Lowering springs

[DoomsdayMelody]

Looking at suspension options, had been planning on doing wheels and tires, until the deductible on my collision insurance ate the budgeted wheel money.

So I told myself I could work on the ride quality, dampers can be had relatively cheap (Koni oranges specifically) although my research has simply begged me to look at springs.

I’ve never lowered a car, and this is my daily, so the entire proof of concept needs to be around improving ride quality, noticeably, without harming the cars fun to drive nature significantly (since everything is going to be a trade off).

So if I’m considering springs, I’m not particularly interested in a drop as much as I want to get a spring that is better paired with the overdamped ride the FiST has from the factory. Suggestions would be appreciated.

Follow up question: to do things properly, would I need to do an alignment after installing the springs? Seems like most posts about this recommend it but a lot of people say it isn’t necessary?

Help, I’m a complete newbie when it comes to suspension, and I’d like experienced opinions please!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[green_henry]

Swifts have a modest drop and supposedly were designed for the factory shocks. I'm very happy with mine, but I have them paired with Koni Yellows; the ride is great for the track but is still a little harsh on the street.

I'd recommend installing a trunk brace as a first step if you want to improve ride quality. The car absorbs the bumps better, it's inexpensive, and it takes about 15 minutes to install.

 

[DoomsdayMelody]

Swifts have a modest drop and supposedly were designed for the factory shocks. I'm very happy with mine, but I have them paired with Koni Yellows; the ride is great for the track but is still a little harsh on the street.

I'd recommend installing a trunk brace as a first step if you want to improve ride quality. The car absorbs the bumps better, it's inexpensive, and it takes about 15 minutes to install.

Thanks for the reply, humor me:
Seems counterintuitive, considering there’s already a solid axle out back, does the trunk brace actually make that much of a difference? I’ve read in a few dozen places that even front strut tower braces are unnecessary, and the front suspension has independence from side to side. Thoughts?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[green_henry]

Thanks for the reply, humor me:
Seems counterintuitive, considering there’s already a solid axle out back, does the trunk brace actually make that much of a difference? I’ve read in a few dozen places that even front strut tower braces are unnecessary, and the front suspension has independence from side to side. Thoughts?
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

It does seem a bit counter-intuitive, but it works -- not dramatically, but definitely noticeable.

I don't have a front strut tower brace, but I do have a 2-pt lower brace; it eliminated the wheel hop that I was experiencing on the stock suspension -- it's also inexpensive. I don't think a tower brace would be worth the cost/effort.

 

[RubberDucky_82]

Great question @DoomsdayMelody. I was in a similar spot last spring--not much experience with springs but wanting to lower without compromising feel. After researching, the consensus seems to be that the Cobb/Mountune/Eibachs are nearly identical, provide a modest drop, and maintain (if not improve) feel while eliminating a tiny bit of harshness. (I am sure the same could be said about other brands, but I stuck with these three.) I got Eibachs from Whoosh and did the install myself after reading some articles and watching some videos. It was doable, for sure. And, yes, I would recommend an alignment. It's worth the cost when you consider the toll a misaligned corner can have on tire-wear. I am super happy with the results!