Longacre Spring Rubbers Installed

[path914]

This may end up a bit long winded so bear with me...

As a preface, my previous cars have all been smaller and sportier than my current Genesis Sedan (Porsche 914, SVT Contour, Mazdaspeed 6, etc.) and heavily modified. This is typically my preference, however a growing family and 80 mile daily commute in traffic has led me to a larger, more comfortable option. I am generally happy with the Genesis as it is nice to have the comfort and auto while sitting in the parking lot that is my commute (I never thought nice and auto would come out of my mouth, lol).

However, there are a few things that really do not suit my tastes. One of them being the suspension tuning from the factory. Unfortunately, there are very few options available to correct this issue. The KDM Bilsteins are hard to get and cost twice as much as they are worth due to the shipping and small production and the only other options are low quality coil overs that I would never consider.

Soooooo... This has been an issue that has come up in several conversations between myself and various people I know who work in the suspension industry over the years. Recently, I was speaking with a friend who wrenches for a few race teams and he brought up the spring rubbers that Longacre produces for fine tuning race car spring rates. These spring rubbers are a really basic design, they just fit between the coils of the factory springs and based on the durometer, increase the overall spring rate slightly. My feeling was that by increasing the spring rate slightly, there would be a better match to the shocks which would benefit the handling and ride as well.

After taking some measurements and contacting Longacre in regards to my plans, they confirmed that they had some of the spring rubbers that would fit. Although they sell them in a wide range of durometers, they recommended using one of the two stiffest models, either Blue 50 or Black 70. I chose to try the Blue model as an initial test. Installation is as easy as it comes... cut the spring rubber so that it can separate and follow the spring, raise the car slightly, put it in place in the middle of the coils and lower the car.

After driving with the spring rubbers installed for two weeks and around 500 miles, I am more than pleasantly surprised. I was just hoping for a slight improvement and a lack of negative trade-offs. What I have found it that they have made a significant improvement in both the ride comfort and handling of the car. Granted, they are no replacement for a quality set of matched shocks and springs, but there is noticeably less dive, squat and lean. Also, they seem to have negated some of the sharp impacts that I have always experienced in this car, which I take to confirm my thoughts about the suspension being overdampened and/or undersprung from the factory.

The only negative has been the cost, which at $36.95 per corner plus shipping seems like a ridiculous amount for a few pieces of rubber. However, when looking at it from the perspective of the increased satisfaction I get while driving, it is a cost that I would gladly pay. Hell, its only $40 more than the rigid collars I purchased which provided a much more minor effect.

Anyway, I just wanted to share my experience and let the community know of another possible option for those of us who like to tinker and improve our cars. YMMV...

Longacre Coil Spring Rubbers

 

[NJTom]

what year is your genny?

thanks for the info. I wonder why they suggested the blue or black. I would assume these to be too stiff and actually make the springs stiffer.

 

[path914]

I have a 2012 3.8. The whole point is to make the spring rate stiffer. Based on my experience with the blue, i would agree with their suggestion as any softer would not provide as much benefit.

In fact, i think the black may be even better, i was simply being conservative as i wanted to avoid having the issue of too high a spring rate, but after using them, i do not think that this is really a concern.

 

[zielritter]

What's the difference between this product and the coil spring spacers I see at a much lower price?

Example: http://www.speedwaymotors.com/Rubber-Coil-Spring-Spacer,689.html

 

[path914]

What's the difference between this product and the coil spring spacers I see at a much lower price?

Example: http://www.speedwaymotors.com/Rubber-Coil-Spring-Spacer,689.html

Good question.

Without seeing these in person I do not know for sure, but it appears that these are made from actual rubber. The Longacre ones are not actually rubber, but a polyurethane material, which should be significantly more durable. Also, I doubt that ones made from rubber will maintain the same durometer over time.

 

[zielritter]

Good question.

Without seeing these in person I do not know for sure, but it appears that these are made from actual rubber. The Longacre ones are not actually rubber, but a polyurethane material, which should be significantly more durable. Also, I doubt that ones made from rubber will maintain the same durometer over time.

Yeah, it seems that these things eventually break down and aren't a long term solution. I wonder how long yours will last. Most people use the rubber ones as a temporarily fix for sagging springs. Did it raise the ride height at all of your Genesis?

 

[path914]

No change in ride height as they are not touching the coils at rest, only in compression. From speaking with friends that use them on their race cars, these should last the lifetime of the car. The rubber ones used for suspension support are completely different.

 

[JAQ]

I have a 2012 3.8. The whole point is to make the spring rate stiffer. Based on my experience with the blue, i would agree with their suggestion as any softer would not provide as much benefit.

In fact, i think the black may be even better, i was simply being conservative as i wanted to avoid having the issue of too high a spring rate, but after using them, i do not think that this is really a concern.

