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7/6k Swift springs on order for my BC coilovers, why?

RAAMaudio

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#1
Update:)
Due to post by TempeST and Taylor at BC I decided to go up to 8/7k on the spring rates:)

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I am running the BC's with the 2Jr race spec 6/5k BC springs now and it works really well but the ride on 15's is so good I can go up a notch and the Swift springs are more linear than the BC's and might ride about the same. I would love to try even stiffer springs, as high as 9/8, 10/9, or some wider spread front to rear but at $340 a set I am playing it safe for now at least and the valving will work fine.

The reason for the change is to reduce a bit of body roll and just have a better working coilover/spring setup.

I prefer to control as much body roll with springs as I can live with the ride on the street and still maintain good tire contact on bumpy roads and use sway bars as little as possible, fine tuning instead of the normal major body roll most use them for.

I base my ideas on this from studying race car engineering books over the many years of doing this stuff.

Another benefit is their is little if any weight gain compared to bolting on parts I might not have to use.

I will post pics when I get the parts and install them.

For now I have only been running a stock ST front bar with stiffer bushings and no rear bar. Due to the rear camber change I cannot use others exact setup as my car will react quite differently, as planned.

I do have a 5-way highly DIY modded GC BWM rear sway bar I will test with later on and I am considering installing the none ST front bar when I drop the subframe to install the aluminum steering rack bushings.

I expect to have a set of BC 6/5k springs to sell in the next few weeks, they still ride great, almost to good on my 15's in case somebody with the softer normal 5/4k wants to step up a bit. If the new 7/6k setup is still a bit softer than I want to run I would order the next level up and sell them as well. I am retired, no shop, little time to work on the car, funds from selling stuff needed to do upgrades, etc.....but this works out as it helps others do upgrades for less cost when I sell stuff:)
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Why stick with the BC coilovers?

Because I have used them on other cars and now on this one, very cost effective, quality, value, performance, support and they were the only thing I could get when I started this car project and I see no need to change them at least for now.

I have had low to top brands all the way up to Moton and an $8500 custom set of Ohlins on other projects, I no longer have that kind of money, really never did I just spent to much, and I am happy with BC for this car. At some point I might try some Club Sports I think it is KW but not for now am happy with the BC but if an under $3k set of Ohlins was available I would likely go that route over any other, they are amazing.
 


TempeST

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#2
I like the Idea of going with Swift Springs on the coilovers. Had the same setup on my 350z, BC coilovers with Swift springs. I will say this. if you want to go one step stiffer I would do it. The swift springs are incredibly well made and they rode much better than my BC springs did. I ended up going two steps higher and losing money because when I went one step up on the swift springs from the BC springs they rode DD wise about the same. So I sold them to get stiffer ones and that made a huge difference being two steps higher. I say go for the Stiffer ones. Swifts being a VERY linear design, makes for a comfortable DD spring as well.
 


OP
R

RAAMaudio

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Thread Starter #3
I am glad you mentioned this as Taylor at BC and I talked about going up two notches instead of one but I decided to play it safer and then possibly end up buying another set if needed. I just called and talked to him again to ensure the valving would be OK, he said it could handle up to a 4k increase but there would be a much smaller window of adjustment so a 2K will leave enough for what I need.

Thanks, I just changed the order to 8/7k Swifts:)

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I told him I would probably have the car there in the area in the future and he wants me to bring it by:)

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In 06 I bought a Forester XT and highly modded it, a buddy knew the owner of BC and called him about a setup for it, he called me and helped work out a custom package to fit my needs, that was pretty cool:)
 


TempeST

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#4
You will not regret the change! Especially with your new power and possible brakes setup, you'll need less roll and dive and longitudinal weight transfer.

I too have never had problems with BC racings coilovers or customer support. I have only ever had them on my 300zx and 350z, both I changed to swift springs. but I never installed the swifts on the 300zx due to selling the car before installing. keep me updated. I feel you'll be very pleased.
 


Siestarider

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Stuart
#6
Somehow spending over 10% of the car's cost on shocks is bizarre to me. Spending that much on track time and tires is a better investment for me. Maybe just as delusional, but I know when I am having fun.

I really like RAAM's approach, affordable shocks that are adjustable enough to satisfy experimenters, durable enough to last a couple years, paired with the best linear springs money can buy. And I admire the adventure of going up 2K just to find out.
 


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#7
Any updates on the 8k/7k setup? I'm actually thinking about purchasing the same setup. I have a DHM GTX2860R kit and the weight transfer when doing highway pulls and the additional Gs through the turns scares me. I feel the steering dancing in my hands and lose steering feel when going 50-85mph in 3rd gear which means the rear is squatting hard with stock suspension.
 


OP
R

RAAMaudio

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Thread Starter #8
I am waiting for the DYM 290R kit, pulled the EFR turbo off and sent parts back to be modded for the swap, as soon as they get here I will have it running and tuning as quickly as I can get it done, then I can report on the springs. I wish it was already done months ago when I paid for the swap but bad knees and no place to work on the car, full time RVing, just did not work out very timely.

You are also experiencing torque steer, I have the Quaife and very sticky tires, 225/45/15 Rival S, fulls suspension bushings, etc and when the boost hits hard the car is all over the place.

I hope the springs, aluminum steering rack bushings, smoother hitting turbo and some tweaks to the alignment help as it really needs it.
 


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#9
I too have a Quaife installed and running some sticky rubber (Potenza Re71Rs). Definitely interested in reading your feedback. I'll probably be putting my coilover order in, I'm just not sure which manufacturer and specs to go with at the moment.
 


OP
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RAAMaudio

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Thread Starter #10
BC was the only game in town when I bought mine but I was not to worried as used them on another car before and they were great. I was number of years ago that they were the actual manufacturer of most if not all coilovers than came out of Asia but not from Japan and they kept the best for themselves. Not sure if true or not but I have a lot of coilvers, owned many, all the way up to a custom 3-way set of Ohlins I had built and the fit and finish on the BC is as good as anything I have owned. Of course the Ohlins were cooler looking with all the details such a high end setup would require, my wife had me keep them in the office display case while waiting to use them, she thought they were the coolest part I ever bought, should of been at $8500, ouch!

This is my second street track car with BC, last set they custom built for me, Forester XT that was faster than most would believe on track and was very comfortable on the street, the ones on the ST are doing just as well so far.

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If I were to step up from here it would be MCS unless Ohlins came out with something but honestly I am so happy with these for now I see no reason.
 


OP
R

RAAMaudio

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Thread Starter #12
I love the 8/7k Swifts with the BC coilovers, car rides really well but I have mostly good roads, a bit harsh over bad bumps but still way better than stock and I can haul 600 plus lbs of the dogs, wife, me cargo, never bottoms out, actually rides better with a bit of weight in the car, tows my little trailer very very well.....I do run 15" wheels which helps the ride a great deal, part of why I knew I could get by with stiffer springs.

I much prefer linear rate springs for serious driving as well.

If I had to pick as setup with a limited budget I would do just what have have done.

Big turbo, sticky tires, LSD, etc....always going to be a bit interesting doing hard pulls, steering rack bushings, suspension bushings, all three engine/trans mounts helps a great deal but cannot cure it all though a bit of it is kind of fun as adds a bit more challenge to driving the car fast in some situations:)
 


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Palm Springs
#14
Thanks for the reply. I think I'm going to get the BCs then with 8/7k or 7/6ks. I plan on taking the car to the dragstrip and doing autox in the future. I also want to be able to DD it though. I'm about to install a big turbo, 15x8s and I have an LSD wanting to be installed but I need to either find a shop to do it or get someone to help me.
 




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