Random Thoughts... [Automotive Edition]

Standardish, he didn't swap out the shocks or anything but he did go to harder bushings.

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So same problem I had :p

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Is the Stang less obnoxious to drive? I could definitely see not wanting to have something that hard as a daily. OTOH I suspect AZ roads are just a tiny bit better than NYC (even for north east we have terrible roads).

Yeah, you do but, Detroit winds by a landslide in the crappy road department.
 
Is the Stang less obnoxious to drive? I could definitely see not wanting to have something that hard as a daily. OTOH I suspect AZ roads are just a tiny bit better than NYC (even for north east we have terrible roads).

Mustangs definitely ride much softer. The Boss 302 might be a bit stiff, but the normal models are very comfortable.

The roads out here are pretty good, for the most part. But you head into some areas and it can get awful.
 
Standardish, he didn't swap out the shocks or anything but he did go to harder bushings.

Those make a world of difference. I find the stock suspension to be surprisingly comfortable. Not as comfortable as a normal sedan but not so bad that I wouldn't take a road trip in the BRZ. Keep in mind, I'm also daily driving on Detroit's roads which, as 93Flareside can attest, are extremely bad.
 
I find the stock suspension tolerable(apparently the FRS is the softer of the two). No this is far from the softest cars I've ever driven, but fortunately its also not the most uncomfortable car I've been in either with regards to ride. I had a headache on Wednesday and the roads I normally drive on are pretty awful, the FRS only made it a tiny bit worse although I do feel it. A car I couldn't tolerate though is a Acura RSX, gave me a headache when I didn't have one each time I rode one. As for how bad are the roads I drive, http://www.caaworstroads.com/, I drive on #8.
 
Probably. But the same stretches of road aren't a problem for her in Normal People Cars. There may very well be literally nothing modern fabric technology can do on top of the bricks that make up the Toyobaru suspension.
Bricks have more give lol

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Yeah, you do but, Detroit winds by a landslide in the crappy road department.

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Those make a world of difference. I find the stock suspension to be surprisingly comfortable. Not as comfortable as a normal sedan but not so bad that I wouldn't take a road trip in the BRZ. Keep in mind, I'm also daily driving on Detroit's roads which, as 93Flareside can attest, are extremely bad.

You guys have roads still?

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I find the stock suspension tolerable(apparently the FRS is the softer of the two). No this is far from the softest cars I've ever driven, but fortunately its also not the most uncomfortable car I've been in either with regards to ride. I had a headache on Wednesday and the roads I normally drive on are pretty awful, the FRS only made it a tiny bit worse although I do feel it. A car I couldn't tolerate though is a Acura RSX, gave me a headache when I didn't have one each time I rode one. As for how bad are the roads I drive, http://www.caaworstroads.com/, I drive on #8.

It must be the bushings then, it was worse than my Z and that thing is not exactly a Bentley...
 
I have not driven one more than 1/4 mile, but every time I see one driving on a highway, it looks more firm than almost any other car out there, except Lotuses.
 
Random Thoughts... [Automotive Edition]

I recently test drove a FRS over what some of us like to call the Houston Road Simulator. Turns out it rides worse than my all up Ford comfort-was-not-a-consideration-when-we-designed-the-suspension-for-this-farm-truck F-350. Very harsh, very choppy. Unfortunately, looks like the thing in the US market is really a track toy unless you are very masochistic or have abnormally smooth pavement.
 
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I recently test drove a FRS over what some of us like to call the Houston Road Simulator. Turns out it rides worse than my all up Ford comfort-was-not-a-consideration-when-we-designed-the-suspension-for-this-farm-truck F-350. Very harsh, very choppy. Unfortunately, looks like the thing in the US market is really a track toy unless you are very masochistic or have abnormally smooth pavement.

I believe that has more to do with the massive tires and the fact that thing's supposed to crush roads into submission.
 