Thanks for posting, is yours a base model?

I've been having issues with the suspension as well and it's damn shame because overall I enjoy the car! It's just at some points during highway driving I get this 'uneasy' feel, where I have to constantly correct the steering. The dealership even did an alignment but still have the same issue. Drove with the tech, but were unable to get on the highway so the tech didn't fully understand the problem. He even hooked up the computer to the car to see if he could change any suspension settings, but was unable to change any settings as I have the base model.

I'm still deciding if I should do these little upgrades or just trade in the car. At some points I even feel unsafe driving the car. Total bummer as I enjoy it for the most part and just purchased less than 2 months ago.

So far these are the upgrades I would be looking at:

• Michelin or Continental Tires, set at 3 psi lower than factory (Currently have OEM Dunlops, Brand New)
• Rigid Collars
• Spring Rubber Mounts

 

[path914]

Yes, i have a base model. However, except for the r-spec, all models have the same suspension. The suspension is not electronic, so settings cannot be adjusted by computer on any Genesis.

The factory psi is 33, there would be no benefit to going lower, however almost any tire would be better than the stock dunlops.

 

[zielritter]

Thanks for posting, is yours a base model?

I've been having issues with the suspension as well and it's damn shame because overall I enjoy the car! It's just at some points during highway driving I get this 'uneasy' feel, where I have to constantly correct the steering. The dealership even did an alignment but still have the same issue. Drove with the tech, but were unable to get on the highway so the tech didn't fully understand the problem. He even hooked up the computer to the car to see if he could change any suspension settings, but was unable to change any settings as I have the base model.

I'm still deciding if I should do these little upgrades or just trade in the car. At some points I even feel unsafe driving the car. Total bummer as I enjoy it for the most part and just purchased less than 2 months ago.

So far these are the upgrades I would be looking at:

• Michelin or Continental Tires, set at 3 psi lower than factory (Currently have OEM Dunlops, Brand New)
• Rigid Collars
• Spring Rubber Mounts

I have the base model too, so I can chime in. The uneasy feeling is most likely at least partly your crap tires. I have a really nice set of all season Michelin Primacy tires that sound and ride great. When I switch to my summer Goodyears, which are a much older design (not to mention cheaper), I get the same sensation you describe.

I have the rigid collars and that didn't help with the "twitchiness". I do notice that on colder mornings it does ride a little more settled so dropping the PSI might help. I really think it also has something to do with the alignment. I've had all four tires road forced balanced successfully and still nothing appreciable changed.

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[FastDEW1]

What I have concluded is that no tire, rigid collar, sway bar, etc., will actually make these cars ride and handle like they should. Basically Hyundai totally screwed the suspension on these cars. It is a shame really, because the rest of the car is nice. But the suspension totally ruins it.

The only viable solution. Sell or trade in and get a different car.......

 

[path914]

What I have concluded is that no tire, rigid collar, sway bar, etc., will actually make these cars ride and handle like they should. Basically Hyundai totally screwed the suspension on these cars. It is a shame really, because the rest of the car is nice. But the suspension totally ruins it.

The only viable solution. Sell or trade in and get a different car.......

While I obviously prefer a more sporty ride as I mention in the OP, I wouldn't necessarily say that these cars do not ride "like they should". These are not designed to be sports sedans, they are designed as quasi-luxury full size sedans and the suspension is designed accordingly. If you drive any other comparable models in the class (Avalon, 300m, RLX, MKS, etc.), they are all fairly softly sprung with lots of body movement. The average age of the buyers of these cars is in the mid-60's after all.

With the exception of the pre-2012 models, as the suspension tuning on earlier models is truly bad, I would say that the Genesis is competitive in the segment. Unfortunately, this car has just about zero domestic aftermarket support, so if you prefer a more sporty ride the options are minimal.

I would love to hear a review of the KDM NeoTech sway bars as they would probably resolve some of my issues with the suspension, however no one has provided such a review and the cost with international shipping is ridiculously high for a pair of sway bars ($600-$700).

 

[JAQ]

Yes, i have a base model. However, except for the r-spec, all models have the same suspension. The suspension is not electronic, so settings cannot be adjusted by computer on any Genesis.

The factory psi is 33, there would be no benefit to going lower, however almost any tire would be better than the stock dunlops.

The tech was seeing what could be changed when he hooked up the computer to the car, not changing settings by computer.

I've heard different opinions on the tire psi.

I have the base model too, so I can chime in. The uneasy feeling is most likely at least partly your crap tires. I have a really nice set of all season Michelin Primacy tires that sound and ride great. When I switch to my summer Goodyears, which are a much older design (not to mention cheaper), I get the same sensation you describe.

