I went with the superformance offering as they are readily available. Wish they still sold the FHP sway bars as well to match.
For example. Brand new shock product numbers 183633 183634 Old: 157633 157634 These are both considered standard offerings. I think only someone who has taken both apart to compare will know with absolute certainty.
That's gross . Super Performance likes to use pics of OE stuff, but the actual stuff is something else. For $60 each, not worth the gamble imo.
Yes I’m upset I wasted money on those. I generally enquire if the part is as depicted and more often than not it isn’t. But it’s clear from the picture that the bushing is not factory I didn’t know the OEM type was mono ball when I ordered it many years ago.
I contacted Superformance first for the sway bars. Said not in stock and no ETA. I go on Fchat and find out they've been out of stock since 2017 lol. The rears are readily available at about $350 from Ferrari. The front is the killer. Not available and $1500. I thought I landed one, but it was a fluke. The search continues. That sway bar is worth having reproductions made.
... and that's why we need the Fchat think tank . It's more about the time and installation effort than the money to me.
All I could find was talk around the euro Fiorano package (available the entire model run) and that the shock ecu had a different part number, dampers had the same part number. There was more detailed discussion around custom programming but I can't find it - apparently the stock shock ecu can be flashed but you'd have to find somebody at Ferrari that worked on these cars when new and did those ecu flashes, probably lost to time at this point. It was probably me discussing it tbh, but I don't have the proper google fu to find it tonight. There's a possibility the US fiorano package was different somehow, but highly doubtful as everything I could find said there were no actual custom parts, the fiorano package was mostly challenge parts (sway bars, steering rack, pump, shock ecu?) and some drilled rotors, upgraded pads and red painted calipers. I doubt they'd have made a new run of parts just for the '99 final set, probably using up left over challenge/fiorano parts they had lying around the factory. Ferrari was good like that, make a 'special limited run' to use up extra parts/chassis and charge a mint. The 348SS was the same - try to move the rest of the chassis they had manufactured with all the upgrade parts they'd built over the years thrown in to help move them. The Fioranos were that plus a gap fill until the 360 spyder came out, knowing the US loves their drop tops, so new parts are a bit unlikely.
FHP should have no custom parts outside of possibly the shock ECU. My understanding is it was offered late 98-99 cars only. I never saw a 95-97 equipped with FHP. The only possibility I’m suggesting is late 98-99 cars might have a different standard damper than 95-97. Which would mean FHP springs were paired with the latest iteration of the standard damper. If someone can post a challenge shock ecu part number, that would provide more clarity. To me, it doesn’t make sense the FHP shock ECU and Challenge shock ECU is the same as the damper/spring setup between the cars is just too different. https://www.clubscuderia.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?48281-F355-with-fiorano-handling-pack
@moretti has a factory F355 challenge perhaps he can shed some light on the challenge suspension ECU part number.
I found the answer. I had to dig deep through the F355 Challenge Bible . FHP shock ECU and Challenge shock ECU are not the same. Challenge shock ECU was simply the standard ecu reflashed by Ferrari with the latest update then fitted right before a 355 challenge competition. No special part number. Ferrari must’ve felt the ignition and damper ECUs were important enough to safe-guard against unfair advantages from changes in the programming. In short, no cheating Image Unavailable, Please Login
https://deltavee.net/2013/10/manually-adjusting-ferrari-bilstein-active-damping-system/ “If you have a F355 Challenge make certain your shock ECU is the updated version distributed in 1997 iirc.” - Delta Vee
Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Found a pic of the latest standard rear damper (183634). New. All black shell instead of silver?
I believe the Fiorano cars got the same map - and dealers may be able to do the mapping, if you find one that still supports the 355 challenge cars. If you go through the search you'll find at least one case of a shock ECU with standard part number and a sticker slapped on of superseded part number for the FHP cars, meaning they just flashed it at the factory and stuck it in. There's a possibility the FHP had a different curve, but knowing Ferrari they used the challenge program ostensibly to match the sway bars and higher rate springs. I think the challenge shocks were the same as the street car, so I'm guessing they bumped up the damping curve on the ECU to match the higher spring rates and stiffer bars, and when they did the same to the FHP they also used the challenge shock curve. I know the challenge springs were way stiffer but the curve might have been a good match on street tires, who knows.