Random Thoughts... [Automotive Edition]

I believe that has more to do with the massive tires and the fact that thing's supposed to crush roads into submission.

Believe me, I'm not promoting the 350's ride qualities. It's the way it is because the lolspring suspension is designed for a 7000lb truck to be able to safely haul ~4000lbs or tow ~10,000lbs with a fifth wheel hitch all day every day. Of course it is going to very stiff when running around empty. :p

By the way, the large sidewall tires actually make the ride softer, not harder. Even at 90PSI specced.

What's astonishing is that with all that, the FRS was still worse. Almost necksnappingly worse - my head got bounced off the headrest repeatedly.
 
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I recently test drove a FRS over what some of us like to call the Houston Road Simulator. Turns out it rides worse than my all up Ford F-350. Very harsh, very choppy. Unfortunately, looks like the thing in the US market is really a track toy unless you are very masochistic.

Or just young. Really, it isn't bad on reasonably maintained interstates and rural roads. Only bustass urban roads and the absolute worst of the interstates are truly problematic.

Also, my winter tires, which are on downsized 16" wheels decrease the level of spine-busting by at least 50%

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Believe me, I'm not promoting the 350's ride qualities. It's the way it is because the lolspring suspension is designed for a 7000lb truck to be able to safely haul ~4000lbs or tow ~10,000lbs with a fifth wheel hitch all day every day. Of course it is going to very stiff when running around empty. :p

By the way, the large sidewall tires actually make the ride softer, not harder. Even at 90PSI specced.
My Ram 2500 is actually worse. By an order of magnitude. Despite the substantially-heavier-than-stock bed and having no load enhancing options.
 
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My Ram 2500 is actually worse. By an order of magnitude. Despite the substantially-heavier-than-stock bed and having no load enhancing options.

That's a shortbed and short cab, isn't it? When was the last time your shocks were replaced?
 
That's a shortbed and short cab, isn't it? When was the last time your shocks were replaced?
Yes, yes, and probably recently (also 2WD). It was a USAF truck, and then motor carrier registered in PA, so proper maintenance was a Big Deal(TM). It's also only got 85k on it.
 
Yes, yes, and probably recently (also 2WD). It was a USAF truck, and then motor carrier registered in PA, so proper maintenance was a Big Deal(TM). It's also only got 85k on it.

"Probably"?

Shocks on heavy pickups can go out as early as 25K. Might want to look under the truck and see what shocks are on it, too. There's a lot of crap shocks out there. I've got new Motorcraft shocks on mine so it's factory spec for sure. :p
 
"Probably"?

Shocks on heavy pickups can go out as early as 25K. Might want to look under the truck and see what shocks are on it, too. There's a lot of crap shocks out there. I've got new Motorcraft shocks on mine so it's factory spec for sure. :p
It's definitely a "rebound too fast" problem, not an "underdamped so enjoy your harmonic rollercoaster ride" problem. Everything seems to behave properly once you get about 700lbs out back.

When I do shocks on the thing, they're likely to be load-assist coilovers. Because 'making the problem worse' is basically my truck MO. That, and I need an aux tank, which means more weight.
 
Had a look at the old Fiat we still own, that's spent about a decade on a field. It's pretty ready to be collected by now.

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It was beyond reasonable welding then, so by now it's pretty soft.

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Someone has pulled the column plastics... Hope they went for a good cause.

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No idea why it says "Svizzera" on the cam cover. Did they make the engines in Switzerland?

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5-speed!
 
I like those dymo labels. :lol:


On another note, nothing improves the NVH and ride quality of your car like taking out that 150-piece socket set you've been driving around with since July.
 
No idea why it says "Svizzera" on the cam cover. Did they make the engines in Switzerland?

Is there any chance the Fiat was sold new in Sweden?

In the 80's Switzerland and Sweden had very similiar emission regulations and several cars were sold with engines that were only available in both countries.
 
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