I have the rigid collars and that didn't help with the "twitchiness". I do notice that on colder mornings it does ride a little more settled so dropping the PSI might help. I really think it also has something to do with the alignment. I've had all four tires road forced balanced successfully and still nothing appreciable changed.

Thanks for the advice, bummer to hear no noticeable changes :/

What I have concluded is that no tire, rigid collar, sway bar, etc., will actually make these cars ride and handle like they should. Basically Hyundai totally screwed the suspension on these cars. It is a shame really, because the rest of the car is nice. But the suspension totally ruins it.

The only viable solution. Sell or trade in and get a different car.......

I'm pretty much at this point..

 

[FastDEW1]

While I obviously prefer a more sporty ride as I mention in the OP, I wouldn't necessarily say that these cars do not ride "like they should". These are not designed to be sports sedans, they are designed as quasi-luxury full size sedans and the suspension is designed accordingly. If you drive any other comparable models in the class (Avalon, 300m, RLX, MKS, etc.), they are all fairly softly sprung with lots of body movement. The average age of the buyers of these cars is in the mid-60's after all.

With the exception of the pre-2012 models, as the suspension tuning on earlier models is truly bad, I would say that the Genesis is competitive in the segment. Unfortunately, this car has just about zero domestic aftermarket support, so if you prefer a more sporty ride the options are minimal.

I would love to hear a review of the KDM NeoTech sway bars as they would probably resolve some of my issues with the suspension, however no one has provided such a review and the cost with international shipping is ridiculously high for a pair of sway bars ($600-$700).

I have the 2011 and that's the point. It is bouncy, harsh and generally not comfortable, while giving little to no real handling benefit.

I have considered swapping in the entire 2012 suspension setup. However it seems the cost isn't worth it. So I'm driving it as is until I trade on something else later this year. I love the power train actually. But hate the terrible suspension.

 

[path914]

I have the 2011 and that's the point. It is bouncy, harsh and generally not comfortable, while giving little to no real handling benefit.

I have considered swapping in the entire 2012 suspension setup. However it seems the cost isn't worth it. So I'm driving it as is until I trade on something else later this year. I love the power train actually. But hate the terrible suspension.

Yeah, if you have pre-'12 forget it. I drove one a couple of years before getting my car and it was one of the worst factory suspension tunes I've driven in. At least you got the better 6 speed transmission...

 

[Rob]

Got a question on this topic. I have an 09 that I want to keep for the long haul. It's a pretty nice car and compared to what else is out there for the price its still a great deal. Obviously, the suspension on my car is the worst of what Hyundai offered, but subjectively, I don't hate it. Most of the time I can deal with it, but on real bumpy roads, the wallowing is a bit much.

Does anyone with experience with these spring rubbers have any opinion as to if they would reduce the excessive bounce in an 09? The conclusion that these cars are overdamped or undersprung makes sense so in theory it should help. Also, if the blue is good, would the black be better?

Down the road I will do something more permanent such as upgrade to '12 suspension or try to source some better shocks/struts, but in the meantime I'd like to improve it on the cheap if possible. The car has 72,000 miles so some of the suspension parts are already nearing the end of their service life, but if this would help it could also be used on subsequent changes.

Looking forward to your replies.

 

[Mark_888]

Got a question on this topic. I have an 09 that I want to keep for the long haul. It's a pretty nice car and compared to what else is out there for the price its still a great deal. Obviously, the suspension on my car is the worst of what Hyundai offered, but subjectively, I don't hate it. Most of the time I can deal with it, but on real bumpy roads, the wallowing is a bit much.

Does anyone with experience with these spring rubbers have any opinion as to if they would reduce the excessive bounce in an 09? The conclusion that these cars are overdamped or undersprung makes sense so in theory it should help. Also, if the blue is good, would the black be better?

Down the road I will do something more permanent such as upgrade to '12 suspension or try to source some better shocks/struts, but in the meantime I'd like to improve it on the cheap if possible. The car has 72,000 miles so some of the suspension parts are already nearing the end of their service life, but if this would help it could also be used on subsequent changes.

Looking forward to your replies.

The quickest/cheapest suspension fix you can do for a 2009 is to swap out the rear stabilizer bar with a 2012-2014 version. The part is about $125. Obviously, you can swap out other suspension parts (springs, struts/shocks), but that gets a little more expensive, and entails more difficult/costly labor. Careful choice of tires is also important for the 2009 (with emphasis on ride comfort).

 

[Rob]

Good point on the tires. I did switch out the Dunlops when they wore out to Michelins and as many have testified it made a huge difference.

Since some of you have been down this road before, how would you rate the sway bar swap? Did it make more of a difference than new/different tires, or less? It sure falls into the "on the cheap" category and I won't have any difficulty installing it.

Thanks for the recommendation.