OEM-Ish Equipment... What are my options?

[XanRules]

Howdy folks,

I'm creeping up on 50k miles, which means I'm thinking about replacing my shocks in the near future. I know the springs have a pretty much indefinite shelf life, but I might as well replace them, too. I remember that last time I was looking around, the Koni STR.Ts (Oranges) were pretty much the move for a daily driver (I do not track the car, as much as I keep telling myself I am going to someday), paired with the Swift springs. Is that still the case? Heard good things about the Eibachs, too. The H&Rs are gonna drop me too low, I think.

I am running 16x8 Konig Dekagrams on a 205/45/r16 tire so I don't want to rub, but I do want a little bit of a drop if I'm gonna be getting in there and messing around anyway.

Thanks for any input!

 

[Mikey456]

On the springs. You want to figure out if you want progressive or linear rate spring. The progressive (like Eibach) will start softer initially in the travel and than progressively getting stiffer hence the name. The linear (Swift) will stay the same stiffness through the travel like the OEM. If you are looking for a more comfortable ride progressive springs might be better for you. The koni orange I’ve heard has softer dampers vs Bilstein. I would personally prefer the Bilsteins. And I run Swift springs which are not soft.

 

[XanRules]

Yeah, consensus seems to be that Bilsteins do better with the progressive springs and that the Konis do better with the linear. Thank you, I'd forgotten about those options!

 

[kevinatfms]

Bilstein B6/B8 and Swift Spec R's is a fantastic setup. I ran that for a very long time as my setup. Just recently changed to a hodgepodge B14 setup with 2.5" springs.

The Eibach springs are stupid soft(109lbs/in) in the initial rate then increase in rate up to the factory spring rating of the pre2016 cars(172lbs/in). The rear rate is the same way, starts soft and increases in rate to slightly above the factory rate. It causes a significant amount of body roll from what i experienced during autocross. Made the car worse in every way except for outright comfort.

The biggest issue with the Koni Sports is the stupid adjustment procedure in the rear. If they made them like the KYB AGX with the knob on the side it would be a perfect setup. But yanking the shock off the car every time you want to adjust them is beyond infuriating.

I put Koni STR.T's on my brother in law's Fiesta SE and they are already leaking with under 30k miles on them. Not too happy with the quality control as he isnt racing the thing. I put significantly more abuse on my old Bilstein setup without a single issue. Id stay away from the STR.T honestly and look directly to Sports or the B6/B8's. IIRC, the Sports are made in Europe while the STR.Ts are made in Taiwan. Maybe something to do with the QC issues i saw on the SE.

 

[XanRules]

How do we feel about the Whitelines? I missed that those were also an offering and I loved those on my WRX. Will be going with the Bilsteins for sure, B6 if I go with the swifts (which are designed to work with OEM height shocks iirc) or B8 otherwise.

 

[Erick_V]

How do we feel about the Whitelines? I missed that those were also an offering and I loved those on my WRX. Will be going with the Bilsteins for sure, B6 if I go with the swifts (which are designed to work with OEM height shocks iirc) or B8 otherwise.

I’ve been down the rabbit hole of a shock and spring combo if I decide to move from coils for a while and from what I’ve gathered the B8/Swift combo is the sweet spot. I didn’t like how the rear Koni’s (Yellows) had to be removed to be adjusted so I strayed from those but they seemed to be better in terms of tuning vs the B8. Seems like people had to run the rear B8 at almost full stiff to get it where they wanted it.

Also, the B6 is meant for an OEM height spring. The B8 has a shorter shaft length to accommodate a lowering spring which the Swift and almost all, if not all, aftermarket options are. The Mountune springs may be something else to look into. I saw those mentioned a bunch when looking into shocks.

 

[TyphoonFiST]

Swift R and OEM style 14-15' shocks and struts.... They designed the swift Rs around the OEM setup at its Limits. Mine have settled quite nicely now with a decent drop in ride height obviously being lowering springs and all. But i am content with it now that its all said and done.

 

[kevinatfms]

I’ve been down the rabbit hole of a shock and spring combo if I decide to move from coils for a while and from what I’ve gathered the B8/Swift combo is the sweet spot. I didn’t like how the rear Koni’s (Yellows) had to be removed to be adjusted so I strayed from those but they seemed to be better in terms of tuning vs the B8. Seems like people had to run the rear B8 at almost full stiff to get it where they wanted it.

