Went auto-xing for the first time a few weeks ago and I fell in love. My setup was just stock shocks, h&r sport springs on a 00 Civic Si. I just went out to see if I'd like it and I really did. Well, I went for soemthin a little stiffer and got Skunk2 Coilovers, and I'm trying to get a beaks rear sway. Now I'm trying to decide on what I want for shocks. I don't have the money to go to full coilovers or I'm not asking for what full setup to get. Just to see what you guys would recomend to go with the Skunk2 Coilovers. It's my daily driver, what would be a good combo? Something better than oem that will work well with the skunks. Thanks!

 

Koni Sports.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by TeamSlowdotOrg &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Koni Sports. </TD></TR></TABLE>

And change nothing else, learn how to drive

Glad you're enjoying it

 

Koni Sports.

Why not order Ground Controls instead of Skunk2? GC allows you to choose the spring rates you want. With Skunk2, AFAIK you're initially stuck with the 500/400 springs you're given.

 

u can call up skunk2 and have them get u new spring rates. That's what i did when i wanted new spring rates and they ran me about 50 bucks a spring. But i have an accord so iono if that will make a difference or not. for my car they offer up to 12kg spring rate.

 

you can order springs from ERS, hypercoil, or whoever as long as you have the dimensions (free length, diameters) on hand for what you want.

koni yellows are a damn good shock. tokico illumina's or KYB AGX's are cheaper alternatives, and are good for less involved setups, but if you're gonna be packing 350# or more spring, you'll want the yellows.

and like .RJ said, make it your last mod for a while and just drive her!

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by kapao &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">u can call up skunk2 and have them get u new spring rates. That's what i did when i wanted new spring rates and they ran me about 50 bucks a spring. But i have an accord so iono if that will make a difference or not. for my car they offer up to 12kg spring rate.</TD></TR></TABLE>

FWIW, GC offers Eibach ERS springs for ~$50 a pair.

 

well, Koni Sports in the lead by a lot! Thanks a lot for your guys response. lil pricey but for what I'm hearing, Koni must be doin something right. That HT deal for 495 shipped doesn't seem too bad. Got a couple sets of springs to sell, maybe get a lil cash to help out on the Sports. Does anyone know where they can be picked up for less than 495 shipped? Its for a 00 Civic. Thanks again!

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by SiBuddy00 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">well, Koni Sports in the lead by a lot! Thanks a lot for your guys response. lil pricey but for what I'm hearing, Koni must be doin something right. That HT deal for 495 shipped doesn't seem too bad. Got a couple sets of springs to sell, maybe get a lil cash to help out on the Sports. Does anyone know where they can be picked up for less than 495 shipped? Its for a 00 Civic. Thanks again!</TD></TR></TABLE>

495 shipped is the lowest price i've seen, i believe i paid something like 530 shipped for mine.

take a look in the springs FS/FT/WTB thread at the top of this forum for a good deal on stiffer springs.

 

alright, now that xmas has came and past I know the sitsuation I'm in. I won't be getting a lot of money for awhile now so I'm stuck between these two decisions. I can save for another month or so hoping that the Koni sale is still there or.... I can order KYB AGX's tonight and be more than halfway to a purchase of a beaks kit. What do you guys think? My car will mostly be street driven, all though I'm really trying to get into some auto-xing, I don't know if I'll have the opportunity to get really into it though. Any opinions on that? My coilovers are dropped pretty far if that makes any difference. I also dont know how the ring deal works on the KYB's for mounting my Skunk2 Coilovers onto them. Any input guys? Thanks for all your help to this point!!

 

KYB AGX aren't really going to be optimal with the 500 lbs-in spring rate. KYB's warranty also doesn't cover use with coilovers or with ride heights 1.5"+ lower than stock.

Don't let that money burn a hole in your pocket. Just keep saving.

