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Unstable handling

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Old Oct 31, 2017 | 04:34 AM
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Default Unstable handling

So before my turbo build, my car had front Konis, 1" lowering springs, stock a arms, stock k member. Car drove like a dream, drove straight as an arrow, I felt safe going 120+.

After my turbo build I did ALL MWC components up front. Tubular upper and lower control arms, tubular k member, brand new oem Rack, brand new coilovers from Viking in the front, got 2 way shocks in the back Viking as well.

Well I've taken the car to 2 alignment shops and this car feels VERY dangerous to drive. The car sways alot, feels like I'm constantly being pushed by wind from the left then from the right, I am scared to take a curve at high speed because I feel like the car will bounce and not turn, maybe even roll over. I need to constantly move the steering wheel just to keep it straight, if I jerk the wheel suddenly left to right at say 50-60mph the whole car sways pretty bad. It feels super sloppy almost like driving a boat? Very floaty, very unpredictable. Keep in mind it's WAY worse without a sway bar. I had to put the sway bar back in it because I legit thought I was going to crash just going 60-70mph in some instances on the freeway.

First shop said I needed a bumpsteer kit... second said it was off a bit but they got it good. Car feels/handles like complete **** compared to how it was before the turbo build.

At this point im guessing my shocks/ coilovers could be the issue? I had the front compression and rebound all the way maxxed, the rear was c3 and 5r.

I have those settings in the front because that's what I feel sort of safe driving with... I used the recommended c3 r6 and it felt like ****... anyone here have any input on what could be wrong? I should've just kept stock components now I seriously hate driving the car, I feel like selling it.
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Old Oct 31, 2017 | 05:36 AM
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Did you remove your front swaybar when you installed the turbo kit?
What wheels/tires are you running? Slicks and skinnies?
At the end of the day a non gas charged drag shock like the vikings will never feel as planted or stable compared to a good gas charged shock like a Koni.
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Old Oct 31, 2017 | 12:56 PM
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Yes I removed it but then put it back on because the car was undriveable after 50 mph. An 18 wheeler passed me up and the whole car sways left and right. Have currently same wheels/tires I've always had, torque thrust II 17s. And Well you think this is a shock issue or a suspension component issue? I have faith in that the MWC components are good bit you never know. There's no way I can make a 9 second pass the way this thing handles, if that's how Vikings are then they are seriously trash, and will be going back to factory.
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Old Oct 31, 2017 | 06:04 PM
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are the links all rod ends or bushing ends?
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Old Oct 31, 2017 | 06:09 PM
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Hi majestic, what links are you referring to?

Here's how my setup looked when installed, couple of months back.

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Old Oct 31, 2017 | 07:18 PM
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Originally Posted by subeone
Yes I removed it but then put it back on because the car was undriveable after 50 mph. An 18 wheeler passed me up and the whole car sways left and right.
And there are guys out there that will swear up and down that these cars handle "fine" with no front swaybar. As you can see their definition of "fine" is very different than yours and everyone elses. These are the same guys who will say the car drives fine or good on drag shocks like vikings.
Have currently same wheels/tires I've always had, torque thrust II 17s. And Well you think this is a shock issue or a suspension component issue? I have faith in that the MWC components are good bit you never know. There's no way I can make a 9 second pass the way this thing handles, if that's how Vikings are then they are seriously trash, and will be going back to factory.
Floaty/disconnected feeling/boat feeling/sloppyness is lack of rebound control from the shock, and as you said you maxed them out so that tells you how little control they actually have compared to even a street shock like a Koni.
The shocks are not necessarily garbage, they are just doing what they are designed to do, which is transfer weight quickly for dragracing while being cheap and "double adjustable" even if the adjustments are nothing like adjustments on other (better) shocks. This also means they will handle and ride poorly by design as a trade off.
Try going back to your old setup and see what kind of difference you feel.
You can easily run 9s on actual good shocks designed to handle, don't let the sales men tell you otherwise and sell you on drag parts that make the car drive like a dump truck.
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Old Oct 31, 2017 | 08:14 PM
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I will be going back to stock and HOPEFULLY fix my issues. It is ridiculous the amount of money I spent for the car to handle like ****. And yea, there's no way I can even do street runs without a sway bar I would definitely lose control. You think I'll be fine if I leave the rear Vikings? I'm assuming most of the swaying and floatyness is due to the front shocks?
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Old Oct 31, 2017 | 09:25 PM
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Originally Posted by subeone
I will be going back to stock and HOPEFULLY fix my issues. It is ridiculous the amount of money I spent for the car to handle like ****. And yea, there's no way I can even do street runs without a sway bar I would definitely lose control. You think I'll be fine if I leave the rear Vikings? I'm assuming most of the swaying and floatyness is due to the front shocks?
I felt the same way about my car, very sketchy at high speeds feels like your in a hammock if you know what I mean. What helped the most for me was firming up the rear. I had pretty soft rear springs and the car just kinda sway left and right and never felt stable. I put drag bags "I know it's old school" in the rear springs with 8psi and it feels completely stable at about any speed.

