The most "comfortable" shock / spring set up

Juzman · 06-10-2009, 04:31 PM

I've read as much as I could on these forums about which shocks are the best but this is almost always in relation to performance. I hear Bilstein and Koni are the best (and therefore most expensive) in this regard. However I don't care about performance, I care about comfort (I've got lower back problems and hate bumps and harsh ride etc).

The car has done 115000 clicks and the ride seems to have deteriorated.

I'm putting my car in with Pedders tomorrow for a suspension test. Of course he wants me to go Pedders comfort gas (but can get in other brands). What brands should I go for for comfort? Also should I replace coils? Can I get "softer" coils than the standard without risking bottoming out? It rarely has heavy loads.

Any advice would be most appreciated

Cheers

MAD · 06-10-2009, 04:50 PM

I'm currently looking at Dobinsons springs for their "low - comfort option" springs.
I've heard good things about them, but havent experienced them myself... yet.

Mr Hardware · 06-10-2009, 04:57 PM

Also check your ball joints and bushes and such - it's not just worn shocks and springs that give you a bad ride.

ronwest · 06-10-2009, 05:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Juzman

I don't care about performance, I care about comfort (I've got lower back problems and hate bumps and harsh ride etc).

I'd look at Ghia springs/shocks. It'll handle like a boat but it sure ain't a harsh ride.

Whereabouts are you?

The Monty · 06-10-2009, 06:34 PM

Watch out for the "Youll need $3000 of suspension parts TODAY or your car will fall apart" line at the end of it.
Comfiest shocks Ive experienced were BOGE. Ive only ever had Ticky springs and Kings, Kings were horrible, Tickford was better, but maybe as they were mated up to the tickford shocks/struts still.

51OAU · 06-10-2009, 06:45 PM

i run king spring superlows all round, with xr8 shocks. My ride is awesome its not to harsh on bumps and i have back problems aswell. Plus when i want it to handle it handles very well especially with good tires.

T3man · 06-10-2009, 06:48 PM

What model car? Pretty hard to offer any advice without knowing the basics.

However, one piece of advice totally free and model-independent is "beware of Pedders".

Anyhow, if you were basically pretty happy with the ride originally I don't think you need to replace springs. I would suggest Koni Series82 for a comfortable ride. Yes, they are a performance shock but they are also very compliant over low speed spring movements. As spring deflection speeds increase so to does the reaction of the shock so the spring movement is always controlled and therefore results in a more comfortable ride.

bloggs24 · 06-10-2009, 07:33 PM

Go with Lovells mate, sadly for my irs Lows was the lowest they had, but they are very comfy and sporty.

Juzman · 06-10-2009, 08:08 PM

thanks for the advice guys, the car is a Futura 2000 75th. I'm at Toowong, Brisneyland

Hmm this isn't the first time I've heard warnings about Pedders lol... in fact now I'm a little nervous to let them even have a look at my car tomorrow! I've rung Fulcrum and they are hundreds of $$ more expensive compared to other mobs I've rung (even after I mentioned the I'm from AU forums). City Suspension at Springwood told me Koni have stopped making yellows for falcons (which was false) so I'm dubious to use them also lol

I can get a set of yellow Konis (rear) quite cheap. But I'm hearing good things about Boges again in here. I need a good, trusting mob to have a look at all my parts.

HLC · 07-10-2009, 02:52 AM

ive got ebay special shocks in the rear of mine, at SSL spec, and they are a bit stiff, but i like it. im sure at a higher level they would be much nicer!

thats selby springs and ultima shocks.

ride is much more compliant than that king lows with stock shocks i had in there. cheers.

Pedders Bendigo · 07-10-2009, 06:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Juzman

thanks for the advice guys, the car is a Futura 2000 75th. I'm at Toowong, Brisneyland

Hmm this isn't the first time I've heard warnings about Pedders lol... in fact now I'm a little nervous to let them even have a look at my car tomorrow! I've rung Fulcrum and they are hundreds of $$ more expensive compared to other mobs I've rung (even after I mentioned the I'm from AU forums). City Suspension at Springwood told me Koni have stopped making yellows for falcons (which was false) so I'm dubious to use them also lol

I can get a set of yellow Konis (rear) quite cheap. But I'm hearing good things about Boges again in here. I need a good, trusting mob to have a look at all my parts.

Hi Juzman

It is worth giving Pedders a go not all stores are bad & why not ask to be shown the problems with your car so you can have it explained & shown to you once they have done the check.

Dave_Obsession · 07-10-2009, 09:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pedders Bendigo

Hi Juzman

It is worth giving Pedders a go not all stores are bad & why not ask to be shown the problems with your car so you can have it explained & shown to you once they have done the check.

LOL that almost sounds like an admission that there are some 'rotten apples' in the Pedders basket, so to speak.....

:

mik · 10-10-2009, 01:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Juzman

thanks for the advice guys, the car is a Futura 2000 75th. I'm at Toowong, Brisneyland

Hmm this isn't the first time I've heard warnings about Pedders lol... in fact now I'm a little nervous to let them even have a look at my car tomorrow! I've rung Fulcrum and they are hundreds of $$ more expensive compared to other mobs I've rung (even after I mentioned the I'm from AU forums). City Suspension at Springwood told me Koni have stopped making yellows for falcons (which was false) so I'm dubious to use them also lol

I can get a set of yellow Konis (rear) quite cheap. But I'm hearing good things about Boges again in here. I need a good, trusting mob to have a look at all my parts.

i fitted yellows to my irs , they are`nt a straight forward swap , there is a bit of mucking around, i`m pretty sure thats why these guys don`t want to do yellows on rear end, shaft size is bigger requires drilling and stuff into the rear bush, no drilling springs flop about

.

T3man · 07-10-2009, 12:43 PM

Like any franchise it does come back to the store owner. You'll get good and bad. Same with Tyrepower - some will do you a deal and others will rip you. Sadly we hear lots of bad reports from Pedders branded workshops mainly based on price - the product in most cases is identical to a major brand name but at an exhorbitant mark-up. I'm happy to say a Pedders near me actually has a good rep.

Swedishmoose · 09-10-2009, 06:51 PM

hi there...

although this threat is already dated, I'd like to ask as well....

I've got a 2000 Falcon Futura with the basic rear suspension ( non IRS ).

I don't want to loose any comfort, but I want to improve the suspension a bit.

When i hit a bump or a pothole ( no matter what speed ) I'd like the springs to be as comfy as possible, but I'd like to avoid that wobbely floating feeling.

So...would a combination of the stock springs ( which are very comfort orientated ) with stiffer shocks ( Koni etc. ) make sense?

Soft springs and stiffer shocks might reduce that trampling when you go over bumps.

In addition I'd like to reduce the leaning of the Ford when you go arround corners or roundabouts. How can I do that ?

To put a long story short...

I was thinking of combining my stock springs with Koni shocks and a Nolathane kit plus a sway bar from Whiteline.

Would that make sense ?

Thanks for any ideas..

the Moose

mik · 10-10-2009, 01:30 AM

if the ride is hurting maybe knock a couple of pound out of the tyres , use the falcon tyre placard as a guide.