Ridetech Coilovers

RubberCtyRauder said:
your 8.5 wide front rims with different offset did not help your issues. it is not a set up for everyone, nether is naake qa1 set up. Most people took thrm off because the front needed constant adjusting. their suggested spring rate of 450 was prolly too light.

I like mine, dont drive it daily nor autocross it. it feels better than a cut coil with stock shocks which is not so good. imo it's an improvement over that. if it gives me issues, i still have eibach springs nib. No, they are not for sale
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I have the 700 pound springs with the Ridetech kit but the issue is with the coating from factory. From what the technical support explained, the contract company uses hangers to power coat the springs. The hangers leave a bald spot in the springs exposing them to the weather conditions. After a period of time the springs rust and this becomes a single point of failure.
 
merc said:
I have the 700 pound springs with the Ridetech kit but the issue is with the coating from factory. From what the technical support explained, the contract company uses hangers to power coat the springs. The hangers leave a bald spot in the springs exposing them to the weather conditions. After a period of time the springs rust and this becomes a single point of failure.
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i have 700 lb springs, ridetech springs are linear rate, qa1and stock springs are progressive rate. take the springs out and repaint them. all springs rust. my car is not driven in snow nor rain
 
Red Rum said:
Chris At ADTR.NET sells a complete front and rear RideTech coil over kit. For a Crown Victoria or a Mercury Marauder. With a option for rear air bag for the MM. Or none air bag CV. For $1395 complete. It is alot more then the $800 bucks from RideTech. But not bad being it is a complete front and rear coil over kit. I am going to buy a kit soon for my car. Once I get all the money together. Don't know if anybody has a kit From Chris on there car installed.
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RideTech site price is for the fronts only. ADTR price is for front AND rear.;)
 
I too had QA1s double adjust front and rear. I kept the rear air ride would never even think of giving up that feature. The problem I had was front would bottom out at a desired 2" drop from stock. Don't know enough about suspensions if it were due to shock rod length or spring rate. Do your Rideteck in front bottom out ?
 
merc said:
Ride quality harmonics (adjusting the front shocks to work with the rear) never seem as good as the stock setup.
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That's one big worry I have. Car companies spend thousands of hours running simulations and doing road testing to get this right. I recall one story about mid 90's Explorers that had a resonance problem between the motor mounts and rear shocks that only showed up at 62 mph. While Ive heard nothing but great things about ridetechs quality, I kinda doubt the did testing like this. After all, they do state the coilovers I am looking at are for custom truck builds, not specifically the marauder.

I really need to call ridetech and have a chat and report back. Mnday morning seems like a good time.
 
I would be very surprised the harmonics would be coming from the Ridetecks. Was this noticeable just after the installation ? Have you inspected wheel balance by Roadforce or transmission and diff seal & bearing ?
 
I've only had mine on for 700+ miles..interstate MO's to home last Oct. It felt like a new car to me, meaning tight and firm but not harsh..I have not driven it locally on varying road conditions yet for any time frame. So far I like them. I'm going to add their rear adj. shocks (they don't show one, have to measure and match one up)


I have not bottomed out, different rims will effect that very possibly. I run a 255-45 up front so wider than stock and tad shorter.


Coilovers do compromise everyday road quality towards bumps and such. Mine is not a daily driver, I'm not getting rid of the stock stuff either so I have options if I ever feel the need. The car feels low and smooth and responsive for being a large brick. I'm not looking for a Cadillac or Lincoln ride. There is only so much one can do with what is out there for these cars unless you wish to spend $10, 20k and build a 4 link and custom A arms etc.


One has to decide what is more important for their preference in road feel. You gotta pay to play, sometimes you win, sometimes you lose..If I had every dollar I ever spent on purchases I regretted later, I would have a boatload of $. If you think too much on it, you will never risk anything and always wonder I you should of.
 
burt ragio said:
I would be very surprised the harmonics would be coming from the Ridetecks. Was this noticeable just after the installation ? Have you inspected wheel balance by Roadforce or transmission and diff seal & bearing ?
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Some of the best Marauder mechanics, and Ford techs have been involved in the process. I have replaced the rear diff seal, upgraded the drive shaft to metal matrix. Getting all the components to work together can be tricky. When I purchased the Q A1 shocks they lasted 3 years with low mileage. Rebuild cost was almost replacement cost. I hope the Ridetech’s hold up over time but I probably will return to stock before the end of life.
 
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Sounds liked you checked everything. One other possibility harmonics could stem from exhaust system. I found that at 45 mph. Used FLX1344B stanless steel tube just after header collectors.
 
burt ragio said:
Sounds liked you checked everything. One other possibility harmonics could stem from exhaust system. I found that at 45 mph. Used FLX1344B stanless steel tube just after header collectors.
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Maybe not everything, but some of the issues are my fault.
 
merc said:
Not very pleased with the product I will give you more details later this week. Currently working on another project. Returning to stock height.
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Hey Merc care to elaborate? I am looking at replacement for OE as well so its either some motorcraft factory, KYB, QA1 or ridetech. Not a daily any more but want to take out more as it's been sitting in my garage for years registered non op.. Looking for firmer or more compliant dampening for spirited driving through the canyons. I have the addcos on my list but think shock are in order first. Been modding my 2500 burb been neglected so she'll get more attention since pretty much done with my burb setup for now.

Sent from my K92 using Tapatalk
 
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dmjarosz said:
That's one big worry I have. Car companies spend thousands of hours running simulations and doing road testing to get this right. I recall one story about mid 90's Explorers that had a resonance problem between the motor mounts and rear shocks that only showed up at 62 mph. While Ive heard nothing but great things about ridetechs quality, I kinda doubt the did testing like this. After all, they do state the coilovers I am looking at are for custom truck builds, not specifically the marauder.

I really need to call ridetech and have a chat and report back. Mnday morning seems like a good time.
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Interested as well. I was planning on buying them this fall when I rebuild the front end over the winter. I've heard nothing but great things from my buddy who has them in his car. Sound's like 700#'s are the way to go.

Also, I assume that's your SB that shows up at cruise night now and then right? I remember seeing it make a few passes last year and it sounded like it had an eaton under the hood.
 
dmjarosz said:
I think a good chunk of a "harsh" ride over an expansion joint is due to an overly high damping setting, which you can adjust with the Ridetechs.

I think Im sold on these shocks, just need to figure out what rate to go with, 650 or 700 lb/in.

Not that it matters a whole lot but what is the rate of the stock marauder springs?
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If you have a supercharger or turbo.. I’d go with the increased spring rate. Of 700lbs


That MEDC guy
 
My guess the s/c adds an extra 60 lbs. depending on where the battery will live.
Regarding the stock spring rate if the oem fronts are rated at 300 lbs the 650 lbs would make a huge difference. To me spring rate is guess work unless they have been tested on the car by a shock dyno. I would also want to see a overlay on graph oem vs Rideteck but that will never happen.
 
oem are progressive rate springs, ridetech are linear rate which are two different ways to make a spring. look them up on Google to understand it is not apples to apples.

the ridetech springs are smaller dia.. wire and are coiled to 2.5 inch i.d., which also changes it from stock springs
 
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