Hunting for plushness in ride

[Franco Cozzo]

I'm in the middle of this battle with my EL Fairmont Ghia, while not the same series, I've been asking around and it seems that Monroe shocks are very stiff is the general consensus on them.

I've just ordered a full set of Boge shocks, which have a nice ride and King's standard springs, but I'm ditching the 17" wheels for factory 15" wheels, for the large profile tyres, you probably won't be able to do that with your brakes.

[gregsAUII]

Yeah im trying to figure out whats the cause for the rough ride on the car the springs or the shocks so i can change something soon before my run up to QLD.

Damo can i ask what you spent on a full set and what model they are.

[Polyal]

Well I will tackle this properly once I am back mid Feb. Greg, you staying with rubber bushes? Id never really bother with poly unless it was a track car, even then Id rather the give of rubber.

[gregsAUII]

No Polyal i was an massive spaz and got Urethane through out the hole car, i'd love to change it all back to rubber, Urethane is way to harsh.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by gregsAUII

Yeah im trying to figure out whats the cause for the rough ride on the car the springs or the shocks so i can change something soon before my run up to QLD.

Damo can i ask what you spent on a full set and what model they are.

Fronts: 28-A24-A $105 each
Rears: 28-A12-A $62 each

$240 for the King Springs Standards

$55 freight

Cost all together $629 delivered, mine is an EL Fairmont Ghia though, so no doubt product codes would be different.

I went through Tuff Car Parts, Justin is the owner and he is a forum sponsor here, excellent customer service, cheap prices and quick delivery.

A few members on FordMods, suggested Blistein shocks, but they're more for sporty ride, they reckon that with their variable valving they adjust themselves depending on how you drive, so if you throw it into a corner it stiffens up, drive normally it adjusts for comfort, but even then apparently they're a bit firmer than normal. I asked how much on there and they said $1200 for just the shocks from where they purchased them, no thanks, lol.

http://fordforums.com.au/showthread....1316255&page=7

Ask in there for what you want and he'll PM a reply to you

Originally Posted by gregsAUII

No Polyal i was an massive spaz and got Urethane through out the hole car, i'd love to change it all back to rubber, Urethane is way to harsh.

I went to Repco and Autobarn yesterday, none of them would quote me on rubber bushes, because either, they didn't sell them, or that they cost much more and that the ride harshness is neglegable, which from what you guys experienced, is certainly not the case.

Bastards.

[FTE217]

Repco's, Barns and any other reseller network will always sell you urethane due to their good buying price and brain washing by the manufacturer/s of urethane. Sure - its great and at certain applications and importantly the type of use you put your vehicle through lets say 80% of the time its needed BUT this is not considered enough by the counter jockey.
Mackay rubber is available to all these stores and their catalog covers nearly all the applications you need for your Ford sedans etc.....
For street use urethane at your sway bar D's and link pins great alls good, anywhere else what for ?! not needed. (gregsAUII if you have your upper/lower front and rear comtrol arm bushs fitted with urethane your AU is transmitting every noise from every crack on the road and hitting holes she must shudder at times, infact you have crap corner handling around bumpy corners your back end wants to kick out added with heavy rated coils and heavier valved shocks no wonder you wish to soften your ride and without getting rid of the urethane she'll always shudder over bumps/holes. Boge or gabriels are the softest options compared to other shock brands - most aftermarket coils are up to 25% firmer than the OE coil FYI.)
The softest or lets say smoothest shock is the OE product but once you lower more than 20-25mm then its russian roulette for the shock to survive. Catch22 hey.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by FTE217

Repco's, Barns and any other reseller network will always sell you urethane due to their good buying price and brain washing by the manufacturer/s of urethane. Sure - its great and at certain applications and importantly the type of use you put your vehicle through lets say 80% of the time its needed BUT this is not considered enough by the counter jockey.
Mackay rubber is available to all these stores and their catalog covers nearly all the applications you need for your Ford sedans etc.....
For street use urethane at your sway bar D's and link pins great alls good, anywhere else what for ?! not needed. (gregsAUII if you have your upper/lower front and rear comtrol arm bushs fitted with urethane your AU is transmitting every noise from every crack on the road and hitting holes she must shudder at times, infact you have crap corner handling around bumpy corners your back end wants to kick out added with heavy rated coils and heavier valved shocks no wonder you wish to soften your ride and without getting rid of the urethane she'll always shudder over bumps/holes. Boge or gabriels are the softest options compared to other shock brands - most aftermarket coils are up to 25% firmer than the OE coil FYI.)
The softest or lets say smoothest shock is the OE product but once you lower more than 20-25mm then its russian roulette for the shock to survive. Catch22 hey.

You need shortened shocks if you want to lower a car, otherwise they get clapped out fairly fast.

[gregsAUII]

gregsAUII if you have your upper/lower front and rear comtrol arm bushs fitted with urethane your AU is transmitting every noise from every crack on the road and hitting holes she must shudder at times, infact you have crap corner handling around bumpy corners your back end wants to kick out added with heavy rated coils and heavier valved shocks no wonder you wish to soften your ride and without getting rid of the urethane she'll always shudder over bumps/holes. Boge or gabriels are the softest options compared to other shock brands - most aftermarket coils are up to 25% firmer than the OE coil FYI.

How right you are mate i went for a run down to the Gong through the national park and every time i hit a rough bit of road i want to hit my self for getting this hard set up.

Any way i'd love to replace all my bushes back to rubber, can my front control arms upper and lower be changed by hand or do they need to be pressed in??

