[petevandine]

I love my SE, but my wife objects to the harsh ride on rough roads, which we have a lot of in PA, and I tend to agree with her. Are there modifications that can be made to the suspension, i.e., increase suspension travel and soften damping to make a more comfortable ride without significantly sacrificing the fine handling attributes? I fully understand that the SE is sport tuned for superior handling. And I know that the integral suspension components are designed to work together, and changing one component can have unintended consequences.
I plan to order 17 inch wheels with winter tires for the winter season, and that will give me a sense of how much of the harsh ride is attributable to the 18 inch wheels, although winter tires are not a very good substitute.
Any insight will be much appreciated.

 

[jdubs]

I think the 17's will make a big difference. To me the harsh ride is less about the suspension and more about the wheel/ tire combination. I am convinced that some of the issue is those stock tires.

 

[RamKat]

There are folks that have noticed that adding a strut bar reduces the harshness somewhat - something to try

 

[ssmuff]

To me the SE ride isn't harsh. So why buy a car that rides harsh to you in the first place?

 

[gregd71]

QUOTE (ssmuff @ Jul 28 2010, 09:49 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=345731

To me the SE ride isn't harsh. So why buy a car that rides harsh to you in the first place?

you probably cant get the full effect on a short test drive. i find myself avoiding a gauntlet of pot holes and patch bumps around here because of the stiifness. even so i wouldnt trade mine for any other model.

edit: freehold hyundai didnt even have an SE in stock when i purchased mine, i had to test drive a limited and then wait for an SE to be taken off a boat. thats another possibility as to why.... maybe

 

[chitown1211]

I just put 18" SE wheels on my GLS. The ride is almost identical to the stock 16's. The added harshness is barely noticable. I was expecting the ride to feel very harsh, but I am pleasantly surprised. You can definitly feel the much better grip though.

I don't think 17's are going to help you much. I would leave the 18's on and get a set of GLS spings and shocks. I bet they bolt right on. But you should verify this first of course.

 

[ssmuff]

To me its a mind set. **** anytime you read or hear that it will ride harsher it will if you let your mind think so.

 

[eyecue]

QUOTE (ssmuff @ Jul 29 2010, 11:13 AM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=345869

To me its a mind set. **** anytime you read or hear that it will ride harsher it will if you let your mind think so.

Yep, mind over matter.

 

[NT2SHBBY]

QUOTE (ssmuff @ Jul 28 2010, 09:49 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=345731

To me the SE ride isn't harsh. So why buy a car that rides harsh to you in the first place?

+1...and I'm one of those guys who prefers a caddy ride....

 

[jneilon]

My car is an SE, and I drove a loaner GLS for about 100 miles while the SE was in minor service. I could not tell the difference at all. I live in the chicago area where the roads can get rough.

 

[dmlexpert]

One thought I had regarding the SE in question:
- If relatively new to the owner in the OP, it could have the famous "tire pressure at 60psi so they don't flat-spot" factory tweak that will make the 18 inch wheel/tire combo even stiffer. Check the pressure and set it to the recommended placard pressure if it's not already there.

 

[petevandine]

QUOTE (DMLexpert @ Jul 29 2010, 02:38 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=345938

One thought I had regarding the SE in question:
- If relatively new to the owner in the OP, it could have the famous "tire pressure at 60psi so they don't flat-spot" factory tweak that will make the 18 inch wheel/tire combo even stiffer. Check the pressure and set it to the recommended placard pressure if it's not already there.

I had checked the pressure and reduced it to 33 lbs. The suspension appears to be the primary factor. I am wondering what modifications can be made which will improve "ride" without dramatically compromising handling.

 

[jwaters943]

The strut bar made a slight improvement for me in terms of ride quality. It's still very firm, but some of the harshness from sharp impacts has been reduced, and handling/responsiveness in the twisties is MUCH improved. I think changing tires would make a significant difference. The Hankooks are junk. Try the Continental ExtremeContact DWS tires, they're highly rated at Tire Rack. Truth be told, even the GLS/Limited doesn't ride like a Camry so it's never going to be a super cushy car.

I think part of the issue why the car feels so firm and unyielding, at least to me, are due to the seats. They're more than just firm. They're hard, with very little give. I think Hyundai would be wise to add a 1/2 -3/4" of of soft padding under the leather/fabric.

 

[Desertsky]

QUOTE (jwaters943 @ Jul 29 2010, 10:39 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=346039

The strut bar made a slight improvement for me in terms of ride quality. It's still very firm, but some of the harshness from sharp impacts has been reduced, and handling/responsiveness in the twisties is MUCH improved. I think changing tires would make a significant difference. The Hankooks are junk. Try the Continental ExtremeContact DWS tires, they're highly rated at Tire Rack. Truth be told, even the GLS/Limited doesn't ride like a Camry so it's never going to be a super cushy car.

I think part of the issue why the car feels so firm and unyielding, at least to me, are due to the seats. They're more than just firm. They're hard, with very little give. I think Hyundai would be wise to add a 1/2 -3/4" of of soft padding under the leather/fabric.

+ 1 on the strut bar I notices a slight improvment also on ride and BIG on cornering!

 

[jdubs]

Suspensions do seem to soften up over time which is one of the reasons I bought the SE in the first place. Or maybe I just get used to it?
On a different note, I took my car to the dealer yesterday for an oil change. My salesman told me they were out of SEs and could not get any more at this time. Big demand and the good people of Alabama not wanting to work overtime. Then again, can you blame them?

 

[itsjusme51]

i live in western pa....and the ride is harsh. but as stated above i think its just our stiff suspension, which i knew to expect when i got the SE. the strut bar DOES help a good deal in my opinion.

 

[DonRich90]

QUOTE (jdubs @ Jul 30 2010, 03:01 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=346190

Suspensions do seem to soften up over time which is one of the reasons I bought the SE in the first place. Or maybe I just get used to it?.............. My salesman told me they were out of SEs and could not get any more at this time.

I agree. Either mine has softened up some after 5,000 miles or I'm used to it. However, I never thought it was "harsh" in the first place. Firmer than the others but not harsh or uncomfortable.
My dealer can't get SE's either (they sold 167 Hyundai's in July - 6 were SE's). They've got orders and deposits for a bunch of SE's and can't find them. In fact, the sales manager just offered to trade my SE and give me what I paid for it. He said he could still make money even on a used SE. It was tempting but I couldn't think of anything on the lot I would rather have.

Don

 

[petevandine]

QUOTE (itsjusme51 @ Aug 2 2010, 04:40 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=346721

i live in western pa....and the ride is harsh. but as stated above i think its just our stiff suspension, which i knew to expect when i got the SE. the strut bar DOES help a good deal in my opinion.

With the exception of ssmuff, I appreciate your serious and helpful responses. I may install the strut bar and see what impact that makes. It appears that there are very few after-market suspension parts available at this time, and I am sure that will change in the near future. For instance, upgrades to the basic suspension may provide an alternative. I guess I want it all; good handling and a more compliant ride.

 

[Charade]

Would adding a strut bar to a GLS improve it's handling? If so, where can I get one?

 

[itsjusme51]

sharkracing.com or koreanautoimports.com