were not listening to knowledgeable people.

 

[Roadway 5.0]

The problem I had with the ultra lights in the rear is the car sat at a difference of 1/2" in ride height between the passenger and driver side so I would have to run a 1/2" spacer on the driver side and then add equal spacers, seems like something is wrong with the rear springs. Once I installed the BMR rear springs the car was even on both sides, the only thing that changed at that time was the springs. Can I run the rear spacers like that to even out the rear ride height?

I highly doubt the Ultralites were the cause of the uneven rear stance. It’s more probable the spring wasn’t seated correctly in the isolator, or perhaps you had a stern bushing that needed to be clocked.

And no, I do not recommend different rear spring-spacer sizes.

 

[S550_Newbie]

careful about that assumption. Read the fine print carefully. Some of them top-out at 1" down. I have a lathe so can cheat by putting in an extra spacer. Otherwise you need to source a longer spring to get back some preload range.


That's un-possible. One of the springs was shorter than the other, or mis-labeled and you didn't actually have a matching pair. Or you installed it wrong the first time (not indexed properly to the seat) and you did it correctly (accident?) the second time around.

I triple checked the box they came in and the part number was correct. I just looked at the part number on the springs and they are the same - FD034.RSA. So then I put them side by side against a flat surface laying down and noticed they are not even, I just measured them 5 minutes ago and there is just over 1/4" difference in the length between the 2. Well that would explain things. One spring measured 11.5" and the other 11 3/4."

 

[shogun32]

One spring measured 11.5" and the other 11 3/4."

dollars to donuts the spring rates are different too.

 

[S550_Newbie]

dollars to donuts the spring rates are different too.

Sigh....

 

[shogun32]

I wish I could go somewhere and test drive different configurations since I know jack until I get something installed and test it, steep and expensive learning curve.

Drive up to NoVA. between my 2 cars with their respective configs, we can probably also bribe @Biggsy and @Bluemustang into letting you ride or perhaps drive their configs. Even better if you can time it so it's an autocross weekend and feel the cars in anger.

There's also a membership pin-cushion map and you might be able to recruit some locals into giving you a hand.

As to the spring mismatch, give @SteedaTech a holler and they'll sort it out.

 

[S550_Newbie]

careful about that assumption. Read the fine print carefully. Some of them top-out at 1" down. I have a lathe so can cheat by putting in an extra spacer. Otherwise you need to source a longer spring to get back some preload range.


That's un-possible. One of the springs was shorter than the other, or mis-labeled and you didn't actually have a matching pair. Or you installed it wrong the first time (not indexed properly to the seat) and you did it correctly (accident?) the second time around.


unfortunately you were not listening to knowledgeable people.

^ - This. And thank you to everyone for taking your time to help me out here.

 

[S550_Newbie]

unfortunately you were not listening to knowledgeable people.

^ - This. And thank you for everyone's help here and taking the time to educate me.

 

[S550_Newbie]

Drive up to NoVA. between my 2 cars with their respective configs, we can probably also bribe @Biggsy and @Bluemustang into letting you ride or perhaps drive their configs. Even better if you can time it so it's an autocross weekend and feel the cars in anger.

There's also a membership pin-cushion map and you might be able to recruit some locals into giving you a hand.

As to the spring mismatch, give @SteedaTech a holler and they'll sort it out.

That would be awesome, if I could get away from work. Company is doing some reduction here coming up at the end of our FY. That means I am going to have to take on more than I am already doing. Been an IT architect and engineer for 23 years and this stupid virus isn't helping things. I am already at max accrual on my vacation as well, just been to busy to take any. I have 2 sisters that live about 15 miles outside of Richmond in Chesterfield. I used to work at MCV many years ago in fact.

 

[Norm Peterson]

Correct me if I am wrong but doesn't the sway bar end links determine how the car would feel during hard cornering

No measurable effect unless the endlink that's undergoing compression is actually starting to buckle. Contrary to what you probably think, the front sta-bar endlink that is in compression would be the one on the inside wheel side in a corner.

and how the sway bar interacts with the lateral movement of the suspension or am I putting too much emphasis on the effects of the sway bar overall? -->Newb trying to learn as I go<--

An antiroll bar, aka stabilizer bar, aka sta-bar has nothing to do with lateral suspension movements. FWIW, one of the reasons I won't ever call these things "sway bars" is because of the term 'sway' does not accurately describe the body movements that they're intended to resist.


Norm

 

[NightmareMoon]

If the rear ride height was uneven before, its almost certainly the ‘clock the bushings’ step that was skipped. That step gets everything nice and cozy and w/o it the car won sit right on new springs.

i think the spring+spacer isdea isn’t bad.

don’t underestimate the ahock’s contribution to how the body squats under accel. Better shocks will help there too, but your right to look to the spring first.

Sponsored