Hey everyone, I'm in the market for some coilovers and after doing plenty of research I've decided on the Fortune Auto 500 series with Swift springs.

I'd like to get a discussion going about spring rates. The standard Fortune Auto suggestion is 8K/8K but to me that seems incredibly soft for such a heavy car (mine is a loaded MR, 3600+ lbs). My background is in the Honda world and on my Civic I run a 9K/8K setup on Koni adjustables (for the holeshot ), and that car weighs in at a svelte 2200 lbs.

Obviously we are talking about two completely different chassis/drivetrain setups, but I love the balance and feel of my Civic, both on track and on the street. The X is my daily and will likely never see track time, but I'm looking for a similar feel: very stiff but not on the verge of backbreaking, responsive, and most of all balanced (F to R). I'm planning to run an aggressive ride height (not slammed, but zero wheel gap).

For reference, I think the stock MR setup is a bit cushy and very underdamped. I've never ridden in a X with aftermarket suspension so 1st hand opinions would be appreciated. I'm thinking a minimum of 10K/10K would be suitable but am wondering just how high I should go. Thoughts?

 

I'm guessing you don't care about handling or safety at all right? Just the looks aspect of it? Cause in an evo if you try to do what you did with your Honda the car will be extremely dangerous to drive on the street. I race on FortuneAuto's and there great but I use them as there intended and not to the extremes that your talking. You can go as far as 14k/14k but I would be carefully driving it on the street and maybe consider towing it to the car shows or parking lots that you intend to show it off in. FortuneAuto also just released a new airbag/coilover setup that may be up your ally so give them a call and ask about it. Might help you drive to your meets and you can lower it when its parked.

Good luck.

 

Andddd this is exactly why I avoid this forum.

Safety is of course #1 priority on a street car. Obviously extra caution needs to be taken with a stiffly sprung car, but nowhere did I imply any modifications which would be deemed unsafe.

The sole reason I'm purchasing coilovers is to increase the handling capabilities and feel of the car. IMO, the car is plenty capable in stock form but the severe body roll and underdamped feeling don't exactly inspire confidence.

This has nothing to do with meets or showing off. And while we're on the subject, what business is it of yours what my car looks like or where I drive it?

Since you said you run on Fortune Auto's I'd appreciate any constructive opinions you can share about them. But if your next post isn't going to be about spring rates, kindly GTFO of my thread.

 

Lmao.. Hopefully someone can give some first hand experience, to help you decide on that spring rate man.

 

I would contact Fortune directly. They even have a spring rate selector.

http://www.fortune-auto.com/Sping%20Questionnaire.pdf

Just tell them your goals and that you want a stiffer ride

 

I do plan on speaking with them directly before I place the order. Was just hoping to get some input from people who's main priority isn't to sell me something

Thanks for the link

 

I think every word of what I said was helpfull to include the spring rate limits I listed for you.

If your looking to make the car handle better your asking all the wrong questions and completey aimed in the wrong direction. You may need to do more research. Step one, the car will never handle better if it is slammed at zero wheel gap.

There are plenty of threads about how UNSAFE hella flush is so I figured you were fully aware of what you were asking. Some people dont care about safety or handling and that's what I thought you were asking.

You can get a stiffer spring rate but if you lower the car too much its going to have a negative impact. Ideally 8k if you want a firm stock like smooth feel and everything after that depends on driver preference and application. Maybe opt for a 10k because anything over that is usually reserved for track cars and not a lot of fun on the street.

 

Thanks for input. I'm fully aware that lowering the car too much will have an adverse effect on handling. Despite my post count, I've been doing this longer than you might think, although new to modding the X. Let's not get hung up on ride height though, cuz I'm not trying to go heLLa flUsH.

After getting some feedback I'm thinking of going with a 9K/9K or 10K/10K setup. Anybody on those rates that can chime in?

 

Does FA revalve the shocks when you ask for rates other than 8/8? You said something about the OE MR set-up being underdamped ... if you are that sensitive to underdamping (because the OE valving on MRs seems fine to me), then you might not want to go above the default 8/8 on the FAs without revalving.

 

FA valves and or revalves to your request and application. You just have to call them and let them know what you want.

 

How do you know this?

 

Says so on their web site. They custom build each strut to the spring rate you choose and send dyno plots along with them. I don't know of any other company that provides this without even asking.

 

Call me overly-skeptical if you wish (since I'd probably take it as a compliment), but I'm going to reserve judgment until I see plots from a set of shocks that came with 8/8 springs and plots from a set of shocks that came with, e.g., 12/12 springs.

Yes, their website says that they match the valving to the springs, but their website also says a lot of really silly things (esp. about the positives of digressive rebound valving), so I take their website with more salt than a margarita.

 

Because there web site says so, I have a set of FA's on my track car, and I know the owner and visit the shop every so often.

I can show you the plots that came with my struts if you'd like. Mine was 12/14k rates on a set of decked out 510's with custom valving for aggressive AutoX. You won't get more for the money any where else and I'm happy with them as I've placed in the top three with several first place finishes for damn near every event I've done this year. Couldn't be happier and i like them more then the Ohlins we have on one of the shop cars but it might just be a personal preference to setup kinda thing.

Not to mention, Terry the owner is one of the coolest people you will ever talk too, he answers his own phone and he knows his ****.

 

Yes, please.