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VF suspension/coils question

alby1976

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Hey ppls, have done a few searches but can't find what I am after.

I have a 2014 VF Calais V Sportwagon, and find the suspension too soft, as I was driving across the country (SA - QLD via NT) and with the kids in the back and the car loaded, the headlights were too high, and it was last second before I saw the kangaroo. (Lucky it didn't move and I took evasive action, but I did ****), and the other day I did a dump run (7x5 cage trailer) and when parked outside of Bunnings, noticed the rear sitting low, when the trailer was empty.

Not looking at lowering the car (wife drives it most of the time, and she has done a few things to a previous car that was lower), but if new springs lower it slightly, no biggie.
The compliance plate has STD for suspension, which from what I can find, the Calais has the base coils for a smoother ride. I used to have a VY S pac (FE2), and that was fine.
Thinking FE2 for a firmer ride, FE3 might be too harsh, or not? Any experienced ppls for this.
Will VF2 coils fit a VF?
I can find that VE coils are the same as VF.
I think SSV coils are FE2, but SSV Redline are FE3
Will sedan coils be ok, im assuming ute coils are different.

Cheers in advance.
Al.
 

Z31na

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As a household we have 2 VF's with FE2, one wagon and my sedan. And we had a VE sedan with standard. Only thing I dont like about the FE2 rides is it feels like the back of the wagon will fall off ( I only get to drive the wagon once in a blue moon). Perfect in the sedan. Had both fully loaded up and didn't notice anything out of the ordinary changing in the ride. Lived on one of the worst roads in town until they resealed it last year and both VF's felt alot more planted over the road than the Ve's standards which bounced around a bit. FE 2 is somthing on my must have list if I personally get another VF
 

abuch47

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I like FE2 feels fairly rigid for OEM, still prefer some more harshness.

Can find them on gumtree fairly easily
 

Pablito

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Will either solve the problem though? Just thinking out loud.
Fe2 and fe3 springs are still going to compress down and make the arse sink when loaded up.
Both my SS's (1 with fe2 and 1 with fe3) with 5 people and luggage drop in the rear so that it looks like the guard is sitting on the tyres.
Not sure about VE/VF wagons but there was a rear suspension upgrade for VY/ VZ wagons specifically for people wanting to carry heavy loads. Have you rang a suspension place?
Maybe just lower the front only so the car sits flat when the rear is full? lol.
 

LS1SS

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Holden do have an outback pack,on the ID tag they have V5W which is taller springs,sump tray and fuel tanck guard,was very commen in VK to VT but got rare in in later models,contact Holden or after market spring mob.
 

White Swan

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King Springs produce heavy duty springs to suit wagons etc.

Some members have them in their vehicles so maybe they could say what the ride is like compared to FE2 & FE3.
 

rognvald261

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Hey ppls, have done a few searches but can't find what I am after.

I have a 2014 VF Calais V Sportwagon, and find the suspension too soft, as I was driving across the country (SA - QLD via NT) and with the kids in the back and the car loaded, the headlights were too high, and it was last second before I saw the kangaroo. (Lucky it didn't move and I took evasive action, but I did ****), and the other day I did a dump run (7x5 cage trailer) and when parked outside of Bunnings, noticed the rear sitting low, when the trailer was empty.

