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View Full Version : problems with new fx3 coil over


rkreigh
01-27-2009, 08:20 AM
to continue my saga. car rides like a buckboard milk truck even with the softer springs. I reused the 95 shocks off the car with 50K plus miles, and I suspect they may have at some time been revalved by larry with the moracca valving, or maybe one of them is bound up.
I went with the 400 front , 250 rear spring rates, which should provide a decent ride. I know the 19" GY F1 Supercar EMTs certainly don't help but the car rides WORSE that it did before with the stiffer coil overs so I'm suspecting a shock problem.
it's coming back apart. for now I'm going to put the softer springs on my older coil over setup, and send the shocks back to bilstein to be revalved. Randy at DRM advised the Marlin valving would work well. first time I've hear of that.
I also think the car might be bottoming out. I removed the stock "rubber biscuit's" at the top of the shocks and used the poly bushings from DRM, and also removed the stock rubber at the top of stock shock shaft (bottom out cushion) to provide more shock travel. maybe the shock is bottoming out internally?? the car is pretty low and looks great, so I'm going to raise it back up a bit to both provide more travel and lower the spring rates a bit.
so much for my expensive "upgrade" I'll need to eventually get the car realigned and corner balanced which isn't cheap.
sheesh, my c5 with coil overs rides like a cadillac compared to the ZR-1 but something is definitely wrong. ride is WAY stiff and jarring over bumps, not complaint.
I'm also checking to see if I didn't "over torque" some of the bolts causing the suspension to bind up. I replaced the stock dog bone control arm brackets with the drm camber brackets to hopefully get better traction and handling.
I'll keep you all posted with what I find.
:mad:

GOLDCYLON
01-27-2009, 08:41 AM
Id go back to the rubber bushings and Biscuits first before going any further on modifications to see if thats the problem. Start one at a time Ron as you changed out quite a bit there from the get go. From the new DRM brackets, To the new Coils rates, To the new Shocks, to the new bushings.

Id start with the easiest to change back and go from there. Dont forget the brackets are susposed to change the factory setpoints to remove some of the squat during a launch and reduce lateral roll as well. Just some ideas. BTW I have never heard of a Marlin valving option? Daryll

-=Jeff=-
01-27-2009, 09:11 AM
could be the valving too.. i was going to revalve my shocks to the moracca valving, but after driving my car this last month on a couple crappy roads, I decided the OEM valving is fine.. caddy like ride in touring mode and sport and performance for when I want it..

jonszr1
01-27-2009, 11:51 AM
you might want to give corey a call and see what he thinks he has a pretty good grasp of the coilover set up .if nothing else to get another opinion.

WVZR-1
01-27-2009, 01:17 PM
Ron,

There's one shop in NOVA that comes to mind that has a "shock dyno" and I would think the diagnostics could be done "locally" and you could determine the issue and then move on the fix! The guys I have in mind do a good bit of the Porsche stuff in the area. If they've got fixtures the diagnostics I would think reasonable and maybe the valving you're looking for also!

It would certainly be worth a "conversation" I would think!!

I've considered them for some Carrera "diagnostics"!!

-Dave

Jeffvette
01-27-2009, 02:11 PM
Ron, have you had the sway bar off?