Pompiuses

I'm using Koni Ground Coilovers with 8041-1152RACE dampers in the front of my 1992 EG Civic with Eibach springs #200.64.77. The problem is that the ride height is too low even when adjusted to max. I'd like about 1/2" more ride height. I've tried taller springs but that of course didn't change anything. Is there anything at all I can do to raise ride height without changing to a taller damper?

solo-x

The only way a longer spring of the same rate wouldn't raise the ride height is if you've topped the damper out at the ride height you're currently at. You would have to raise the ride height higher than stock to do that.

What spring rate is that? 200mm is the length (7.8"), 64 is the ID (2.5") but it can't be 77kg/mm. Maybe 77N/mm or 7.7kg/mm? Either works out to around 400lbs/in I think. That's a pretty soft spring, but you should be able to get a reasonable ride height with the Koni circlip set on the high groove and GC collars turned near the middle of the range. If you're at the top of the range you've a) assembled something wrong b) the spring has collapsed c) the rate is much lower. At any rate, a longer spring or higher spring rate should get you a higher ride height unless you assembled something wrong.

mugen22

What are your spring rates? How long are your springs? Is the circlip on the lowest setting? Any photos?

FYI, if you run a longer spring at the exact same rate you have, it will raise the car. The only exception is if the springs are fully compressed causing the car to rest on the bumpstops. That would indicate that you need stiffer springs!

Brian.

90_EX_Civic

OP, when you bought your koni's with the race option, did you make sure to tell them that you wanted the shocks to retain a stock length? meaning the spss3's run a shorter shock with a re-valve.

when you bought the koni's, you should have told them that you just wanted the otc koni yellow's re-valved to spss3 specs.

the shortened shocks are about 1/2"-1" shorter.

Pompiuses

I don't think I've assembled something wrong. There's only one way to put them together really. Added an attachment of the fronts assembled (I've later changed to using stock top hats). Circlip is one the top setting. Spring rate is 7.7kg (430lbs). These shocks are the shortened ones (race option), not the otc koni yellow's with spss3 valving. I guess I should've specified that.

90_EX_Civic

yea, that means that they are shorter. it's that 1/2"-1" you were looking for.

Black R

Use regular top hats instead of the gc ones then?

TunerN00b

Shouldn't use extended upper shock mounts with shortened shocks.

mugen22

I know this is may be a silly question, but where are your lower spring perches set vs. where they are shown in the photo?

beanbag

reading comprehension fails all around

Jenkinsal2

For Real, What is with you guys today...

OP If the shocks are assembled correctly and it is still too low then you need more spring to raise it up. The springrate will tell you how far the spring will compress with each cornerweight on it. If you wanted the car higher I would recommend swaping out for some OTS koni shocks. PM me if you decide to get rid of yours.

solo-x

I've used Koni Race on an EG with those spring rates/lengths and the GC collars. I could get anything I wanted for a ride height, though higher ride heights required pre loading the spring. Do not use the GC hats (sounds like you already figured that out) with the Koni RACE dampers. Can you show the shocks on the car and where the perch is adjusted to? By "adjusted to the max", what do you mean? The collar all the way to the top of the sleeve? And what is your current ride height (wheel center to fender)?

Pompiuses

I haven't measured the ride height but I can barely get two fingers between top of the fender and tire. By adjusted to max I mean the perch is adjusted up as far as I can get it by hand before the load of the spring get too heavy. Yeah I could get a spanner wrench and try to compress/preload the spring further for more ride height. But I'm not sure how much I'd gain from it though...

redzcstandardhatch

you'd gain (in ride height) however much you crank it up. i promise.


OR, take the setup apart, adjust up the sleeve to your height, and GET A SPRING COMPRESSOR SETUP to put it together, like an OEM setup

this isnt that tough, you can do it!

spanner wrenches will probably do it. when the car puts weight on the spring, it compresses a LOT more than you'll compress it with those spanner wrenches. CRANK EM UP!

solo-x

I had a feeling that is what you meant. You will need a spanner wrench to preload the spring. I used a strap wrench and could raise the perch without issue.

