What's your Kia Stinger suspension plan?

[benjaminearle]

What I'm saying is that the rear suspension is soft and out of phase with the front. That means if you go through a dip at high speed the front and the rear compress equally, then the front comes up and stabilizes (good) but the rear comes up more and comes down before stabilizing. So the front is stiffer in recoil than the rear. If the system is working properly, but yielding those results, I'll swap it out because it's not right. I do hope the dealer says "that's not right" and it gets fixed. But I've seen and heard this is a problem. One of the videos online from the SEMA show indicated it. I spent seven years in the suspension business, tuning shocks for Hummers, busses, and off road vehicles like ATV's and snowmobiles . So I'm making these observations, and sharing them in the forum as an expert (aka Suspension Snob). I can't believe Albert Biermann would allow this. So I'm hopeful my suspension has a defect.

This is exactly the discussion I was hoping to find. I'm considering the AWD GT2 as a new daily (I'l wait til there's a bunch of CPOs next year) but ALL the reviews say the read end is awful in mid corner transitions - Like SteveO says - this is usually due to an imbalance and some funny harmonic coming through. The industry rags all say it's chassis stiffness but that's pretty generic. So, is there a chassis stiffening solution for the nervous handling or is the chassis actually fine and Kia just needs to have the guts to make a sports sedan RIDE like a sports sedan, not a Cadillac?

 

[Steve O]

Hey [MENTION=461]benjaminearle[/MENTION], I installed a set of Eibach's and it solved 90% of the problem. I'm very happy with the car overall now as the springs are softer in the first inch of travel (yes for a ride improvement) and way stiffer for the rest of the travel which means high resistance to too much travel. Works FANTASTIC. Balance front to rear isn't perfect but it's much closer. If i were 29 still I'd add Koni's when they come available but as a 56 year old too practical to get into diminishing returns, I'm good. I can't say enough about the Eibachs. They truly engineer their spring rates and travel proportioning.

 

[Steve O]

In answer to your question, the springs are too soft. Plain and simple. The shocks are too soft. Plain and simple. I stiffened the springs and the majority of the problem is solved, but stiffer shocks yet would improve more. Suspension is complicated and dynamic. I have 7 years OEM experience tuning shocks and springs for everything but cars (ATV's snowmobiles, Busses, Motorcycles, yes, even watercraft) and I think Albert Biermann's tune was thrown in the garbage by marketing and they softened it up for those moving up from Hyundais and Kias rather than leaving things the way they should be to capture those moving right (not up or down but right) from BMW's and Audi's. Let's call for a software update on the shocks (not sure how they work yet but maybe their on/off duty cycle can be managed) to make them stiffer and with Eibach's we'll (the early adopters) be a happy bunch.

 

[benjaminearle]

Hey [MENTION=461]benjaminearle[/MENTION], I installed a set of Eibach's and it solved 90% of the problem. I'm very happy with the car overall now as the springs are softer in the first inch of travel (yes for a ride improvement) and way stiffer for the rest of the travel which means high resistance to too much travel. Works FANTASTIC. Balance front to rear isn't perfect but it's much closer. If i were 29 still I'd add Koni's when they come available but as a 56 year old too practical to get into diminishing returns, I'm good. I can't say enough about the Eibachs. They truly engineer their spring rates and travel proportioning.

Well, this will make it harder to keep saying "I'll just keep my E39..." So now I just need to know when someone releases a transmission tune to de-nanny the flappy-paddle inputs. I must agree that having the first bit of compliance is worth the incremental body roll to make the car drive-able every day with kids.

 

[Steve O]

Trust me. There is no body roll worth mentioning. Alas, the tranny nanny is also a problem. Waiting on a software patch for that. These early adopter issues I'm okay with because I'm glad they made the car. The market needed it and they are/were scared they wouldn't sell any. With the right feedback they'll fix these things and with software in control of most of it, our issues will be addressed. I have faith because Kia is trying!

 

[benjaminearle]

Trust me. There is no body roll worth mentioning. Alas, the tranny nanny is also a problem. Waiting on a software patch for that. These early adopter issues I'm okay with because I'm glad they made the car. The market needed it and they are/were scared they wouldn't sell any. With the right feedback they'll fix these things and with software in control of most of it, our issues will be addressed. I have faith because Kia is trying!

