Handling improvements

[NHSVTF]

Hey guys, if an SVTF can pull about .91 g stock, what could it do with some H&R coilovers, or the intrax drop kit? would we see a pretty good increas in cornering ability?

matt

2002 Sonic Blue #3807

[Jonny Bolt]

Yes.

Plus your car wouldnt look like a Stomper truck. Well, I think my car looks too high in the back. I can fit almost 4 fingers between top of tire and wheel well. Reminds me of this g............ok nevahhmind.

That space is going bye bye ASAP. Intrax springs.

Check out Bluetoy's drop, hes gut pix (Intrax springs also).
It's (o)(o)

[jstevens1]

I'd say to go with the H&R kit if you need something right now. KW should be coming out with something before long, as their kit for the ZX2 Escort has been in the FR catalog the last two years. Eibach has a coil-over kit coming soon, and probably already has their Pro-System suspension available. That one worked MAGNIFICENTLY on my last Focus, and I trust the name more than any other.

Don't forget to do something with the anti-roll bars, too. It was one of the few points of gripe in last year's review of the SVTF by a ringer at Grassroots Motorsports magazine.

Whatever you do, best of luck to you with it. Take Care...

[NHSVTF]

One thing I worry about when I think about dropping my car are the super nasty roads that the north country is heald togeather by. I have unfortionatly bottomed out more then once this winter, and have had several close calls. Will a set of drop springs leave me s****ing every time I hit a frost heave?

Thanks Guys.
matt

[jstevens1]

Depends.

If you just buy a cheap set of, say, Gold Line springs to drop your ride height, then I'd bet you'll be the bottom-out king. If you go with a trusted name, like Eibach or H&R, you can usually bet that they've considered that angle and have you covered.

There is a reason I trust the big (read: more expen$ive) names in suspension. I've seen WAY too many Ricers out there with a set of springs and a torn-up body kit. Why is the body kit torn-up? Because the idiot didn't wanna spend the money on a decent suspension upgrade, of course! Now, the $800+ ground effects kit on that CRX is trashed, and the $200/each tires unevenly worn, because hero-boy was a cheapskate on something else.

It's YOUR car, and you'll do whatever you want to with it. I'll respect anyone for modifying their car, even if it's to be a carpet queen, so long as it's at least intuitive and responsible. But I'll curse anyone who just slaps the cheapest, most easily-available **** on their car to say they did it. I'm not going to be modifyint my SVTF any time soon, for various reasons. The biggest reason, though, is that there are not enough choices out there in the market for me to get what I'm looking for in quality of build and engineering. I bought this car for about $6k more than I bought it's predecessor, a ZX3. Why did I pay that much more? Because I was convinced of the build and engineering quality. I didn't do that just to throw a $300 set of springs on it and potentially RUIN the ride. I'll wait for Eibach and the others I trust to get their best-engineered products out there, then make my decision based on objective third-party evaluations.

Until then, I wait patiently. Or I may just leave it stock and start a ZX3 Prepared-category autocrosser project. But that's all at least a year away yet.

As for you, whatever you decide, I wish you the best of luck. Take care, and keep us up-to-date...

[NHSVTF]

jstevens1, well stated. I'm with you in the respects that this is already a VERY well equiped car and is better then any little grain of rice in uncle Ben's box. For now my modifying intensions are not all that serious, I do want to wait for some more aftermarket SVT products to both improve on quality, but also make some more competitive pricing. Only good things can come to those who wait (excluding Saddam, but lets not open that can of...).

All in all, i'm happy...no scratch that. I"m EXTATIC that I can get on and off the highway at such speeds that my coffee can't even stay in my closed travel mug! ****, I could be passing on the on ramp if it were two lanes

In the end why would I ever need to change a thing on this car.

matt

2002 Sonic Blue # 3807

[Jonny Bolt]

its still too high lol

[jstevens1]

Yeah, Johnny, it IS a bit HIGH. Some Smurfs have been said to have had nosebleeds attributed to sitting in a Focus in traffic for extended periods.

I noticed, while thumbing through the pages of the 2003 Ford Racing catalog, that there is a KW coilover kit for the ZX2 Escorts. Now, I don't know a bunch about KW's suspensions, but remember that this is officially endorsed by Ford Racing in some manner. One would believe this to mean that it's been tested by FR's peeps, and has met with their approval not only for ride quality and handling, but also for durability and build quality. That would be good enough for me. One might reasonably expect this type of kit from FR to be out in the '04 or '05 catalog for the Focus as well. With H&R's kit already out for some time, and Eibach diving into the coilover arena, this makes me WANT to wait.

Unsightly ride height or not, I love my car, and I will wait as long as I need to to be able to make a well-informed and intuitive decision as to which suspension to put under my baby...

Much love, y'all... Take care...