Suspension Kits

[Melbnut]

did you order today

Sponsored

 

[Burkey]

Still learning about all this stuff but from what I have been told from KW, H&R, Eibach, & Shockworks, all coil overs do not work the same way when you adjust the height. Some models of coil overs adjusts the damper only without any compression on the spring, whereas the Eiback Prostreet applies compression on the spring and further firms the ride.

I know JS about coil overs and I'm in the process of learning the pro & cons of the different model of brands and why they differ in price.

This is good video to explain what I'm referring to, explaining the difference between a slip fit coil over and a full bodied coil over:


Bilstein will be releasing their coil over in September/October this year. The PSS10 would be a great kit.

Ok, in the interests of adding something to this discission - lets do it.
If you look at the shock in that picture, it's at full extension.
Now, let's imagine that the bottom collar is adjusted so that the spring is only just resting on the adjustable platform.
Place weight of car on top of strut.
Spring compresses to X length.
Winding the bottom collar downwards will allow the spring to move downwards. NOTE, the length of the compressed Spring will NOT change, because the car is moving downward at the same rate that the spring perch is being lowered. The ONLY compression being applied to that spring is the weight of the car.
The tradeoff is that as you lower the car, you're giving up strut length (damper travel).
To counteract this, some manufacturers will offer a full threaded body that goes into the bottom mount (we'll call it the spindle). By allowing more of the body into the spindle, you're lowering the car without sacrificing damper travel.
The other thing to note is that the Eibach spring has no "float" even when the bottom perch is at its lowest point.
If however you were running some seriously heavy springs eg. Springs that compress very little under the weight of the car, they would be shorter by nature and would rattle when weight is removed from that corner.
This is where having the adjustable spindle height comes into full effect, allowing you to snug the collar to the short spring and lower the vehicle by letting more of the damper through the spindle.
I really hope that makes sense.

 

[Melbnut]

Ok, in the interests of adding something to this discission - lets do it.
If you look at the shock in that picture, it's at full extension.
Now, let's imagine that the bottom collar is adjusted so that the spring is only just resting on the adjustable platform.
Place weight of car on top of strut.
Spring compresses to X length.
Winding the bottom collar downwards will allow the spring to move downwards. NOTE, the length of the compressed Spring will NOT change, because the car is moving downward at the same rate that the spring perch is being lowered. The ONLY compression being applied to that spring is the weight of the car.
The tradeoff is that as you lower the car, you're giving up strut length (damper travel).
To counteract this, some manufacturers will offer a full threaded body that goes into the bottom mount (we'll call it the spindle). By allowing more of the body into the spindle, you're lowering the car without sacrificing damper travel.
The other thing to note is that the Eibach spring has no "float" even when the bottom perch is at its lowest point.
If however you were running some seriously heavy springs eg. Springs that compress very little under the weight of the car, they would be shorter by nature and would rattle when weight is removed from that corner.
This is where having the adjustable spindle height comes into full effect, allowing you to snug the collar to the short spring and lower the vehicle by letting more of the damper through the spindle.
I really hope that makes sense.

Ok so you seem to know what you are talking about. So given i need advice what would you do if you wanted springs only at this stage?

 

[Burkey]

Ok so you seem to know what you are talking about. So given i need advice what would you do if you wanted springs only at this stage?

Mate, I'm no guru, honestly.
Firstly, it would depend on your purpose?
How low if at all?
Do you want it firmer?
Linear or progressive?
Do you intend to do something with the dampers at a later date eg. Can you tolerate a slightly crappy ride in the interim?
Originally I liked the height that the Sportlines offered but riding around on the bumpstops just doesn't seem like the best idea to me...the fact that they rely on them as part of the advertised spring rate holds even less appeal.
Then I looked for at air suspension. The problem there is that the spring rate drops as you lower the car. Which is exactly the opposite of what you want in a true performance application. Basically, you need to raise the ride height to get the thing to firm up. Um, no. Cool as, but no, not for me.
Each to his own. I wouldn't be keen to enter a debate on "which is best", they all serve a function to someone, somewhere.
Sorry for the lengthy reply :cheers:

 

[Yeah Nah]

Sounds like you know what you are talking about Burkey I do not disagree with that. The contribution I have provided is from the SME, so please do not shoot the messenger. One of the SME was John from Eibach.

