Sam Strano

But those things have nothing to do with the OP's complaint....

And fwiw, I'm pretty picky about my cars. My daily driver GT has Koni's on it in fact... but I'm still on stock springs and bars. Yes, it's a bit tight at the very limit--which most folks are rarely near on public roads. I have my alignment tweaked a bit for more front grip which also helps.

His complaint isn't that the rear is too soft.... which seems to be what you are getting, but that's is nervous and all over the place--jumpy and harsh. I agree that's what stock cars are like and as the shocks wear it gets worse.

DMarkRmeAv8tor

Sam,

Correct and to the point!

Your comment gets back to this thread's title "OEM Ride Quality." We're discussing ride at straightline cruise, not how the car handles in the turns.

The car just isn't "happy" front-to-rear while at cruise (70-75mph). The rear reacts with harsh movements over any bump or pavement change. Its a rough ride - - - and this is coming from a guy with a WS6 FBody with the SLP Stage I package, a C4 ZR-1 with lowering blocks, and a C5 Z06 track car.

So I know the difference between a Firm ride & a Rough ride.

Sam, in other postings you mentioned that the OEM struts & shocks wearout quick on these S197s. Could this be my issue with a May 06 build car with only 8500 miles?

Thanks,

Sam Strano

I'm glad you found I understand your point. I'll tell you this much. The Koni's immediatly settled the back of my car down, and I had by 2500 miles on it. My OEM GT shocks went on Marcy's car, and a@ 31k the car is all over the place. So bad in fact that if she wasn't trading it on an new car we were changing shocks very soon. The are terribly bad, but not on rebound. Not as crisp as I prefer, but not shot. But the jumpy and harshness of them is just mind boggling bad.

DMarkRmeAv8tor

Sam,

That is also what my Butt-O-Meter is telling me about the OEM Shocks & Struts even with the low miles.

I'm going to research some more on standard replacement like shocks & struts for this Mustang and report back with what I find. I don't wish to sound cheap...., but my big-buck handling parts go toward the Corvettes.

Later,

Sam Strano

You could let me help.... it's what I do.

I also handle a large variety of lines, more than most so you have choices. Honestly if cost is the factor, I think non-adjustable Tokico's might be your best choice...

I'm picky and want all my cars to work as best they can.... espeically when the new Mustang is a better starting platform over the F-body (which I still own and like--but technology marches on).

houstonnw

The definition of "good handling" probably varies at lot but the definition of a "smooth ride" might be more universal.

I have the Vogtland "leveling" springs and Koni SA shocks and can't find a setting that gives a comfortable ride. I don't care that much about handling as I'll change the settings for the track, I just want the most comfortable ride on the street.

Most of the roads here in Houston are concrete, so they tend to have a bump between the straight sections as the road settles. These bumps come right through the back of the car from 45mph up to highway speeds.

What is a recommended setting for the Koni's for the smoothest ride?

Sam Strano

Remember that dampers can't soften the actual wheel rate the springs give you. They can only literally, damp the movements. What that means is the springs are what makes things firm, the damping is what dictates harsh.

You had the Koni's before the springs. You've since added the springs, so you have a good idea which parts are responsible for which change..... All I can say is you don't want to run the shocks super soft because that doesn't soften the wheel rate and at the same time you now just lack damping control over the rebound of the spring.

Basically, you need to turn them either up or down and work your way the other direction until you reach something you like best.

This is not a spring or a damping problem. It's an issue where not every situation should have a set of springs. I know he like the springs for handling, and for the lapping days. And many find the firm ride to not be objectionable. But some folks are looking for street manners best given by taller softer stock springs.

What settings have you tried?

houstonnw

I have tried front and back at full soft - no good.

I have tried front and back 1 turn from full soft - better.

Now it is front 1 turn from full soft, rear 1/2 turn from full soft - maybe better but not much.

The front seems OK, all of the uncomfortable movement "seems" to come from the back. It feels like when I had the rear shocks 1/2 turn from full hard with the stock springs.

- Wayne

Sam Strano

If you like the front, stop messing with it. Screwing with what's not "broken" is just muddying the water.

So what I see if you've tried full soft, 1/2 and 1 turn up from full soft. There is about 2.25 turns of the adjuster available to you. Basically you get them anywhere you want, but you've only tried a few things so far. And I can't get read on what you thought was best. What you wrote seems to say that full soft was no good (I agree, too soft). 1 turn up was better, but 1/2 up *might* have been better, but not much. Either it was better, wasn't better, or didn't matter. If more damping helps, then keep doing until it doesn't. And you can run in between, I break Koni's into 1/4 adjustments all the time. You haven't seemingly tried that, and every 1/2 turn is about a 20% change in damping. If you keep playing around skipping over possible settings you can't get dialed in.

Norm Peterson

Might try leaving the fronts at 1 turn from full soft and setting the rears full soft. See if that changes the 'pitch' part of the situation.


Norm