Joined
·
1,519 Posts
I just installed Eibach springs yesterday, I like the lower stance but ride seems to be the same. I will know more after I get some more seat time.
Lowering Springs and Who'll use them?
81 - 100 of 129 Posts
Joined
·
1,519 Posts
OK, I just put about 75 miles on since I installed the springs. Ride hasn't changed. Still feels the same to me. The pogo effect is not as pronounced but still there. Handling is is improved but that also could be attributed to the lower center of gravity with the new springs. Next would I buy lowering springs again? Answer - Yes.
UPDATE - 4-20-17
I had a nice track day yesterday and the springs performed well. Really helped.
Next the pogo effect has reduced significantly now that they have seated and had some stress.
UPDATE - 4-20-17
I had a nice track day yesterday and the springs performed well. Really helped.
Next the pogo effect has reduced significantly now that they have seated and had some stress.
They are 1" drop all around. However, they were designed for the daily driver who also can enjoy the performance benefits on the track. Spring rates are front: 234 in/lbs and rear: 246 in/lbs and are manufactured in the Netherlands. They are currently on a 25% off sale for spring. Spring Spring sale... our marketing people are very clever. You can find them at that price at any participating dealer or direct from Whiteline at: https://whitelineperformance.com/ford-focus-rs-lowering-springs-2016-2017-2018
The sale ends April 30 2017 and there are only a few left in stock.
Good to see you guys on here. I had most of your products on my last car (GT86) and enjoyed them.
Can you remind me/us what the stock rate is, or how much % different your springs are? Or does the fact that they're progressive springs screw up that calculation?
I see you mentioned these are designed for DD and light track use; do you have any feedback yet on if your springs solve the pogo issue that plagues the car for daily driving on real roads? Most people have been happy with the Mountune offering because they solve this issue or at least make it much less annoying, so I'm interested to see if you have any data or feedback on your springs in this regard.
Somewhat unrelated, but any word on when your sway bars will be out? And anything else in the pipeline from you guys?
Thanks!
In regards to your technical questions I have sent it to our R&D department to get back with an answer.
As for the sway bars they are in stock and ready to ship (On a 10% Off Sitewide Sale):
Ford Focus RS Front Sway Bar 26mm 3 Way Adjustable https://whitelineperformance.com/ford-focus-rs-front-sway-bar-26mm-adjustable-2016-2017-2018
Ford Focus RS Rear Sway Bar 22mm 2 Way Adjustable https://whitelineperformance.com/ford-focus-rs-rear-sway-bar-22mm-adjustable-2016-2017-2018
Ordered! Will report back with pics and a review as soon as I install them. Great deal, $199 w/free shipping and free mechanics gloves today only I think.
Joined
·
42 Posts
Just installed Pedders lowering springs. I have about 150 miles on them. I haven't had an alignment done yet but I am very impressed so far. The drop is perfect and I'm super surprised that the car is a lot more comfortable on the road. No bouncey pogo effect and small bump compliance is much better. Even the wife was impressed that it rides a lot smoother. Exactly what I was looking for. I'm going to install a white line rear sway bar and get an alignment done soon and it should be dialed in. I'll report what kind of negative camber I can manage.
Attachments
Joined
·
1,047 Posts
No pics yet but I just installed the GC Camber Plates and Eibach Pro Kit. The ride does seem more compliant for daily use. I've noticed the plates add a tad more NVH when you're not on smooth roads though.
What changed your mind and made you go with Eibach instead of mountune as originally planned?
Be sure to post up pics and alignment specs, interested to see how much camber you can get. Hopefully the NVH isn't too bad, or at least the increase in handling and performance is worth the tradeoff!
Joined
·
1,047 Posts
Primarily lead time. The Mountune springs have been on back order for a while. I waited a month or so with no clear ETA, only the standard addition of 2 weeks after each ETA inquiry. I'm not upset about it, I knew when ordering they were on back order with many people already on the list. I guess I was just hopeful and it didn't work out. I was at the point where I was ready to use my plates for AutoX and didn't want to do the work twice.
Also, after reading @chumpracerj 's assessment with the Mountune springs on track and the speculation they are pretty much lowering stock rate springs, I wanted to try a setup that may provide more of a performance benefit. Whiteline and Eibach made the cut and Whiteline was also on back order.
I am interested to see how much I can get also. I moved it inboard as much as I could before the spring made physical contact with the tunnel. The resulting pre-alignment camber is enough to be visually noticeable. The NVH is not bad at all, it's just something that is there now that wasn't there before and therefore I thought it worth mentioning. Kind of like the addition of slight vibrations from a stiffer motor mount. So if that stuff doesn't bother you, neither will this. In this case you get a little extra noise from the suspension when going over large bumps in the road.
I, for one, am shocked that mountune parts were delayed. /s
Great summary, thanks. I figured if the RMM NVH is tolerable (it is), that the plates would be comparable. I saw in your other thread that you trimmed the strut bracing, but still didn't get 100% of the clearance you need. I'm interested to see how much extra camber you can squeeze. If you can get >2.6, I'll probably jump on board the camber plate train, since I'm stuck at 1.6-1.7 right now, and it's just a bit less than desired in terms of corner grip up front (especially with the rake somewhat gone). Interested to see what your thoughts on the Eibach's are, in terms of road and AX performance.
