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Koni yellows. What's best spring combo?

Plainrt

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#1
Thinking about going with the koni yellows and some sort of spring. Not sure which spring would be best with the yellows? I would like to go this route over coil overs because I have always have had great luck with konis vs coilovers. Any insight would be great.


Thanks
 


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#2
It looks like Koni's upcoming sets for STR.T and Sports include H&R springs with the dampers, whether those are specially made springs or the standard H&R Sport spring I don't know. They should be available next month.

http://www.koni-na.com/en-US/NorthAmerica/Products/Cars/List/?t=KoniPartSearch&q=2014&m=551&mk=17&mt=1

http://www.koni-na.com/en-US/NorthAmerica/Products/Cars/STREET-PERFORMANCE/SPORT-KIT/

http://www.koni-na.com/en-US/NorthAmerica/Products/Cars/STREET-PERFORMANCE/STR-T-KIT/
 


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#3
Swift Springs have a higher rate than most of the Eibach/Cobb/Mountune springs, so that might be worth looking into.
 


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#4
I will start with the stock coils..

And then maybe move to the Eibach sportlines.Then, if I still think there is something to gain (unlikely), I will install a set of H&R supersports. The ultimate choice really depends on the way the car is used and how it is prepared for its purpose.
 


TempeST

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#5
+1 for the swift springs.

I have had Koni Yellows w/ Swift springs on Multiple previous cars and they always work seamlessly together. (350z, 370z, C5 Z06, Stealth RT/TT.)

As a matter of fact it is my plan for the FiST as well. Swift springs are probably the most widely used springs for track time. Some cars even replace coil over springs with swift springs because of their reliability and performance. There is a lot of research that gets done on Swift springs before they get produced. They also have great customer service as well, and can even help you find a set that matches your means if you decide to go Coils w/ Swift springs. Never had a bad experience w/ their products or their customer service
 


OP
P

Plainrt

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Thread Starter #6
Thanks people. It's my daily that sees autocross use and some hpde. I can handle rougher ride etc
 


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#7
Stay on stock unless you want to be lower. I'm running koni yellows on stock springs. The valving on the yellows controls the springs so well and honestly your not going to feel a difference in stiffness due to how low of a change the other springs are.
 


OP
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Plainrt

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Thread Starter #8
I'm lost on this. I'm wanting to go lower. I do good amount of autocross and I'm looking to improve from the stock setup in performance. I'm not picky about the ride. I'm going with a 15 inch wheel and that would look horrible at stock height.
 


OP
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Plainrt

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Thread Starter #9
The more reading I do the more I get confused. I was happy last year for most part running stock. I'm gonna end up In stx this year and I'm not concerned about how place. What I'm looking for is reduced wheel gap with new 15 inch setup. Also looking to get rid of some of the 3 wheeling. Since everyone says the stock struts are too stiff maybe I'm better off keeping them and just going with one of the springs that are just little stiffer. I would like to keep close to way is without screwing things up too much.
 


green_henry

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#10
I'm currently running Koni yellows in the rear with the stock springs and a Hotchkis sway bar. The Konis are set at ~1/2 turn from full FIRM and work well.

In the next week or two, I plan on installing Swift springs and Konis in front. Most posts that I've read recommend ~1/2 turn from full SOFT for the front. My inclination (based on nothing to be honest) is to run 'em a little firmer than that in front, but this is also my daily driver, so I don't want to go much firmer than stock. Thoughts?
 


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#11
With Swifts and Koni yellows I'd try firmer settings.
I run rear 1/4 turn from full stiff and fronts 1/2 turn from full stiff. This setting seems to balance the car well on the back roads. I also DD like this and ride quality is not any worse than stock was.
 


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#12
I have been on Koni sport dampers for about 2 years.
I decided the stock springs were best for my use. I think that comparisons will be very difficult between any track use and street use. The fiesta is really sensitive/reactive to preparation. If you remove the rear seat, run a measured fuel level and go with a very light wheel and tire setup the Fiesta will drive very differently. I also found that going with poly subframe bushings and poly front swaybar bushings in concert with adjustable asb links allowed me to either soften the front shocks a bit or run tire slightly lower front tire pressures in some situations. Preparation is paramount to affecting how the car behaves.
 


M-Sport fan

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#13
It is a shame that no one seems to make a factory height (or at least a VERY minimal, less than .25" drop), linear rate, but MUCH higher rate regular (NOT coil over diameter) spring setup for these cars, since many, (due to uses, and road conditions), just CANNOT 'drop' their rides at all, even if they want to for aesthetic reasons. [:(]
 


Last edited:

green_henry

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#14
With Swifts and Koni yellows I'd try firmer settings.
I run rear 1/4 turn from full stiff and fronts 1/2 turn from full stiff. This setting seems to balance the car well on the back roads. I also DD like this and ride quality is not any worse than stock was.
Thanks for the feedback. I think I will split the difference (1 full turn from full firm) and see how it goes [driving]
 


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#15
It is a shame that no one seems to make a factory height (or at least a VERY minimal, less than .25" drop), linear rate, but MUCH higher rate regular (NOT coil over diameter) spring setup for these cars, since many, (do to uses, and road conditions), just CANNOT 'drop' their rides at all, even if they want to for aesthetic reasons. [:(]
Just buy the linear Eibach race coils and cut em. I did that on the basic Fiesta several years ago. It was a failed effort.
 


green_henry

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#16
Update: Man oh man, the 1/x turn(s) adjustment on these Konis seems so unreliable. I had the same experience with the rears: adjust to full firm and then adjust by 1/x turn(s). I adjusted them by the same amount; then I compressed them and timed how long it took to them to fully rebound -- they weren't even close. Am I nuts for adjusting them based on the timing of the rebound instead of the number of turns? Are they compensated in any way for the weight of the driver?
 


A7xogg

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#17
It is a shame that no one seems to make a factory height (or at least a VERY minimal, less than .25" drop), linear rate, but MUCH higher rate regular (NOT coil over diameter) spring setup for these cars, since many, (due to uses, and road conditions), just CANNOT 'drop' their rides at all, even if they want to for aesthetic reasons. [:(]
Probably would ride literally like a go cart, just no driviability be ause there would be no flew at all in the suspension/tires
 


GAbOS

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#18
Probably would ride literally like a go cart, just no driviability be ause there would be no flew at all in the suspension/tires
Going to have to fix this idea. Ride height doesn't make a spring combo any better or worse unless the spring combo was designed for another height than it was built for.

The stock height obviously works and I find the damping doesn't match the springs from the factor as is.

Sent from my ONEPLUS A3000 using Tapatalk
 


Dpro

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#19
Update: Man oh man, the 1/x turn(s) adjustment on these Konis seems so unreliable. I had the same experience with the rears: adjust to full firm and then adjust by 1/x turn(s). I adjusted them by the same amount; then I compressed them and timed how long it took to them to fully rebound -- they weren't even close. Am I nuts for adjusting them based on the timing of the rebound instead of the number of turns? Are they compensated in any way for the weight of the driver?
I have never heard of anyone trying to adjust them like this. You usually put them on the car and then adjust them. According to how the rebound responds on the car under load.
 


green_henry

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#20
I have never heard of anyone trying to adjust them like this. You usually put them on the car and then adjust them. According to how the rebound responds on the car under load.
I've found this method minimizes the amount of adjustment needed after they're on the car. It also seems a lot less subjective to me. But like I said, I may be nuts [screwy] Hopefully I'll have time to mount them this weekend and report back next week.
 




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