Fortune auto 500 help

[B1G_xyz]

I bought the fortune auto 500s for my sedan in about March and got them around September, but I feel like something is wrong since I got them. At first I installed all 4 with ¼" of preload (8k front, 6k rear on Swift springs), but had very hard launch feeling going over bumps on the highway. I contacted FA and they told me the rears preload is supposed to be ⅛" of preload so I set those the next day, but I still feel the launch of my chair feeling. Currently I have the front damping set at 3 and rear set a 6 as I live in NJ with farly bad roads. Does anyone else experience this with their fortune auto?

 

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[Minty762]

I have FA 500s and have dealt with a similar problem. When you have the rear of the car in the air with the wheels off you should be able grab the springs and twist them back and forth. If you can't move them then there is too much preload.

 

Make sure before you install the rears that you set the height to match where the lower mounting point on the hub is or lower (as in ride height of the car). Then make any further height adjustments after the coilovers are installed.

 

Has the car been previously lowered or was it on stock suspension before? My rear suspension was slammed by the previous owner so when I installed my FAs and tried to raise the rear the hub wanted to sit upwards towards the car. So the hub compresses the shock the more I raise it and I lose shock travel which ruins the ride.

[B1G_xyz]

I have FA 500s and have dealt with a similar problem. When you have the rear of the car in the air with the wheels off you should be able grab the springs and twist them back and forth. If you can't move them then there is too much preload.

 

Make sure before you install the rears that you set the height to match where the lower mounting point on the hub is or lower (as in ride height of the car). Then make any further height adjustments after the coilovers are installed.

 

Has the car been previously lowered or was it on stock suspension before? My rear suspension was slammed by the previous owner so when I installed my FAs and tried to raise the rear the hub wanted to sit upwards towards the car. So the hub compresses the shock the more I raise it and I lose shock travel which ruins the ride.

 

Yea I believe I can't twist the springs atm, I'll jack it up when I get the chance to make sure.

 

As for making sure the hubs are lower, yea I have them at stock ride hight atm.

 

The car was never lowered to my knowledge previously

Edited January 4, 2022 by B1G_xyz

[B1G_xyz]

So I adjusted the springs again yesterday, but here's the weird part. The springs were preloaded pretty high, I didn't take a measurement on how how it was but it was much more that the ⅛ preload I previously set when FA told me to. I reset them to ⅛ compression, and that allowed the springs to rotate, but today's drive felt very similar; bouncy on small road imperfections like a pogo stick, and a hard launch on bigger bumps

 

I have the 7th gen FA, with the Allen screw to lock the spring, the only thing I could think of is that the screw wasn't tight enough and the spring rotated, but wouldn't it drop to a lower preload not a higher?

[Minty762]

So I adjusted the springs again yesterday, but here's the weird part. The springs were preloaded pretty high, I didn't take a measurement on how how it was but it was much more that the ⅛ preload I previously set when FA told me to. I reset them to ⅛ compression, and that allowed the springs to rotate, but today's drive felt very similar; bouncy on small road imperfections like a pogo stick, and a hard launch on bigger bumps

 

I have the 7th gen FA, with the Allen screw to lock the spring, the only thing I could think of is that the screw wasn't tight enough and the spring rotated, but wouldn't it drop to a lower preload not a higher?

 

Did you remove the coilover before adjusting the preload or adjust it still installed?

 

It sounds like your suspension is pre-compressing the shock. You could verify this by taking a measurement of the total shock body length while it is installed with the wheels off the ground. Then remove the lower shock mount and measure again and if it is longer after removal that likely means the suspension is compressing the entire shock.

 

Also I should give an FYI, I am by no means a suspension expert, this is just similar sounding to my issues and this is as far as I've gotten with it.

[B1G_xyz]

Did you remove the coilover before adjusting the preload or adjust it still installed?

 

 

 

It sounds like your suspension is pre-compressing the shock. You could verify this by taking a measurement of the total shock body length while it is installed with the wheels off the ground. Then remove the lower shock mount and measure again and if it is longer after removal that likely means the suspension is compressing the entire shock.

 

 

 

Also I should give an FYI, I am by no means a suspension expert, this is just similar sounding to my issues and this is as far as I've gotten with it.

I actually took it to a authorized FA installation shop, and they told me that the shocks are defective, the shock *rod?* Is shorter than normal; I think he said it's like 2in rather than a normal 3ish in, so it's bottoming out. He also told me the lower bolt mount is loose when it should be tight. So I emailed FA and we're going to see if they can send a replacement. He also adjusted them and while they're still bouncy, it's alot more tolerable now. I believe he added alot more preload for now

 

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[Minty762]

I actually took it to a authorized FA installation shop, and they told me that the shocks are defective, the shock *rod?* Is shorter than normal; I think he said it's like 2in rather than a normal 3ish in, so it's bottoming out. He also told me the lower bolt mount is loose when it should be tight. So I emailed FA and we're going to see if they can send a replacement. He also adjusted them and while they're still bouncy, it's alot more tolerable now. I believe he added alot more preload for now

 

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Interesting result. I'm curious which part exactly is too short as I would like to compare mine as well. If you would, could you possibly let me know which part exactly the the shop was talking about if you find out? And the measurement if possible??

[B1G_xyz]

Interesting result. I'm curious which part exactly is too short as I would like to compare mine as well. If you would, could you possibly let me know which part exactly the the shop was talking about if you find out? And the measurement if possible??

Yea I'll definitely let you know what happens next, currently emailing FA and the shop to know what the next steps are.

 

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[B1G_xyz]

Interesting result. I'm curious which part exactly is too short as I would like to compare mine as well. If you would, could you possibly let me know which part exactly the the shop was talking about if you find out? And the measurement if possible??

Okay so after emailing FA, they sent out new shock body's (the threaded body) and I went back to the same shop so they can install it. They actually told me that they were installed incorrectly and that they were being compressed, similar to what you said. I did not know there was an incorrect way to install them, but now it's like driving on clouds. It's crazy because I almost think that they are more comfortable than stock shocks but with the benefit of being lowered, lighter, and adjustable. The tech also told me that the front was probably installed incorrectly and he said it was kinda rough, but I really can't tell.

 

What I recommend is going to a local FA installer and seeing what your options are.

 

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