Make my Focus ST respectable

Hey folks, couple of weeks ago I picked up a 2016 Focus ST. It came from the dealer with some bolt-ons (catback exhaust, 19in Rays Gramweights), but it also came with Megan coilovers that both make the ride terrible and have slammed it so hard I worry about bottoming out if I run over a ladybug on the road. 

Pic for reference:

It seems like options are few and far between for this, but what I'd like to find is some coilvers that would allow me to do a forest road without breaking anything - so firm, but not slammed. I'm not looking to turn it into a full rally-car, but I am looking to have fun on some of the gravel roads around here. Anyone have any thoughts? 

Thanks in advance for your time and opinions, and in before "Trade it for a Subaru" :-)

Eric

In reply to TexasNavy :

Congrats on the new ST, Eric!  I bought a new one back in May and I just love it.

I really like the feel of this car with the stock suspension.  You might try trading someone the coil-overs for their stock struts.  You might even make a little money on the deal!  That would at least get you off the bump-stops and give you a baseline.

Scott

I wouldn't throw all of the blame for poor ride quality at the coilovers, those 19" wheels are not helping you at all there.  A smaller diameter wheel and a more compliant sidewall will be night and day for ride quality and less likely to get a flat on harsh roads.  I believe you can fit 17" wheels over stock Focus ST brakes.

+1 for the stock suspension as well.

Thanks guys. There seems to be no shortage of folks in the Facebook groups looking for coilovers, so I may float a trade out there. 

Agree on the wheels too, and it would save me some coin on the tires, which I need to replace before the temperature drops (currently wearing Pilot Super Sports). 

Realizing it won't help with the ride quality, but may help with some other things, it looks like RS-spec suspensions will physically bolt up, but I can't imagine they will be that great of a solution? Any thoughts on that? 

In reply to TexasNavy :

I can't comment on the RS suspension hopefully Stefan or one of our other resident FoRS owners can jump in here with the good word on that.  However, I'm looking into doing either Konis or Bilsteins on my Fiesta ST in the near future.

Ram50Ron said:

 I believe you can fit 17" wheels over stock Focus ST brakes.

+1 for the stock suspension as well.

+2 for stock suspension, works really well except over small road imperfection, but that may be my factory goodyear tires.

17 inch wheels do fit over the stock brakes.

TexasNavy said:

Realizing it won't help with the ride quality, but may help with some other things, it looks like RS-spec suspensions will physically bolt up, but I can't imagine they will be that great of a solution? Any thoughts on that? 

RS spec suspensions should be almost identical to your 16 ST with one exception being the stock RS suspension is electronic multi mode shocks. I've not put the 2 suspensions side by side, but i'm pretty confident they're almost identical down to the spring perches. 

RS suspension is HARD for the street.  Very overdampened and undersprung.  That's before adjusting them to full hard.  The 19" wheels don't help that, many of the RS folks are going to ST 18" wheels (they barely clear the RS brakes or we'd go to 17") or similar to improve the ride comfort and/or fit more tire under it.

The FoST is known for its ride comfort, so I'd say put some stock struts and springs on it.  Sell the rest of the "mods" to another ST person (there's a pretty active forum that might get more eyes on your parts, etc.).  Get a set of 17" wheels from a Volvo, etc. with some good rubber for your area and enjoy the ride.

In reply to spacecadet :

Awesome, thank you. I'd emailed Ohlins about their RS set (just because) and got this response:

dealer.relations@ohlinsusa.com <info@ohlinsusa.com>

Eric,

We have not confirmed fitment of the ST. Are you familiar with both versions? It would be interesting to know the similarities.

Wonder if it would be worth trying to be a "test case".....

In reply to Stefan :

Good deal, thank you. Sounds like I either embrace my inner boy-racer (as a 37 year old family man) and go with stiff springs, low-pro tires, and deal with it, or embrace my inner adult and go with reasonable tires and stock (or maybe slightly modded) suspension to account for the fact that I largely use this as a commuter. 

Or maybe I should just get two? 

In reply to TexasNavy :

Steel 17's and 16's will clear the stock brakes if you want to get a cheap super comfy ride quality and throwaway winter wheels. 

car shares bolt patterns with the current gen ford fusion and the 00-05 taurus. possibly everything inbetween. 

 

TexasNavy said:

In reply to Stefan :

Good deal, thank you. Sounds like I either embrace my inner boy-racer (as a 37 year old family man) and go with stiff springs, low-pro tires, and deal with it, or embrace my inner adult and go with reasonable tires and stock (or maybe slightly modded) suspension to account for the fact that I largely use this as a commuter. 

Or maybe I should just get two? 

Heh, I'm 41 and there are times when I really enjoy grabbing the RS by the scruff and being a bit of a hoonigan.  Most of the time it just makes me realize how old I am as various parts of my body wobble around on perfectly smooth roads.  If I were to do it again?  I'd have probable gotten something comfy with some sportiness to it (why are CTS-V wagons so damned spendy?).  There are too many people on the roads around here and most of time you're either cruising along or stuck in traffic.  Oh well, my 2-year old loves it and my 1-month old Son will eventually.  :)