right now i'm running H&R race springs on stock shocks.

cut my bump stops in half.

just ordered some koni yellows and just a little curious as if i could reuse everything (top hat, etc..) including the bumpstops.

 

buy the extended top mounts that gc sells to set extra shock stroke.

 

youre going to need to reuse everything but the shock itself.
https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=1106020


rob is full of bad advice. you shouldnt use extended top hats with regular h&r race springs. it will limit the shock travel too much, theyre not designed to be used with regular springs, only REAL race spring applications (when used with adjustable spring kits).


Modified by Tyson at 5:44 PM 2/20/2006

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Tyson &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote"> you shouldnt use extended top hats with regular h&r race springs. it will limit the shock travel too much, theyre not designed to be used with regular springs, only REAL race spring applications (when used with adjustable spring kits).</TD></TR></TABLE>
I don't know that I can agree with that. By raising the bump rubber higher up inside the upper mount, the GC upper mounts will increase the usable compression travel a bit when the car is on the ground. The bit of maximum droop travel that is lost at max extension when the car is not on the ground wasn't going to be used anyway by the car so it's loss is moot. So with a gain of usable stroke at the bottom and no functional effect of lost max length during the operation of the car, to me that is a net gain in usable stroke.

The important part to me is that the shock is much less likely to bottom internally and cause damage when being run with the rather low H&R Race springs. I've run the GC top mounts on my street car with both aftermarket progressive lowering springs and with a coil-over and racing spring system. Just don't run them with pre-shortened shocks as the droop loss becomes too much.


Modified by CRX Lee at 7:13 PM 2/20/2006

 

Rob 1 Tyson 0

I win. muahahaha

thanks for clearing the air CRX LEE.

 

thats funny you say that lee. i remember once a upon a time you met the extended top hats with scrutiny. anyway, i still say a normal spring will be so preloaded enough that the effects would be deleterious and offer little to no rebound travel from static height. especially since h&r loads up their springs with a lot of dead coils at the top of the spring. cut a few of them off and its no longer an issue. this doesnt happen when you use typical race springs that already have a lot of slack to take up by the extended hats.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Tyson &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">thats funny you say that lee. i remember once a upon a time you met the extended top hats with scrutiny. </TD></TR></TABLE>
I didn't say nor do I think that thus style mount is the answer to all questions and is not without some compromises, I just think that it has value with normal length shocks run at somewhat low ride heights. I find it a bit of a pain that the spring does require more preloading off the car and on the workbench at the time of installing the spring and the upper spring perch but the benefit appears when teh car is on the ground.

For years I had done my CRX spring installations without using any spring compressors because the free length of the spring was quite similar to or shorter than the max length of the extended shock so I did this with hand tools and fingers only. Since the GC upper mounts will reduce the max length at the same time as essentially reducing the min length, if your spring free length was similar to the old max length, it may take more effort in loading the spring on the shock. Using the GC upper mounts has made me revert back to using spring compressors on the front of the car (the only place I have the GC mounts). Since most aftermarket lowering springs these days tend to use more dead coils or at least have the coils closer together, then they are rather more difficult to use my cheapo spring compressors on too. This greater preload requirement when the dampers are off the car is totally removed when the weight of the car is put on the car except in a sitaution where you are using a coil-over system whwere you want to adjust up the threaded spring perch to raise the ride height. If you happen to use a long free length racing spring (I do as I use 8" all the way around), then you may need to use a spring compressor to reduce the spring preload to easily raise the aluminum perch to raise the car. Again this is all done when the shock is at max droop and it takes more effort to turn the perch collars which are typically dry aluminum on aluminum and don't tend to turn easily. If you spring free length is short enough that it does not even reach the upper seat when the shock is at max length, then these upper mounts casue no isses and only help matters. it all depends on your spring free length and the shock max length.

On a already short shock as I noted like the Koni 8041 RACE, it is not a good idea to use these GC upper mounts as it would be a screamin' bitch to instal with the greatly reduced max length and can potentially do what Tyson mentions in risking losing functioning rebound stroke. On a car with normal length shocks that has been lower a fair, I think the GC-style upper mounts can be of good use if you don't mind the bit more work at the time of spring installation.

Not the perfect answer to everything but a useful piece in many situations if you don't mind a little installation compromise.

 

is it cheaper to buy the Koni RACE shocks, or OTS shocks with GC Top hats ?

 

so do i NEED the extended GC top hats or what? i'm not going to be driving like a maniac. just need these koni yellows because my stocks are about to blow.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by the soL that could &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">so do i NEED the extended GC top hats or what? i'm not going to be driving like a maniac. just need these koni yellows because my stocks are about to blow.</TD></TR></TABLE>

dude you'll be fine but dont expect a smooth ride. remember you have race not sport springs.

 

yeah...imma run it 1/4 front and 1/2 in the rear (stiffness-wise)