Back again, but I drove here this time. [Somewhat pic heavy]

[firebird999]

I understand the value of keeping it stock, but I'm just not going to. I'd like to consider this my practice car. I'll do whatever I want to and can do, and use the experience to make car number two even better. There's a first for everything, so I may as well combine two into one and make my first car my first project car.

[texan_idiot25]

Originally Posted by suicide_star

1000 dollars? Naw...struts, springs, and an alignment...no more than 600, buying quality stuff. You can get cheaper drop springs and struts for probably around 350.

http://www.redpepperracing.com/forum...howtopic=27982

$1200 for a complete setup that has everything matched. A few options for whether you want one that optimizes ride and handling, or just something for a track car.

[suicide_star]

Wow, that's high.

Originally Posted by texan_idiot25

http://www.redpepperracing.com/forum...howtopic=27982

$1200 for a complete setup that has everything matched. A few options for whether you want one that optimizes ride and handling, or just something for a track car.

[Blade.]

Here if your going to drop your car, put a real kit into it, and get a professional to do it for you.

If you want to know what I am talking about.............................
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AIRBAG THIS CAR!!!!

This is no fooling around order, you need the replace you control arms, and probably will need to cut some items, re-weld some items, roll the firewall, tub the front, etc.

Lowering a vehicle on springs is cheap, and you won't get height back when you need it.

Putting Airbags on the car allows you to frame drag the vehicle, and have her at stock height in a matter of flipping a switch.

http://www.ridetech.com/shop/?gclid=...FQs9gwodzWtPdQ

There you go, I found a site for you also.



And you could have a vehicle bagged like this truck.

Blade.

[firebird999]

It also makes the ride rougher than an unmaintained wooden roller coaster...

[Blade.]

Actually, no it does not make the ride rougher. Sure, if you let all of the air out of the bags, you will feel EVERY bump in the road, but you still use your shock absorbers. With either your choice of 4 link or 5 link in the rear end, with shock absorbers.

Your knowledge with Air-bags is wrong. The ride is just the same as springs. However, bags are better for handling, and tuning. Springs have only one advantage over bags, and that's longitivity of the life-span.

The father and I bagged the S10, C-Notched the rear frame, 5-linked the rear end, removed the inner fenders from the engine bay, got SD control arms for the front, with bags from them, dual battery in the box, with the 5 gallon tank. The S10 rides FAR better than either of the two Firebirds(I got for free.) ride, and better than my parents 2007 Dodge Caravan.

So, please. Re-phrase that, it's not rough. It's smooth and more enjoyable.

By the way, no photos coming for the S10 anymore, so your SoL for pictures of the bagging. The truck is my fathers now, and I have no need to take pictures of the old girl anymore.

Blade.

[firebird999]

Well, if you say so... Obviously I'm going to shop around, but I'll be sure to include air bags in my searching.

[XMDrifter]

but do consider longevity because you don't wanna be dumping money for a replacement airbag every time one begins to deteriorate when you could have spent it on an intake or header or throttle body spacer instead

[texan_idiot25]

Originally Posted by firebird999

It also makes the ride rougher than an unmaintained wooden roller coaster...

That's hyrdolics.

Air bags have been used in luxury cars since the 80s for their smooth ride, adjustable stiffness and ride height (for load compensation). 18 wheelers use them for rear suspension often times as they ride better than a massive set of leaf springs would, and for load compensation. Though, a complete setup done right will be pricey.

Wow, that's high.

No, it's really not for the level of quality that the kit has. It's way beyond your average coil over set.

Originally Posted by XMDrifter

but do consider longevity because you don't wanna be dumping money for a replacement airbag every time one begins to deteriorate when you could have spent it on an intake or header or throttle body spacer instead

This is a Ford Focus, attempting to make it fast with little bolt-ons is futile.

[suicide_star]

Attempting to make a CRX and Neon fast is pretty futile, too...Autocross Focus, imo =P

[texan_idiot25]

Originally Posted by suicide_star

Attempting to make a CRX and Neon fast is pretty futile, too...Autocross Focus, imo =P

Making a CRX or Neon handle is not a big issue, they had some sporting intentions when they were built.

Also, making a 1700 lbs car fast is not futile. However, expecting it to have traction at any point, is.

[Blade.]

Originally Posted by firebird999

Well, if you say so... Obviously I'm going to shop around, but I'll be sure to include air bags in my searching.

What do you mean by 'if you say so'?? I'm giving you advice man. I'm telling you MY own experience with them, by the way... It's not the spring or Airbags that make the ride comfortable, it's the Shock absorbers.

A shock absorber is filled with oil/gas/whatever, it makes it so the vehicle when it hits a bump/pothole doesn't keep bouncing for miles or hell, hours down the road. A spring is only a spring, it bounces and that's all it does. There needs to be something that absorbs the shock of the bounce/spring action and control it, via Shock Absorber. If you buy an Air-Bag kit, you will get a Shock Absorber relocation kit also as a part of the kit.

@ XMD - Bags only wear out if they rub up against anything of the chassis/metal object/anything really.

If the Bag is clear and is not rubbing on anything than it'll serve a long life.

@ Tex and SS - You guys are nuts lmao

Blade.

[Action B]

When I said $1000 for a lowering kit I was assuming it was for a true quality lowered suspension.

[firebird999]

Originally Posted by Blade.

What do you mean by 'if you say so'??

I mean "if you say so" as in, "Since you say that it's true I will consider the probability of it being true." That's not meant as a bad thing.

Originally Posted by texan_idiot25

That's hyrdolics.
This is a Ford Focus, attempting to make it fast with little bolt-ons is futile.

Right, hydraulics. I was sure it was one of those two, and airbags just seemed rougher for some reason. But meh.

And yes, a four cylinder engine is not the best platform for little doo-dads. I'll get a few of the big things replaced/added for what it's worth, but power is not a priority. I'll do much more driving than racing. And I'll probably never use it competitively.

[Blade.]

YouTube Video

please?

Blade.

[BulletsRain]

Originally Posted by Blade.

please?

Blade.

I rofled a lot.

Don't do that ^ to your ford focus.

[mycrors4]

Originally Posted by Blade.

please?

Blade.

id totally do that to my first car LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL i still cant stop laughing

[KITT222]

Originally Posted by Blade.

please?

Blade.

You don't need to do that! On our Corolla when we were driving home from IA the exhaust blew a hole in it right above the axle, and it sounded a lot like that. It was the second loudest car in our area, next to my dads truck. It had a similar deep throaty gruff (although I'm pretty sure that the noise in the video isn't from the car...).

[Blade.]

The noise in the video is someone making that noise lmao, still pretty funny haha.

YouTube Video

^Real sound^

YouTube Video

^Fake Sound^(But truely, it's amazing.)

Blade.

[bondo]

Originally Posted by Blade.

please?

Blade.

the first thought in my head when i watched it.....
" oh chit, stand back , it's a civic".
i knew it was fake when i didn't see the puff of smoke when the Vtak kicked in.

back to the basic point i was trying to make in my first post.
firebird,either roll with the punches or request that the thread be closed.
quit whining about off topic this and that,the thread is in an off topic section of the forum.
in O/T sections,topics have a tendancy to go off a little bit here and there.
those of us who live outside of your own head call it discussion.


seriously man,think about it...
what is the topic?
your ford focus?
would you really want 7 pages of peoples opinions of a ford focus?