Not looking at lowering the car (wife drives it most of the time, and she has done a few things to a previous car that was lower), but if new springs lower it slightly, no biggie.
The compliance plate has STD for suspension, which from what I can find, the Calais has the base coils for a smoother ride. I used to have a VY S pac (FE2), and that was fine.
1. Thinking FE2 for a firmer ride, FE3 might be too harsh, or not? Any experienced ppls for this.
2. Will VF2 coils fit a VF?
3. I can find that VE coils are the same as VF.
4. I think SSV coils are FE2, but SSV Redline are FE3
5. Will sedan coils be ok, im assuming ute coils are different.
1. FEx main difference is in the shock absorber (and sway bar) not springs BTW.
2. Yes.
3. As above V8 springs are similar (exact same?) FE2 to FE3 but VF has different front springs to VE, I think has to do with the different struts because of bolt and knuckle size. Rears same part VE/VF.
4. Your Calais Wagon is FE1.5, all SS V8 Wagons had FE2 until VFII.
5. No, sedan rear coils are different, hence dangerous.
--
The wagon setup with Holden Sports Suspension (FE2) is great, there is nothing broken or worth complaining about the FE2 wagon spring (and sway) setup. You are good to go with that IMHO.
Aftermarket advertising did of course promise me better and my experience is that Kings have more of a progressive winding so less bottoming-out, but it was the change of shock absorbers that was most noticeable.
Zeta wagons are stiff sprung with light sway, no point in drastically changing the dynamics to a tad stiffer spring and way stiffer rear sway like Holden Ultra Sports Suspension (FE3). Valving and application doesn't suit my utilisation or raison d'être (ie is not a racing station wagon) so personally didn't invest in swapping out everything with another OEM Monroe product vs say tweaking with Koni or Bilstein just the shock absorbers, great tech and proven results for less effort.
I spent some time with GSL Rallysports and Fulcrum to research the scene properly as I push my car's duty quite a bit, carry 500kg daily and clock about 1200km mainly coastal ranges. So I went with Kings springs Raised Coil KHRR-152HD rear. Without a load or class 4 towbar or freezer or dual battery setup these are way taller than stock FE2 but properly compensate my ride height with preload. Rear HTG is 330-380mm.
Front I went with Kings stock FE2 replacement KHFL-150SL.
The shocks I chose are Koni Frequency Sensitive Dampening (FSD), basically same as top end Mercedes Benz and yeah, worth $1000! also dis the strut tops with Polyurethane mounts :cool:
 

Skylarking

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Holden had/has an optional rear shock with integrated air bladder which can be use to raise the rear of a loaded wagon/sedan via an accessible Schroder valve.

It primary intend is to level a fully loaded vehicle, just don’t expect it to increase your GVM as it can’t do that.

No idea of the damping rate of these air bladder shocks in relation to FEx but they should be just like an ajustable booster spring. So, maybe it may stiffen up the rear a tad when the vehicle is loaded and bladders adjusted. If you want a more stiffly sprung rear end, you could always include FEx springs along with these air bladder shocks.

You can download the accessory installation PDF that describes this product install here (note I’m not 100% sure if this is actually the correct document as i can’t download it via my iPad for some silly reason... such links work ok on my home PC... but I’m not home).
 

abuch47

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Im thnking airbag suspension aka air over shock.\

Possible to burst but offers the ability to lower a little and raise when needed while also some brands giving a better performance than coil overs for a little more cost.

love to hear opinions.
 

Skylarking

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In early 2000’s, Subaru Prodrive in the UK built an air bladder over strut arrangement on one of their special edition subies. It allowed for driver height adjustment as well as independent spring rate adjustment. It was a really cool system with bladder inside bladder arrangement and piddly thin coil springs if I recall correctly. The coil springs were just there for compliancing purposes and would just stop the car from running on the bump stops should air pressure be lost. It was a beast of a performer :)

IIRC, in the early 90’s, Mazda 323 turbo (similar to Ford Telstar TX3 turbo) also had a driver selectable height adjustable air bladder over strut arrangement again with piddly thing coil springs. These had quite the following.

In the 90’s, Ford Fairland? also had auto self leveling rear air bladder shocks in their luxury cars.

These air bladders are rather robust and will never burst unless something sharp was kicked up and punctured the bladder. Rather unlikely I’d think and I’ve never heard or read of such occurring. Air leaks are not unheard of though (usually perished o rings).

These days, some luxury VW and Range Rovers SUV’s amoungst other brands also have height adjustable self leveling suspension systems.

The only thing that stops widespread use of suchis that the shocks are more costly and the need compressors, air tanks, tubing connecting all the parts and a bunch of height and pressure sensors and a controller. I’ve always thought they were rather neat.
 
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