Best non adjustable damper?
 

Folks,
What's the best non adjustable shock/strut package for our cars? Let's say we mate them with a set of Steeda Sport springs. Would be used for aggressive street driving and maybe once a year on a twisty track.
Thanks!

Best non-adjustable? Koni STR.T all the way. Feedback has been excellent, the Koni quality and warranty is far superior to others, and they are intended for mild lowering springs like you are planning. The fact that they are $415/set until the end of the month is a bonus (they go up about $42 or so after 3 pm on 6/30).

FWIW, I can help you with both the Steeda springs and the STR.T dampers. :)

Feedback has been excellent? With a koni would you have it any other way, they're a good company that's been around for decades?

Koni STR.T all the way? I doubt you have a basis to judge them being the best all around.

Your claim is substantiated until otherwise mentioned by the STR.T's being built well and working with lowering springs. The dimensions dampers need to work with a set of lowering springs are almost nonexistant, in fact ride height is something that is adjusted on professional race cars independently in all the setups I've worked with in the professional world meaning it not a critical dimension to compensate for with those dampers.

The only big thing I see that the SRT.T's have going for them without actual testing with the Steeda springs are that they are well made (correct me if I'm wrong). The leg of my desk is also but that doesn't mean it will work with Steeda springs. Dampers are specifically MATCHED to a set or range of springs you calibrate them to each other for the best result you don't just slap awesome parts together and call it a day these are very intricate setups and chances are that the SRT.T's are designed to work with a set of lowering springs calibrated to the stock stiffness as their ideal spring rate the Steeda springs are not the stock stiffness. I'm sure you'd agree with both of those points.

The best nonadjustable dampers possible for I8ACHEVY's car based on the current information readily available on the forum are the Steeda adjustable d-specs set to the factory recommended clicks. I've worked with Steeda and driven their demos at homestead miami racetrack and I can tell you that they are on the bleeding edge of setting up mustangs. Anything that's short of amazing against their setup will work worse.

Not only does this Steeda setup have excellent reviews but it has a proven track record of obliterating Ferraris at the track. I would know I've done so with the full steeda kit much to the owners embarrassment. Handling is not something easy by any means to get right, and reinventing the wheel or going with untested unsubstantiated parts is a terrible idea.

I hope that advice helps you make a better car.

No offense; but this is complete BS. Just because I could pass a Carrera GT or a Gallardo in my Lightning around a road course does not give one the right to say that the suspension setup on my Lightning "obliterates" those found on those cars. It's just not valid. I can tell you that only a small percentage of the folks I know that track 6-figure cars drive them the same way that they drive their dedicated track or race cars. Given your penchant for pseudo-scientific statements, I'm surprised that you would try to make such an ill conceived assertion.

That's a fair point.

The assertion is one I picked up from Steeda, it's not science but their unofficial slogan is that their S197 setup destroys Ferraris on track days and Steeda has video to back it up.

The car that I beat was a Ferrari F360 driven by a pro Formula Atlantic Driver (he has 2nd place in the 2009 championship), it was his personal car. He's a very good friend of mine and to add to things he has crashed it before on the track so neither his end nor mine were taking it easy, both were on fresh Hoosier race tires.

Wow! that may be the most humble reply by Legion5. Well done, EdwardGT. no offense L5.

Wow! that may be the most humble reply by Legion5. Well done, EdwardGT. no offense L5.:icon_wink:

Legion -

Please explain how the best NON-adjustable dampers are the ADJUSTABLE ones. Since you know so much, you also know that driving styles differ, and that corner weights on two identically built cars will be different right? Yet, you automaticly default to reccomending the Steala ToCheapo's set at factory settings. RRRRight.

Please enlighten us all also as to what series ANY Mustang has "obliterated Ferraris". With Steala parts no less.

Most of the aftermarket springs are in *roughly* the same range in rate/drop. Any non-adjustable damper is going to be a standardized relative guess, which most of the cheap non-adjustables are. I can sleep at night knowint that Koni did their homework.

"bleeding edge of setting up Mustangs". PUHHHHHLEASE.

Let's talk about the championships Steala talks about in their claims. American Sedan? The class ruled by '82 Camaro's that allows hardly any suspension mods? Steeda's 5-link is used because of a chicken-**** exploitation of the rules and nothing else. Grand Am? Hmmm, Steala is based in Florida. Grand Am is based in Florida. Coincedence or special deal? The series that allow parts from companies other than Steala are dominated by cars that don't use Steala parts. Have another cup of that Kool-aid buddy!

Their must be something in that swamp water down in Florida that makes the Mustang guys there a little cooky......


To the original Poster -

Strictly going off their reputation (MANY Koni equipped cars actually HAVE obliterated Ferraris), my experience with their other lines, and the price - I would go with the Koni. Support a vendor and another grassroots racer and get them from Strano.

RodeoFlyer, where have you been man! I have been waiting for your comments regarding these fueds.

Anybody have some input on the Bilstein's? They're not adjustable and their price makes me think they are very proud of them for some reason.