AU2 Fairmont vs XR6 - Suspension

[Polyal]

Whats the difference between these two? Is XR spec much lower and better for handling? Also is it worth the sway bar change?

Im going to do the shocks so figured I might upgrade a few other components while I am at it. I dont drive the car hard but have noticed its a bit of a boat.

Im looking at OEM as it does haul the kids around, so not looking for anything go kart like.

Any idea on what I should be looking at cost wise? If its the same as aftermarket then I might go there but figured the Ford engineers done spend years calibrating for nothing.

[Whoosha]

Well sitting in shed I have the stock XR8 front and rear (IRS ) springs if there the same we can do a deal

[GK]

Post a few side on pics of your car. I may be interested in the Fairmont springs for the front of my wagon.

GK

[HLC]

OK here we go.

Fairmont's got the bog stock standard ride height forte super 4wd height suspension. They are also live axle (Non IRS obviously)

Fairmont GHIA's got the tickford lowered 'XR' suspension, with IRS.

Having had my car lowered on King 'lows' at one point, ie XR height, the car did look better, but still looked like a 4wd IMO and the handling, not that much improved, sat a little flatter but thats it.

I can't comment on swaybars, never changed them/had anything to do with them.


You will spend a fortune on OEM stuff, and I wouldnt bother with 2nd hand tickford bits.

In my personal opinion, any spring height, Low or Superlow, King, Pedders, or Eibach (kinda in between low and SL), with decent appropriate lenght shocks, monroe GT's go ok, and are good for the budget, or Boge shocks too. Any of those in a combination will be a winner.


But if you are cheap like me, Selby SSL' rears with Ultima short throw shocks, King SSL fronts with standard shocks, rides like crap but looks sweet.

[mik]

the spring rates on the Au s2 xr`s are quite firm imo, and for a factory car were bloody good handling considering the sporty sedans with stripe packages etc over the years.

[adumb]

I have a Ghia (so IRS) but I'm running KYB Short shocks, King Lows and a Whiteline 27mm front swaybar. It handles much better now but its still very comfy! Looks good too but I still have excellent ground clearance (I only just scrape the black plastic on the underside of the bumper on bigger curbs)

[Polyal]

Cheers guys, yeah non IRS here woosha otherwise I would have taken them.

Hlc, yeah as it's the main transport for two kids under two at the moment I can't dump it....unfortunately, but i figured I would suss out the options first. Was thinking of talking to ftg to see if they have a wrecked xr6 laying about and raid that if the price is right....but if it's close to after market then there is not much point.

Gk, yeah I'll get some pics up tomorrow.

Anyone have experience with missmatched springs? For example, having LPG means the front sits a little higher...with kings, are the rates the same or do the differ from sl to low? Obviously the height is different but do they ride differently?

Shocks I am yet to source....Want Koni reds if I can find them at a decent price...anything else close to that, maybe better value considering it's just a crusier?

[Polyal]

Adumb, what are the kybs like? Price ok? Did you go non adjustable?

[adumb]

Originally Posted by Polyal

Adumb, what are the kybs like? Price ok? Did you go non adjustable?

Yeah non adjustable, the AGX adjustable ones aren't available for IRS :(

Cost me $480ish from Auto One.

I can't fault them after 15,000km. I'll admit Koni shocks would probbably be better, but for half the price I'm not complaining! Also my car is a daily and I hardly ever push it really hard, so the Koni's would have been overkill.

[Polyal]

Originally Posted by adumb

Yeah non adjustable, the AGX adjustable ones aren't available for IRS :(

Cost me $480ish from Auto One.

I can't fault them after 15,000km. I'll admit Koni shocks would probbably be better, but for half the price I'm not complaining! Also my car is a daily and I hardly ever push it really hard, so the Koni's would have been overkill.

Well I am purchasing these, got the quote and will get them when I am back in VIC.

Just need to work out springs now...thinking Eibach ..anyone got part numbers?

[Racecraft]

Poly... what tyres are you running.... the sidewall gives alot more float than the suspension changes....


you are changing the shocks?

Is it becasue they have already run their race or do you want alittle more point and shoot out of the old girl....


Drop from the 60/65 series baloon tyres and you will pick up alot more bang for buck than sway bars, spring heights and rates

[Falconxr68]

Originally Posted by Polyal

Whats the difference between these two? Is XR spec much lower and better for handling? Also is it worth the sway bar change?

Im going to do the shocks so figured I might upgrade a few other components while I am at it. I dont drive the car hard but have noticed its a bit of a boat.

Im looking at OEM as it does haul the kids around, so not looking for anything go kart like.

Any idea on what I should be looking at cost wise? If its the same as aftermarket then I might go there but figured the Ford engineers done spend years calibrating for nothing.

I just installed after market springs on my AU3 XR6 live axle so the standard ones are not being used at the moment. They have done 130 xxx kms. Let me know if you're interested.

[urbancowboy]

Fact. All AU's have the same front and rear sway bars (aside from the T-series)
Fact. Standard springs regardless of whether they are XR's or not are linear rate, meaning they have the same spring rate whether compress the 10mm going over a twig in the driveway or you compress them to the limit by hitting a speed hump at 60kph!
Fact. After market springs (unless otherwise stated by their manufacturer) are progressive rate, meaning the more the spring compresses the harder the spring gets.

Just thought i'd add some info i know of to help with decision's at hand in these situations.