GSRCRXsi

or if you have a GOOD spring compressor you could go that route.

i couldnt find one that would fit the coils though. all the rentable ones from auto stores are the huge ones for strut springs.

beanbag

U need neither a spanner wrench nor a spring compressor.

Jack the front of the car up and take the wheels off. (Put the car on jackstands)

Put the jack under the LCA where the shock mount is and jack up the LCA only very slightly.

Unscrew the shock shaft nuts that hold the top hat on the shock shaft.

Lower the jack. This unloads the spring because the shock now pulls out of the top hat.

Raise the perch as much as you want.

Jack up the LCA again so the shock shaft sticks thru the top hat again and tighten the nuts.

Lower the jack again.

U R done.

Edit: If you need to preload the spring by more than about 1/2" or 3/4", then your shock shaft is too short. Via strategic use of a sleeve, you can raise the mounting position of the top hat relative to the shock shaft to get you more travel/droop.

Pompiuses

Good idea beanbag.

GSRCRXsi

could you clarify this? im not sure i know what you mean. im using the spss3's on my crx with 500lb front springs, a stock top hat, and i still had to preload the spring about 1/2-3/4" and maybe more depending on where ride height ends up.

what do you mean "strategic use of a sleeve"? what sleeve? i even used some thick washers between the stopper on the shaft and the top hat to try and space it up a bit. is that what you mean? if so, it doesnt help much, you can only do so much before you run out of threads for the top nut.

beanbag

It's just some number I made up because I don't like the shocks to have too much preload when they top out.
The sleeve is like your washer trick, except the OD of the sleeve is the same as the stopper. This lets the bump stop slide up onto it. The difference is that your washer trick moves both the shock and bumpstop downwards, whereas the sleeve only moves the shock downwards, therefore increasing travel, provided that the bump stop can stop the shock before it bottoms out.

wEaK Squad *ATL*

iTrader: (2)

not supposed to use extended top hats with spss3's (sortened 10mm/15mm)

VTECIntegra9

I'm not sure if you've had any luck yet, but I noticed this comment and from what I understand from these dampers, they are not made for cars that will be running a ride height any higher than this. The front shocks are shortened by 25mm (~1") and the rear by 15mm (~.6")... Doesn't seem like a ton but will make a big difference in a car that wants to run near ride heights that are not showing more than a bit of fender gap.

Also, did you say you were running stock spring perches or are they like the ones shown in the picture linked above? Moving the spring location upward while keeping the strut in the same place you will have luck. Look at the close system between the spring mounting to the upper strut mount in the sub-frame and the lower mount in the fork... you have to find your adjustment within that space which may involve some custom parts/shims unless you go to a longer shock.

Sorry I'm not much help to give a procedure to try but it's been said above a number of times - I fought with my springs for a month and a half when I was putting them in - ended up making my own parts on the lathe (8hours/each on the small lathe, only a few on the big one at work)... Best of luck.

p.s. PIX OF YOUR SETUP ON THE CAR/OFF THE CAR! :-0

STN_Pat

this topic brings a question to met, about xtended top hats.

Sports Koni are OEM sized, meaning that as soon as you lower more than let's say an inch, you risk running out of travel.

Race units are shortened, to support at least an inch (approx...) of lowering.

How are extended top hats NOT usefull on a track car that is, let's be honest, sometime 2, 2.5 to almost 3 inches down...even if using shortened units ?

I'm personally running near 1k lbs springs all around, 4 extended top hats with race koni. The car is lowered enough to get -2.2 camber up front. I could not imagine running like this without extended top hats, even if shocks are shortened.

Any opinion on why I could be wrong is appreciated. It seems pretty logic to me...shortened konis aren't half size...they're just a few mm shorter, which doesn't help if you're inches down.

Thanks

P.

VTECIntegra9

They do help if you're inches down because you gain an extra inch of travel bump travel! Tell me that's not very much of a difference on a car that is so low... and btw running low is going to really distort your roll centers as well as running into bumpstop territory for a hair more negative camber? - At that point adjustable camber should be looked into so you don't run into other problems associate with over-lowering a track car.

STN_Pat

thanks for suggesting and for your opinion, but this isn't the subject of this topic.

There is a very long topic about my story...which won't be discussed here !