94eg!

iTrader: (2)

Koni's would be overkill for OEM soft springs. While you "can" adjust the damping-rebound-rate way down to work with your soft OEM springs, it wouldn't make much sense to pay so much for dampers that require such a soft setting. That is unless you are bound by a racing rulebook. If you are going to run stock springs, use a stock style damper (KYB Excel-G are good an inexpensive).

Nave43

Thank for the input kind of what i was afraid of. The Konis are more or less to leave room for upgrade if were ever out of Pennsylvania and have the ability to lower (plus lifetime warranty). Was more or less worried about the mean time.

You are definitely the grumpiest but brutal honestly is the best way to learn anything in a hurry. You have the strangest way of being incredibly helpful. So i am looking for struts with an adjustable dampening rate to match whatever spring end up on the car at whatever time.

grumblemarc

iTrader: (4)

Just save yourself the hassle of trying to match up shocks and springs. Go with a combo that is already proven with rates you can pick. Koni/GC with 350/250 or 350/350 or even 450/350 rates. Higher rates the lower you go. Lower rate in back for "comfort". Personally I went with Progress CS2 with 350/250 rates and added a rear 22mm? (can't remember) swaybar with a 1.5" drop.

Nave43

Trust me i would love to save the time and effort and just get the Koni/GC combo. But right now i live in P.A. and cant afford to loose any ride height (Runner up for worlds largest potholes). That is how i ended up in this predicament... trying to upgrade suspension but all aftermarket springs lower the car by at least a half inch or so(Koni/gc loose 1/2" at there highest i believe), that coupled with an H brace and i am gonna bottom out in a pothole. I could always just avoid back roads but that's the funnest part of the Del Sol and also my main reason for wanting the upgrade. These winding mountain roads are so fun but very rough indeed.

Still really appreciate the info though, i know you have noobs like myself hastleing you for info on a daily basis.

grumblemarc

iTrader: (4)

That is an ADJUSTABLE setup. Meaning you can adjust it to any height you want to. Including stock height.

TunerN00b

As long as he doesn't use extended upper shock mounts that is.

I have the GC ones, and preloading the front springs about as much as I can by hand, the car is still 1" lower than stock.

Without them, I could go higher than stock.

Del Sol, Integra, same suspension, so the height range should be similar.

And Nave43, ditch the H brace. That's doing nothing but killing your ground clearance. It also has nothing to do with "bottoming out". If you don't want to bottom out, run an adequate spring rate for your desired ride height.

grumblemarc

iTrader: (4)

Yeah. He didn't mention them so I didn't either. He's confused enough.

Nave43

Just realized i have been told that once before.. and now i feel like an *** clown for wasting your time.

Definitely confused lol

As for the bottoming out, that's what we call it around here when you drag frame. But technically yeah your right. The H brace is for body flex but its not installed yet so i dont even know if it will help with that.

One last thing, since the coil overs are adjustable should i pick rates for the height i will use them most often? Would that make the adjustable part more or less worthless? If you read what i posted about the other thread... my bad.

dmemenza

iTrader: (3)

This is my ride...98 Integra


I found a set of GC coils in my garage that I purchased for my 93 Civic a while back. I thought they were just springs, but it came with threaded collars and adjustable (up/down) ring.


I checked GC's website and they are 340 front/ 250 rear. Looking at the ride height in the 1st pic, would these spring rates be suitable for the height I'm at now? I was considering purchasing a set of Koni Yellows or Tokico Illuminas to go with these. Here are a couple of more pics showing how much of a gap I have in the front and rear wheel wells and tires.




I have about a finger gap in between. I just wanna make sure the spring rates I have are suitable for the current ride height I currently am at. And most importantly, its suitable for a DD car. Right now, my rear is bouncing up and down like crazy because of blown shocks. Front's still have some life. I'm ok with stiffness...Stiffness is ok. Just can't take the tremendous bounciness I'm currently dealing with.

Thanks!

