Spring Pads

[Faheem]

The zed has been on Bilstein B12 Suspension for a couple of years now, that's bilstein shocks all round and eibach springs.

The ride is pretty terrible (way too harsh even for a sports car) and the exhaust and some other stuff on the underside has bottomed out a few times now.... not sure if the suspension is to blame or the polybushes for the ride quality!

I was thinkinng of swapping back to standard suspension but I do like the way the zed sits at the moment.

Wanted to ask if anyone had tried different spring pads and whether that'll help lift the car up a little to avoid bottoming out.

 

[gookah]

I changed over to the 10mm on mine, ( a few weeks after fitting the Eibach springs) and to be honest noticed hardly any difference in ride height, appearance or bottoming out.
Camber is still too much, and still wears they tyres on the inside edges.

 

[Lee]

You'll be better off dropping the size of the wheels and fitting a bigger wall tyre.

 

[Faheem]

@Lee currently on 16s. the M wheels will be going on soon with the bigger rear arches so will be going up a wheel size.

 

[Dino D]

If you think the ride is bad and you on 16’s perhaps the shocks are shot?
Have you been in another to compare?

Mine road nicely with FK Silverline coil overs with the 16s pumped to 40psi (did some airfield driving days like that) and FK wasn’t very good.

spring pads can be stacked to get the height you want, these guys make some fancy ones https://www.condorspeedshop.com/products/adjustable-rear-spring-pad-set
But you could just make your own using original pads?

the bottoming out will be the small wheels and the very low height the Bilstein does at the rear (and you speeding over bumps )

I think mine on full poly bushes and BC racing is great but I can change the damping but depends what you think is good ride quality.
Mine sits much higher at the back then Bilstein equipped cars because I set the higher for liable speed humps.

If you going with proper M wheels then you want it a bit lowered - makes for that proper wide look- otherwise they can be a bit 70’s Muscle car with the jacked standard height and wider rear.

How old is and what brand is the 16in rubber by the way?

 

[Faheem]

Cheers Dino. The shocks have less than 5k miles on them so I'd be very surprised if they were kaput.

Might try the fancy spring pads but like you say worth getting another set and stacking them on top first to see if that helps things.

Tyres aren't the same all the way round so that won't help. I've got avon zv7 at the back which are 3 years old and pirelli p0 at the front approx 5 years old (and nearing the end of their life)

When i have the m wheels on I think I'll look at going for pilot sports on all 4 corners.

 

[Dino D]

.

 

[Dino D]

Pirelli’s are terrible no matter that age.

Avons are ok.

Michelin makes for a smoother ride no doubt.

you might be bottoming out on the bump stops if springs are short so that will make it harsh!
On the BC I started with softer and shorter 6kg spring but when switched to firmer and longer 8kg it was more comfortable- doesn’t bottom out in normal driving.