Best suspension setup?

[Original J-Pat]

So wondering if I should go for springs or coilovers I don't plan to track my car too much but I am into driving hard in the canyons would coilovers be better cause I've always heard springs were mostly looks and wouldn't really increase handling too much

 

[stuntdoogie]

You donot need coils for canyon runs. The stock suspension is perfect unless you drive on shittt streets like me or race and like to make adjustments. Lowering springs will lessen body roll and give a nice looking drop and its cheaper. Save your money fo4 another mod.

 

[Kip2MyLou]

I'll only probably be going with springs for my car. I just can't decide between the Eibach Pro-kit or H&R springs. Hmmmm....

 

[Original J-Pat]

Are the cobb springs any good?

 

[airjor13]

Are the cobb springs any good?

Yea, I think they are the same as Eibachs.

 

[Original J-Pat]

Yea thats what i saw they said they're were from eibach I guess ill have to look into the best springs right now

 

[airjor13]

Yea thats what i saw they said they're were from eibach I guess ill have to look into the best springs right now

I am on H&R and I am really happy with them

 

[Original J-Pat]

whats the drop on the H&R's?

 

[airjor13]

whats the drop on the H&R's?

About 1.5 in the front and 1 in the back, on 15inch wheels with 55 series tires its slightly less the 1 finger gap each.

 

[Original J-Pat]

Dang im planning on running 17's so the drop might be a little too much

 

[airjor13]

If you running 17 with 40 series tires you will be fine, 15 with 55 and 17 with 40 have the same rolling diameter, I am running the stock rolling diameter just with an smaller wheel and meatier sidewalls

 

[Benito Malito]

If I'm not mistaken both H&R and Eibach Pro-kit (Cobb) are progressive springs.

 

[airjor13]

If I'm not mistaken both H&R and Eibach Pro-kit (Cobb) are progressive springs.

Yes they are progressive. I was hesitate at first but I realized that the progressive part of the spring when mounted is already compressed so effectively the spring rate is fairly linear once the car is on the ground. I think Swift springs are the only company that makes true linear springs but they don't make them for us yet.

 

[Kip2MyLou]

If you running 17 with 40 series tires you will be fine, 15 with 55 and 17 with 40 have the same rolling diameter, I am running the stock rolling diameter just with an smaller wheel and meatier sidewalls

You happen to know the same diameter as stock on 16s? Would it be 45 series tires?

 

[airjor13]

You happen to know the same diameter as stock on 16s? Would it be 45 series tires?

I think 50 series for 16s to keep the same rolling diameter but I have to double check, its important to keep rolling diameter as close to stock as possible for gearing reasons.

 

[BlueBomber]

So wondering if I should go for springs or coilovers I don't plan to track my car too much but I am into driving hard in the canyons would coilovers be better cause I've always heard springs were mostly looks and wouldn't really increase handling too much

Springs will be harsh for most options, wear out the shocks prematurely, and since I know what the streets in the 626 are like since I used to work in Industry, you will probably NOT be happy. The OEM suspension, around here, is so harsh I actually went to a larger sidewall to make it tolerable.

I fitted coilovers and love the improvement in ride quality and there are options for as low as $899 now for DECENT quality ones.

My combination is 215-45-17 tires/ST Suspensions XTA Adjustable Coilovers / Pierce Motorsports Lower Tie Brace (HIGHLY RECOMMEND, $89), Pierce Motorsports Front Strut Tower Brace, Steeda Rear Torsion Beam Brace. The tie brace is a MUST, so much improvement in feel. Coilovers, while not a must, are great even for DD use, my car is exclusively DD and hasn't gotten out to the track yet, just a few spirited backroad drives.

My buddy Derek has H&Rs, loves the ride quality,

Rides great even in shitty socal roads, the tie brace is a HUGE improvement especially for canyon runs. The Rear Torsion Beam Brace is also a huge improvement and helps curtail the 3-wheeling behavior.

