Which drop springs ride the best
- Thread starter AMS38U
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Nliiitend1
Member
In my opinion, you're going to need to upgrade your dampers to get what I would call an "actual good ride," especially if you're changing to stiffer-than-OEM springs.
The OEM dampers can barely (if at all) handle the OEM springs, let alone an aftermarket spring that is stiffer, and forces the damper to work outside of its normal operating range of movement (i.e., lower).
The OEM dampers can barely (if at all) handle the OEM springs, let alone an aftermarket spring that is stiffer, and forces the damper to work outside of its normal operating range of movement (i.e., lower).
chronus377
Member
- :
- MS3
I bought the Eibach pro-kit since they seamed to be made for daily drivers, and you do not necessarily need new cambers or shocks.
All in all I'm extremely happy with them. I've had them for six months now so they are fully broken in. They lower the front about an inch and the rear a little less (.5 - .75" probably). It gives it a much better stance without looking slammed. The ride is very comfortable and the handling is much better than factory. The car corners much better noticeably shifting it's weight much less. I don't have to worry about bottoming out, except in maybe the most extreme angled driveways. Accidentally running over pot holes or bumps don't feel any worse than factory.
I am considering maybe upgrading my shocks though. It's not that they are bad or blown.... but the factory MS3 shocks don't seam that great (IMHO). They feel great at low speeds but high speeds they car is still "floaty" even though the springs are more compressed. It might be considered a little more "bouncy" than factory but it does recover pretty fast.
So if you want to have improved handling, better looking car, without any real drawbacks then the Eibach's are fantastic. I can not testify for other springs, but read up on the Eibachs since they are a good option.
All in all I'm extremely happy with them. I've had them for six months now so they are fully broken in. They lower the front about an inch and the rear a little less (.5 - .75" probably). It gives it a much better stance without looking slammed. The ride is very comfortable and the handling is much better than factory. The car corners much better noticeably shifting it's weight much less. I don't have to worry about bottoming out, except in maybe the most extreme angled driveways. Accidentally running over pot holes or bumps don't feel any worse than factory.
I am considering maybe upgrading my shocks though. It's not that they are bad or blown.... but the factory MS3 shocks don't seam that great (IMHO). They feel great at low speeds but high speeds they car is still "floaty" even though the springs are more compressed. It might be considered a little more "bouncy" than factory but it does recover pretty fast.
So if you want to have improved handling, better looking car, without any real drawbacks then the Eibach's are fantastic. I can not testify for other springs, but read up on the Eibachs since they are a good option.
Nliiitend1
Member
What are these "new cambers" you're talking about possibly needing?? (dunno)
Also, the bounciness that you are describing is happening because your springs are underdamped. To me (and many others), that is a definitely a drawback.
I ordered the Eibach Pro Kit last week after doing some my research. I too did not want to mess with camber links and new shocks just quite yet. The Eibach's should not lower it enough to to need the links or blow out your stock shocks.
I think they the ride will be pretty good for a daily driver.
It really comes down to what you want as far as ride and drop. So look around, there's plenty of choices.
I think they the ride will be pretty good for a daily driver.
It really comes down to what you want as far as ride and drop. So look around, there's plenty of choices.
chronus377
Member
- :
- MS3
Yeah, I mean a camber kit. I'll look into the dampeners, have you installed them on your car? How much of a difference did they make? I say no "real" drawbacks just because it helped reduce the "bounciness" at lower speeds but it feels a little more noticeable on the highway. Sort of a trade off. Also, because factory the car has the "highway float" regardless.... so it's problem with the car in general and not necessarily the springs.
At least that's what I think. But I'm no expert, just throwing in my 2 cents.
Nliiitend1
Member
Dampers. Not dampeners. A dampener would be something that makes things wet...
I don't have any aftermarket suspesion pieces on my MS3. My opinion is that the OEM dampers can't even properly damp the oscillations of the stock springs (as evidenced by things such as what you refer to as "highway float" and the fact that the stock suspension spends a decent amount of its time on the bumpstops, etc.) and therefore putting even more aggressive springs on the car without upgrading the dampers is not really going to improve things.
Like I said, my MS3's suspension is still stock, but that doesn't mean this is my first go-around with suspension tuning...I had 5 different suspension setups over 7 years between two different autocrossed/open-tracked Ford Focuses (a platform that is dynamically VERY similar to the MS3), so I like to think that I know a little something about proper suspension tuning.
I've been on the fence with my MS3's suspension because of the lack of really good cost-effective options out there, but I'm leaning more and more toward shelling out for the MS Coilovers (I think I'm gonna get them through Mazdaspeed Motorsports w/ the discount...).
chronus377
Member
- :
- MS3
Thanks for the info. I'll search around the boards to see if anyone else has done upgraded them and how much of an impact it has. What your saying does make sense to me, I've notice even on the stock suspension how much it recoils just going slowly over a sharp speed bumps.
Nliiitend1
Member
kwsmithphoto and freeflyfreak both have the Koni FSDs installed with the stock springs...I think there are even reviews either here or at some of the "other" 3/Speed3 sites...
It`s really quite simple. You can`t have your cake and eat it too. There`s going to be a tradeoff between ride quality and a lowered stance. The more the drop, the more the ride will suffer under most circumstances. This is pretty much a given when you pair shorter, stiffer aftermarket lowering springs with stock dampers. Like Nliiitend1 mentioned, the stock MS3 dampers are inadequate and contribute much to the floatiness which REALLY bothered me when I first got the car. It just didn`t feel safe at all.
Less then 4 months later, I ponied up for a set of H&R full coilovers and have been very satisfied ever since. Not many ppl run these on the MS3 and it could just be that they`re overall a pretty good DD setup but probably not all that great on the track due to the lack of damper adjustments (they`re only height adjustable). Plus the fact that H&R doesn`t really seem to market them at all. I`m not slammed at all (probably 1.25 inch all around) and although the ride is a bit stiffer than stock, it`s very livable for me and I`m quite anal when it comes to ride quality. They definitely handle better than stock but with the minimal lowering I have it set at, I`m confident it can do better but I`m not one to sacrifice ride comfort any more than I have to. Most important: no more floatiness over large undulations.
Less then 4 months later, I ponied up for a set of H&R full coilovers and have been very satisfied ever since. Not many ppl run these on the MS3 and it could just be that they`re overall a pretty good DD setup but probably not all that great on the track due to the lack of damper adjustments (they`re only height adjustable). Plus the fact that H&R doesn`t really seem to market them at all. I`m not slammed at all (probably 1.25 inch all around) and although the ride is a bit stiffer than stock, it`s very livable for me and I`m quite anal when it comes to ride quality. They definitely handle better than stock but with the minimal lowering I have it set at, I`m confident it can do better but I`m not one to sacrifice ride comfort any more than I have to. Most important: no more floatiness over large undulations.
mrjoshyman
Member
could you post a picture? im curious how the drop looks
