Lowered Mondeo XR5

perthxr6t · 22-04-2008, 06:31 PM

Well we lowered the car using Elbach Springs from Europe and it doesn't look too bad but a bit lower would have been nice.

They claim to lower the car by 30mm but i have found out this measurement is from a stock Mondeo and not for a XR5 as it already has sports suspension.
So it only lowered it by 10mm and it might drop another 5mm.

I spose the car won't scrape any speed bumps since the springs have gone on so it's not all bad.

I can't comment if the car handles any better as i'm on a minesite but i'll get some feed back from the better half.

The pic of the whole car is before the springs went on and the rear shot after it has been lowered.

XtRmn8 · 22-04-2008, 09:12 PM

Hey mate,

Looks nice. Did you order the springs and fit them yourself or did you get shop to do them? If so who did it?

Cheers

perthxr6t · 22-04-2008, 11:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by XtRmn8

Hey mate,

Looks nice. Did you order the springs and fit them yourself or did you get shop to do them? If so who did it?

Cheers

Ordered the springs from Europe and had the local suspension joint Wilkinson Suspension Centre fit them in Perth and we also had a wheel alignment done as it was out by a fair margin so i'm told.

XtRmn8 · 23-04-2008, 12:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by perthxr6t

Ordered the springs from Europe and had the local suspension joint Wilkinson Suspension Centre fit them in Perth and we also had a wheel alignment done as it was out by a fair margin so i'm told.

Thanks mate.

I will measure the wheel center to guard on my Zetec when I get it and might do a comparison with yours to see if they are worth getting.

Now sure if you got the springs from Europarts as I know they sell them and ship here. I looked at them and also like some of the wheels they have, but I can imagine freight will be a killer.

Cheers.

photn · 23-04-2008, 11:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by XtRmn8

Thanks mate.

I will measure the wheel center to guard on my Zetec when I get it and might do a comparison with yours to see if they are worth getting.

Now sure if you got the springs from Europarts as I know they sell them and ship here. I looked at them and also like some of the wheels they have, but I can imagine freight will be a killer.

Cheers.

freights not too bad. probably bout 150-200

XtRmn8 · 23-04-2008, 02:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by photn

freights not too bad. probably bout 150-200

Would that be for springs only or springs and wheels?

LRsedan · 22-04-2008, 10:03 PM

Still looks better mate.

Hopefully as you say it will settle in after a few km's and lower a little bit more.
Will be interesting to see if handling improves with the kit!

Im going to stop by Bilstein in the next few weeks and see what they can come up with...

WASP · 25-04-2008, 11:44 PM

Your Mondeo looks great, especially in black. It's difficult to tell if it's been lowered of not but it's certainly doesn't look overally elevated the way it is now.

Congratulations.

El Sucio · 27-04-2008, 02:33 AM

Will be very interested to see a dyno report from your car once the edit and exhaust go on.

Very nice looking ar there.

XtRmn8 · 14-05-2008, 12:07 AM

Hey perthxr6t,

Could you please measure centre of wheel to guard distance with the new springs?

I just checked my Zetec sedan and front is 388mm and rear is 385mm. I would like to know how much it would drop with the same springs that you have.

Cheers

perthxr6t · 14-05-2008, 09:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by XtRmn8

Hey perthxr6t,

Could you please measure centre of wheel to guard distance with the new springs?

I just checked my Zetec sedan and front is 388mm and rear is 385mm. I would like to know how much it would drop with the same springs that you have.

Cheers

I'll measure it tonite.

perthxr6t · 15-05-2008, 10:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by XtRmn8

Hey perthxr6t,

Could you please measure centre of wheel to guard distance with the new springs?

I just checked my Zetec sedan and front is 388mm and rear is 385mm. I would like to know how much it would drop with the same springs that you have.

Cheers

355 front and rear

XtRmn8 · 15-05-2008, 11:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by perthxr6t

355 front and rear

Thanks mate! 30mm drop if pretty good, now I just need to find someone who wants to sell their XR5 18's

apstar · 15-05-2008, 08:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by perthxr6t

355 front and rear

So what happens if you put 5 adults in the car plus luggage
:eclipsee_

apstar

ps where's the pic of the whole car ?

monkeyboy666 · 18-05-2008, 08:33 PM

Wow! Thats really nice....

I think the chrome strip under the windows that the XR5 has really works with the black car.

Once more...wow!

LRsedan · 10-06-2008, 07:35 PM

I just ordered the springs...

Its a minimal drop, hopefully it doesnt upset it much. Surely there is a tolerance in the system? Eibach markets its pro kit to be a direct replacement with no ill effects.

How exactly does esc work? Does it have sensors on the ride height etc?

I thought it just went off the traction at each wheel? When it looses traction it takes action?

paulie0735 · 11-06-2008, 07:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LRsedan

I just ordered the springs...

Its a minimal drop, hopefully it doesnt upset it much. Surely there is a tolerance in the system? Eibach markets its pro kit to be a direct replacement with no ill effects.

How exactly does esc work? Does it have sensors on the ride height etc?

I thought it just went off the traction at each wheel? When it looses traction it takes action?

ESC continuously compares the driver's steering wheel position to the direction of travel of the vehicle. When the control unit detects a difference, ESC responds by independently applying the brakes to individual wheels. In some cases, it will reduce the engine power as well. Changing the ride height changes the way the sensors detect slide and or instability. If you change the way the car behaves while the system is responding to a slide than chances are the system will make the wrong decision because it’s been programmed to work within fairly tight parameters.
As an example of this FPV deactivated the ESC on all Falcon based cars from BA through to BF11 because they could not afford to ’re-calibrate' the system. Their changes could be described as minimal and yet they chose to delete rather than chance the system making the wrong call due to them changing ride height and wheel/tyre packages. Its fair to say they had the added problems due to brake package changes but the early BA's had a fairly standard brake package so even with that they still declined to use the system that was not calibrated to the changes in suspension settings (including ride height)

BTW, there will be a hundred people tell you they have done it and have had no problems.

:

LRsedan · 11-06-2008, 08:13 PM

Hopefully the new springs don't make the car unsafe, thats the last thing I want.

If it does behave weird, they will be tossed in the bin.

perthxr6t · 11-06-2008, 10:04 PM

You won't know if the springs make it worse until you need the ESC and hopefully you never will.

LRsedan · 12-06-2008, 08:32 AM

Already had it kick in once... Its a weird experience.

It makes you feel like you have lost control, the car doesn't behave as you expect. To the point my old man said "What the F was that...".

But under the circumstances it kicked in whilst I was driving, I was expecting the car to kick sideways and was prepared to catch it, yet nothing happened except a series of jolts / braking applications.

But it did work, it keeps you going straight. But for the time it kicked in while I was driving I would have rathered it didn't.

The situation wasn't even "hairy".

photn · 12-06-2008, 10:32 AM

ive got a Mk1 Focus Zetec with the VDC advance track. i have lowered its suspension and in all honesty it acts erfectly fine. though i do have ST170 springs rather than the standard Zetec springs. im not sure if the ST170 had the same program or i had the same prorgam as the ST170....But its all relative.