Joined
·
1,047 Posts
I trimmed the spring perch just as Chumpracerj did. No bracing or attachment modifications.
Correct, the spring will actually hit the strut tunnel before the camber plate maxes out. What I'm not sure about is whether or not the bottom spring perch would have hit first had it not been trimmed. I didn't have time to install, check, remove, modify and reinstall. I've been driving on the Eibachs and have an AutoX tomorrow so standby for more feedback.
Joined
·
1,047 Posts
Update after AutoX:
Alignment: Technically maximum camber is -2.5* with stock like springs and the camber plates. That is the maximum amount I saw on the alignment screen as the tech pushed the strut all the way in and the spring coil made contact with the tunnel. You don't want to really leave it like that so we backed it off a bit. So I would say the maximum usable negative camber on this setup would be -2.3*, which is where we ended up after tightening everything up.
AutoX Impression: Immediately obvious that camber helps, sharper turn in and I don't remember anymore mid corner understeer. Best of all much better tire wear. Could be even better closer to -3.0* but much better than rolling over. We still had to run higher tire pressures to prevent rolling the sidewall. With the lowering springs there is a slight decrease in body roll but I also notice the car does not rotate as well anymore. I attributed this to the springs modifying the factory rake for one. Anyone else notice this with springs?
Break in: Ride is even more comfortable now. I had the dampers in sport and didn't even notice until I went over a big bump in the road, where as I would have been bouncing all over the place before. I'm going to use one of those fancy apps to validate this so stay tuned. Camber plates also making a little less noise (or I have gotten used to it).
OK, so plates would net me about 0.6* more camber than springs alone, it sounds like. Good to know, and that means I personally will probably hold off on plates until I decide on a coilover option in the future (which may or may not have plates included). What toe did you set F/R?
How high of pressure are you talking, and what were you running before? I found that I have almost perfect wear with ~40/38 PSI (HOT) with my setup. I had some serious rollover when I tried to go lower, but I wanted to get an apples-to-apples of what you run on the street vs what you run on the course (before and after).
As for the rotation issue, I did notice a bit less roll and the car feels more planted. I guess the side effect of planted means that the rear doesn't have as much of a mind of its own, and tends to follow orders from the front. I will say that I've not run AX in Drift Mode yet, but if you really miss the rotation, that may be an option for you. I DO agree, though, that losing or reducing the rake has changed some dynamics of the car. Less weight on the front makes me feel a little more push in the corners at speed, but that may be simply that I'm carrying more speed than before. It wouldn't surprise me if the same can be said about the rear being lowered, which puts more weight on those tires, and results in more grip back there (ergo less rotation). Just my armchair physics, so feel free to correct or poke holes in those ideas.
I also noticed that on the drive home from my friend's house after the install, Sport dampers felt like I was driving on glass. This feeling did NOT last, though. After the springs fully settled, normal dampers were still quite firm (but in a way that makes the car feel planted and secure, and inspires confidence from the feedback), and Sport dampers continue to be firmer still. They are usable in more situations now than before, but I wouldn't suggest daily driving in Sport dampers, lol. However, I know you and I are running different springs, so it's possible that the Eibach's simply have better tuned rates than the Whitelines, and maybe the comfort will stay for you! Interested to see what "fancy app" you have in mind to validate all of this.
Joined
·
1,047 Posts
Holding off on plates with stock like springs is probably not a bad idea. You just aren't able to gain that much but every little bit helps. The guy aligning suggested I go 1/32 toe in F/R to help with stability on the road since I had more camber than before. Since he was really doing me a solid by doing my alignment last minute after hours, I didn't want to argue and insult his experience. He said to try it and we could adjust if I didn't like it. It probably hurt me on course and might have even been why the car didn't rotate as well so I'm going back and asking for 0.0 toe F/R. Possibly even 1/16 toe out in the front.
Tire pressures are pretty close to what you have posted there, which was what I was running before.
I'm not a vehicle dynamics expert either. As mentioned above, my realignment had something to do with it as well. I had 0.0 toe front/rear prior.
The Eibachs are definitely a little more comfortable than stock which lives up to their claim of doing so.
Joined
·
1,519 Posts
It has been 3 track days and 4K miles since installing my Eibachs and I am totally pleased with the purchase and the way they improve the handling of the RS. The lower ride height am sure is what makes it handle better on the track with out any excessive stiffness noted. If any one is contemplating buying Eibachs, don't as you will most likely be pleased as I am and money well spent.
There are other options for springs and I suppose they will also have good revues, but all I can say if I did it over again my choice would still be Eibachs.
There are other options for springs and I suppose they will also have good revues, but all I can say if I did it over again my choice would still be Eibachs.
Joined
·
479 Posts
81 - 100 of 129 Posts
