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Car acts like a pogo stick sometimes....

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Old 07-02-2008, 09:28 PM
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trigger06
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Default Car acts like a pogo stick sometimes....

I recently had the Ford Racing springs and d-specs installed. For the most part, the car is handling much better. However, under certain conditions, usually under 3/4 throttle acceleration from a stop on a bumpy road, the car seems to "pogo" a little. It's like the car's motion causes me to unintentionally hit the gas a little harder which causes more bouncing, repeating the cycle until I let off the gas completely. Anyone ever heard of this? It isn't a huge deal, but it is a little annoying. Hopefully it's a common problem with an easy fix. Thanks for the help!
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Old 07-02-2008, 10:31 PM
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Vapour Trails
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Default RE: Car acts like a pogo stick sometimes....

ORIGINAL: trigger06

usually under 3/4 throttle acceleration from a stop on a bumpy road, the car seems to "pogo" a little.
The wheels are losing traction over the bumps. You 're going too fast for the road conditions.
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Old 07-03-2008, 01:27 AM
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steelcomp
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Default RE: Car acts like a pogo stick sometimes....

Try softening up your damping a little
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Old 07-03-2008, 12:14 PM
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Sam Strano
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Default RE: Car acts like a pogo stick sometimes....

I'd ask first where you have the shocks set before telling you to change something. So... where are the shocks set?

You'll most likely be able to tune most of what you are getting out with the dampers if youlearn how they work. However, the Ford Racing springs are low and a bit too soft for how low they are. I prefer other springs, and they have an effect particularly on bumpy roads as you just end up on the bumpstops that much sooner. Again, shocks can help this, but they can't make a spring issue go away.
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Old 07-07-2008, 12:35 PM
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HazardSports
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Default RE: Car acts like a pogo stick sometimes....

trigger06: It's like the car's motion causes me to unintentionally hit the gas a little harder which causes more bouncing, repeating the cycle until I let off the gas completely.
While Sam is known for being on the money - It also appears that you may have a touch of operator error mixed in - So: I suggest you check to make sure your heel is planted on the floor when operating the pedals, (even if only lightly). If you have you heel off of the floor then it will definately cause you to be more inconsistent and would also cause the situation you described in the above quote you made.

I bet you will be able to solve the problem with all of the input you will get here. Someone or some of us will find the winning combo for you !
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Old 07-07-2008, 01:47 PM
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Norm Peterson
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Default RE: Car acts like a pogo stick sometimes....

. . . which in turn suggests that the seat fore/aft positioning and at least its cushion height/angle is not fitting the driver very well . . . relative to having good control over the tiny pedal motions necessary for smooth driving under rough road conditions, anyway.


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Old 07-07-2008, 02:35 PM
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Default RE: Car acts like a pogo stick sometimes....

ORIGINAL: trigger06

I recently had the Ford Racing springs and d-specs installed. For the most part, the car is handling much better. However, under certain conditions, usually under 3/4 throttle acceleration from a stop on a bumpy road, the car seems to "pogo" a little. It's like the car's motion causes me to unintentionally hit the gas a little harder which causes more bouncing, repeating the cycle until I let off the gas completely. Anyone ever heard of this? It isn't a huge deal, but it is a little annoying. Hopefully it's a common problem with an easy fix. Thanks for the help!
Hi trigger06,

The Eibach Pro-Kit springs that FRPP sells as their own is the problem, you are likely just bottoming out causing you to oscillate and hit the throttle. Slowing down and/or changing your damper settings may help but IMO the likelyroot cause is not going to go away without a spring change to a taller or much stiffer spring set.

HTH!
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Old 07-08-2008, 07:50 AM
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trigger06
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Default RE: Car acts like a pogo stick sometimes....

Thanks for the advice guys... I played around with the damping settings and it helped a little. But I think you guys are right about the springs. They just don't seem all that great. I'll have to look into replacing them with something else. Any recommendations?
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Old 07-08-2008, 08:36 AM
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Jazzer The Cat
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Default RE: Car acts like a pogo stick sometimes....

I had the same issue until I found some Flubber on my shoes [&:]

Darn practical jokers [:@]
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Old 07-08-2008, 10:27 AM
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F1Fan
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Default RE: Car acts like a pogo stick sometimes....

ORIGINAL: trigger06

Thanks for the advice guys... I played around with the damping settings and it helped a little. But I think you guys are right about the springs. They just don't seem all that great. I'll have to look into replacing them with something else. Any recommendations?
Hi trigger06,

By taller Imean less drop in ride height, stiffer meaning more spring rate. I'll add linear rate vs. progressive meaning that the springs are the same rate and do not increase with some coils going dead before others doby design. Look for springs that lower the car no more than 1" and have a constant space between the coils top to bottom with no coils that look closer together on one end. As far as spring rates goes there is nothing to do but ask the manufactures what the spring rates are and usually they won't/can't tell you, lie about the rate or are notprivy to the spring rate information. Soeven if you have access to a spring measuing fixture as I do you may have a hard time sorting it out and the progressive spring designs require knowing the vehicle weight and the weight on each axle to see what you are really getting into. I have measured some of the popular springs that I managed to get my hands on in my quest for th right springsbut this is only a few sets plus the stock Mustang GT springs.

TheS197 Mustangneeds a lot of suspensiontravel at the rear to help give the live axle a chance to ride decently. Most cars will ride better if allowed more suspension travelso when you reduce the static ride height of the car significantly you also need to increase the spring rates tokeep the car off of the bumpstops. Hitting the bumpstops is bad for handling and ride because your suspension isbasically nonexistant for the time the car isbottomed out on the stops. Modern cars use soft foam bumpstops that effectivelygive you an increase in spring rateonce they contact the chassis or strutbody. This is why you need a reasonably good sized gap between the bumpstops and the frame or strut body or yourridedegrades dramatically as the artifical increase in spring rate kicks in.

HTH!

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