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Thread: Softer ride?

  1. #1
    Senior Member chopthebass's Avatar
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    Softer ride?

    I have the standard FFR shocks (I think 500 and 350 pounds? I could be wrong).

    Our roads here in Calgary are ****e, which doesn't help with the quality of the ride! My question is - can anything be changed to give a slightly nicer ride? I don't plan on track days.
    Finally started my build the beginning July. 2015!

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    Senior Member chopthebass's Avatar
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    Thanks Alv, although it has confused me more.
    Finally started my build the beginning July. 2015!

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    I had the same problem on my MK4. I got "softer" springs front and rear with 50 lbs lower rating. The only had 50 lbs increments. Summit Racing has them. The initial bump was better. About $30 pair. Simple to put on. Reset ride height after. The FFR springs have a code number on the side that ends with the spring rating.

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    Senior Member Dave Howard's Avatar
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    I found the best thing for improving ride comfort was to adjust the tire pressure. There have been a few threads over the years about tire pressure. General rule of thumb is 1 PSI for every 100 pounds of car. I'm running 22 pounds in my NT555s. It made a huge difference from the original 32 PSI.

  6. #6
    Senior Member chopthebass's Avatar
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    I have Billboards right now and run them at 24 pounds. I am changing to 17" rims and tires soon for other reasons.
    Finally started my build the beginning July. 2015!

  7. #7
    Senior Member CraigS's Avatar
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    Change to 250# rear springs. This used to be the standard FFR rear spring but was changed to 350 when they came out w/ their Konis. Back in the day we used to go to 200 for a better ride but I think 250 is good w/ the new shocks. Jack up the rear of your car so the axle is hanging and then measure the overall length of the springs. Pretty sure it is either 8 or 9 inches. The ID is 2.5 inches. Go to Summit Racing and search coil over springs. Eventually you will get to where you can specify length, ID, and rate. Eibachs always get good ratings but I have recently been ordering QA1 'High Travel' springs which seem fine to me. The 9 inch;
    https://www.summitracing.com/parts/qa1-9ht250/overview/
    You can also go softer in the front but my experience is that, since we sit dang near on the rear axle, the rear springs are the more important for determining ride comfort. So I would do the rears first and see how you like it.
    FFR MkII, 408W, Tremec TKO 500, 2015 IRS, DA QA1s, Forte front bar, APE hardtop.

  8. #8
    Senior Member chopthebass's Avatar
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    Great info Craig. Thank you.

    In the link in the second post Mr Kleiner commented about the matter:
    A softer rear spring without a change to the front will exacerbate the 500F/350R combination's tendency to understeer (indeed, much like adding a front bar without a corresponding increase in rear stiffness).

    Maybe the front should be reduced by the same amount?
    Finally started my build the beginning July. 2015!

  9. #9
    Senior Member UnhipPopano's Avatar
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    Given that my experience with suspension tuning is limited to Forza and what I have read on the internet, to maintain good cornering characteristics when you make the springs softer, it was necessary to make the sway bar stiffer. Forza has had a Cobra for a couple of versions, so it would be simple to check this out.

  10. #10
    Senior Member CraigS's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by chopthebass View Post
    Great info Craig. Thank you.

    In the link in the second post Mr Kleiner commented about the matter:
    A softer rear spring without a change to the front will exacerbate the 500F/350R combination's tendency to understeer (indeed, much like adding a front bar without a corresponding increase in rear stiffness).

    Maybe the front should be reduced by the same amount?
    Yes Jeff is correct as usual but....are you autocrossing your car? If not, handling balance really isn't too important. If you are driving fast enough on public roads to find out what the handling balance is, please slow down. I just re-read that sentence and realize it could sound really smart a$$. I don't mean it that way at all. Just that any car w/ modern tires from a civic to an FFR has cornering capabilities that need way above sane street speeds to explore. There have been several people over the years in a situation similar to yours- rough roads. And some did soften both ends of the car. I was trying to say that I think the rear will give the best bang for the buck so try it and see. And then, decide if you want to soften the front also.
    FFR MkII, 408W, Tremec TKO 500, 2015 IRS, DA QA1s, Forte front bar, APE hardtop.

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