Spherical Ball Joint affect on comfort experience?

[wa-chiss]

I'll be getting some lowering springs and new struts, but I'd like to have the ability to set-up my suspension to my liking. Since I'll be DD the S13, I don't quite like the idea of solid mount (pillow-ball, etc) arms. I feel it'd be too harsh a ride quality for daily use. I can't seem to find much other than Specialty Products Company who makes adjustable arms with rubber bushing mounts. Anyone have any experience with these? They "look" good, but I can't find a "Materials" note anywhere as to what they're made out of. Also, if you DD your car with solid mount arms, how bad is it really?

[centralcoaster33]

It is my understanding that most of the comfort comes from the suspension (springs and dampers) not the joints. Like, stock suspension with all joints being ball would be pretty similar in comfort to OEM. The typical is all ball joints and stiff track suspension, so it's not comfortable, but the primary source of discomfort is the higher spring rate and slower damper. Why are you planning to spend on adjustable arms? You could have OEM with rubber, urethane, or pillowball joints. You could get eccentric bolts if your can't achieve proper alignment with the OEM adjustments. I suppose you're planning on going really low? That will reduce your arm travel, so you get higher spring rates to keep the arm located in a smaller triangle, so you get a damper that handles that without blowing, so you end up with a rougher ride and it's so low that OEM adjustment wont work and you compensate by getting these adjustable arms to correct the geometry. At least I think that's the ripple effect of lowering. Finding someone with ball joints and OEM or 'soft' suspension might be tough.

[wa-chiss]

Mainly I'd like to fine-tune the caster on the front end. Texas has some severely crowned roads and Being able to set the car up to track straight on them is achieved through caster adjustment. I'm only going 1.5-2" lower with springs not coil-overs. So i will get like some KYB's or something and a good spring rate for my liking to keep it comfortable enough to enjoy. I know there's extra harshness with pillow-ball style mounts and was just curious how bad it is through other's experiences.

[centralcoaster33]

Okay, I've had lots of rides on the track (MRLS) in lots of vehicles (from Honda to Ferrari) and no notice of difference between spherical type joints and rubber/ urethane type joints was experienced by me and I am sensitive to lots. I don't know how you know its harsher. I do know it's less sloppy and can be smoother than deteriorated rubber. The change in comfort in my experience has be due to springs and dampers.

Yeah, your caster is stuck from the factory. A stock lower arm with whatever joint you want shouldn't affect ride comfort. An adjustable torsion rod will allow change to caster and could have whatever joint you want and won't affect comfort much, if at all. You can get an adjustable hat to get more camber caster adjustment from the top end of your struts. So, if you put in just an adjustable tension rod with a spherical joint, I don't see a potential for a significant change in comfort.

If you want, I can change the title of this thread to "Do Spherical Ball Joints affect comfort in your experience?" or something of your suggestion. That might get more responses for you.

[wa-chiss]

Yeah, a title change would be nice. Thank you. I guess all my experience with spherical joints comes paired with coil-overs equipped also and that's what I'm confusing with harshness. I do not want to go with coil-overs.