Lowered Mondeo XR5

[paulie0735]

Originally Posted by LRsedan

I just ordered the springs...

Its a minimal drop, hopefully it doesnt upset it much. Surely there is a tolerance in the system? Eibach markets its pro kit to be a direct replacement with no ill effects.

How exactly does esc work? Does it have sensors on the ride height etc?

I thought it just went off the traction at each wheel? When it looses traction it takes action?

ESC continuously compares the driver's steering wheel position to the direction of travel of the vehicle. When the control unit detects a difference, ESC responds by independently applying the brakes to individual wheels. In some cases, it will reduce the engine power as well. Changing the ride height changes the way the sensors detect slide and or instability. If you change the way the car behaves while the system is responding to a slide than chances are the system will make the wrong decision because it’s been programmed to work within fairly tight parameters.
As an example of this FPV deactivated the ESC on all Falcon based cars from BA through to BF11 because they could not afford to ’re-calibrate' the system. Their changes could be described as minimal and yet they chose to delete rather than chance the system making the wrong call due to them changing ride height and wheel/tyre packages. Its fair to say they had the added problems due to brake package changes but the early BA's had a fairly standard brake package so even with that they still declined to use the system that was not calibrated to the changes in suspension settings (including ride height)

BTW, there will be a hundred people tell you they have done it and have had no problems. :

[LRsedan]

Hopefully the new springs don't make the car unsafe, thats the last thing I want.

If it does behave weird, they will be tossed in the bin.

[perthxr6t]

You won't know if the springs make it worse until you need the ESC and hopefully you never will.

[LRsedan]

Already had it kick in once... Its a weird experience.

It makes you feel like you have lost control, the car doesn't behave as you expect. To the point my old man said "What the F was that...".

But under the circumstances it kicked in whilst I was driving, I was expecting the car to kick sideways and was prepared to catch it, yet nothing happened except a series of jolts / braking applications.

But it did work, it keeps you going straight. But for the time it kicked in while I was driving I would have rathered it didn't.

The situation wasn't even "hairy".

[photn]

ive got a Mk1 Focus Zetec with the VDC advance track. i have lowered its suspension and in all honesty it acts erfectly fine. though i do have ST170 springs rather than the standard Zetec springs. im not sure if the ST170 had the same program or i had the same prorgam as the ST170....But its all relative.

[Lord Viykor]

Originally Posted by perthxr6t

Standard tip from the zorst shop mate.

I was down at the exhaust shop this morning, he'd talked me into 3 1/2" outlets which he had to order one of. I went away and though about it 3 1/2" seemed to big so I rang him back and said make it 3" instead. He didn't seem happy and said the 3 1/2" would look better in his view.

In the end he said he'd have to see if he could get some 3" ones. Since I was at Supercheap getting a lambs wool wash mitt, I ended up buying two 3" extensions myself. I said I'd go back to him to weld them on.

[perthxr6t]

No doubt it will look 100% better when it's done