Fiesta ST Lowering Springs and spring rate Thread

[mweidner311]

Anyone experiencing spring bind with any brand of lowering springs? I put a set of Vogtlands on and they're binding bad.

The Vogtland springs I noticed are missing the rubber spring isolator many manufacturers put on one of the top coils.

Just curious if anyone has the same problem with other brands before I pull the trigger on a different set.

I noticed Suspension Techniques wasn't on the list on page one. I'm contemplating picking those up since they're manufactured by KW.

Edit: looks like it was "user error". I dug into them again today and noticed one of the coils on both sides was rubbing on the wall of the strut tower. It removed some paint from the tower and powder coating from the springs.

I loosened up everything and grabbed the top of the strut and pulled towards the outside of the vehicle while tightening up the top mount nuts. It looks like the little amount of play in the top mount holes was all I needed.

I have zero issues now after pulling both sides as far out as I could and bolting the top up before tightening up everything below.

 

[Chris G]

No bind on my Mountune springs.

 

[Kip2MyLou]

No bind on my Mountune springs.

You just running springs, with stock shocks?

 

[Chris G]

Yea sir.

 

[Kip2MyLou]

Yea sir.

You plan on upgraded? I was thinking about springs but I've heard things about having to upgrade the shocks also. Just wanted to see some impressions.

 

[Plainrt]

You plan on upgraded? I was thinking about springs but I've heard things about having to upgrade the shocks also. Just wanted to see some impressions.

Imo after much reading the stock struts are over dampened. I plan to run them with either swift or Mountune springs this year for autocross. I believe they will work well together.

 

[Kip2MyLou]

Imo after much reading the stock struts are over dampened. I plan to run them with either swift or Mountune springs this year for autocross. I believe they will work well together.

And that's a good thing? Being over dampended? I don't know much about suspension stuff. I'm considering lowering mine though. Was going to go with the least dropping springs though. City streets are hell. I think the least ones are either Cobb/Eibach or Mountunes...

 

[johnnyaf87]

After hours yesterday searching for cobbs spring rate i emailed them. Had to feed my curiosity!

 

[LT Berzerker]

Your telling me that their lowering spring has a lower rate than the factory?!?!?

 

[johnnyaf87]

Your telling me that their lowering spring has a lower rate than the factory?!?!?

What it looks like

 

[Kip2MyLou]

Your telling me that their lowering spring has a lower rate than the factory?!?!?

Is that good or bad? Don't know much about springs an rates and all this stuff.

 

[LT Berzerker]

Well then... Might have to change over to something stiffer if at all possible.... Want note grip and koni's unless bilstiens b series is offered

 

[LT Berzerker]

Is that good or bad? Don't know much about springs an rates and all this stuff.

Depends, you want to softest possible without excess body movement... The better the driving surface the stiffer you can go before the spring causes contact loss... And your shocks define the speed at which the spring reacts to the road surface... So for Street softer will be better overall, but for course work and autox typically stiffer will prevent excess weight transfer, check the spring rates on the bspec suspension...

 

[KKaWing]

Arn't you guys forgetting there's a "collapsed" or the tighter coils section on top that acts as a tender spring? The initial rate is in reference in that part, and unless you go full droop, it will not come into play. That part is usually inactive when the car is on the ground.

 

[LT Berzerker]

Arn't you guys forgetting there's a "collapsed" or the tighter coils section on top that acts as a tender spring? The initial rate is in reference in that part, and unless you go full droop, it will not come into play. That part is usually inactive when the car is on the ground.

That's what I am hoping, but there is no mention of any other rate.... Curious it is.

 

[KKaWing]

That's what I am hoping, but there is no mention of any other rate.... Curious it is.

It's hard to qoute progressive spring rates. The best they can do for hard numbers is minimum, and maximum. The rest is calculated based on assumptions, and every company is different in their calculation. H&R before they stopped providing spring rates called it "effective rate" where it describes how the spring would act while being loaded @ a certain % or the average spring rate between a certain range of travel. For Eibach, since they are often progressive, they give the lowest number and the highest number. For Swift, they are linear or dual rate so they will give one number since the "second rate" is inactive once the car is on the ground.

 

[YIN]

Is this fully settled?

I think so.

 

[czeches]

Alright, this is probably going to sound dumb, but how could I tell if my ST has already be lowered or not? It turns out the previous owner had done more performance upgrades than I thought and I want to make sure the springs are stock before I switch them out. What's the standard ride height?

 

[boocake]

Alright, this is probably going to sound dumb, but how could I tell if my ST has already be lowered or not? It turns out the previous owner had done more performance upgrades than I thought and I want to make sure the springs are stock before I switch them out. What's the standard ride height?

Is your car on stock rado wheels? I'm still on stock suspension, and you can see the wheel gap on mine in the registry for comparison if need be.

 

[stuntdoogie]

Alright, this is probably going to sound dumb, but how could I tell if my ST has already be lowered or not? It turns out the previous owner had done more performance upgrades than I thought and I want to make sure the springs are stock before I switch them out. What's the standard ride height?

You should have more than two fingers wheel gap if its stock Suspension on stock wheels and tires. Unless they installed coil overs and left it stock height.