[jasyatz]

Bought new from Ford Racing in 2013, Used for 1 season, then the car sat for the entire 2014 season. Ford Racing B Spec shock package designed for the Fiesta and Mazda2. I've had the front struts out of the FiST and since the Fiesta base Konis fit, these should bolt in just fine. Springs optimized for street driving and Autocross, but can provide higher rates if requested. I wouldn't recommend it but your call. Currently running F350/R475. Rides nice on street and transforms the car on course. Ready to bolt in as I've also included the upper spring bearings and top hats (not supplied in original kit). Rear shocks were converted to use as an STF legal SCCA Autocross package. Needed to run rear springs in stock location. As such, rear springs have some wear and tear. If you wanted to go back to a full coilover rear, you'd need new tenders and isolators. New this kit retailed for $1100. Comes with ERS Eibach front springs and Summit Racing rear springs. Can help with install and setup if requested. Won't go "super low low" but looks the part and handles fantastic.

NOTE: Picture below shows silver paint on lower front strut housings. This was fogged on to trouble shoot possible camber bolt slippage and has been cleaned up and removed. Turned out was front sway bar bushing failed.

Picture of rear spring installation for reference only. Rear ERS springs show in picture were too long. I tested 6 different rates before coming up with this combination. I think you'll like it.
Here's the pic of the setup on the car

 

[Pedro]

I am really interested in this but am curious about something. From reading on other coilovers for the fiesta I notice to Front springs are high rates than the rear. But I have noticed on your setup it is reversed. How is the balance of the car when you are driving it its limits with these? understeer/oversteer or little of both? I guess worse case is I just switch the rear springs out if need be. Thank you!

 

[Izzy]

I ran higher rates in the rear of my EG6...it helps it rotate, but then again the FiST already rotates pretty well.

 

[jasyatz]

I am really interested in this but am curious about something. From reading on other coilovers for the fiesta I notice to Front springs are high rates than the rear. But I have noticed on your setup it is reversed. How is the balance of the car when you are driving it its limits with these? understeer/oversteer or little of both? I guess worse case is I just switch the rear springs out if need be. Thank you!

It was originally setup for the Mazda this way. I can put the 475 up front if you like and run the 350s in the back or give you a set of shorter 600s for the rear. Then it will really rotate! The Mazda was designed to have a softer rear rate BUT also run the Mazdaspeed rear sway bar which adds a TON of rate by boxing off the rear subframe. I had the engineering students at Rutgers calculate the roll rate of the sway bar, devised that by 2 and that's where I got my rough spring number from; then added another 25lbs to get the balance just right. As an all out autocrosser, I'd run 500/550 in the car or 550/600 to keep the balance but whence you get up that high, ride comfort suffers. 350/475 seems to be about right. With the stiffer ST rear beam, not sure where the rude comfort will be, so you'd have to play around and see what you like. I can tell you that 7" springs in the rear are the right height for a lowered Mazda, and swapping rear springs on this chassis is a 15 minute job for both sides. they install as you see picture above with zip ties. You level the car with the front end. You may need 8" for the FiST due to the increased weight of the car. So the 475 in front with the 8" 350s out back may work for you.

 

[Pedro]

Yes I think the 475 in front with the 350 rear may be the way to go with the fiesta st. Also what is the diameter of the spring so I can get the proper tender to convert the rears to coilovers again

 

[jasyatz]

Your motion ratios will change if you did that and might be too soft. Where the springs are now are very close to .6 to 1 from what I've gathered over on the M2 forums, changing to a coilover you'd actually have to go more stiff to get the same result, but here's the parts..

2.25" zero rate tenders and couplers or Torrington bearing units to prevent bind.. If you get the Torrington units, swap them into the front and use the couplers from the front in the rear. Rear has minimum bind already because shock travel isn't much and it's not a rotating assembly.

Also going with the coilover limits your rear wheel width by .5". The spring takes up the same area we use for the massive 225's on the 7.5" rims. with the 32 offset. Not sure how much clearance the stock FiST wheels give you.

 

[Pedro]

Good point when converting to coilovers. Maybe I will just try the 350 front 475 rear and see how it feels. I wonder where my wheels will be as I run 225 but I have a deeper offset though so it may be close. Either way I am going to go for it!

 

[jasyatz]

Awesome...replied to all your PmS as fast as I could.. See the last one on lowering the rear.

 

[Pedro]

Bah had the spring rates backwards 475 front and 350 rear haha

 

[jasyatz]

Sure I'll swap them now..Did you want the 2.5" rear adjusters also?

 

[Pedro]

Yes please

 

[jasyatz]

Done...sold to you Pedro..Nice chatting with you. May they serve you as well as they did me..

 

[jasyatz]

Ready to go for you

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[jasyatz]

The rear 2.5" adjusters are in the upper left of the picture. After you get the ride height where you want it, zip zips the spring to the upper adjuster and the upper spring mount on the body at the same time like this

Just take off the upper rubber piece you see and insert the adjusters. But a 7" tall spring should work just fine without the adjusters.



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[jasyatz]

In the pic is an 8" tall spring. At the 350 ride height should be ok. Anything more stiff will raise it up which is why you need the 7" or a 6" with the adjusters.


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[Pedro]

Pm sent!

 

[jasyatz]

got it thanks...I'll email you the tracking number right after I print it. might actually go out today.

 

[Pedro]

Got them in the car. There were two tiny mods I had to do to make them fit. Make the whole for the swaybar bolt 2 sizes bigger, and replace the bushing on the rear to a narrower one. Other than that these fit great! I got my alignment today with 2.4 degrees camber in front. And even though it is the 475F and 350R the car still really rotates. So now I am just fine tuning the height to remove the rubbing. I do have a question on the rear coilovers. The adjustment seems to be glued in place and for the life of me I can't get them to rotate. I was thinking about going full coilover in the rear but when I couldn't move those things (even on the car) I settled with the rear spring in the stock location.

Thank you again! I can't wait to take some turns!

 

[jasyatz]

Great to hear! The rear shock adjusters had never been touched since they were bought new so they may in fact be frozen there . A little bit if penetrant and working them back a forth little by little should loosen them up. But the spring rates were "tested" in the stock locations which give a better ratio. This way you don't have to run higher rates to achieve the same result. Try using the tool I made to create leverage on the spring collars. should help.

Wow! The rear beam of the FiST must be a ton stiffer than we anticipated when we spoke about swapping the springs, good call on you!

Also, the sway bar in the front of the FiST must use a beefier bolt. Glad you are happy, enjoy them!