 

Just like everyone said KONI Yellows

I run the Skunk2 coil-overs but I put the 450's in the front and the 550's in the rear.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by SiBuddy00 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">alright, now that xmas has came and past I know the sitsuation I'm in. I won't be getting a lot of money for awhile now so I'm stuck between these two decisions.</TD></TR></TABLE>

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by .RJ &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">And change nothing else, learn how to drive </TD></TR></TABLE>

 

The only thing I'd change would be your choice of motorsport venues. Parking lots are for malls. They're not called 'driving lots', therefore you won't learn to drive there. Sorry if I step on some toes, go take an HPDE or FATT.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by D-cell &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">The only thing I'd change would be your choice of motorsport venues. Parking lots are for malls. They're not called 'driving lots', therefore you won't learn to drive there. Sorry if I step on some toes, go take an HPDE or FATT.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Not quite sure why you're getting off-topic here. It doesn't sound like he's got several hundred per event right now so trying to steer him in that direction seems pointless.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by SiBuddy00 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">alright, now that xmas has came and past I know the sitsuation I'm in. I won't be getting a lot of money for awhile now so I'm stuck between these two decisions. I can save for another month or so hoping that the Koni sale is still there or.... I can order KYB AGX's tonight and be more than halfway to a purchase of a beaks kit. What do you guys think? My car will mostly be street driven, all though I'm really trying to get into some auto-xing, I don't know if I'll have the opportunity to get really into it though. Any opinions on that? My coilovers are dropped pretty far if that makes any difference. I also dont know how the ring deal works on the KYB's for mounting my Skunk2 Coilovers onto them. Any input guys? Thanks for all your help to this point!!</TD></TR></TABLE>

If you are strapped for cash then here is what I would buy:

SEAT TIME ONLY

Spend nothing on your setup. At most you could save maybe 4 seconds by perfectly prepping your car using the most expensive component. Or you could learn to autox what you have and cut 10 seconds off your time. Get some instruction (there are lots of great drivers in CO) Hook up with someone who drives a Honda or Acura at your next event and ask them to ride with you. Ask them to drive your car with you riding in it. ASk to ride in their cars. Do not talk about setup with them. Just talk about how YOU could drive better. You will be amazed at how much you can improve for entry fees only.

If you cannot afford Konis then you should not spend money on shocks until you can. The KYB AGX is a fine cheap street sport shock. But it is a very slight improvement over stock when it comes to Autox. If you buy the KYBs you will just throw them away in a year when you realize you need the Konis.

But right now work on your own chops. It is the most bang for the buck and the most fun. Ask yourself which is a better accomplishment: spending $500 on shocks and going 1 second faster or spending 20 events learning to drive and going 5 seconds faster? Go to as many events as you can. Go to as many novice schools and Evolution schools as you can. You will be amazed at the fun and improvement and sense of accomplishment.

enjoy and happy new year,
alan

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by D-cell &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">The only thing I'd change would be your choice of motorsport venues. Parking lots are for malls. They're not called 'driving lots', therefore you won't learn to drive there. Sorry if I step on some toes, go take an HPDE or FATT.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Dear D-cell,

That's lame.

I could argue that auto-x has more in common with true road racing than HPDEs or FATTs ever could. HPDE or Friday At The Track gives you seat time but, and its a big but, there is no competition. In an HPDE you never have to perform NOW. Its just another lap and if you blow it no one's paying attention and you can just make any excuse to salve your ego.

In AX as in W2W there is a winner, the guy or gal that had the best combination of skill, equipment and luck at the time of the event. While HPDE can teach skills and is a good intro to some of the aspects of road racing, I would suggest that ax is a better crucible to forge car control skills. It is cheaper, safer, more accessible and more likely to help novices than HPDEs.

Ask TC Kline, Scotty B White, Shauna Marinus, Randy Pobst, or Neal Sapp if AX is a waste of time.

regards,
alan

 

If you're strapped for cash and you want to get into this stuff, sell the lowering springs, put the stock stuff back in, and learn to drive the car. Spend ALL of your money driving the car at whatever autocross you can make it to.

(Plus, a stock 99-00 Si, isn't that a G Stock car? Seems like it might be a kind of good one too, maybe the Solo 2 guys can weigh in here)

Is this the "best way to set the car up" for autocross? Of course not. But you did say you're "trying to get involved," so to me, I'd spend the money on the driver. A wise man once told me that given the financial choice for something for the car, and doing an event, ALWAYS do the event. Because whatever you pick up as a driver, goes with you to whatever car you end up in, even years later.

FWIW.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by D-cell &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">The only thing I'd change would be your choice of motorsport venues. Parking lots are for malls. They're not called 'driving lots', therefore you won't learn to drive there. Sorry if I step on some toes, go take an HPDE or FATT.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Spoken like someone who attended one autocross, got spanked by an econobox on R-compounds and never tried another......

