Sam Strano

I run my Sports a bit firmer than full soft, even with stock springs on my '07. I run them firmer yet in front with the Shelby and it's lowering springs.

These give a lower cost option that will critically damp a car with springs, but many sporty types like a car that's a bit more heavily damped than that much like M3's and a lot of other German Sports cars. I'm one of those folks. I have the option of full soft, but prefer something a bit more taut. Mind you I can't stand harsh, and in fact the stock shock are much more harsh than my Koni's are even not on full soft.

Ideal? Well, I don't think there is an "ideal" damping on a non-adjustable shock. It's like saying there is an ideal engine tune, there is for each car, each person, but they all aren't necessarily going to be the same.

I know from having driven these in other cars they are out for, I still prefer the more focused Sports (or even specials for cars they exist for like the pre '05's). But I do find the STR.T's to be superior to Tokico Blues for sure. And of course the warranty coverage it way, way better.

scorpio333

Ack! More choices, more confusion! Sounds like those will be out right about the time I decide on what to go with, although from the sounds of it I'll still only be considering the adjustables, Koni or Tokico.

Sam, could you offer up an opinion on the SRT.T vs Bilsteins? Sounds like these new pieces are possibly comparable to the Bilsteins out there now.

attridgerm

RonG -

Trade the Steeda Sport Springs for the Steeda Ultra-lites. Same drop, works well w/the Tokico D's, ride is tighter than stock but far less punishing than the Sport springs.

Sam Strano

STR.T pricing for Mustangs is not yet out. The price is due to be less than Bilstein Mono-tube shocks, more in like with their TC class shocks overall.

Remember the aim for these is to give good control for lowering springs, not to give ultimate control, or give you domain over the damping level like adjustables can and do. Seeing as I don't run my Koni Sports at full soft, I don't think these are the right answer for those that are serious about performance and being able to dial the car in. These are for the guy who lowers the car primarly for looks, but doesn't want the mess associated with doing it on dampers that just don't match the springs well.

These are basically price driven. But unlike a lot of less costly shocks you'll find Koni's reputation and quality behind them. Again, these are out for a number of cars already, and they fit their designed demographic well and those that have them have been pleased. But they are not Koni Sports.

Sam Strano

The trouble here is his D-specs are broken (shocker!). And that's cleary a problem. I don't think he has any issue with his springs, though of course he could opt to change them if he sees fit. That said, the dampers have far more effect on the ride than playing around with various lowering springs in an around the same drop range.

RonG

Well, based on Sam's recommendation, I have been working with the settings on the shocks to see if I get a handle on my ride problem. I have found if I go too loose then I hit the bump stops a lot. I can control this by firming up the settings and the ride is much better. However, now small bumps are really felt through the car. Even the lane markers feel like a solid hit. That being said, I prefer the firmer, more controlled setting to loosing up the shocks all the way. The ride does get old for me after driving on the freeway for an extended length of time.

Since both of my front shocks are making noise and it doesn't look like Tokico (Hitachi) is going to have a reasonable warranty process, these new Konis might the way to go for me. It's becoming clear to me that I'm more of a looks and ride guy than extracting maximum performance.

attridgerm - I was told by Steeda that the Sports and Ultra-lites have the same spring rates. Seems like an odd way to market the springs, but what do I know?

Texotic

The Sports and Ultra-Lites have the same drop and rates, but (if I remember correctly) the Ultra-Lites are a linear spring that weighs less and the Sport is a progressive spring. The Competitions are designed the same as the Sport, but with a higher spring rate.

Sam Strano

Ron---

If you would like to you know, actually *talk* to someone instead of trying to hash this stuff out via forums, you should feel free to call me. There are subtle things you can pick up in a conversation in person that come from the tone of a voice, etc.

I'm sorry to say I don't know for sure if you want to be on lowering springs or not, and that's something we should determine. But clearly the dampers effect the car (as they should) and we know from trying things that some changes help, some don't. Remember Tokico's are cheaper, and act on both compression and rebound damping, not just rebound like Koni's do

I'm sure a change to Koni's will improve things greatly. In fact I know they will given I went through this exactly with a man on these forums named Bob Kwiatkowski in Michigan (he's a lurker, but maybe he'll post). He was the man who's comments spurred the whole D-spec vs. Koni a customer's input thread.....

He had been through many setups. On lowering springs, the Koni's were the in his opinion (which also happens to be mine). But ultimately he ended up going back to stock spring and keeping the Koni's on, which is what he is still riding on as that was the best result for him. Dampers have to control springs, and can and do make lowering springs ride and handle better. But there is a point that shocks can't magically change a stiffer lowering spring into a taller softer stock spring if the ride quality you are searching for just isn't gettable with lowering springs.

Vapour Trails

The sports are linear, and I believe the ultra lites are progressive. I know when installing my sports it did not matter what orientation they were in, and the coils were evenly spaced.

I have the same setup as the OP and I have terrible roads in my area but I don't find the ride overly harsh. I agree if you set the d-specs soft you will bounce too much, which is poor ride quality. About the mid range (3-4 turns out) is the sweet spot for me, not too much impact harshness and the rebound is controlled so as to not bounce. The hard settings control rebound really well but if you drive over a shoe lace you can feel it, these are reserved for racing. I suppose now if I could go back I might have got the konis for individual control of compression & rebound dampening, but the d-specs are good enough for now and a big improvement over stock.