D2 Coil over kit first impressions - 08/09/06 09:35 PM
If this is an utterly worthless post, g'head and delete it, but I hadn't really seen anyone post anything up about the D2's. We got mine installed over the weekend, and I made a post regarding early impressions of the kit so far over on NECO, so I figured I'd just cut n' paste it on over to here . . .
The quality on the product is second to none. While I had never seen coil overs in person before, EVERY person at the meet commented on what a high-quality product they were.
Installation seemed very straightforward. I am somewhat embarassed to say I really didn't lift a finger during the install, jrak123, Pyro81 and nandalora pretty much swarmed my car like a stock car pit crew, jacking up one side of the car and going right to work. MAD props to them for doing a GREAT job on the install. :thumbsup:
Now, the driving impressions . . .
Ride quality is outstanding. The car is definitely a little more bouncy than it was on the Roush/ST200 combo I had before, but its a far cry from harsh. I rode all the way home and was very comfortable the entire time. Teeth chattering these things are not.
But the real joy isn't in cruising on a straight line down the interstate. Its when you turn the wheel away from center that these babies really shine. The car is pretty much point and shoot now - you see where you wanna go with it and you go there. And corners . . . oooooh the corners . . . :naughty:
When I took Aaron out for a ride, we approached a 90 degree right-hand turn with a sign suggesting 30 MPH to negotiate it. I selected third gear and approached the corner at 50 MPH, turned the wheel and accelerated through the turn. I didn't wish to push it too hard as I am still finding the limits of the car, but when I took that corner at that speed, the car was flat and completely stable, with nary a hint of tire slippage.
On the way home, I approached a 180 degree right-hand interstate on ramp. Laughing as the sign admonished me to approach at no more than 25 MPH, I put the car in second and went WOT. I shifted to third at the apex of the turn and kept the pedal down and was amazed at the amount of oversteer the car now had as I was easily able to turn the car to the inside of the on-ramp while still accelerating, merging easily on to the interstate at the top of the ramp just getting in to fourth gear. :biggrin:
Most of my driving was obviously on an interstate, so I didn't get to really toss the car around a TON, but my initial impressions are VERY favorable, to say the least.
I would LOVE to take the car to a skidpad and find out just what kind of G she can pull, or hit a slalom course and see what kind of speed she can pull. I'm VERY confident the car would be far and away above any Cougar currently rolling around on the street.
Now, just to clarify, cuz I'm not rolling around on an otherwise stock suspension, I also have tubular front LCA's, Quaife, tubular rear LCA's and toe arms, Roush sway bar, jrak123 RSTB and energy suspension bushings everywhere.
The quality on the product is second to none. While I had never seen coil overs in person before, EVERY person at the meet commented on what a high-quality product they were.
Installation seemed very straightforward. I am somewhat embarassed to say I really didn't lift a finger during the install, jrak123, Pyro81 and nandalora pretty much swarmed my car like a stock car pit crew, jacking up one side of the car and going right to work. MAD props to them for doing a GREAT job on the install. :thumbsup:
Now, the driving impressions . . .
Ride quality is outstanding. The car is definitely a little more bouncy than it was on the Roush/ST200 combo I had before, but its a far cry from harsh. I rode all the way home and was very comfortable the entire time. Teeth chattering these things are not.
But the real joy isn't in cruising on a straight line down the interstate. Its when you turn the wheel away from center that these babies really shine. The car is pretty much point and shoot now - you see where you wanna go with it and you go there. And corners . . . oooooh the corners . . . :naughty:
When I took Aaron out for a ride, we approached a 90 degree right-hand turn with a sign suggesting 30 MPH to negotiate it. I selected third gear and approached the corner at 50 MPH, turned the wheel and accelerated through the turn. I didn't wish to push it too hard as I am still finding the limits of the car, but when I took that corner at that speed, the car was flat and completely stable, with nary a hint of tire slippage.
On the way home, I approached a 180 degree right-hand interstate on ramp. Laughing as the sign admonished me to approach at no more than 25 MPH, I put the car in second and went WOT. I shifted to third at the apex of the turn and kept the pedal down and was amazed at the amount of oversteer the car now had as I was easily able to turn the car to the inside of the on-ramp while still accelerating, merging easily on to the interstate at the top of the ramp just getting in to fourth gear. :biggrin:
Most of my driving was obviously on an interstate, so I didn't get to really toss the car around a TON, but my initial impressions are VERY favorable, to say the least.
I would LOVE to take the car to a skidpad and find out just what kind of G she can pull, or hit a slalom course and see what kind of speed she can pull. I'm VERY confident the car would be far and away above any Cougar currently rolling around on the street.
Now, just to clarify, cuz I'm not rolling around on an otherwise stock suspension, I also have tubular front LCA's, Quaife, tubular rear LCA's and toe arms, Roush sway bar, jrak123 RSTB and energy suspension bushings everywhere.
.
I can't wait to feel the difference when I install the D2's.