Budget Coilovers or Lowering Springs: Help me decide!

[Zissou]

So I'm looking for some advice on my suspension goals from those who have experience in the matter.

Cost is a factor of course, so what I'm torn between is a cheaper coilover set or getting springs designed to work with OEM struts.

Coilover options I'm weighing out include:
Godspeed (~$630)
Vogtland (~$750)
Blisten PSS B14 (~$825) added per Ron@Whoosh's suggestion.

Spring include
Mountune (~$260)
Vogtland (~$210)
Swift Spec-R (~$320)
H&R Sport (~$230)
Swift and H&R added per Ron@Whoosh's suggestion, thanks!

The most important question, what am I aiming to accomplish and why am I considering changing from stock? This is where I'm thinking a thread would be helpful as I'm there there are others with the following considerations.

Driving style: Street, though interested in autocross. #1 focus would be for aggressive street driving on back roads and mountain roads.

The OEM suspension does handle well to me, but there are some aspects i would like improved.

I don't want something that's overly stiff and unbearable to drive. I'd like to reduce some of the bounciness that the OEM suspension has. This is a semi-daily driver. I have another daily, but I like being able to run around in this car.

I've also got it in my mind that a better suspension can improve traction. I'd love to have better traction in a straight line on imperfect roads. The focus is street driving.

Aesthetics are also a consideration, a little lower looks good. Nothing slammed, perhaps in the range of 0.5" to 1.0". Right now I'm on OEM wheels/tires. Eventually might move to a 7.5" or 8" wide wheel.

Adjustability: the big advantage with coilovers is the adjustability. But knowing myself, I'm not going to mess with this much once it's set. If things work I don't like to mess with them. My Ducati has fully adjustable front forks and rear shock and I have never touched it because the way they're set works well and I don't want to mess that up.
With coilovers a twice a year adjustment would be nice; raised up for the winter, back down for the summer.

So weigh in! If you have alternatives you recommend let me hear them! Thanks!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[ron@whoosh]

So I'm looking for some advice on my suspension goals from those who have experience in the matter.

Cost is a factor of course, so what I'm torn between is a cheaper coilover set or getting springs designed to work with OEM struts.

Coilover options I'm weighing out include:
Godspeed (~$630)
Vogtland (~$750)

Spring include
Mountune (~$260)
Vogtland (~$210)

The most important question, what am I aiming to accomplish and why am I considering changing from stock? This is where I'm thinking a thread would be helpful as I'm there there are others with the following considerations.

Driving style: Street, though interested in autocross. #1 focus would be for aggressive street driving on back roads and mountain roads.

The OEM suspension does handle well to me, but there are some aspects i would like improved.

I don't want something that's overly stiff and unbearable to drive. I'd like to reduce some of the bounciness that the OEM suspension has. This is a semi-daily driver. I have another daily, but I like being able to run around in this car.

I've also got it in my mind that a better suspension can improve traction. I'd love to have better traction in a straight line on imperfect roads. The focus is street driving.

Aesthetics are also a consideration, a little lower looks good. Nothing slammed, perhaps in the range of 0.5" to 1.0". Right now I'm on OEM wheels/tires. Eventually might move to a 7.5" or 8" wide wheel.

Adjustability: the big advantage with coilovers is the adjustability. But knowing myself, I'm not going to mess with this much once it's set. If things work I don't like to mess with them. My Ducati has fully adjustable front forks and rear shock and I have never touched it because the way they're set works well and I don't want to mess that up.
With coilovers a twice a year adjustment would be nice; raised up for the winter, back down for the summer.

So weigh in! If you have alternatives you recommend let me hear them! Thanks!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

springs:

Swift spec-R
Mountune
H&R (sport)

Coilovers

Hands down best quality for the $ is Billstein

 

[Zissou]

Thanks Ron! I'll certainly add these to my considerations. I'll edit my original post

What is your take on the springs? Any clear leader or leaders among the lot? Especially with utilizing the OEM shocks.

 

[ron@whoosh]

Thanks Ron! I'll certainly add these to my considerations. I'll edit my original post

What is your take on the springs? Any clear leader or leaders among the lot? Especially with utilizing the OEM shocks.

ride comform, Mountune
performance, Swift
if you want to be low, H&R super sport
The best middle ground in terms of drop and price is Eibach

The Fiesta has cheap options for any spring type you want which is really tough to find with some other platforms

 

[M-Sport fan]

You could also put Swift coil over size springs over the Bilstein B14s, but then yes, you've 'wasted' the springs which come with that kit.

If/when I do a non-coil over setup with either the Koni Sports, or the Bilstein B8s, no doubt whatsoever I am going with the Swift Spec-R springs, ALL from Ron!

 

[SuperchargedTundra]

I went from mountune springs to the B14's and its a night and day difference. I'm going to be selling the mountune springs off my car just havent posted it up yet if your looking to go that route and save some coin.

 

[Zissou]

I went from mountune springs to the B14's and its a night and day difference. I'm going to be selling the mountune springs off my car just havent posted it up yet if your looking to go that route and save some coin.

Night and day in what regard? How do the Blistens out do the Mountune springs?

Also let me know when you sell those springs. If I don't do coilovers those are my top or second choice. I might want to save some money for a set of 16" wheels, so used springs has my interest.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[SuperchargedTundra]

They not only are a lot more planted they also absorb the poor NY roads better. The car doesn't get jared like it use to. I didn't have any issues with the Mountune springs, one of my stock shocks began to leak and instead of replacing it I just bit the bullet and went to the coilovers. Being able to raise the car up some in the winter and lower in more in the summer sounded good too.