SiBuddy00-

I'd head the advice other's have handed out. If you still have the stock springs, put them back on and sell the lowering springs. Then, save up for a spare set of wheels and get some R-compounds or azenis and attend ever single autocross you can. Autocross is 95% driver, so it makes sense to spend the bulk of your time working on the nut behind the wheel.

Not to sound like a broken record, but seat time is the most effective modification you can make right now.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by krshultz &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Plus, a stock 99-00 Si, isn't that a G Stock car? Seems like it might be a kind of good one too, maybe the Solo 2 guys can weigh in here</TD></TR></TABLE>
Not really. The Integra GSR is a GS car too, and isn't any better. The only decent GS Honda is the CRX Si.

GS is ruled by Celicas, Neons, and the Mini Cooper S. Honda is an also-ran.

An unfavorably classed car is arguably a great way to hone those driver skills though . . . and pretty rewarding when you can beat the overdogs.

 

Alan,

Do you personally know or interact with any of the people on your list of past autocrossers? Or are you another parking lot racer with the self-preservation gene that doesn't allow you to exceed 70mph in an uncontrolled environment?

I've done both, autocrossing is for the timid, in a controlled environment with little chance of attrition.

Road racing, you can severely hurt yourself and/or others, you have control only over yourself, the rest you leave to chance. Oh, speeds tend to exceed 70 mph. This doesn't appeal to some people, so be it.

The great drivers of this world did not auto-x, they drove carts as kids, then graduated to real machinery on road courses NOT defined mostly by cones.
I doubt your next F1, WRC, DTM, WTCC, etc champion is going to be a former autocrosser. Therefore, if someone wants to be a great driver, they should do what great drivers do.

When in Rome....

Frankly, I'd rather the timid stay in the parking lots, that's where you belong.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by D-cell &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">The great drivers of this world did not auto-x, they drove carts as kids, then graduated to real machinery on road courses NOT defined mostly by cones.
I doubt your next F1, WRC, DTM, WTCC, etc champion is going to be a former autocrosser. Therefore, if someone wants to be a great driver, they should do what great drivers do. </TD></TR></TABLE>

Randy Probst, Bob Endicott, Shauna Marinus among many other current WC racers started with, and earned solo2 national titles.......

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Frankly, I'd rather the timid stay in the parking lots, that's where you belong. </TD></TR></TABLE>

Its a great place to get started for someone that has little expendible income and time. Yes Karting is better, but more $$ and time - something a college student probably wont have.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by D-cell &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Alan,

Do you personally know or interact with any of the people on your list of past autocrossers? Or are you another parking lot racer with the self-preservation gene that doesn't allow you to exceed 70mph in an uncontrolled environment?

I've done both, autocrossing is for the timid, in a controlled environment with little chance of attrition.

Road racing, you can severely hurt yourself and/or others, you have control only over yourself, the rest you leave to chance. Oh, speeds tend to exceed 70 mph. This doesn't appeal to some people, so be it.

The great drivers of this world did not auto-x, they drove carts as kids, then graduated to real machinery on road courses NOT defined mostly by cones.
I doubt your next F1, WRC, DTM, WTCC, etc champion is going to be a former autocrosser. Therefore, if someone wants to be a great driver, they should do what great drivers do.

When in Rome....

Frankly, I'd rather the timid stay in the parking lots, that's where you belong. </TD></TR></TABLE>

And you're some extraordinary driving talent........?

You say you've tried autocross, and you insinuate that it doesn't require much skill, so I ask, how many Solo2 National Championships do you have?

 

Frankly, I'm nobody. When an aspiring driver wants advice, I dish it out. It's not sugar coated, just the truth as I see it. He's tried autocrossing, next he should do a road race event. Then maybe even try a rallycross and a few passes at the local drag strip. I'm not condeming auto-x, I just don't condone it. Hell, if you get a chance, drive a circle dirt track, a stocker or late model if you should be so lucky.
Find out what he really wants to do before he wastes his time and money.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by D-cell &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
Find out what he really wants to do before he wastes his time and money.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Well, from this:

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by SiBuddy00 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Went auto-xing for the first time a few weeks ago and I fell in love. </TD></TR></TABLE>

it sounds like autocrossing is what he really wants to do.