We are having a meet TONIGHT at ModBargains for Fiesta ST's 5pm-8pm at 1721 E Lambert Rd Unit C La Habra, CA at Lambert/Harbor. Weds Oct 15th - come check out my setup.

BONUS
FOr what it's worth, I will need a Fiesta ST with oem suspension to shoot how to install the COBB springs for their install video very soon, my buddy kevin and i do the install, shoot your car and you get new COBB springs. HMU if any of you IN SOCAL are interested. Offering them at 50% off Cobb retail+lunch for me and kevin lol. NOT THROUGH MODBARGAINS, as I freelance for Cobb on weekends INDEPENDENT of my work at MB. Just to be clear.
Our channel is called OverbooST.Productions on YouTube and our videos are the ones you see on the cobb tuning website.

 

[BRGT350]

remember that with springs, it is important to have a matched set of dampers. The nice thing about coil-overs is that the spring and damper are matched from the manufacturer. You can do the same thing with replacement springs, but it isn't easy to find the right match. If you notice the Mountune springs make a note to mention they work with the factory dampers. This is a very important fact that is easily overlooked when people are going for the "moar low" look. You can increase spring rate, but need a damper to handle the increase rate. My Mustang spring rate is roughly 4x the stock spring rate, but with the right struts, it is not harsh at all. It sure is stiff, actually stiff enough that when I rock the car, only the sidewall moves. When lowering a car using springs, it is equally important to make sure the dampers have enough travel. Typically, lowering springs are too low and the damper crashes into the bump stop causing the shock or strut to fail. You need the right travel and dampening rates to work with different springs. An adjustable coil-over has taken those factors into consideration. When you mix and match springs and dampers, you rarely can get all the data needed to get the combo correct. If you buy a "package" that includes match dampers and springs, but aren't adjustable, you are getting a well matched system at a lower cost than coil-overs. The term coil-overs is kind of used incorrectly as it has been accepted that "coil-overs" indicate adjustable spring perches mounted on a threaded strut or shock tube. In fact, any MacPherson strut with a spring mounted on the strut is a coil-over regardless of adjustment since the spring is over the strut.

As for the best suspension setup? There isn't one. Suspensions are a compromise. What is best for an autocross course isn't the best for a race track and are not the best for the street and not the best for rally. The focus needs to be on what you want the suspension to do and pick parts accordingly. For me, my ST will be 99% daily driven so I want something that isn't harsh, too low, too stiff (gets slippery in the winter), or too compliant. That leaves stock or the Mountune springs as my best bet. For the "moar low" crowd, my choices would never be accepted. For the time attack crowd, my choice would be too compliant and too tall yet too low for a rallycross or rally car. It is all compromise based on what you want the car to be.

 

[BlueBomber]

remember that with springs, it is important to have a matched set of dampers. The nice thing about coil-overs is that the spring and damper are matched from the manufacturer. You can do the same thing with replacement springs, but it isn't easy to find the right match. If you notice the Mountune springs make a note to mention they work with the factory dampers. This is a very important fact that is easily overlooked when people are going for the "moar low" look. You can increase spring rate, but need a damper to handle the increase rate. My Mustang spring rate is roughly 4x the stock spring rate, but with the right struts, it is not harsh at all. It sure is stiff, actually stiff enough that when I rock the car, only the sidewall moves. When lowering a car using springs, it is equally important to make sure the dampers have enough travel. Typically, lowering springs are too low and the damper crashes into the bump stop causing the shock or strut to fail. You need the right travel and dampening rates to work with different springs. An adjustable coil-over has taken those factors into consideration. When you mix and match springs and dampers, you rarely can get all the data needed to get the combo correct. If you buy a "package" that includes match dampers and springs, but aren't adjustable, you are getting a well matched system at a lower cost than coil-overs. The term coil-overs is kind of used incorrectly as it has been accepted that "coil-overs" indicate adjustable spring perches mounted on a threaded strut or shock tube. In fact, any MacPherson strut with a spring mounted on the strut is a coil-over regardless of adjustment since the spring is over the strut.

