The springs are stiffer than the ones that they made for the 09-14 model but lower the car less than the all previous models. 1 inch in front and 0.9 in the back. Some of you will probably be disappointed by the smaller drop but that is exactly what I was looking for. The bigger drops of other springs seem to be causing rubbing problems with just about anyone who has changed the OEM wheel/tire combo.

I'm not sure if they are on sale yet. I can't find them anywhere so far.

 

Hmm, yeah the shorter drop is a bit disappointing. But, I should put my faith in the engineers at Swift.

In truth I didn't want to deal with any sort of rubbing and getting the glares from my wife haha. Hopefully retailers will have them soon.

 

I'm not surprised Swift decided to give them a smaller drop. They are surely aware of the rubbing issues with the wheel well liners.

Some seller on ebay has them apparently. I wrote to make sure it isn't the 2014 model and am awaiting an answer. I am cautious of anybody who sells car parts on ebay, they are sometimes fake parts made in China.

 

The seller on ebay that has these as available has written back to say that they are pre-order only and that it should take about 2 months for them to be available. That brings us to July.

Exactly what I thought.

 

I'm having an issue with high.tech springs where the car rear rides on bump stops exclusively so them stiffening the rear springs and making it drop less looks like they figured out the same problem on gk. I don't have any problems with tires touching the liners though, wheels are 17x7.5 - 38 offset on 205x40 rubber.

 

I also put my new tires and wheels on and so far no rubbing at all even on speed bumps. I chose to go with 195/55R16 with 16 X 7 wheels and 45 offset to play it safe. The gap between the rubber and the fenders doesn't look all that bad but a slight drop would definitely be welcomed. I think these springs will be next in line. I just hope it doesn't affect the ride comfort too much. I'm getting used to the cushy ride of the GK5.

 

I think you made a good combo choice with the wheel/tire size and sprint springs, I'm very interested in how it will work out for you.
Could you please do one thing when replacing the springs?
If you can measure the compressed length of the rear strut on new springs with car at rest, no park engaged.

 

Not Sprint Springs, Swift. Sprint's domain name is up for sale so I don't know if they even exist anymore.

I will try to remember to do that. I'm still unsure if I'm going to drop it but probably and if I do, these springs are the only ones I will consider for now.

 

Heh, where did that error come from..

In any case, if you decide to go with lowering springs, keep in mind this peculiarity with rear bump stops. Any drop more than an inch will have you riding on them and it isn't comfortable.

 

I know a 1" drop suits your needs better for your driving conditions, but the rubbing problem isn't caused by the bigger drop of other springs, it's the wheel off-set. In fact, you'll find if you go +40 or more off-set, you'll have rubbing even with stock springs. There's nothing about these Swift springs that will change that.

Stay with +45 or less off-set and no wider than 205mm (24" diameter or less) tires and you will have no issues throughout the travel stroke and you will not need fender mods, regardless of the brand of springs.

Where I am it rarely snows and the roads are great so a lower ride height (not more than 1.5" drop or suspension geometry gets bad) works great for me.

 

Why would Swift chose a lower drop for the GK5 then ? They know that when it comes to looks, people want more drop, not less. Their springs for the previous generations of Fit's had lower drops.

If it takes them too long to start selling them I might go with something else. I've had Tein's in the past and liked them. I think the drop is 1.6" on the Fit though. What do you have on yours ?

 

I Can't speak for the company but I'm guessing they feel the demand will be higher for a lesser drop. A lowered car is not for everyone, but a slight drop is more practical for most applications. I have H&R. If I still lived in WI with lots of snow in winter and driving In IL on a regular basis w/ their crappy roads I wouldn't want it this low. Where I live now it rarely snows and the roads are awesome so I can enjoy a lower car.

Regardless of ride height, road quality, and climate, any off-set more than +40 is not practical anywhere without fender mods. that's not for me. +40 is too much actually.

 

I had this issue when I had stock dampers with aftermarket springs. When I swapped them for Koni's it got better.

What I found (and dyno testing seems to confirm) is the OE dampers have harsher slow speed compression damping, softer high speed compression, and softer (quicker) overall rebound damping. This gives the shocks a stiff, bouncy feel on small bumps because the stiffer compression damping wont allow the springs to do their job properly and the quick rebound allows them to return too fast giving the car a stiff, bouncy overall feel. When I changed the dampers (even without cutting the jounce bumpers) ride quality improved greatly.

I suppose you could always pick up an extra set of bumpers and cut a little off the upper end where it fits into the pad. Maybe a 1/2" or so would still allow it to insert. If it rides too soft, replace them.

changing the dampers, both front and rear made a noticeable improvement in ride quality. It wont be as soft as OE, but most people who lower their cars want the additional road feedback and do not care for the OE squishiness.

 

I appreciate your efforts, however the issue is really simple: it rides on bump stops and they maintain the ride height at rest. This shouldn't be happening.

Bumps are there to maintain the progressiveness of the suspension but not to be engaged _always_ and not to replace the main spring.

I went today to do the camber adjustment in front and in the same time had my rear shocks disconnected to rest on springs only. With shocks I had 330 mm from center of the wheel to the fender edge, without shocks: 310. This isn't what is supposed to happen and I definitely don't want people to find this stuff out after a few years when their bumps deteriorate.

In any case wrt to this problem I'm in touch with TEIN and am waiting for final resolution (they are amazing so far and very receptive of the feeeback) but ultimately it just reiterates one should be careful with just going for the prev gen springs.

Before you try to justify the bumps doing their job by being compressed and progressive, I have to give you some food for thought: It's a cheap way to balance suspension character.

 

I have two of these cars: one lowered, one completely stock. I can tell you the jounce springs are loaded as OE; I cannot reach under and spin them by hand. I am not at all concerned about some sort of premature wear to the jounce springs due to compression from lower ride height. They are designed to compress.

That's cool though. It sounds like you know what to do and what works for you.

 

I'm aware, saw the pics. But they aren't engaged on OE, if they would be, your drop wouldn't be there, your ride height would be maintained like OE then.

Less than one inch drop front before cutting (steering turned to lift off the bump):
One inch drop front after cutting 15 mm doughnut:

 

Added note: it's also quite possible the shorter shock body reduced the jounce compression, softening the early part of the stroke.

 

No. That's why I'm confused with your rears. Shorter body would make the car drop more if the springs aren't loaded properly.
So what I think happened H&R did a good job there on ge8 and maintained clearance from bumps in the rear so when you had your rear struts replaced the springs did the job.

Edit: yes, you could be correct because my reading comprehension is crap, we're on the same thought train.

 

I was talking about the rears. I'm not sure about the front, but I am thinking about replacing the bumpers with uncut ones to stiffen the rate.

 

I'm not sure I'm reading this right because I'm less technically minded than the previous posters but... I seem to gather that whatever lowering spring one chooses to install, there will be some moderate to major discomfort payoff ? If no other suspension component is changed I mean.

I am aware that there will be a comfort trade off. I've had another car with lowering springs but I didn't have to fiddle with anything to get a decent ride. As I recall the comfort tradeoff was minimal for much better looks and slightly better handling. The springs were installed on stock shocks and that was it. It stayed like that for 9 years without issues.

I could just leave my GK5 as it is but damn the gap above the tires is an eyesore.