So what coilover brand/s have you narrowed it down to?

 

[Burkey]

Sounds like you know what you are talking about Burkey I do not disagree with that. The contribution I have provided is from the SME, so please do not shoot the messenger. One of the SME was John from Eibach.

So what coilover brand/s have you narrowed it down to?

The Eibach Coilover is about the only thing on my radar at this point.
The problem is buying them before anyone's actually fitted them.
What if the valving on the dampers is crap?
I tend to think that companies like this take so long to bring things like this to market because they do their R&D. Notice that Koni were late to market and Bilstein are still coming.
If the suspension on the Mustang was utter crap, you could throw nearly anything at it and say it's an improvement....the fact that they're taking their time suggests that it's not as simple as companies like BC tend to make out.
Shockworks also do good stuff by all accounts, but it's another $800 (maybe more) and I'm not convinced that it will really offer anything to ME that I can't get from Eibachs solution. They can however offer custom spring rates and valving. If I was a trackaholic, they'd be firmly in my sights.
If they're good enough for Mr. Mustang Motorsports, they should cover most people's needs.

 

[Yeah Nah]

Yep logical reply as usual. We all know that it's as easy as jumping on the internet and ordering whatever we desire for our suspension, read heaps of reviews of what people have fitted and their opinions. We do not have have the luxury as the crew in the USA to jump into your mate's Stang and feel how a product reacts. I will be waiting for a while to see how the aftermarket companies develop their stuff for the S550. I have waited 52 weeks and 5 days, a bit more waiting will be a wiser decision.

 

[aussierob]

Some really interesting reading in this thread! Must be the engineer in me!

My GT is the first performance car that I have owned, and am having a ball driving it. Apart from a short track session, the most enjoyable drives have been on twisty sections of roads. It has behaved admirably, and feels amazingly flat (IMO) through corners.

Is the factory setup really that bad to warrant spending lots of $$$ on the suspension? I realise that there is an issue with wheel hop, and can understand if owners are also seeking a track weapon. But bang for buck it seems a very stable platform with the current suspension setup!

 

[dave-]

Shockworks also do good stuff by all accounts, but it's another $800 (maybe more) and I'm not convinced that it will really offer anything to ME that I can't get from Eibachs solution. They can however offer custom spring rates and valving. If I was a trackaholic, they'd be firmly in my sights.
If they're good enough for Mr. Mustang Motorsports, they should cover most people's needs.

Mr MM also ended up wiping the car out hehe. That said, I've run Shockworks coilovers in my 86 for about 3 years and done some pretty decent track times.

The mustang definitely needs some attention on the suspension front. I find it very floaty (is a ford after all) but then over some bumps its almost jarring. Not a brilliant setup by any means.

 

[Burkey]

This is the best description of Coilover preload that I could find on the netz.
Note that the shock body is fully threaded - meaning that you could set the spring perch too low and have a floaty spring.
This won't happen with the Eibachs, because the spring remains captive, even at the lowest setting.

 

[dave-]

Speaking to a mate yesterday, MCA need a car in QLD to help with testing of their kit and finalise specs for production.

Anyone serious about coilovers up north should definitely give them a call and work something out. I'm sure they'll look after you too.

 

[Melbnut]

Speaking to a mate yesterday, MCA need a car in QLD to help with testing of their kit and finalise specs for production.

Anyone serious about coilovers up north should definitely give them a call and work something out. I'm sure they'll look after you too.

why cant there be someone in melb who wants to test a kit. On my car damnit

 

[msweet]

why cant there be someone in melb who wants to test a kit. On my car damnit

I wonder if Chev's or HPF are doing any work on the stangs...

 

[BKStang]

Hey Guys
Anyone running with Steeda progressive sport springs, I have a set ready to go on which I will be doing next weekend. Just wondering what they are like, and what difference it makes to the feel of the car :shrug:

 

[msweet]

Hey Guys
Anyone running with Steeda progressive sport springs, I have a set ready to go on which I will be doing next weekend. Just wondering what they are like, and what difference it makes to the feel of the car :shrug:

[MENTION=14340]HybridGT[/MENTION] runs them with his 20" Velgens. Car rides so smooth, I've been converted and will be getting them when I decide to lower. I have not ridden in a stock car yet to compare though, will be doing it for looks and lower centre of gravity

Sponsored