How are the shifts in "auto" mode? I've read "imperceptible" but how about kick down? I was sorely disappointed in the trans on the Genesis 5.0R.

Very glad to see Kia/Hyundai got rid of those seats.

 

[Steve O]

There are a lot of dependencies on an imperceptible shift happening. And they happen a lot. Do they happen all the time? No. That's because of variations in the variables. I find the tranny in sport is amazing. In comfort, practical, in eco too slow to downshift. But use the modes as they are meant to be used and the tranny has a great shift program for each mode. I shift between sport and custom (sport in everything but the tranny in eco and the awd in eco). Sport when I'm driving and custom when I'm commuting. If you want kick-down performance, make sure it's in sport.

 

[Stingray]

Hi All

Can anyone advise me on where I can get settings for the suspension set.

I'm planning to put eibach lowering springs on my 3.3 stinger.

Once I put the springs on I want to check the settings.

Anyone know any figures.

The orange Stinger at the Sema car show was lowered so there must be setting around somewhere.

I have called the main dealer here in London however they have not been given any figures from Kia yet.

Can anyone help

Thanks

 

[Memphis]

I'll take a well tuned suspension over an active suspension. I'm going to learn more about the coil over kit mentioned because my shocks are too soft. I'm going to make sure they are operating properly because they are so soft I'm thinking they must be defective. Changing springs won't necessarily deliver what I want which is stiff recoil valving. So the car stays close to the ground even if you go over a rise at high speed. I call it 'buttoned down'. Nothing has ever been as buttoned down as my 1991 Alfa Romeo 164S. That was adaptive suspension. But, when it was on sport, it was STIFF! When it was on comfort, it floated like a caddy. When it was on smart, it was pretty amazing. The difference between comfort and sport in my Stinger is barely perceptible and I don't feel any change in the rear. My plan, make sure it's working properly, and if it is, swap out for coil overs.

One of the notable faults of this car are the springs and how soft they are.

This is a true GT car and I feel they missed the bar on handling as well.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[StingerMike]

What settings are you referring to? Alignment calibrations?

Hi All

Can anyone advise me on where I can get settings for the suspension set.

I'm planning to put eibach lowering springs on my 3.3 stinger.

Once I put the springs on I want to check the settings.

Anyone know any figures.

The orange Stinger at the Sema car show was lowered so there must be setting around somewhere.

I have called the main dealer here in London however they have not been given any figures from Kia yet.

Can anyone help

Thanks

 

[Stingray]

Hi

The settings I was referring to were chamber/toe and tracking settings.

In the past when I lowered my cars I know chamber/toe settings may change.

I want to get these recheck and readjusted if i need to.

 

[Steve O]

I'm waiting for the settings to be uploaded by the alignment equipment manufacturer. The dealer that installed my Eibach's said that would be in March. I've been driving with no adjustments for a month now and the car tracks straight so it's okay for a while. But I'll do the 4 wheel alignment as soon as I can. As far as I know only the toe is adjustable.

 

[Stingray]

Brilliant thanks. I may fit mine tomorrow. It's cold at the moment in the UK but somehow i may find myself outside stripping her down and fitting the springs on the car..

 

[punchdrunkboost]

Has anyone tried the H&R Sport springs yet? They look to offer a similar height drop but cost less than Eibach.

 

[jaccfrost]

Eibach sway bars...at least

 

[robz32]

chasis bracing and possibly sway bars

 

[Steve O]

Settings came in. Alignment done. Rear end twitchiness is gone. Yeah! Sway bars are not needed. Save your money. The car corners flat.

 

[Kazz]

Settings came in. Alignment done. Rear end twitchiness is gone. Yeah! Sway bars are not needed. Save your money. The car corners flat.

What settings did you use?

 

[Steve O]

The settings are uploaded to the machine from the machine manufacturer. I got them on the alignment sheet from the dealer but i didn't note them.

 

[Kazz]

Really? I read, re-read, and enshrine those reports. LOL