Which shocks?

[olgreydog7]

The only thing stock in my suspension are the control arms and the k-member. I have poly in the front control arms, fron and rear roll bars, IRS cradle and IRS subframe. I have delrin in the rear UCA's and LCA's. MMFLSFC, rear shock tower brace, and Billet Flow IRS bracket brace. I am buying coil overs and I want to know if I should get the HD Bilsteins ot the MM Sport valved Bilsteins. Right now the car is a daily driver,but I would like to do more autocrossing and open track events. Idealy, the car would out handle a 911 and ride like a BMW. Thanks

 

[Lumpydogs]

I strongly suggest you talk the maker of the coil over kit you are planning on installing. I went with the MM Bilstein kit. I already had Bilstein sports but had to buy new special MM Bilsteins to work with their coil over kit.

MM has added extra welds and internal reinforcement piece to the brackets that attached to the knuckle.

I believe (???) the MM Bilsteins are also special valved.

Don't make my mistake and have to buy another set of Bilsteins to work with the coil overs.

p.s. I do recommend the Maximum Motorsports coil overs. Nice pieces.

 

[olgreydog7]

I would be ordering everything together. That is why I am asking though. I just got the impression from the MM website that they both could be run with coil overs. I'll just have to remember to call.

 

[Greensix]

I would be ordering everything together. That is why I am asking though. I just got the impression from the MM website that they both could be run with coil overs. I'll just have to remember to call.

I think you will be sadly disappointed if your car handled like a Porsche, because it would be as comfortable as a rock, and if it were as comfortable as a BMW, it would handle like a pickup truck.

I would first find out what spring rates you are going with (talk to MM on the phone) then decided what dampers are appropriate for that rate (again, call MM).

There are some incredibly great handling Mustangs out there but you really will have to sacrifice a lot to get there. It is all up to what you want to give up to get:beer:

 

[olgreydog7]

I havn't ridden in that many BMW's, but the ones I did had at least as good handling as mine did at the time, that was before I did all the bushings and braces. But, the ride was so much smoother. My 911 experience is with 80's models. The handling was amazing, but a little bumpy. My original post wasn't good enough I guess, I really wanted to discuss spring rates and dampers. I figured I could find a good compromise between the two.

 

[BlackBolt9]

Well you didn't list a price range so I will suggest Penskes or Dynamics...

 

[Greensix]

I havn't ridden in that many BMW's, but the ones I did had at least as good handling as mine did at the time, that was before I did all the bushings and braces. But, the ride was so much smoother. My 911 experience is with 80's models. The handling was amazing, but a little bumpy. My original post wasn't good enough I guess, I really wanted to discuss spring rates and dampers. I figured I could find a good compromise between the two.

With moving to coilovers, the ride will naturally get better just for the fact that the spring has more mechanical advantage over the wheel and a lower spring rate can be used to achieve the same or higher wheel rate and reduction in body roll. I know lots of people who have a dual purpose car like the front spring rate to be between 300 and 350#, I am not really familiar with the IRS spring rates but if you keep the ratio of front to rear wheel rates the same you should have a pretty balanced car. MM can help you to fine tune your selection.

It seems you are set on Bilsteins however I would suggest looking into some adjustable dampers to let you stiffen them up at the track and soften them for the street. I would suggest Koni DA's or Tokico D-spec. I have been using the D-spec for about 2 years of open tracking with 425# front springs and they have been doing wonderful. The Koni dampers are a bit more advanced but a little more than the average open tracker really needs (just nice to have).

 

[olgreydog7]

Well you didn't list a price range so I will suggest Penskes or Dynamics...

Well, only the control; arms and k are stock and I have a $3000 intake manifold, so I'm looking to spend a little more than that. oke:

With moving to coilovers, the ride will naturally get better just for the fact that the spring has more mechanical advantage over the wheel and a lower spring rate can be used to achieve the same or higher wheel rate and reduction in body roll. I know lots of people who have a dual purpose car like the front spring rate to be between 300 and 350#, I am not really familiar with the IRS spring rates but if you keep the ratio of front to rear wheel rates the same you should have a pretty balanced car. MM can help you to fine tune your selection.

It seems you are set on Bilsteins however I would suggest looking into some adjustable dampers to let you stiffen them up at the track and soften them for the street. I would suggest Koni DA's or Tokico D-spec. I have been using the D-spec for about 2 years of open tracking with 425# front springs and they have been doing wonderful. The Koni dampers are a bit more advanced but a little more than the average open tracker really needs (just nice to have).

Someone else mentioned the adjustables too. That is a good idea and I guess it would let me take advantage of the range of damper that the spring is good for. Problem is, at this point, I know little about how to adjust them. I wouldn't really know what corrections need to be made. Hell, I even leave the settings like they are on Gran Turismo! I guess I will break down and call MM. I usually don't like to call until I am ready to order.

 

[Fast99Snake]

I run the MM kit on a set of custom valved front bilstein dampers and MM sport rear dampers. I'm running a 400# front rate and 600# rear springs. The handling is very neutral, although on r-comps the car still rolls a bit more than I would like it to, but on street tires the roll is very very controlled. The ride for street is definitely firmer than stock, not necessarily harsher, but firm, I don't know how to phrase it in words. The ride "firmness" is exacerbated by my tight bucket seat and the delrin bushings in everything though.
Overall I'm very happy and would buy again, if the car sees more track time and less street time, which will probably happen once I'm done with college, I might up the dampening/spring rates.

 

[BlackBolt9]

Well, only the control; arms and k are stock and I have a $3000 intake manifold, so I'm looking to spend a little more than that. oke:

Obviously you don't know about the shocks I was referring to since the Dynamics are the cheaper of the two and run about $4000 a set (4 coil over shocks without springs)oke:;-)

 

[TroyV]

I ended up with Koni DA rears. I originally tried running SA's which are the only thing Koni makes off the shelf for the IRS, and found that they were valved WAY too weakly for my #600 coils. The car was just so floppy. I had nothing else to run so I had True Choice take a pair of SA's and convert them to DA. It cost me about 700 for the pair, but they instantly got the rear of the car under control.

 

[olgreydog7]

Obviously you don't know about the shocks I was referring to since the Dynamics are the cheaper of the two and run about $4000 a set (4 coil over shocks without springs)oke:;-)

Whoops! I saw Penske and was thinking of something else. I did call MM and I think I will go with the Sport valves at this time. No more track use than I get, I can't justify the Penskes or the Dynamics :beer: Thanks

 

[olgreydog7]

I ended up with Koni DA rears. I originally tried running SA's which are the only thing Koni makes off the shelf for the IRS, and found that they were valved WAY too weakly for my #600 coils. The car was just so floppy. I had nothing else to run so I had True Choice take a pair of SA's and convert them to DA. It cost me about 700 for the pair, but they instantly got the rear of the car under control.

That is basically what MM told me.

 

[TroyV]

It is silly how inadequately valved the off the shelf Koni SA IRS shocks are.

 

[wheelhopper]

I was going to suggest the sport valved Bilsteins. I have the HD with the max spring rate that MM recomends front and rear, 375/575. The car handles very well and I have successfully stayed on the ass of many Euro cars on tight tracks. I can see myself in the near future going to the sport valved and moving to a 400/425 front with a 600 rear.