ride quality question with H&R springs...

[mzspeedIII]

hookay, so my first mod to my 3 was to put some H&R springs on it... i know, oughtta change the struts too, but i didnt have the $$ at the moment. i have have numerous cars with the same H&R setup, but this one rides like its on the bumpstops in the front? i had a guy put the springs on for me, and im sure he didnt cut them down, is that the answer? i wouldnt think so, it only dropped the car like an inch and a half.

plus, it handles really funky... like its trying to get loose in the back under mild cornering, and is really unstable. im assuming its caused by the added camber, running on the inside of the tire.

im planning on hitting an auto-x this weekend, but not like this... any ideas?

 

[unicef]

How long since you've had them installed? Mine took almost a full week to settle, and made some pretty ****** up noises and felt wonky during that time. Now that they've settled, I have my full 1.5-2" drop, and they feel pretty damn good. I'm on stock suspension setup otherwise.

 

[SallySpeed3]

When did you have it done? Maybe they just haven't been "broken in" yet. But I wouldn't know, just a guess, I haven't replaced my springs yet, but plan on it in the future.

 

[SallySpeed3]

How long since you've had them installed? Mine took almost a full week to settle, and made some pretty ****** up noises and felt wonky during that time. Now that they've settled, I have my full 1.5-2" drop, and they feel pretty damn good. I'm on stock suspension setup otherwise.

wow, we posted at the exact same time, weird....

 

[mzspeedIII]

its been about a week... there isnt any funny noises going on, it just feels very strange on the rear suspension. plus, virtually no suspension travel up front. if you push down on the bumper, the front doesnt not move. at all. just flexes the tire sidewall...

 

[derspi]

plus, it handles really funky... like its trying to get loose in the back under mild cornering, and is really unstable. im assuming its caused by the added camber, running on the inside of the tire.

If anything, added negative camber should make the rear end feel MORE stable, not less. Of course, it all depends on how much more camber but most lowering springs don't slam the car too much. Every case is different but it probably just handles and feels like crap because the OEM struts just suck and pairing them up with shorter springs only makes things worse.

I don't care how many ppl have lowering springs on the stock struts, it's hardly EVER a good result. Been there, done that too many times to witness firsthand how going cheap here never nets good handling. I've said it too many times but here it is again: lowering springs are for looks.

 

[funksilver07]

You need to realize that when you change the dynamics of your like this it will change how it handles. Sometimes not for the better. I feel that if you don't have the $$$ then wait till you do and do it right the first time. The OEM set up is tuned pretty well for this car. When you start messing with that you need to get the right parts so it will be better than stock or what's the point? Sorry for the mini rant... Just my .02 cents...

 

[mzspeedIII]

dont get me wrong, i did buy the springs for a better (to me) appearance. i have mainly modded VW suspensions of all sorts, anything from MkIIs to MKV GTI and R32, but this is my first Mazda project, lol.

and i have done plenty of spring-only swaps with acceptable results, till this car. the honest feel of the front is that it doesnt compress suspension, like the car is sitting on the rubber bumpstops.... if that is the case, it wont matter what kind of strut is the problem. im thinking that the rear camber might not be a huge issue, but the lack of movement on the front is.

looking back on it, i wish i had put them on myself. at least that way i would have a better idea of whats going on.

did anyone that put H&Rs on even with new struts cut down the stop?

 

[Crackattak]

I drove for about 5k miles without cutting the bump stops, bone jarring. Then took about an 1.5" the rear and 1" off the front, much better. Then put in Koni yellows, no problems.

Here is what my old bump stop looked like after 5k miles. Discuss....

 

[mzspeedIII]

Thanks!

yea, thats what i suspected... took the front apart tonight after work. after not even a week, mine had split the first lower rib on both sides. pulled off the strut assemblies, cut up to the 2nd valley off. night and day difference. it actually has travel now.

gonna check out the rears as well... i dont notice a problem with it, but obviously a good time to check clearance.

 

[bacarl]

Travel is your friend for both ride and handling. Lowering springs kill travel. Hence lowering springs kill ride and handling.

There's more to it than that, and also some ways in which lowering springs help handling (lower c.g., affects roll center), but it has to be done right. IMO lowering a car for aesthetics is nowhere close to worth the ride and handling trade-offs.

As soon as you load up a wheel in a corner, that little bit of travel you gained back will be lost. Now you're on the jounce bumper again. What happens if you then hit a bump mid corner? Your travel is gone, suspension goes hard, and the car's balance is out the window. Just something to think about...

 

[mzspeedIII]

too true... eventually im sure i will likely upgrade the struts in the future. so far to be honest, it has worked out pretty good. did a little spirited testing last night on some semi-bumpy areas, and have been pleased so far.

the auto-x events i have spectated at locally have been on really smooth lots, so im not completely worried there. i did run the car at Hallett right after buying the car a month ot so ago, but it was completely stock suspension and mismatched tires, lol.

ill make a final decision after this weekend, i have my first event coming up. if i get any issues at all, i will most likely go back to stock stuff.