At the moment, you can purchase a FHP damper ECU. There is a part number for it. You are correct in that it uses standard hardware, but flashed at the manufacturer with a sticker slapped on. When you look up the part #, it is comes up as FHP for a standard car. It is not listed as a part for a challenge car. Standard shocks have different part numbers front and rear. Challenge shocks have different part numbers from standard and are the same shock all 4 corners (167107). FHP springs are about 210/320 lbs/in. Front/rear. Only 20% stiffer than standard. Challenge springs runs 2200/900 lbs/in Front and Rear. There’s a vast difference between the two setups (and cars), which is why I don’t believe the shock Ecus have the same programming. People in the past just assumed it was the same, but considering only Ferrari knows the details of the maps, it was an unverifiable assumption. Now if someone out there can figure out how to flash the standard ecu to an FHP ecu for a few hundred bucks, he could make some nice change for himself as I think every 355 (non-challenge) will benefit from what I believe is a noticeable performance upgrade based on testimonials. https://www.ferraripartsexchange.com/products/fiorano-handling-pack-suspension-ecu-p002
Hi Elliott, My 1995 F355 Challenge never got the front shock mount modification when it raced in the Challenge Series. Over the years, the 2,200 lb/in front springs were responsible for bad cracking of the sheet metal on the driver's side (my car is LHD). No cracking occurred on the passenger side. Eight years ago, I had the cracking repaired and added custom-made modified shock mounts as the original Challenge part was no longer available. I posted pictures in these two threads: What suspension parts (if any) to replace at 46K miles to improve handling? My track day experience You're correct in planning a more definitive repair in the future especially with your addition of the FHP springs. Barry
I no longer buy anything from Superformance. They used to be a good source, but have gone down hill — in the last order I placed with them I received unbranded pattern parts at comparable price to genuine Ferrari while the photos of the parts on the website look OE. Needless to say, I’m never going to fit some grey box timing belt tensioner bearings on my car! (They were not Hill or Ferrari). I’m not a fan of their order process, either.
* Correction. HE does not offer the lower damper monoball bushing. Fchatters in the 360/430 section confused the hell out of me . If HE did make one, I would highly consider it.
I just received an email response from Superformance. SP: "All photographs are taken from stock items." Me: "Not sure what that implies. Are these pics of actual products we'll receive? If not, do you have actual photos of your offering?" SP: "Correct, all photographs on our website show the items we sell.
I have read over your thread many times Barry this was the reason for me checking in on my shock towers many years back and preemptively buying the challenge updates. I decided to go ahead and do it. I bought some seam buster tools, strip discs, spot weld removal bits and I have already started to drill out the spot welds on the suspension mounts. The new updated parts are significantly stiffer and a much better design. Will post some progress pics as I go along. I will be doing the removal and I will have a fabricator come in and weld the mounts when it is at that stage.
Fiorano springs are in. Here is a direct comparison between the really long and soft stock spring versus the Fiorano spec spring. The new spring is much shorter and the coils thicker. The length of the new spring is 28cm approx or 11 inches. The stock rears are still installed, however the rear Fiorano spring (progressive) is the same length as the new fronts. Image Unavailable, Please Login
I hope the pictures I posted in those two threads are a good guide for you to do what needs to be done, Elliott. My repairs and shock mount modification were fully photo-documented. Let me know if you need any additional pictures. Beginning with MY1996, the sheet metal and shock mounts were beefed up on production cars and the Challenge updates were no longer necessary. Your planned modification should easily be able to handle the Fiorano springs. Barry
Got the entire rear suspension out ready for a thorough cleaning and the bushing replacement. New drop links arrived for the stabilizer bars too. A comparison of the rear Fiorano spring versus the factory spring is below. Slightly taller on the fiorano and progress. So it’s stiffer and taller so you will need to wind the perch down atleast an inch to be at the same ride height I’d imagine as stock. There is only approx 2 inches total left of thread on the shock at the height it was at current. So I don’t think you can have the slammed look with the Fiorano springs, which is fine by me as I don’t want it to scrape everywhere. Fronts have room to really lower it as the coil is shorter. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Dampers all cleaned up and the Fiorano springs fitted - nothing adjusted yet as the dampers will go off for a rebuild and re valve to suit. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login