The springs have been just sitting in my garage, tonight or tomorrow I'll grab a pic and post them up or I can email you pics if your interested.

 

[BiigMe]

ride comform, Mountune
performance, Swift
if you want to be low, H&R super sport
The best middle ground in terms of drop and price is Eibach

The Fiesta has cheap options for any spring type you want which is really tough to find with some other platforms

I'm a bit of a way off from getting a new suspension setup, but I'd like some opinions. I'm looking for something thats comfortable to DD but can still carve canyons on the weekend. I want to reduce the bounciness of the rear end without killing the fun basically.

Eibach Springs with the B8 Dampers
Mountune Springs with B8 Dampers (they call it their clubsport package)

But for that price does it just make more sense to get the Bilstein B14 coilovers?

I'm worried about what to do and I don't want to ruin my ride haha

 

[blue2turbo]

For right out the gate, the Bilsteins may be unnecessary. My advice is get either spring (since they're both almost the same thing), install them and see how you like it. You may prefer the ride that way right out the gate and save yourself the funds on shocks/struts. Or you could do like others and replace the rears with Koni STR.T's. I have mountune/rear Koni on mine and I think the ride is vastly improved over stock.

 

[BiigMe]

Hows the car when you hammer it with the springs and rear STR.T? Does the back end still want to rotate or does it stay in place?

I feel like i've read that dropping it and chaning the shocks will make it more stable but you loose performance on turn in, I was planning to throw some pierce bracing on the car if thats the case

 

[Mchris2725]

I have the Mountune spring setup on my Fiesta. I didn't notice too much difference in handling after the installation, but the car looks so much better with the one inch drop. I noticed much more difference in handling after I had the Pierce two-point brace installed between the two A-arms. After installing the brace, turn in is exceptional and body roll was greatly reduced. It was the perfect compliment to the Mountune springs. I doubt a set of coils will do you much better than the setup I just described. Best part: the brace was $95 and I paid a local shop for 30 mins of labor to install for me (I gave them the correct torque specs as it was like at least 150 ft lbs of torque). The Mountune springs are a bit more involved for the install, but I would suggest getting help from a mechanic of sort on those too.

 

[BiigMe]

I have the Mountune spring setup on my Fiesta. I didn't notice too much difference in handling after the installation, but the car looks so much better with the one inch drop. I noticed much more difference in handling after I had the Pierce two-point brace installed between the two A-arms. After installing the brace, turn in is exceptional and body roll was greatly reduced. It was the perfect compliment to the Mountune springs. I doubt a set of coils will do you much better than the setup I just described. Best part: the brace was $95 and I paid a local shop for 30 mins of labor to install for me (I gave them the correct torque specs as it was like at least 150 ft lbs of torque). The Mountune springs are a bit more involved for the install, but I would suggest getting help from a mechanic of sort on those too.

Well I'm kinda set on that then. I always planned on getting Pierce bracing, and luckily for me I live right by their shop. And I was going to go to Mountune to have them do the SS lines and pads (seems to be the best priced brake package local to me) and shit now I'm probably going to get the springs because I have no self control

 

[Zissou]

Thanks for the help everyone! I went with the Mountune springs ( thanks [MENTION=6043]blue2turbo[/MENTION] ). Now I'm just trying to decide what to do about shocks. I'm leaning towards using OEM, mainly for $$$ though running Koni STR.Ts in the rear with OEM in the front sounds enticing too. The aim is more comfort while maintaining the same level of performance on the street; getting rid of that bouncing and keeping things more planted over bumpy roads. I get that there's a give/take effect, but I figure trading off comfort is really only noticed on the track. My driving is aggressive street. Might get into AutoX, but this build is primarily focused on the street.

And what about camber bolts - would it be necessary to get aftermarket ones like H&R or SPC Performance to get something close to OEM -1.18? Or what are folks doing for camber? I think blue2turbo told me he was running -1.50 (right?). I'm not into the stance look, and I'd like to keep tires alive - the ones on the 15x8 wheels I'll someday buy.

 

[blue2turbo]

I will see if I can remember to check my alignment sheet, but I want to say I set mine to -1.25 or -1.5. I used SPC camber bolts in the top spindle hole on both front struts. Since they are sold in pairs, you only need to buy one pair. Whoosh sells them for solid price as well.

 

[ThaiFiesta]

Eibach also market camber bolts made by SPC. Eibach make the Mountune springs, as far as I know.

 

[Zikemovat]

Back to the topic of being cheap, godspeed sells some pretty inexpensive springs that lower it to the height im looking for: 1.2” front and a bit more in the back. Its worth taking a risk for less than $200 bucks imo, at least until the car is paid off.

 

[Bretley]

Back to the topic of being cheap, godspeed sells some pretty inexpensive springs that lower it to the height im looking for: 1.2” front and a bit more in the back. Its worth taking a risk for less than $200 bucks imo, at least until the car is paid off.

Be careful, I've seen to instances where the Godspeed springs actually raised the car in the back lol. I think there's even a YT video of a kid installing them and the same thing happened.

 

[Genya]

If you are just looking for an OEM replacement and concerned with cost then I would highly recommend the Bilstein B4

 

[ron@whoosh]

Be careful, I've seen to instances where the Godspeed springs actually raised the car in the back lol. I think there's even a YT video of a kid installing them and the same thing happened.

I've seen this with the Godspeed springs as well....
Good call out