THIS

As for the best suspension setup? There isn't one. Suspensions are a compromise. What is best for an autocross course isn't the best for a race track and are not the best for the street and not the best for rally. The focus needs to be on what you want the suspension to do and pick parts accordingly. For me, my ST will be 99% daily driven so I want something that isn't harsh, too low, too stiff (gets slippery in the winter), or too compliant. That leaves stock or the Mountune springs as my best bet. For the "moar low" crowd, my choices would never be accepted. For the time attack crowd, my choice would be too compliant and too tall yet too low for a rallycross or rally car. It is all compromise based on what you want the car to be.

I will tell you from personal experience driving around crappy roads here, Coilovers are just fine as long as they're not left set up for a race course and IMO they offer a smoother ride than the OEM shocks, you feel kinda like you're gliding along on coilovers and the car is generally better behaved. It's a cheap economy car at the core of it, and we have performance versions of an economy car's shocks/struts as stock.

I agree with what you have to say about the Mountune Springs, Mountune and VOGTLAND are the two options from the "sport springs" sets that I'd trust for the best ride quality and to work best with the OEM shocks (as Vogtland's trademark characteristic is preserving OEM ride quality as much as possible- also TUV approved). Not sure about what rate the Cobb springs have as I haven't looked into them thoroughly yet. I'm in the same boat as you with a 99% daily driven car and it's worked out well for me because I don't have the car slammed to hell "for the lows".

If you get a quality coilover with a good damper (KW, ST and Vogtland coilovers all use KW shock bodies, ST's are non-galvanized KW's w/less tools/goodies, and Vogtlands are KW shock bodies with Vogtland-manufactured coil springs), coilovers aren't that bad an idea for a daily driver. I was terrified that coilovers would RUIN the car, but instead the car's better to drive in nearly every situation. The only times I experience harshness is over DEEP potholes. Now if you have something like pillow ball upper mounts or something yes that will be harsher but for most of us coilovers will generally be an improvement from the 3-4 local FiSTs on different brands of coilovers running around locally (I'm on ST XTAs, Derek's on H&R, and that OxWhite from Aliso Viejo is on Vogtlands.)

The reason I am telling you guys this is because the coilovers passed the "wifey" test. The OEM shocks/tires/suspension, when going over the speed bumps in my apt complex, the harsh bounce would hurt my lady's boobs (no seriously, and yes wearing a bra.) - going the same speed over the same set of bumps no longer hurts the boobies and I no longer get complaints of sore boobs (from the car ).

 

[Benito Malito]

Yes they are progressive. I was hesitate at first but I realized that the progressive part of the spring when mounted is already compressed so effectively the spring rate is fairly linear once the car is on the ground. I think Swift springs are the only company that makes true linear springs but they don't make them for us yet.

Are you sure you're not confusing the dead coil or coils with the progressive part of the spring? The car has such beautiful turn-in I worry about giving any of that up.

Based on past experience on other cars driving the same well set up car back to back with progressive and linear springs the most noticeable difference is turn-in. I strongly prefer the linear spring at the expense of some comfort. TBH my concern lies mainly with the stock damper on the FiST

 

[airjor13]

Are you sure you're not confusing the dead coil or coils with the progressive part of the spring? The car has such beautiful turn-in I worry about giving any of that up.

Based on past experience on other cars driving the same well set up car back to back with progressive and linear springs the most noticeable difference is turn-in. I strongly prefer the linear spring at the expense of some comfort. TBH my concern lies mainly with the stock damper on the FiST

The progressive part of the spring is already compressed when the car is on the ground, the only part that is compressing when in motion is linear as far as I can see. H&R quotes the spring rate as 10% over stock.