fiestaturbo.com

[tomcat404]

I'm looking at getting a spax kit for my car with a 30mm drop (can't justify 400 notes on koni's atm) now I'm pretty certain these are the right ones just wanted to clarify with you guys.

http://www.spax-suspension.co.uk/p1322467.htm

To go on a 1992 xr2i 16v

Also has anyone had any experience with spax stuff? Good, bad?

Cheers

[Oranoco]

Yep they look right. They are a little overdamped from experience but not a bad kit at all

[tomcat404]

Yep they look right. They are a little overdamped from experience but not a bad kit at all

Cheers pal, I was going to go with your idea of standard new struts and lower springs, but it works out cheaper with the spax kit. Autofactors want over 170 notes just for the struts

[Maff Si]

Cheaper is not always better

I had a brand new SPAX VSX kit that made the rear so stiff that the arse end would bounce off the road when going over the slightest bump

on the fron left side there was a 15mm gap between the arch and tyre, on the right side the arch rubbed on the tyre

Needless to say they didn't stay on the car very long! I replaced them with something a bit softer and a hell of a lot better in the handling department KYB Gas dampers £150 and Eibach springs £135

[tomcat404]

Christ that's not good!!!

Has anyone else used or use the spax vsx kit have problems like this? Think i'll steer well clear if this problem which happened to Maff si's is common.

[Maff Si]

Don't want to put you off getting ths vsx kit but as Oranoco said they're a little overdamped but it all depends on what you are looking for in your new spring and damper setup.

You may find this interesting reading...
http://www.btinternet.com/~madmole/Revues/spax.html

If you want Quality springs that will last and are designed for use on European roads (not just flat tarmack with little or no bumps) i'd recommend Eibach or H&R

[tomcat404]

Don't want to put you off getting ths vsx kit but as Oranoco said they're a little overdamped but it all depends on what you are looking for in your new spring and damper setup.

You may find this interesting reading...
http://www.btinternet.com/~madmole/Revues/spax.html

If you want Quality springs that will last and are designed for use on European roads (not just flat tarmack with little or no bumps) i'd recommend Eibach or H&R

Gave that review a read it's a good insight and has put me off spax with good reason. I'm going to go for new standard stuts and lowered springs. I can't find eibach springs for fiestas, where did you get yours from?

[filtra]

I have them on my RST. They do work well but i found they lower more towards 40mm. Rock solid ride so make sure you take bumps slowly and that all exhaust clamps arnt pointing down!

Handling wise I havn't found the rear skipping at all, much better than the standard handling although I think if I had uprated/polybushed lower arms they would work a lot better.

[Oranoco]

I run a SPAX kit on my S2 and have doen for over 6 years now and the kit is still doing its job despit ethe track abuse it gets.

I have heard of some SPAX issues but the kits I've dealt with have all been fine which saddly I can't say for the G-Max where almost without fail I'v found cracking of the spring platform where it meets the shock body

[wildheart]

I have the Spax kit on my Fiesta,Damn uncomftable down country roads lol but i rate them highly and work well on track for what they are.
They are begining to show signs of age so looks like a swap to coilovers soon.

[JayC]

ive got the spax kit too -40mm and its fine dimensionaly, the extra rigidity (is that even a word?) in the ride shakes my parcel shelf more.. but thats about it.

good kits

[tomcat404]

It's good to get views from both sides of the spectrum, still undecided though.
Think I'll put up a poll, what you think I should put in it? (bear in mind £300 budget)
1. Spax
2. Lowered springs and new std dampers
3. ????
Any other Ideas?

[JayC]

on a 300 budget go for the spax...

apparently using standard sports shocks and aftermarket springs is a very nice ride combo.. however you still have to consider these shocks were not designed to be this low, so you may get bottom out issues where you wouldent with appropriate shocks..

i can agree with the country lane buisness.. but on the otherhand most lanes around here are better than the roads in the s**t town i live in, so generaly on them roads the spax performs brilliant for me, on resurfaced roads there spot on.

[Oranoco]

on a 300 budget go for the spax...

apparently using standard sports shocks and aftermarket springs is a very nice ride combo.. however you still have to consider these shocks were not designed to be this low, so you may get bottom out issues where you wouldent with appropriate shocks..

i can agree with the country lane buisness.. but on the otherhand most lanes around here are better than the roads in the poo town i live in, so generaly on them roads the spax performs brilliant for me, on resurfaced roads there spot on.

30mm drop on stcok dampers is fine, in fact it was a set up that was recomended to me by legend Ian Howell

[filtra]

I'd be careful with putting lowered springs to standard dampers. I'd be worried about springs popping out of suspension cups, particularly at the rear.

People say it produces a decent ride (retaining comfort but increasing rigidity) but i've never actually heard/seen evidence of people that have done this.

The spax vsx (non adjustable) kit is available at around the £250 if you do a bit of shopping. As I said before it is slightly lower than 30mm, more 40mm. Ride is very hard but the car does stick to the road and roll is descreased.

If your looking to improve looks and handling, cheaply I would recomend this kit. Spax are now TUV approved which exceeds UK standards. It all comes as a kit so theres no messing around. I would however build the suspension up with a new rubber doughnut, bearings etc...

[JayC]

well im not going to knock the ledge himself.. but you need to confirm exactly where and when ian howells says the combination works.. unless he direcly said yes there fine for road use.. then i cant really go alot on 'ian howells says there fine'

fact of the matter is if you compress the strut past its normal stationary state, you have more chance of filling the reserve cylinder and or bottoming out the piston rod as it will be running 30mm or whatever closer to the base valve..

on a perfectly smooth track, yeah, on a bumpy s**t road which most of our roads are.. can you really be certain they are going to work as well as a kit which has shortened piston rods and extra lower clearence inside?

just a thought.. maybe its just me being para..

[Maff Si]

don't RS1800 and RS Turbos have shorter than std springs on std length dampers?

[JayC]

they do but i woudlent suggest using 1.1 struts anyways

someone else feel free to correct me as im not entirly sure.. but isnt it 15mm lower?

[Maff Si]

I've never had a problem with 35mm drops apart from the SPAX VSX kit that lowered my Si uneven & was more like 60mm

[JayC]

my spax kit annoys me because its not as low as ide like it to be.. i can still get a flat hand between the wheel and arch.

but the fact they use original spring platforms means i can get any springs designed to fit the OEM shocks, and fit them to the spax shocks.

[Maff Si]

I'd be interested to see what the new TUV kits are like for mk3.5 fiestas

[Maff Si]

the fact they use original spring platforms means i can get any springs designed to fit the OEM shocks, and fit them to the spax shocks.

What dampers have you found that have spring platforms/cups/seats that are different from OE ones??