Okay, so it's time to spend some $ on my '04 MCS to make it new and exciting again, and I want to play with the suspension. Goals are: sharper handling, less/no understeer, a better ride. Is this is a case of pick two, or can I have it all? I haven't been to the track yet, but that will change next year. The rest of the car is stock, and has covered 50k.

This all started last weekend when I got a ride in a Dinan equipped car, and it seemed that the handling was really transformed without much difference in the ride quality. And reading this inspired me to attempt to "roll my own", but now I'm ready for some outside opinions... especially regarding the choice of shock.

Here's what I've been considering:
IE adjustable Camber Plate + M7 brace (I've already got mushrooming)
Koni Yellows (coil over too expensive and overkill)
Dinan springs (small drop and linear)
HSport rear swaybar (seems like best)

Does this seem like a good setup? I don't want/need much drop, as the roads around here are bumpy and I don't like scraping. Would I also need control arms, or this drop moderate enough to get away with stock for now?

My understanding is that the Dinan springs are linear and don't have much drop, so does this mean that I could go with FSD's instead of yellows? I will sacrifice some sharpness for better ride, and it doesn't seem to make sense to use a progressive spring (like HSport) with a progressive shock (FSD), especially if I'm not looking to go lower... yes, I've read the thread's on FSD's with various springs, but haven't really seen much that talks about them in conjunction with the other components (particularly using them with linear vs progressive springs).

Thanks for any input

 

Megan coilovers + 19mm H-Sport, M7 bar and done. It will cost less than what you've proposed and give you plenty of ability to set the car up exactly how you want it.

 

Are the megan racing coilovers really a good setup? I have heard mixed things.

 

I currently am running Alta 19mm rr anti-sway set at stiffest, Koni FSDs (until I go tracking, planned for when I've paid it off, in about a year, at which time, I'll go to coil-overs or yellows plus lowering springs) H-sport rear control arms, SPC camber plates (the IEs seem to have developed a reputation for falling apart for some reason, and the SPCs are comparably priced) and I'm currently using the stock (SS) springs.

I had no mushrooming when I had the SPCs installed, and I think the camber plates are a good way to go, and should still be good if and when you decide to go with coilovers, AND, the plates should preent 'shrooming without the added "reinforcement" plates or any brace on top. I believe if you get the towers fixed and install the plates, you will not need the brace or reinforcement plates. I'd at least give that a chance before I spent the additional $ on a brace.

I have the same situation as you, in that I have a daily driver that I don't want scraping every driveway and speed bump and I don't want to have to "baby" the car abound town. the FSDs improved the ride tremendously, and the camber plates and control arms, together with the 19mm Alta rr sway bar have pretty much eliminated understeer.

Even with the stock springs you can take the negative front camber to about -2 and set up the rear at -1 to -1.3, and get the turnin and reduced understeer you want. Later, when you go tracking, you can get the coilovers and REALLY set it up tight and slammed, then adjust for the street if you want.

I think I will probably go with the PSS9s when the time for tracking comes, but that is a ways off. Right now I'm happy, and I feel as though I have not wasted a dime so far.

Whatever you decide, good luck. There are MANY ways to get there, and remember that you don't have to do everything at once!!

Enjoy!!

 

Thanks for the replies!

So I guess that if I am going with FSD, I can get away with the stock springs.

I've already got the M7 brace, so that will be going on. I would have put it on already, but didn't want to deal with the mushrooming myself.

There doesn't seem to be much info out there for the SPC plates, though what is available is at least positive!

Are the control arms a necessity or a luxury? Since the car won't be lowered, it seems like it should be okay for now with the stock geometry. I suppose those could be added later.

 

the mushrooming is super-easy to deal with. Just place a towel on the strut tower after removing the nuts and jacking the weight off. place a block of wood up there and hit it with a small sledge. It will flatten out with just a few good whacks. Piece of cake.

 

they are now. the early ones had the incorrect spring rate, which has been fixed

 

Some people on here had trouble with the FSDs not lasting very long. Might want to search on that. I have been using Koni adjustables (yellows) for years on various cars and they work well for me and have always lasted a long time.

Overall, the parts you listed sound great and should provide you with a real nice suspension setup. I wouldn't restrict yourself to solely an H sport bar. Sway bars are actually very simple items and its unlikely if you would notice the difference between brand x and brand y if the size is the same.

 

re-posted

 

[quote=PenelopeG3;1936610]Some people on here had trouble with the FSDs not lasting very long. Might want to search on that. I have been using Koni adjustables (yellows) for years on various cars and they work well for me and have always lasted a long time.[quote]

FWIW, I have not seen ANY first-hand gripes about FSDs not wearing well. I just did a search for FSD postings in the last year with max 8 posts, and found none that mentioned extraordinary wear.

My own FSD shocks have been on the car for more than 20K miles, so I cannot say from personal experience whether they are prone to early wear or not. I CAN say that throughout those 20K they have been consistently good dampers, and I have not noticed any degradation in performance or comfort.

I know that, since their introduction, Koni has been reluctant to recommend anything but stock ride height springs (as far as I know, JSWs, which I think are a bit lower than stock MCS, are okay?) in combination with FSDs. Nonetheless, many have installed them with milder lowering springs that reduce height by an inch or less (e.g., H-sport, TSW). I wonder if some of those beset by excessive wear have been those that were installed with lowering springs?

I have thought about going to TSWs myself (because they are linear and only drop the car about 1/2") so I am interested in this issue, too. If anyone can find more information about the alleged poor wear on FSDs, I'd like to see it.

 

I think khuevo had posted some info about it.

 

Thanks, Pen.-G3!!

To whom it may concern, FYI -- to save you the trouble of searching...

Happy Holidays, everybody!!

 

Thanks for pointing out those TSW springs! Seems like that would be a good choice with the FSD's. Like I said above, to me it seems unnecessary to pair FSD's with progressive springs.

Regarding FSD durability, my dad is running them with HSports on his MCS, and it's covered at least 10k without any problems. Gives a pretty nice ride, too!

Dad's MCS:

 

I just saw another post from K-huevo re the FSDs:
"hunter99, I had the JCW springs over FSD struts, I was enthusiastic about the ride in the beginning but found FSDs could be over-driven easily, in the end one strut failed, so from my experience omnivector & hunter99, I can’t recommend FSDs regardless of which springs are used."

To be fair, you should probably see the context for this post. This is from a concurrent thread:
"Springs vs FSD
omnivector (12-19-2007)"