What's harsher on your ride: rims or lowering springs?
 

Hey fellas...im running Progress springs with Koni adjustables, riding on 17" rims on a 45 profile tire. My question is, what causes my ride harshness...is it more the rims or more the lowering springs. It's obvious it's a combination of the two, but which one in your opinions is harsher.

I've been considering moving to B&G springs with 18"s, hoping that the B&G springs are not as harsh as my Progress.

Thanks.

Progress shouldnt be that bad...when you have a thinner tire, your ride will be more harsh than if you had 15's with beefy a** tires...I had 17's and the ride wasnt too bad, then I put on Sprint/AGX and the ride still isnt bad...If you want a close to stock ride go with the H&R's...B&G's I heard are still on the rouf side

-matt

I say the springs. I had my wheels before I lowered it, and it didn't ride that bad. But when I put my intrax springs in, that all changed.

Springs.

Your springs will effect the quality of the ride. (smoothness)

Your tires will effect the harshness of the impact of the bump.
A lower profile tire will hit a bump harder then a higher profile tire.

Springs will be felt on road iregularities. (sp?)

Your springs have something to do with it. Set the shock on the soft setting. If that doesnt do it, then install different set of springs BG or HRs, Less tire wall will have effect on your ride as well. Your on 45 so you should be good!!

Re: What's harsher on your ride: rims or lowering springs?
 

Neither. The struts probably are the biggest contributor to ride harshness. Tires, even 45-series, have a good amount of flex to soak up the minor bumps. Springs do add stiffness, but they still have a fair amount of compliance. Konis are pretty rough-riding struts. I know, I have them. When I set the fronts to anywhere over 3-3.5/5 half-turns, the ride gets pretty stiff, even with the stock 16's and H&Rs.

Try softening up the front struts to like 1.5 half-turns (outta 5 max) and see if that helps. Also try dropping the tire pressures all around (within reason...not to 15 of course). If you don't know what the rear Konis are set to, you may want to pull them out and readjust to 3/5 or so.

Struts make a BIG difference in ride stiffness.

I agree about the struts/shocks. I think the KYB AGX are pretty stiff, even on their softest setting.

Interesting stuff, I was going to go Progress/KYB AGX on my 01, but I may look around now. I'm not into the rough ride too much

I think the AGXs are still the best choice for aftermarket suspension though, since they bolt right in and stuff. Just be prepared to lose the softness of your stock ride. It's definetely bearable, but stuff inside your car will rattle more, like loose change and other things.

AGX are good if you have dont lower the car that much other then that there goes your $380 plus they only come with one year warranty:rolleyes: , what is that!!one year!

neither is harsh, imo.

If you get 18" and springs, but no shocks, the ride will get harsh guaranteed. That reminds me, I need some shocks.