I installed brand new Koni Yellow's and Ground Control's on my lude a few weeks ago. I have all four shocks set on the stiffest settings but still get a pretty bouncy ride. Any one have this problem with Koni's or know why the ride might be so bouncy?


Modified by snowblind7x at 2:04 AM 2/8/2006

 

are you sure they are adjusted right??

also, how hard are your springs?? are the shocks valved for those springs?

 

well, the coilovers are probably pretty damn stiff, so it will be bouncy regardless, but I think maybe making the setting softer might make it less bouncy.

 

bouncy as in the car will oscillate continually after the springs compress/decompress?

or bouncy as in the springs get really hard because they're binding or you're on the bumpstops?

what's your ride height/spring rates? it's curious b/c there's no reason koni's shouldn't ride like a dream on the OTS GC rates.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by mgags7 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">are you sure they are adjusted right??
also, how hard are your springs?? are the shocks valved for those springs?</TD></TR></TABLE>

Adjusted right? As in adjusted right to the firmest setting? Then yes. I dunno how hard the springs are. And yeah, I got the Koni's that are made specifically for the Ground Controls.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by preludese111 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">well, the coilovers are probably pretty damn stiff, so it will be bouncy regardless, but I think maybe making the setting softer might make it less bouncy.</TD></TR></TABLE>

I started from the softest setting and from there I turned the **** one full turn every couple days cause they were always still too bouncy. On the firmest setting it is better but still too bouncy for me.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by bad-monkey &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">bouncy as in the car will oscillate continually after the springs compress/decompress?

or bouncy as in the springs get really hard because they're binding or you're on the bumpstops?

what's your ride height/spring rates? it's curious b/c there's no reason koni's shouldn't ride like a dream on the OTS GC rates.</TD></TR></TABLE>

I don't think it would be bouncy because i'm on the bumpstops. I have like a two finger gap all the way around. I cut the bump stop in half like i was supposed to as well. The spring rates? I dunno, how do i find that out? Yes, bouncy as in the car will oscillate continually after the springs compress/decompress. It gets really annoying on bumpy roads and even on the freeway im constantly bouncing around.

 

bump

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by snowblind7x &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
The spring rates? I dunno, how do i find that out? </TD></TR></TABLE>

You will have a number like xxx.xx.xx on each spring. The last 2 numbers(the numbers after the last period) are the spring rate in N/mm.
Multiply that by 5.71 to convert it to lbs/in.

-Josh

 

did you install the rubber rings inside the Coilovers?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by killa_lude &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">did you install the rubber rings inside the Coilovers?</TD></TR></TABLE>

yup. the directions actually said to leave the stock rubber rings and put the new ones inside of those, so that's what i did.

 

rubber rings? i got the koni yellows and GC's and there were no rubber rings. do i need em?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by antballs420 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">rubber rings? i got the koni yellows and GC's and there were no rubber rings. do i need em?</TD></TR></TABLE>

as long as you left the stock ones I don't think it'd matter.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by snowblind7x &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
I don't think it would be bouncy because i'm on the bumpstops. I have like a two finger gap all the way around. I cut the bump stop in half like i was supposed to as well. The spring rates? I dunno, how do i find that out? Yes, bouncy as in the car will oscillate continually after the springs compress/decompress. It gets really annoying on bumpy roads and even on the freeway im constantly bouncing around.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Look on the springs and there should be numbers on coils.

 

Correct me if im wrong but the koni's are only Rebound adjustable not compression adjustable or at least they use to be when I had them on my Jetta. So soften up your rebound and see where you stand.

 

thye are solely rebound adjustable.

however the problem he's describing sounds like the springs are being underdamped, which means there isn't enough rebound stiffnes for the springs, which is curious b/c koni's should be fine all the way up to 500-600 lbs of spring.

 

Wait, i remember something...When I was doing the suspension i thought that all 4 Ground Control's were the same so I just picked out 2 and slapped them on the front. And when i started to do the back i realised that the coil over sleeves were shorter than the ones I had put on the front. So there is a possibility i put them on backwards i guess...? Would that affect anything?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by snowblind7x &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Wait, i remember something...When I was doing the suspension i thought that all 4 Ground Control's were the same so I just picked out 2 and slapped them on the front. And when i started to do the back i realised that the coil over sleeves were shorter than the ones I had put on the front. So there is a possibility i put them on backwards i guess...? Would that affect anything?</TD></TR></TABLE>

technically, no. but there could be something i'm missing here.

since the shorter sleeves are in the rear, how far up the collar is the spring perch? how much preload on the rear springs?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by bad-monkey &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
technically, no. but there could be something i'm missing here.
since the shorter sleeves are in the rear, how far up the collar is the spring perch? how much preload on the rear springs?
</TD></TR></TABLE>

I'm not sure. You're talking about how high the spring perch is on the sleeve right? I could go check but i'd have to jack up my car, i can do it later. I think it was like 10 threads up or something...It doesn't seem like the length of the sleeve would make a difference unless you try to raise the car a whole **** load and move the perch to the top of the sleeve....right?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by snowblind7x &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I'm not sure. You're talking about how high the spring perch is on the sleeve right? I could go check but i'd have to jack up my car, i can do it later. I think it was like 10 threads up or something...It doesn't seem like the length of the sleeve would make a difference unless you try to raise the car a whole **** load and move the perch to the top of the sleeve....right?</TD></TR></TABLE>

well it's not so much that as the length of the spring and how much it's compressed when the suspension is unloaded. reason being when the suspension compresses and the spring runs out of coils, the spring will "coil bind" which will make the spring rate infinite and very uncomfortable.

i think i need a picture of the front and rear suspension while the car is jacked up b/c theoretically i'm at a loss as to why it wouldn't be a comfy setup.

 

alright, thanks alot for the help, i really appreciate it I'll probably get some pictures up tomorrow. Anything specific you need me to take a pic of so i'll know ahead of time? Or just a pic through the wheel well of the suspension?

 

wheel off, into the wheel well (unloaded and loaded--put the jack under the LCA and jack it up some), into the shock tower w/ the spring perch in view.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by snowblind7x &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

as long as you left the stock ones I don't think it'd matter.</TD></TR></TABLE>
WTF is this guy talking about?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by antballs420 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
WTF is this guy talking about?</TD></TR></TABLE>

You're obviously talking about different rubber rings then we are. Why don't you stop getting an attitude and go try to thread jack someone else?

 

with the konis you are supposed to bed them in for 1000 km's before you start adjusting them.

Not only that one full turn is as far as you turn them(360 degrees although there is over 500 of adjustment in them). Anything more than that you can blow a shock by going thorugh a pothole (as it is assumed that the road you travel on is perfect).

It may help if you read through the instructions when you get the shocks.

If your car is bouncing, i am guessing you might have blown a shock already.

 

I have a feeling that your ride is getting bouncy because your dampers are set too stiff. Try softening them up by keeping them at 1/2 turn from full soft to match with your OTS spring rate GC (correct me if I'm wrong on that). Try it out to see if it works, and if it doesn't then gradually stiffen them up to see how it feels.

 

no i haven't blown any shocks. And i already stated in my original post that I started from teh softest and turned it stiffer and siffer gradually until I found the right setting. I ended up never finding the right setting cause its still to bouncy...