civic_tko

Using my incredible intuition and remarkable common sense, I'm figuring that I'll want to change my KYB AGXs to a softer setting as to avoid bouncing around on the ice this winter and crashing... (like I did twice last year, although not due to bouncing). Makes sense, but... it's better to be safe than sorry. So, am I correct on this?

lowrightor

I'm wondering about this myself. Is softer better? Should I turn my Comptech rear sway bar down from medium to low?

suspendedHatch

When there is less traction, there is less load placed on the chassis and suspension. So you need softer springs, softer swaybars, more positive camber, different tires, more brake bias to the rear, etc. In rain or if the surface is bumpier, I would raise the ride height as well. These settings will grip better on rain, gravel, or low traction surfaces than settings that are for high grip smooth surfaces.

lowrightor

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by shaundrake &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">When there is less traction, there is less load placed on the chassis and suspension. So you need softer springs, softer swaybars, more positive camber, different tires, more brake bias to the rear, etc. In rain or if the surface is bumpier, I would raise the ride height as well. These settings will grip better on rain, gravel, or low traction surfaces than settings that are for high grip smooth surfaces.</TD></TR></TABLE>

I'm getting snow tires, turning my Koni shocks to full soft, and setting my sway bar to low. I guess that is all I can do?

originalsin

just a thought but why not just swap back stock suspension? and if you dont have it go to a yard and get it, thats what i plan on doing, nys uses salt , so i wana try n keep the expensive stuff as clean as possible

93CivicSI

Remember that a narrow cross section tire will give you better Slippery conditions grip that a Fat or Wide tire will.

i.e. a 175/70/13 tire will grip in the snow better than a 195/50/15 - not to mention the differences in winter tire or snowtire tread compounds...

lowrightor

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by originalsin &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">just a thought but why not just swap back stock suspension? and if you dont have it go to a yard and get it, thats what i plan on doing, nys uses salt , so i wana try n keep the expensive stuff as clean as possible
</TD></TR></TABLE>

Is there a huge advantage to running my koni yellows on full soft with eibach prokit (dropped 1.5 inches) vs. stock suspension? Is it worth the cost of swapping it in for one winter?

suspendedHatch

What do you mean cost? Swapping back your old suspension should be free. Did you throw it all away?

I would recommend keeping your Konis on since your old struts are probably badly worn or blown. The Konis will do a better job of keeping your tires on the road. Going full soft isn't necessarily a good thing. You need the struts to dampen the springs properly. If at high speeds with low bumps, the car seems to float, the struts are too soft. After hitting a bump, the suspension should do one compression, half a rebound and then be at rest. If the suspension bounces more than that, youre way too soft. I would think that your snow setting would be close or the same as your street setting. But its likely your running too stiff for the street because you think stiff is better. So its really hard to say w/out driving your car myself.

I'm using 1-5 Illuminas, 5 being the stiffest. On the front I have it set to 3 and the rear is set to 2, with 2 being just a bit too stiff but 1 being way too soft. 5 is ridiculously high even for track use on the springs that came with the kit.

lowrightor

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by shaundrake &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">What do you mean cost? Swapping back your old suspension should be free. Did you throw it all away?

I would recommend keeping your Konis on since your old struts are probably badly worn or blown. The Konis will do a better job of keeping your tires on the road. Going full soft isn't necessarily a good thing. You need the struts to dampen the springs properly. If at high speeds with low bumps, the car seems to float, the struts are too soft. After hitting a bump, the suspension should do one compression, half a rebound and then be at rest. If the suspension bounces more than that, youre way too soft. I would think that your snow setting would be close or the same as your street setting. But its likely your running too stiff for the street because you think stiff is better. So its really hard to say w/out driving your car myself.

I'm using 1-5 Illuminas, 5 being the stiffest. On the front I have it set to 3 and the rear is set to 2, with 2 being just a bit too stiff but 1 being way too soft. 5 is ridiculously high even for track use on the springs that came with the kit.</TD></TR></TABLE>

What did people tell you about assumptions.

The cost of removing the koni shocks and eibach springs and putting in the stock springs and shocks. I don't do that kind of stuff myself but I work at a Honda/Toyota dealership and I get an employee discount. I kept the stock springs and shocks, but they're at my parent's place in MA so I would need to pay for shipping too. They only have 3000 miles on them.

I run the Koni's at one full turn. I used to run them at a half turn but I assume they've softened a bit since being installed 63,000 miles ago. They're not too stiff because I think stuff is better.

That aside, I take it you think that I should keep my current setup and maybe soften it up a tad but not too much. You think moving my rear sway from medium to soft is a good move as well?

I would like your input on my winter tire (pure snow vs. performance winter) thread as well.

https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=1020375

lowrightor

lowrightor