[auIILTD]

Originally Posted by gregsAUII

How right you are mate i went for a run down to the Gong through the national park and every time i hit a rough bit of road i want to hit my self for getting this hard set up.

Any way i'd love to replace all my bushes back to rubber, can my front control arms upper and lower be changed by hand or do they need to be pressed in??

Greg, don't beat yourself up over the Nolathane. Get your springs and shocks right and I believe that you will be 80% of the way there. If you are relying on rubber bushes for cushion, I believe that you are hoping for too little too late.

Stu

[gregsAUII]

Originally Posted by auIILTD

Greg, don't beat yourself up over the Nolathane. Get your springs and shocks right and I believe that you will be 80% of the way there. If you are relying on rubber bushes for cushion, I believe that you are hoping for too little too late.

Stu

Yeah i true mate, i want to change my bushes first see how it feels, if its still to harsh go ahead and change the springs and shocks.

Sorry if im stealing the thread Polyal, just after some other opinions because there are so may differant options out there.

[FTE217]

Originally Posted by Big Damo

You need shortened shocks if you want to lower a car, otherwise they get clapped out fairly fast.

Thanks Big D I didn't know of this

I'll re-phrase my last sentence - the std height shock can survive longer than expected, lets be realistic no more than 20mm lowered coil, some are lucky some are not BUT it sure is preffered to match with a shorter stroke shock/strut BUT in some case's the owner doesn't have the funds to do both BUT risks to have the lower look playing russian roulette with the shock/strut.

[Polyal]

Ok just an update on this guys....I got off the phone with KYB and they seem to think that the shocks I have in, Excel-G (part #3433 27), will be fine with my standard springs that I never threw out..phew.

But I thought that was odd, I guess they are not "shortened" shocks as such, I was worried about them getting clapped out with my stock springs.

If true, then all I will do is swap out my ebaichs with the stock springs and that will give me the height back and hopefuly a little more smoothness over bumps.

Surely the standard KYB's are better than standard stock shocks? I have my old shocks aswell but being 10 years old Im sure they are done.

Thoughts?

[Mr Hardware]

Depends on what you like in ride. Ride is a fickle thing - it is difficult to describe. 'Rough' is different to 'Harsh' - for example worn out stock springs are generally 'rough' feeling - where as new quality lowered suspension is generally harsh.

[Polyal]

Yeah I get your point hardware, at the moment I am willing to risk keeping the KYB's and use stock springs..what I am having trouble with is confirming whether its technically possible and ok..I dont want to root up the KYB's if the springs are not compatible.

The KYB guy said it "should" be ok...should doesnt do it for me.

[auIILTD]

Originally Posted by Polyal

Yeah I get your point hardware, at the moment I am willing to risk keeping the KYB's and use stock springs..what I am having trouble with is confirming whether its technically possible and ok..I dont want to root up the KYB's if the springs are not compatible.

The KYB guy said it "should" be ok...should doesnt do it for me.

Hi Polyal. I have been following this thread for a while, purely out of interest. I have a set of stock shocks in the garage, so if you are concerned about the 'height' of the KYBs, I am happy to measure coil mount bottom to bottom of the shock (centre of bolt axis) for you. This may re-assure you for your KYBs? PM me if needed.

Regards
Stu

[Mechan1k]

I went back to stock springs but kept the Excel-G's in a prior car as mentioned before ... and ride was comfy for everyday driving ... no harshness at all.

What i found though out on some country sweepers ... the Excel-G's were great for that bit of extra control that old stock shocks can't provide. Was a nice combo.

[parker]

I had that combo after I reverted from lowered eibach to standard springs (on AU I sold) and the KYB's were a good setup in my opinion.

[Day-mow]

Originally Posted by FTE217

Repco's, Barns and any other reseller network will always sell you urethane due to their good buying price and brain washing by the manufacturer/s of urethane. Sure - its great and at certain applications and importantly the type of use you put your vehicle through lets say 80% of the time its needed BUT this is not considered enough by the counter jockey.
Mackay rubber is available to all these stores and their catalog covers nearly all the applications you need for your Ford sedans etc.....
For street use urethane at your sway bar D's and link pins great alls good, anywhere else what for ?! not needed. (gregsAUII if you have your upper/lower front and rear comtrol arm bushs fitted with urethane your AU is transmitting every noise from every crack on the road and hitting holes she must shudder at times, infact you have crap corner handling around bumpy corners your back end wants to kick out added with heavy rated coils and heavier valved shocks no wonder you wish to soften your ride and without getting rid of the urethane she'll always shudder over bumps/holes. Boge or gabriels are the softest options compared to other shock brands - most aftermarket coils are up to 25% firmer than the OE coil FYI.)
The softest or lets say smoothest shock is the OE product but once you lower more than 20-25mm then its russian roulette for the shock to survive. Catch22 hey.

in my experience FTE217's advice has been the best and most knowledgeable advice on suspension .

when he speaks i advise u listen


i also am Running KYB XLG's in the rear and they seem to do the job. currently have an SL spring in them but putting L ticky spring back in them after the weekend for more clearence and shock travel etc.

have opted for BOGE Turbo's and Eibach Pro springs in the front./

[Polyal]

Day-Mow...you sure you want to be mixing and matching springs and shocks? Wouldn't they all be different rates?

Cheers guys for confirming I can use my stock springs. Thats going to save me 400 odd.

[Day-mow]

through seeking advice from people that know what theyre on about im told its ok. but also from what im aware of how different spring/shock combo's only becomes an issue when its left to right.

front end for what i want can be stiffer and have a softer rear. in a perfect world i'd have adjustable coilovers all round to dial them in fully.
anyway i'll give feed back on it.