I just ordered Vikings for the front of my car and I really hope that wasn't a mistake.
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Old Oct 31, 2017 | 09:27 PM
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Oh and I also run no sway bar and it feels fine
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Old Oct 31, 2017 | 09:59 PM
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dude i need to meet up with you so you can drive this thing and maybe its just me exaggerating.. but I doubt its all in my head, car feels exactly how you have described it.. like it sways around like in a hammock..AND i have a sway bar on, it was ridiculous without the sway bar.. ima try to tighten up the rear and see how it feels man, but I am almost sure its these damn viking coilovers.
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Old Oct 31, 2017 | 10:07 PM
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Try tightening up the rear and see what it does. Also what is your rear suspension situation? Lca, panhard, ta stock or aftermarket with rod ends or poly?
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Old Oct 31, 2017 | 10:19 PM
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adjustablle LCA, panhard, tunnel mount TA from MWC.. all are poly. The rear was not messed with at all, all I changed in the rear was the viking dual adjustable shocks. What settings are you running? I currently on c3 and r5 in the rear.
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Old Oct 31, 2017 | 10:29 PM
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I'm still on stock replacement in the rear. All I've changed was springs and bags in the rear. My Vikings aren't on the car yet.
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Old Oct 31, 2017 | 10:33 PM
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got ya. I'll let you know how it feels tightening up the rebound in the rear. If nothing works, ima just yank this crap off and go OEM in the front.
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Old Oct 31, 2017 | 10:36 PM
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Man hopefully it's just an adjustment issue or I'll end up going the same route. When I get mine on I'll let you know if it's any better or worse for me.
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Old Oct 31, 2017 | 10:44 PM
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Thanks keep me posted, I'll also report back. I paid big $$ at both shops, both high end suspension shops, to figure this out and neither of them considered the coilovers/shocks so it has to be that. I'll fiddle with them some more. Thanks for your input/recommendation.
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Old Oct 31, 2017 | 10:46 PM
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Post some pics of your car, we will have to meet up sometime
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Old Oct 31, 2017 | 11:03 PM
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heres a video of one of the first startups, looks a bit cleaner now, battery is in the back and all that stuff


car is currently on 28 psi, no idea on hp yet gna take it to a dyno session whenever i have some time! but yeah man definitely, so you can drive this thing LOL and i can drive your car without a sway bar haha

Last edited by subeone; Oct 31, 2017 at 11:09 PM.
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Old Oct 31, 2017 | 11:55 PM
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Looks great. Ya my car isn't making near the power you are (yet) lol soon I'm going borg 88 since I'm maxed right now. Ya these cars are hard AF to drive at these power levels it's pretty badass.

Also I could definitely could use some help tuning. Right now I'm having a hard time getting the car to idle right with the new cam and 210lb injectors.
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Old Nov 1, 2017 | 03:50 AM
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"You get way you pay for" definitely applies to this situation. $1,000 for a full coil-over kit is dirt cheap. That's taiwan garbage pricing and most likely that's what those viking coilovers are. Koni on the other hand are top-notch pieces, there's a reason Koni's are near $1,000 just for shocks.
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