Also, the B6 is meant for an OEM height spring. The B8 has a shorter shaft length to accommodate a lowering spring which the Swift and almost all, if not all, aftermarket options are. The Mountune springs may be something else to look into. I saw those mentioned a bunch when looking into shocks.

The Bilstein dampers are non-adjustable....

 

[Erick_V]

The Bilstein dampers are non-adjustable....

Oof 🤦🏻‍♂️ I have no idea how I completely overlooked that.

 

[XanRules]

Swift R and OEM style 14-15' shocks and struts.... They designed the swift Rs around the OEM setup at its Limits. Mine have settled quite nicely now with a decent drop in ride height obviously being lowering springs and all. But i am content with it now that its all said and done.

OEM Style would be B6, right?

Swift R and B6 really does seem to be the "sweet spot" for performance/comfort but I'd heard good things about the Whitelines too so I thought I'd toss em into the mix just to see. But, Swift and B6 seems to the unanimous winner so that's what I'll throw on when the time comes. Cheers!

 

[M-Sport fan]

Swift R and B6 really does seem to be the "sweet spot" for performance/comfort but I'd heard good things about the Whitelines too so I thought I'd toss em into the mix just to see. But, Swift and B6 seems to the unanimous winner so that's what I'll throw on when the time comes. Cheers!

That setup is what I am currently leaning towards as well, especially if many on here are correct, and the B6es really do 'negate' the supposed inch lowering of the Spec Rs, by raising the ride height slightly.

I desire a higher spring rate than even the older, higher rate factory springs deliver, but a factory ride height, and this combo seems to be the only way to get that without going to some very limited/hard to find coil over setups.

 

[XanRules]

ooooouuuh, I really do want a little bit of a drop. Hmmmm. HMMMM...

 

[rallytaff]

I'm about to turn 74 but I don't mind the stiffer ride I get with my H & R coilovers. Even at my age, I prefer good handling rather than a little more comfort. They do lower the car and I love the look. No rubbing on stock size wheels and tyres either.

 

[M-Sport fan]

^^^OK, but would you chance taking the car down rough gravel stage roads with those coil overs at that height (NOT that XanRules would/is going to do that, but I will. )??

(It's a straight up question, and absolutely NOT a criticism/critique, at all!)

 

[M-Sport fan]

ooooouuuh, I really do want a little bit of a drop. Hmmmm. HMMMM...

I have not heard of that 'lifting effect' from those using the B8s paired with the Spec Rs, but maybe that is a real thing as well??

Can anyone with that combo chime in?

 

[rallytaff]

^^^OK, but would you chance taking the car down rough gravel stage roads with those coil overs at that height (NOT that XanRules would/is going to do that, but I will. )??

(It's a straight up question, and absolutely NOT a criticism/critique, at all!)

I'm crazy enough to do it! They can be raised though if I wanted to.

 

[kevinatfms]

I have not heard of that 'lifting effect' from those using the B8s paired with the Spec Rs, but maybe that is a real thing as well??

Can anyone with that combo chime in?

Mine didnt raise the car at all. I ran the B8/Swift combo for quite a few years and the drop was as advertised at 1"(give or take a hair). Below is the B8/Swift springs on 15x8's and 225/45R15 RS4's.

 

[XanRules]

Looks great! Love the hood vents, too.

 

[M-Sport fan]

There you go!

But be aware, that tire Kevin is running in that pic IS a little bit shorter in overall diameter (by at least a half inch, if not more) than our OEM setup's height, so the wheel gap will be even closer yet on a 215/40-17, 205/50-16, etc.

 

[kevinatfms]

There you go!

But be aware, that tire Kevin is running in that pic IS a little bit shorter in overall diameter (by at least a half inch, if not more) than our OEM setup's height, so the wheel gap will be even closer yet on a 215/40-17, 205/50-16, etc.

This. Always look at tire height in relation to the original height of 23.4". The 225/45R15 is only 23" in tire height so they are shorter than the OE size.

A good reference at this point is stay as close to OE tire height as you can but widen the tire as much as you can. The car needs as much grip as it possibly can get. Some approx. measurements from Tire Rack on sizes:

205/50R15 - 23.0"
225/45R15 - 23.0"
205/45R16 - 23.4"
215/45R16 - 23.6"
225/45R16 - 24.0"
205/50R16 - 23.9"
205/40R17 - 23.4"(OE SIZE)
215/40R17 - 23.9"