As for myself I'm about to fit Monroe GT sports to the front of my AU2 XR8 they were 250 off ebay, good price and most people i spoke to about them spoke well of them. Hope this help's. They will be fitted with ALL new nolathane bushes in the front, and i will continue to use the stock XR springs for the time being, as my XR scrapes enough with the front pods (even though they are already gouged out!).

Cheers

[Polyal]

Originally Posted by urbancowboy

Fact. All AU's have the same front and rear sway bars (aside from the T-series)
Fact. Standard springs regardless of whether they are XR's or not are linear rate, meaning they have the same spring rate whether compress the 10mm going over a twig in the driveway or you compress them to the limit by hitting a speed hump at 60kph!
Fact. After market springs (unless otherwise stated by their manufacturer) are progressive rate, meaning the more the spring compresses the harder the spring gets.

Just thought i'd add some info i know of to help with decision's at hand in these situations.

As for myself I'm about to fit Monroe GT sports to the front of my AU2 XR8 they were 250 off ebay, good price and most people i spoke to about them spoke well of them. Hope this help's. They will be fitted with ALL new nolathane bushes in the front, and i will continue to use the stock XR springs for the time being, as my XR scrapes enough with the front pods (even though they are already gouged out!).

Cheers

Really?

Thats why I was after I guess a breakdown of the differences in mm.

IIRC e series had either V8 or I6 spec sway bars...so maybe AU is the same? Surely the XR8's got a bigger version?

Progressive vs linear is the answer I was after aswell...Ill have to do some more digging but its sounding like kings are the way to go? Or even pedders depending on the price?

Ive been told by my mechanic that monroe while a good price offer ok ride, they usually dont last more than 24 months. Could be BS, but Im not wanting to do this again while I own the car, which will be for another 5 years max (looking at putting money into classics instead of a new daily).

If I knew I was offloading in a year or so's time then Id probably go monroe, the guy recommended KYB. But for the price I reckon I could find Koni reds.

I reckon Ill stick with rubber bushes aswell, nolathane will give a bit more preciseness but I can live without that, I dont need it any harsher than it is/might be.

My ball joints are getting done at the same time aswell.

[mik]

Originally Posted by urbancowboy

Fact. All AU's have the same front and rear sway bars (aside from the T-series)
Fact. Standard springs regardless of whether they are XR's or not are linear rate, meaning they have the same spring rate whether compress the 10mm going over a twig in the driveway or you compress them to the limit by hitting a speed hump at 60kph!
Fact. After market springs (unless otherwise stated by their manufacturer) are progressive rate, meaning the more the spring compresses the harder the spring gets.

Just thought i'd add some info i know of to help with decision's at hand in these situations.

As for myself I'm about to fit Monroe GT sports to the front of my AU2 XR8 they were 250 off ebay, good price and most people i spoke to about them spoke well of them. Hope this help's. They will be fitted with ALL new nolathane bushes in the front, and i will continue to use the stock XR springs for the time being, as my XR scrapes enough with the front pods (even though they are already gouged out!).

Cheers

i have to say urbancowboy, the spring rate fact is really surprising, its hard to imagine the luxo version being as firm in the suspension as the xr, i`m starting to wonder now if my springs are standard , i guess tyres make a big difference too, but thanks for the info.

[T3man]

Originally Posted by mik

i have to say urbancowboy, the spring rate fact is really surprising, its hard to imagine the luxo version being as firm in the suspension as the xr, i`m starting to wonder now if my springs are standard , i guess tyres make a big difference too, but thanks for the info.

That's not what he said. If you read it properly he said the springs on all models were linear rate not that all springs were the same rate across all models.

[mik]

Originally Posted by T3man

That's not what he said. If you read it properly he said the springs on all models were linear rate not that all springs were the same rate across all models.

aahhhh ok, that makes more sence, cheers T3man, it does`nt sink in to the old people sometimes

[Polyal]

Racecraft, yes thats true, I have changed to FG G6 17' rims and factory spec sized tires..Ill go out side in a sec. While they look great I do miss the plushness of the stockies.

I got those rims and tires because my old tires were shagged, guess thats the type of person I am..so I just replaced the rims while I was at it.

Same goes for shocks, its hit 140,000k's and seems a few things are showing tiredness. So if I was going to get the shocks out I figured I might sort the springs at the same time.

Falconxr68, Ill let you know by the end if the week once I figured out whats going on, cheers.

[HLC]

In terms of tyres on stockies,

I use to run 225/50r16's on mine. And they were fantastic. Really got it handling a lot better. Great Improvement, would rate it over suspension

Also 235/45r17's will be better than the balloons that are probably on it.


I'm also going to go out on a limb here and ask if the ride is really that bad. Spending that much money on quality components on a 10 year old car seems crazy to me these days, not that I can talk really BUT I suppose priorities do change!! That's my thoughts but!! Will cheapies get you through??

[T3man]

Hey tell me about it!

Who are you again?

[urbancowboy]

Had my Nolathane full front end kit fitted today including the amber/castor adjuster and Monroe GT sport gas (shortened shocks).

Very happy, even in Newcastle's cat and dogs rain this arvo it felt grippier and pointier!
It rides good, no harsher than the standard shocks, well maybe 10% harsher, and the car looks to sit lower at the front by around 15mm, No doubt thanks to the shortened shock. The car had a tiny amount of rake to it before but now it has much more!

As for durability check this thread in a few years time and i'll tell if they've worn out. LOL

[T3man]

Dunno how you can think shortened shocks can lower the ride height. Had you already installed low/superlow springs and were the standard shocks riding on their bump stops?