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Fensport Springs Review
Company: Fensport of UK
Short Version: The springs they gave me are screwed up. Granted, their existing line of springs are ok, I wouldn't trust their "custom" ones. I thought I was getting my money's worth. The springs they gave me were lopsided. I asked for 35mm drop up front and 30mm rear. They gave me 20mm front and 50-55mm in the rear. Yes, my car is ass low. It looks absolutely terrible. This is an 88 MR2.
LONG VERSION:
Brand: Fensport Custom Wound
Specs as ordered: I ordered 215lb/in up front and 375lb/in in the rear. Using the the simple spring formula of K=[wire modulus x wire diameter to the fourth power]/[8x number of coils x diameter of coil to the third power]... it would seem that they got the rates right (or at least close enough).
Now, it would seem that I got what I wanted, but only half of it.
Initially, I was totally excited that I finally got springs with the exact specs I wished for. But Spring rate is just half the story.
There is also drop. I wanted something that wouldn't give me a drop that was too low. Around 1.5" front and rear was my wish.
Having installed the springs, it appears that they did NOT drop the front at all and gave both the lowering that should have been done F-R and combined it both for a total of 3 inches of lowering in the rear. Yes, it's THAT lopsided. I'm super pissed as you can well imagine. (well, maybe a 2.5" drop in the rear and barely 1" up front)
Being custom, in order for Fensport to manufacture the springs, you give them the Rates you want and the DROP FROM STOCK. Not the free length, the DROP. So when they gave me springs that were of equal length front and rear, I was quite surprised, as you know. One look, and I knew it would be ass low. I was prepared with the contingency that I might have to give them the free length of the springs. 7.5"-8" up front and 9.5-10" in the rear would have done it. They gave me both 8" springs.
Had I given them the free lengths I required, life would have been easier. I just can't believe how wrong they got it.
The crappier part is that they haven't replied to my inquiries yet. I might have just installed these springs just now, but like I said, I had foreseen it to be like this.
I doubt they'll ever reply as they already got what they wanted from me... besides, even if they try to rectify the situation, I see no reason to do so, as the cost of shipping one way was already 1/3 of the springs. (they're UK based)
The solution I see is both hokey and disappointing. Lop off 1/2 a coil up front and then add a 1.5" spacer in the rear. If I were gonna go to cutting springs and putting spacers anyway, I should hve just gone ghetto: Lop off 2.5 coils in the rear, use a spacer, and then use cut 280ZX rear springs up front. The rates would have been the same. I can't freakin' believe I spent money on something I'd have to fix myself. fuck Fensport.
Remember that name: FENSPORT. Their site is Fensport.co.uk
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EDIT: I messaged them an am awaiting their reply. I'll give them a chance. They better not scrwe me over tho.
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Randy
http://www.geocities.com/dori_kaze
Last edited by randedge; 05-19-2003 at 01:19 AM.
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