Fiesta Handling

[WPN XR6T]

I'm doing a bit of background ATM on handling options for the XR4, and was intrested in everyone views.
First up, is the stock Fiesta and XR4 suspention the same, or a different set up all together?
I've just ordered a set of spacers for the rear axels (10mm) to widen the track a bit and am now looking at spring hights. I don't want to go too low as it still has to be street driven, and I figure 15mm lower is about spot on. I know Kings do a low package that are about 20/30mm to lower and even out the ride hight, but does anyone know if a 15mm package is available?
Also I've found heaps on rear sway bars and tower braces, but what about front?
Any and all input would be great.
Cheers
Matt

[xr4racer]

You dont need a front strut brace. It will stiffen the front and add to the understeer. The Fiesta chassis is already very stiff and does not need any additional braces. Just stiffen the rear to reduce grip and that will minimise understeer.

[WPN XR6T]

Excellent, thats what I figured. Any suggestions on spring/dampener combos? I'm looking at a AP set up (Here) but I'm a little concerned with clearence between the front disks (I'm running with AP 330mm disks ATM) and springs, will it be a drama (there isn't much clearence now) or am I just making problems for myself that probably don't exist?
Cheers

[kiwijohn42]

Well, the Zetec & XR4 both get lower & firmer suspension than the LX. This includes a stiffer rear torsion bar.
I really don't think you'll notice a 15mm drop. I assume the AP shocks give you a 30-80mm drop.
They'd be nice though.

[Twinpiston]

What is the overall height difference between LX and zetec/xr4?

[kiwijohn42]

I believe the Zetec is 15mm lower than the LX. I don't know if the XR4 is the same or lower still.

[Twinpiston]

Anybody have height measurements of all models (measured from the centre of the rim the guard)

So it will be LX, Zetec, Ghia(if different) and XR4

[Twinpiston]

Can somebody measure this?

Anybody......

Bueller Bueller

[bru20vt]

LX auto = 630mm stock, 600mm after eibach.

[Twinpiston]

Is that front or rear bru20vt?

Thanks

[bru20vt]

Front and rear are the same. Measurement is from the ground through the centre of the rim to the centre of the underside of the guard. I'm also running 16inch MP3's like the zetec.
dom

[zetec jim]

Hey all, can anyone recommend a good shop in Melbourne/SE suburbs to get the fez lowered. I've done a search, but it seems everyone has either done it themselves or got mates-rates. i'm gonna buy a set of King springs fairly cheap, just looking for somewhere that'll put em in for a reasonable price, is around $240 with a balance reasonable? i was hoping for $150-200 install, or am i being too optimistic?

[Twinpiston]

Anybody got some measurements of a stock WQ Zetec? Please!!!

[kiwijohn42]

Originally Posted by Twinpiston

Anybody got some measurements of a stock WQ Zetec? Please!!!

620mm front & rear for a 3 year old car, ground to guard. Back left is 630mm though :

[Surditas]

Originally Posted by xr4racer

You dont need a front strut brace. It will stiffen the front and add to the understeer. The Fiesta chassis is already very stiff and does not need any additional braces. Just stiffen the rear to reduce grip and that will minimise understeer.

This is the first time I've heard this. Are you sure you don't mean anti-roll bars? As you say, a stiffer anti-roll bar installed in the rear will increase oversteer, but the strut brace affecting over/understeer is a new one on me. A strut brace will stiffen the car, not the suspension, which means there's less variation in the suspension geometry. Which, in turn, means there are less variables to account for.

[Pedsk]

Hi All

Here is a vid of my fiesta ... i finally got my coilovers and got it out on the track, drove well but made a bad choice on rubber which was a bit of a let down

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ID7P-hZaBc

[zetec jim]

Hey all, any help would be great.

looking at some springs that've come off an ST Fiesta in the UK on ebay... will they fit my 1.6 zetec? i'm assuming they will if the "ST" eibachs off european-parts also fit the 1.6L.

any suggestions...?

[kiwijohn42]

I'd assume the 2L is heavier than the 1.6L, so would need a stiffer spring.
Trouble with buying from the UK is you can't take it back too easily.
I would find somewhere that sells Eibachs for a Zetec S.
The ST springs should fit, but maybe without as much drop.

[zetec jim]

yeah, thats what i assumed too. although other people on here... i think maybe Photn when he had his fiesta bought Eibach ST springs over the Zetec (S) springs off european-parts.net as they were cheaper (by about $50-60 when i last checked they're site).

I just dont really want to spend around 300 bucks to get em here from european parts, as these ST springs (although used) might give me a little shaper handling as i'm not that concerned about dropping it too much... I wonder how much lower ST/XR4 springs are than WP zetec springs? Anyone have measurements?

