I installed Koni yellows w/ H & R sport springs (the green ones) on my '04 MCS; while I like lowered look, the combination - even on full soft - is too stiff. My wife has refused to ride in it on a long trip until I get it closer to stock. Is it the shocks, the springs, or the combination? Will Konis w/ a different spring give me a better ride or will the H & R springs w/ a different shock do the trick? Or do I have to replace both? I'd like to keep the car lowered about an inch.

Thanks in advance.

 

what spring rates? have u tried turning the konis to full soft? it probably is a combination - i've rode in cars with stiffer springs but better damped, and the overall ride was much smoother. try bilstein hd (b6), and if that doesn't work, switch springs

 

Spring rates are unknown, H & R doesn't publish the rate. They're the green sport springs sold everywhere. Shocks are on full soft.

 

I have the same Koni's and the black H & R's. Had them at full stiff for the last year (found it to be a little too harsh) but my wife didn't even notice the difference from the H & R's and stock sport shocks.

I just dialed the Koni's to full soft and it's pretty comfortable, but still sporty. Not sure if the black H & R's are R56 only though...

 

What about your tires? Are you running RFTs?

 

Running Conti DWS on stock 17" rims. Ride was OK prior to changing the suspension. It's not the tires - it's the springs and/or shocks.

 

A different spring will help. Almost all lowering springs for this car are too low and you are on the bumpstops at rest. It's not the shocks.

Tein h-techs were good but discontinued. S-tech suck. JCW springs would be good if you can find them. Swift are okay...not too low but the rates are high...too high for bad roads.

- Andy

 

Is it so low that it is hitting the bump stops? If its hitting the stops you could trim them down and that should help. If not, then I'm not sure. Perhaps she's just overly sensitive?

 

EVERY car hits the bumpstops. Stock you're like a 1/4 inch from them at rest up front. So lower an inch and...you do the math. You're on the bumpstops before you hit a bump, or take a corner.

This car just has so little travel. Trimming the stops will help a little, but you can't go too far.

- Andy

 

I have the same combo although I didn't install it all at once. I only noticed a small increase in stiffness from the H&Rs alone and when I put the Konis on set at full soft it rode virtually the same as the stock struts with the H&Rs. You must just be riding on the bump stops up front like others have mentioned. Trim them down an inch and you should be good.

Interesting to see all the different colours you guys have. My H&R springs are blue.

 

Thanks for the input. Trimming the bump stops will certainly be cheaper than a set of JCW springs - about $400 at ECS tuning.