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need new suspension. Want something very close to stock

A

avengerc4

CEG'er
Joined
Mar 18, 2009
Messages
222
Location
Munster, IN
I just want a suspension as close to stock as possible without being stock lol. I want a little bit lower with a nice ride quality. I have a bad back and a Bilstein kit on my SVT Focus and that ••••• is STIFF. Messes with my back. But then again I never change it from stiffest setting? Why bother when I only drive it a month or so outta the year. It will be more of a DD later on when insurance goes down, but for now just track car.

So on that note. Bat kit I take it? Also what other suspension goodies should I also get at the same time? I know their are hats and stuff on this that aren't on the focus. When I got the bilstein kit for that I just got new rear sway bar bushings and that's all I needed. How about here? Should I just get them with the BAT order? Also any quirks I should be looking for when I do the swap early next year?

Thanks!
-Joe
 
I should mention I have a 1998 SVT Countour with 180k on it. I think the fronts were replaced they seem ok but the rear is about an in lower or more and rides rough. looks stock. need springs and struts of course!
 
yep :) Only thing that looked somewhat close to stock was the BAT kit, but I didn't know if there was anything else out their close also. The other stuff looked either way too low or harsh of a ride.
 
FWIW, I had Konis with B&G springs on my SVT and at full soft it was only a little stiffer than stock, and certainly very streetable. I think it was actually softer than my VR4 in tour mode. :laugh:
 
cool thanks. Have you rode in a car with the bat kit? Just wondering if you knew the difference between ride stiffness. I'm also just debating doing full stock again, but I don't think I want to do that. haha. I always mod my cars!! :)
 
Why in the world would you wanna go stock, it cost about just as much to get stock svt parts when you can just get the bat kit. My question to you is how far of a drop are you willing to go because if you didn't mind an inch and a half drop I would go the koni route, that way you can set the struts to soft/firm for however you like it.
 
I didn't know stock stuff was that much! I would probably go with bat. Well I don't want too low a drop b/c I got a new job at a shipping company and when it snows I'm gonna wanna be able to get out their and not get stuck. how much does bat drop compaired to koni's?
 
well BAT claims 1 inch, but its weird I have seen svtc's with bat and some seem pretty low others seem like they are stock springs, not sure why. koni's are suppose to be 1.5 inches but I think they sit pretty good im sure you would be fine with them.
 
I'm very happy with my H&R's with stock style struts. Rides nice and smooth, and when i get into the corners, it takes whatever i throw at it. Just took a 400 mile round trip 2 weeks ago with my girlfriend without a single complaint from her (she has a 2009 Ford Fusion SEL) It feels close to stock, but lowered it just slightest bit. I have taken a ride in a car with the BAT kit, a 98 CSVT, but the kit had about 70K on it at the time. It rode nice, and handled like a dream, but it seemed a little stiffer than mine. It also sits MUCH lower than my car. The rear wheels on it are nearly tucked, where as mine is well, a little higher...

IMG_2681.jpg
 
thanks black. Where did you get yours at? I'll have to compare prices. Also when I get the kit what other kind of bushings and whatnot should I replace? I was told front A arms when I do them, anything else I should look into?

and mystique...thanks! I was never a fan of pairing stock struts with aftermarket springs though. I did that with my first focus and the struts seemed to wear out pretty quick, but I dunno maybe that was a fluke?
 
avengerc4 said:
and mystique...thanks! I was never a fan of pairing stock struts with aftermarket springs though. I did that with my first focus and the struts seemed to wear out pretty quick, but I dunno maybe that was a fluke?
Click to expand...

no, thats a generally known concept. some get shocks meant for lowering springs and some don't.
 
I actually haven't decided yet what I want, lol I have been looking and searching for a couple months now and I have narrowed it down to either the full koni kit, or h&r springs with bat struts. however, the koni's are on backorder for up to several weeks so I may be leaning more toward the second option. as for bushings and what not it depends on how many miles you have driving the car, where you drive it, and how hard. my car has 104k on it now and I already replaced front lca's, tie rods, and wheels bearings, but if your car doesn't have that many miles on it im sure they will be fine for awhile. also, you may wanna change your strut bearings.
 
oh this car has 180k on it and I drive it like it has 10k ;) I race on the tracks around here so I tend to take every corner like a beast (if it's not raining or icy of course) and have nicer tires on it so I can do it lol. The front suspension seems to have been replaced already once but the rear not cause it is about 1/2 in lower then the front. I think the tie rods are ok though last time I jacked the car up and checked around they seemed fine. Just didn't know if I needed to check for any rear bushings while I'm at it. The rear is the one thing I havn't checked honestly. I just assumed I would get all new bushings for it that I needed when I get the kit.
 
well with that many miles I would get new stabilizer link bushings, and maybe trailing arm bushings. for the rear that is. check your bushings in your lca's they tend to where out quicker if your car is lowered.
 
^ +1

When i did mine, i did the springs, struts, bushings, LCA's and drive axles (drive axles were my fault) but now with about 10K on the setup, it drives like a new car. I've only had everything on for about 4 months, and i couldnt be happier. The stock struts are holding up fine since the H&R's are similar to stock ride height and the spring rate isnt that high. I know with ground control coilovers, i'd go thru them like crazy.
 
you must be misinformed mystique h&r's are no where near close to stock ride height or spring rate, for 95-97 contiques its suppose to lower 1.75/1.25 not sure about the rates but i know they are much higher. either way im sure your struts will be ok for awhile but they are not made for lowering springs, which is what h&rs are, lowering springs.
 
I meant they arent high compared to ground control coil overs. GC's are very stiff springs. Also, 1.25 isnt that much of a drop. 1.75 is moderate compared to what a lot of people have lowered their cars. I know that stock struts arent made for lowering springs, but they're holding up just fine, and have the perfect ammount of stiffness for me.
 
on their highest setting, they're still an inch lower than stock. Plus the springs are a bit heavier (from what i've heard)
 
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