[zetec jim]

sorry....dumb all measurements are above... :

[photn]

jim, my suggestion would be to grap a xr4 from sway bar or an st and st springs as you mentioned...

i actually choose the WQ zetec springs over the ST ones cause they drop the car about 10mm and are slightly stiffer iirc. or even get a WQ zetec front sway and also springs, then your set cause they will stiffen the car a little more and provide a nice increase in sharpness and handling, if you can get yourself a strut brace... they do well to strengthen up body rigidity.

anywho.. thats my two cents.

[zetec jim]

alright cool, thank photn. where's the best place to go to for front sway bar? i bet ford charge and arm and a leg for any part though...

just a dumb question, whats the difference between a sway-bar and an anti-roll bar?

And it was said earlier in the thread that stiffening the rear will add to oversteer? cos i could use abit o' that!!!

[photn]

hey jim,

here ya go
The anti roll bar reduces bodyroll by using the tension in the bar to prevent flexing and swaying....

the strut brace soley provides body rigidity. so instead of having parts of the car moving individually, you are strengthening the car by placing the rear strut brace.

The strut brace wont prevent your car from swaying when cornering, it will soley assist in keeping the body rigid.

A strut bar or strut brace is a mostly aftermarket car suspension accessory used in conjunction with MacPherson struts on monocoque or unibody chassis to provide extra strength between the strut towers.

With a MacPherson strut suspension system where the spring and shock absorber are combined in the one suspension unit, the entire vertical suspension load is transmitted to the top of the vehicle's strut tower, unlike a double wishbone suspension where the spring and shock absorber may share the load separately. In general terms, a strut tower in a monocoque chassis is a reinforced portion of the inner wheel well and is not necessarily directly connected to the main chassis rails. For this reason there is inherent flex within the strut towers relative to the chassis rails.

A strut bar is designed to reduce this strut tower flex by tying two parallel strut towers together. This transmits the load of each strut tower during cornering via tension and compression of the strut bar which shares the load between both towers and reduces chassis flex.

&

A sway bar (also stabilizer bar, anti-sway bar, roll bar, or anti-roll bar, ARB) is an automobile suspension device. It connects opposite (left/right) wheels together through short lever arms linked by a torsion spring. A sway bar increases the suspension's roll stiffness—its resistance to roll in turns, independent of its spring rate in the vertical direction.

Anti roll bars provide 2 main functions:

The first is the reduction of body lean. The reduction of body lean is dependent on the total roll stiffness of the vehicle. Increasing the total roll stiffness of a vehicle does not change the steady state total load (weight) transfer from the inside wheels to the outside wheels, it only reduces body lean. The total lateral load transfer is determined by the CG height and track width.

The other function of anti roll bars is to tune the high g / limit understeer behavior of the vehicle. The limit understeer behavior is tuned by changing the proportion of the total roll stiffness that comes from the front and rear axles. Increasing the proportion of roll stiffness at the front will increase the proportion of the total weight transfer that the front axle reacts and decrease the proportion that the rear axle reacts. This will cause the outer front wheel to run at a higher slip angle, and the outer rear wheel to run at a lower slip angle, which is an understeer effect. Increasing the proportion of roll stiffness at the rear axle will have the opposite effect and decrease understeer.

To get a front sway bar you can pick one up from ford, they shouldnt be tooo much i dont think, or if can call a few wreckers i suppose.

the strut brace on the rear and front wont add to oversteer, they will just tighten up how the car feels through corners but wont effect handling tooooo much.

[zetec jim]

whoah, thanks Photn that was extremely helpful.

[zetec jim]

Alright, so the ST springs aren't on the cards anymore (unless i buy some xr4 from or buy some WQ springs from ford)

SO i can go with the following options. Just need some advice on which ones to go for from people who've had either good/bad experiences with different springs...

all prices with shipping included.

option 1: King Springs $260 (from Melb)

option 2: Koni Springs $277 (from UK...ebay)

option 3: Eibach Springs $305 (from european-parts....will be less if i buy some Magnecor leads or a strut brace perhaps

I'm tempted to go the Konis cos they're not much over the Kings...but never bought from the store, even though they do have Australia in shipping list.
Having said that, the Eibachs aren't much more than the Konis either in the scheme of things.... and European-parts is great to deal with.

Alternatively, if anyones parting with any springs (aftermarket or factory) let me know!

[Twinpiston]

Is option 1 available to other users as well?

Any further details

[zetec jim]

just off ebay.

[Twinpiston]

Oh ok, then it is plus delivery!!!

[zetec jim]

yep, hence ends up being same as Konis.

[Twinpiston]

Check on fordfiestaxr4, I got quoted 90 pound delivery for the Koni, looks like Kings it is....