Im trying to do as much research as possible before buying a decent shock/strut/spring/coilover setup. So how exactly do you chose a proper setup without driving a car with the setup?

Please help/contribute and make this a good thread.

 

The only reason I ask is because everyone is claiming omni's and whatnot, but I want something that suits my driving style and dont know if omni will provide that. I have looked into Koni yellows, but then I wouldnt know what springs to get.

 

1st question is what do you use the car for?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Vtaaak y0 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">So how exactly do you chose a proper setup without driving a car with the setup?</TD></TR></TABLE>
Trial and error.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 577HondaPrelude &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">1st question is what do you use the car for?</TD></TR></TABLE>

Daily Driving and weekend auto-x.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Targa250R &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
Trial and error.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Makes sense, but also sounds like alot of money.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Vtaaak y0 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Makes sense, but also sounds like alot of money. </TD></TR></TABLE>
How else do you expect to try out spring rates without driving another car on a similar setup?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Targa250R &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
How else do you expect to try out spring rates without driving another car on a similar setup?</TD></TR></TABLE>

If I knew, this thread wouldnt exist.

 

i like to know too, was thinking about getting the omi sport

 

Find out your car's front to rear weight distribution. You can buy the microfiche off ebay or if your car's weight has been altered drastically, you can put it on some scales.

Pick a front rate. Most people pick between 300-500 (trial and error). Lower rates work better for low traction surfaces such as dirty, wet, or poor quality asphalt, and follow the road better especially on bumpy surfaces. Higher rates are chosen to reduce body roll and to prevent the suspension from bottoming out, but absolutely suck for street driving. Most people don't understand that stiffer springs = less traction.

Now you proportion out the rear rate to get your desired steady state handling balance. For instance, you choose 350 for the front, and your weight bias is 60/40; 350 divided by 60%, multiplied by 40% = 233. So theoretically the rates 350 front, 233 rear would be neutral; if your swaybars were also proportionately neutral, which they're not, they're biased toward understeer. Most people prefer a slight spring bias toward oversteer, so add 50 or 100 to the rear rate (trial and error if you can afford to buy some custom springs). In this case you should end up with something like 350/275. Don't get too aggressive with the rear rate, it's much wiser to get a beafy adjustable rear swaybar. With a slight spring bias toward oversteer, you should try increasing the front shock rebound stiffness in relation to rear so that the car isn't too loose on corner entry.

If your spring rates are in different units, you use the same method.

Most people will try and dial out all understeer with springs alone. I don't know how you're going to do that considering that understeer is built into the brake proportioning system as well. Not to mention that people call every suspension problem they encounter "understeer".

 

for the above post!!

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by shaundrake &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Not to mention that people call every suspension problem they encounter "understeer".</TD></TR></TABLE>
Including driver error in many cases.

 

I have the omnipower streets. I am about to sell them becuase I don't use them for what they were meant for. They are vary strong and bouncy, but i can take a corner and my car does not roll at all. Let me know if you are interested.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Targa250R &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
Trial and error.</TD></TR></TABLE>

This is why I love my GC/Eibach setup. I'm on my 5th or 6th setup and since you can switch front/rear each setup only requires two new springs which are easily purchased used damn near everywhere. For me, trial and error was the only way to get the right setup even though I spoke with a lot of people who use the same car the same way for a starting point (which was an okay starting point, but I'm far from it right now).

 

I think im going to use the stock struts and order springs. Now I believe im on the right track when I say I should stay away from high spring rates?

When I call eibach or anybody of the like will they reccomend a spring rate for stock shocks?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Vtaaak y0 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I think im going to use the stock struts and order springs. Now I believe im on the right track when I say I should stay away from high spring rates?

When I call eibach or anybody of the like will they reccomend a spring rate for stock shocks?</TD></TR></TABLE>

If you're using stock shocks I wouldn't go with anything higher than off the shelf Ground Control (if that). You may just want to get some loweing springs and call it a day

 

If you want handling then its a complete waste to change the springs and not the struts, since the struts have more effect on handling than the springs.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by shaundrake &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">If you want handling then its a complete waste to change the springs and not the struts, since the struts have more effect on handling than the springs.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Yeah thats what I was thinking, but I also dont want to harsh of a ride.