Koni yellows pair best with...

[blackGTny]

I ordered koni yellow shocks/struts and now i'm looking for springs.. From what i've read so far i believe steeda sport or ultra lights or BMR springs will be best but wanted to get more opinions before I pull the trigger on any set of springs. My car is a vert too, so I was also wondering if springs advertised for coupes will still work on a vert (like the SR springs american muscle sells).

What other parts do you guys recommend I get to have installed with my shocks/struts/springs that won't break the bank and really improve the handling?

 

[rcharles]

How much of a drop do you want?

 

[irishpwr46]

ive got a set of roush stage 2 springs that i just took off and im in queens. i was running them with koni yellows.

this is what they look like on the car

 

[SlowJim]

Do you do track events or autox at all? If so, I wouldn't want anything less than MM Road & Track or H&R Race.

 

[csamsh]

They pair with something that doesn't lower the car much. Run low springs with konis at your own risk...there's a good chance you'll blow them.

 

[blackGTny]

They pair with something that doesn't lower the car much. Run low springs with konis at your own risk...there's a good chance you'll blow them.

It's my daily and I don't want to risk screwing up the Konis. Not really looking for a huge drop, but I would like to rid the stock 4x4 stance. I don't do auto-X but I do drive up twisty canyon roads quite often. I'm looking for something that will improve performance and functionality more than just looks. I'll eventually run a bigger wheel (I think i'll be getting 19s) with some fat tires to fill up the wells.

Csamsh, what would you recommend to go along with the Konis?

What other parts should I scoop up to have installed with the rest of my new stuff?

 

[blackGTny]

ive got a set of roush stage 2 springs that i just took off and im in queens. i was running them with koni yellows.

this is what they look like on the car

Steve, what wheels are those? Your stang looks fvckin hot!!

 

[SlowJim]

BMR handling springs

 

[blackGTny]

MM road and track has a drop much lower compared to what other brands advertised (frpp, steeda), so according to csamsh those are probably a bad idea.

Throw up some more suggestions please, looking to purchase ASAP!!

 

[BMR Tech]

Just throwing it out there, when I recently designed our new "handling" specific springs for the GT and GT500's, I catered them around the Koni and Bilstein stock replacement dampers. (and of course our supporting mods)

I found that on the GT's with the Koni Yellows that the 240-260lb/in range FRONT and 200-220lb/in range REAR was the highest I felt comfortable with. Higher Linear rates and I literally felt that the control of the car went south (not on slicks)

On the Bilsteins that come on the 13/14 GT500s....I found it to be a little similar....with the Bilsteins and heavier front end seeming to work slightly better with a little higher rates.

I had not maximum rates in mind when I developed them. I did have a minimum of 200 F and/or R....and just worked up to over 300lb/in.

I basically set out to offer a set of Linear springs that I felt were towards the top of the useable range for most of our customers with "off the shelf" SA dampers - as that is what we cater to the most. I ended up with 240F/200R for the GT....and 260F/220R for the GT500.

Interestingly enough, the 13/14 GT500 Track Pack cars come stock with a 260lb/in Linear front spring (and 200~R)

My personal experience is this. Anything over those rates, my comfort level while controlling the car went down. And also, when we have tested various "progressive" springs recently, and in the past, the "working range" or rates that we concluded to be used during operation, on average, were quite a bit less than the peak #s they advertise.

In closing, I am a huge fan of Linear spring rates. I personally do not like a progressive rate spring.

Good luck!

 

[Norm Peterson]

If I'm reading kc's Koni plots anywhere near right, the Koni struts would still be capable of providing damping of springs in the mid 200's that would be comparable to what I'm getting at +1.5 turns and OE springs (which is at least a composed combination if somewhat soft). Much more spring than that and you might run out of adjustment and have to settle for a little more suspension oscillation.


Norm

 

[SlowJim]

And also, when we have tested various "progressive" springs recently, and in the past, the "working range" or rates that we concluded to be used during operation, on average, were quite a bit less than the peak #s they advertise.

I've never heard that before. Can you post more specifics and the test results?

 

[Mark Aubele]

I run 550f 300r on Koni yellows. I feel the 550s are at the upper end of what the dampers can handle, but I'm not even at full stiff up front. I would like to run much stiffer up front but dont feel comfortable running any more than the 550s up front.

 

[Kobie]

BlackGTny

Read this thread.
http://s197forum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=118372

 

[claudermilk]

I'm running Steeda Sports with my Konis. While it's certainly not the ultimate S197 setup, it's a nice functional compromise that doesn't break the bank. It's a bout 1" front, 1.5" rear drop, so the car has a nice stance but still allows the suspension to work. It does get pissy over some surfaces & bumps on the street, but that's part of the compromise of removing suspension travel an increasing spring rate. I run the car both at autocrosses and on the track and it handles immensely better than on OEM springs/struts.

To go with the Konis & Steedas I also sourced a used Steeda adjustable Panhard and put Vorshalg CC Plates on the struts.

If I were shopping now, I'd take a good look at the BMR springs.

 

[blackGTny]

Thanks for the input everyone. I think I'll either be going with either steeda sports or ultra lights, or the BMR handling springs. The BMR springs are not advertised for use on a convertible, will I still be able to use them? Steeda makes a sport spring specifically for the vert.. I really don't know much about the suspension on our cars, was wondering if I will NEED any other parts the day of install to make this all work flawlessly. Ideas?

 

[blackGTny]

Steeda springs are on their way.. I was also told that the stock upper strut mounts won't hold up that long and I should look into having them upgraded/replaced when install the rest of the new parts. What should I get??

 

[Norm Peterson]

You might want to give yourself some camber correction capability - camber plates, Steeda HD strut mounts or Ford's own camber bolts, please (just say no to aftermarket crash bolts). There is a chance that your car's axle will need to be re-centered, but this can wait because swapping to an adjustable PHB can be done as a completely stand-alone mod (if you're careful enough about lowering the rear and follow all of Ford's instructions you may not need to re-center it).


Norm

 

[Renesis07]

I run mine with Steeda Ultralites. Had this setup on 2 cars already and I purchased my yellows used with roughly 10K miles. Between THREE cars my konis have probably around 25-35K miles total and literally drive and feel like brand new. No noises or anything else. This includes 4 track days as well. Couldn't be happier with them!

 

[blackGTny]

I run mine with Steeda Ultralites. Had this setup on 2 cars already and I purchased my yellows used with roughly 10K miles. Between THREE cars my konis have probably around 25-35K miles total and literally drive and feel like brand new. No noises or anything else. This includes 4 track days as well. Couldn't be happier with them!

That's great to hear! I wanted to go with the ultralites as well because the steeda tech I spoke with over the phone said they do have a softer ride than the sports and a lower drop. However, he informed me next that the ultralites were designed specifically for the coupe, unlike the sport convertible specific springs i ordered. Can't wait to get everything installed!!