Steeda Adjustable Coilover suspension tuning

[G.T]

You are finding out that ride is subjective. What someone thinks is fine, someone else might absolutely hate. I think you have a combination of too much spring rate for your taste and too little ride height. It might also be possible one or more of the shocks aren't up to snuff (that's one of the issues with D-specs not the best built things ever). That's an outside chance, but seeing as the shocks settings don't seem to matter I have to wonder if they are working properly.

well the shock setting does matter.. but regardless how stiff or soft i set it.. the car is still bouncing around like a moon buggy

i figured the best place to start is properly picked spring rates for street/track, cuz 225lb all around is certainly wrong.

once i figure out what rate to go with, i'll worry about dialing in the d-specs and other parameters..

don't you agree?

 

[Sleeper_08]

I was discussing the addition of steedas adjustable rear setup on my car with sam the other day and checked steedas website. They have 163# and 175# rears listed. 225 seems a bit much IMO.

As for the d-specs I can't seem to find a happy medium with them for street use. They may be fine for the track but for for street use I can either get the compression damping set so the ride isn't harsh but then rebound suffers and the car bounces too much for my liking. When I get the rebound where I want it, the compression is too high and ride suffers. With the compression and rebound changed together it sucks. I'm beginning to hate them.

I need some Koni's asap.

I bet you'll never regret switching from the D-Specs to the Koni Yellows.

 

[Liftedbronco]

i put the d specs on my gf's fox. i must say I love them...but i can see how they dont compare at all to my ground control/"custom valved (lol)" konis (yes sam this lol is for you).

 

[DusterRT]

ground control/"custom valved (lol)" konis (yes sam this lol is for you).

 

[SD07GT]

i put the d specs on my gf's fox. i must say I love them...but i can see how they dont compare at all to my ground control/"custom valved (lol)" konis (yes sam this lol is for you).

The best out there for the money !

 

[Sam Strano]

well the shock setting does matter.. but regardless how stiff or soft i set it.. the car is still bouncing around like a moon buggy

i figured the best place to start is properly picked spring rates for street/track, cuz 225lb all around is certainly wrong.

once i figure out what rate to go with, i'll worry about dialing in the d-specs and other parameters..

don't you agree?

To a point, but shocks can and do effect ride quality, particularly the impact harshness side of things. But you're right if the springs are out to lunch in comparison, then you must fix that.

 

[foolio2k4]

man only 225?

hah my tein flex are listed at 560 front and 336. Sure you feel every bump but it damps it so well. Its a dream at medium to high speeds.

 

[Sam Strano]

I just don't see the need for springs that high. I had 325/290's for a while and HATED it. And I'm pretty particular about how my cars drive. It handled well on smooth roads, but anything less than perfect was not much fun and the car moved around way too much--and that too is part of how the car drives.

To each his own. You'll find coil-overs in general have higher rates than might be necessary because they have to figure you'll slam the car and you need a LOT of rate to control the mass in so little travel. That doesn't mean the rates they come with are idea. KW's come with 400 fronts, There are some H&R's that have 630 fronts. Brembo cars have 135 is fronts, See the spread?

 

[G.T]

are we talking about the same measurement unit here cuz if so, how come i have a choice of 162-250lbs for steeda coilover springs, while you guys are talking about 500-600 with tein and H&R?

 

[Sam Strano]

oh, they are using the same unit of measure... nuts ain't it? I know I don't want something 6 times the stock rate.

 

[G.T]

i'm surprised a 600lb rate spring would even flex on a car the same weight as mine, seeing how stiff the 225lbs are in the back.

anyway, that brings back the question.. how to pick a proper spring rate for my coilover setup?

 

[G.T]

how to pick a proper spring rate for my coilover setup?

 

[SD07GT]

I'm surprised a 600lb rate spring would even flex on a car the same weight as mine, seeing how stiff the 225lbs are in the back.

anyway, that brings back the question.. how to pick a proper spring rate for my coil over setup?

I had the H@R coil overs at first with the 500 + rates springs ...and that set up is softer than my 380/200 Ground control set up .

OD/ID Free length , what the spring is made out of ,where the coils are placed along with the valving in the strut/shock makes a huge difference between each brand.

Lets take a look at some Steeda comps springs which I have used also. I could only move the front a little bit with my hand on the bumper ..now tried the G/C with the stiffer spring and could move the front no problem . at low speed the G/C rode better and softer but in reality getting on the brakes hard from a straight and there would be tons more brake dive from the Steeda comp springs and very little from the G/C set up . ( I know it doesn't make sense).

Most people that are at Willow springs or Infenion race way that I have seen using the Steeda coil overs are using a 300-350 front with a 175-200 rear with good results . You have to look at your other suspension components and bushing type because that will play a part in picking the right spring combo.

EOM

 

[G.T]

Most people that are at Willow springs or Infenion race way that I have seen using the Steeda coil overs are using a 300-350 front with a 175-200 rear with good results

i like how the front feels with 225lb springs.
i'm thinking i should go 175lb in the back..
but on your note, Steeda doesn't even supply springs stiffer than 250lb for their coilover suspension :S

 

[5.0Shocker]

well the shock setting does matter.. but regardless how stiff or soft i set it.. the car is still bouncing around like a moon buggy

i figured the best place to start is properly picked spring rates for street/track, cuz 225lb all around is certainly wrong.

once i figure out what rate to go with, i'll worry about dialing in the d-specs and other parameters..

don't you agree?

Bouncing around= too stiff foyr your set up

i like how the front feels with 225lb springs.
i'm thinking i should go 175lb in the back..
but on your note, Steeda doesn't even supply springs stiffer than 250lb for their coilover suspension :S

My Tein S-Techs are 174lbs

 

[G.T]

i'm gonna get the 175lbs and throw those in the back.. see how they feel and go from there..

 

[G.T]

i just set my front struts at 4.5 turns from full firm, and the rears at 6
car is certainly more driveable now..
i get a bit of nose dive when braking so i'll try 4 turns on the front

although the back is still too stiff, like if i wanna drive slowly over a speed bump, the front goes over smoothly, the back tends to jump no matter how slow i take it

lastly, with softer suspension cornering performance is reduced quite a bit
i think if i finally get the suspension comfortable enough, i'll need to look at tuning my swaybars (maybe move the endlinks back one hole) or check the endlink length, etc..

let's see

 

[Rubrignitz]

I'm running mine at 5 front and 6 rear so I know what you mean. I just wish I could get the compression light with more rebound. Unfortunately it's not possible with d-specs.

I'm running sewer-pipe hotchkis swaybars so body lean isn't really affected by damper firmness. I was trying to go the soft suspension/large swaybar route for a nicely riding daily driver that handles well.

After much trial and error I'm almost there...I think dampers are the limiting factor now.

 

[Sleeper_08]

I'm running mine at 5 front and 6 rear so I know what you mean. I just wish I could get the compression light with more rebound. Unfortunately it's not possible with d-specs.

I'm running sewer-pipe hotchkis swaybars so body lean isn't really affected by damper firmness. I was trying to go the soft suspension/large swaybar route for a nicely riding daily driver that handles well.

After much trial and error I'm almost there...I think dampers are the limiting factor now.

So when are you going to order the Koni Yellows?

 

[G.T]

yeah well i'm kinda stuck with my steedas cuz i got the adjustable height coilover suspension..
i can swap out the rear shocks, but the front struts i'm stuck with