- DM

TunerN00b

You might want to be a little stiffer up front, but should be fine if you don't have issues making use of the bumpstops to create a progressive rate before bottoming out.

grumblemarc

iTrader: (4)

Pics no work?

TunerN00b

That's because the URLs are web pages, not images.

Middle click to open in new tab works.

You'd think people who want help would test drive their post...

dmemenza

iTrader: (3)

^ I did test drive my post, but either way, whether it were inserting an image or web link, it required a URL. I didn't see any other way of attaching pics, so I just chose one of the two.

dmemenza

iTrader: (3)

Thanks. How much would I have to adjust my ride height up front, you think, to make these spring rates suitable?

Thanks,

- DM

TunerN00b

If you can't make use of bumpstops as I described, probably 1" up to be safe. If you can, you can go to flushed tires with those rates. It really depends on the road conditions and how fast you intend to drive over things like potholes and such.

If handling is the goal, you generally don't want to deal with progressive rates. If a lowered street car is the goal, use the bumpstops. They're a fantastic tool for allowing small bump compliance yet preventing bottoming out on the big ones. Requires a bit of measuring and sourcing parts though.

dmemenza

iTrader: (3)

Nah, probably no bumpstops for me, if I can avoid it. Lowered DD street car is the goal. No tracking or auto-crossing or anything like that for me. Just up and down the highway to work and back home. Road conditions are not bad, but some parts are not really good. I live in the DC Metro area, so any place like Downtown Baltimore or DC are not very friendly spots for me to drive. I'm conscious of that, however. I also am conscious and avoid as much as possible, things like potholes and large bumps in the road. I've had to train myself on how to properly drive a lowered vehicle. I am just trying to make my ride as comfortable as possible, while lowered, considering this is the car I drive every day. I don't mind stiffness at all; can't stand bouciness. Right now, the front end is stiff (can deal with that). Back-end of car is bouncy as hell (not tolerable).

Thanks,

- DM

PS - I also have a set of Progess CSII coilovers, 450 all around. Perhaps this will work better?

4DoorCivicSi

Extremely helpful thread. Amazing what search could do lol.

92_civic_eg

But what about Megan suspension? I've heard good things about them, the EZ streets in particular from someone who's car was dd/autox, and they are pretty affordable at about $700

grumblemarc

iTrader: (4)

Megan=crap. Since when is Megan a suspension company?

92_civic_eg

Megan Racing, didn't mean that they only make suspension components, I was just referring to the suspension products by Megan, but thanks for your opinion, what r they comparable to? Complete **** or like function forms? http://www.meganracing.com/products/special.asp?special_id=2

There they are in case you've never seen them, idk how to make it a clickable link tho

grumblemarc

iTrader: (4)

Function & Form is **** too.

Veradux

Thanks for making this. I learned a lot.

wtsapexipowerfc

Great write up about shocks and springs.

I was just interested to know what your ride height is and what ride height do you recommend for a daily driven civic?

I may plan to turbo the car down the road and might do some tracking but not 100% sure.

What bushings should also be replaced if I want that nice even look when the car is sitting still.

I need a spring rate that is still safe for winter driving

DC_Addict

Great read, thanks for dropping some knowledge!

nateasham

Thanks for all the information it has helped me lots on the brand choice for my suspension setup. i have a 97 Del sol with B18C5 swap. i drive quite aggressively and this car only sees warm dry pavement. my budget was about $800 but im pretty certain i have decided to move up to the koni/GC "Honda-tech kit" with top hats offered by Ground Control for $1050 (and wait another month) however i know i want to go low (near total elimination of tire gap) and stiff (no bouncing up and down and little to no lean in corning) i am looking for a mostly nuetral setup leaning more towards a VERY slight oversteer and from what i understand i wanted to be near the 500lb/in spring rate in the front and back but the highest rate offered in the kit is 430lb/in front and back. i have good feeling that Ground Control honestly believes this is enough for what their design is, but i am curious if that sounds fitting for what i am hoping it will do for me.