I need some help. I'm trying to decide on which spring rates to get for my ITR. I DD it and maybe once or twice a year take it to the track. Can you guys tell me what spring rates you're using in your ITR (esp. the bay area owners). I'm thinking of getting the GC/Koni SP3's and F/R top hats. Thanks for the help....

 

I am running 400/500 f/r.

 

I thought the front should have a higher spring rate than the rear? Are you running SP3's and top hats in your ITR?

 

The SP3 shocks were designed for the neuspeed kit and I dont think they can be used with OTS GC Coilovers and top hats. You can get the SPSS3 Koni which is their Race verion but it bumps the price by about 600$.
I am running OTS Koni Yellows, all externally adjustable, with GC 450/500 F/R Spring Rates. Top Hats at all 4 corners.
I would say for a DD, this would be the max Spring rate and with the Top Hats, you dont need a shorter shaft and can use the OTS Type-R Koni as the Hats give you an extra 20mm of travel available.
Some guys do run higher spring rates up front, but that is mainly used for track cars and I Personally set my car up like that and did not like how it felt, so I switched it back. Personal pref I guess.
I am also running the JDM 23mm rear sway which effectively increases the rear spring rate by about 19%, a good upgrade if you like the car a little looser.

 

you can also make these stiffer rates a lot more streetable not running on the ground. a 2 finger gap all the way around is night and day easier to live with than tucking. not to mention 9 times out of 10 faster on the street since 99% of american highways aren't exactly smooth. also using the 450 up front and a 400 out dials out some of the oversteer and will make the car a little easier to live with bump wise. it's also safer in rain/snow conditions where it becomes much harder to save a car if you get the back end out with any kind of speed behind you. it basically takes the car from a natural oversteer to neutral. this is good everywhere except autocross where you have a tight course and want that back end to rotate easy.

 

I agree, and I am running 2 fingers (5.5" at the rails) gap. Slammed is geyhe, looks and rides like **** and is pretty unfunctional, not to mention, blows stock shocks in about 3 miles and will blow any other OTS (stock shaft length) shock in a short time.

 

C'mon guys. What other spring rates are you running? I want to get some springs soon and I'm depending on your guidance everyone. Remember its for a DD setup.

 

I'm running 450f/550r on Koni Yellows and Ground Controls.

 

450f/550r for 6 years and loving it.

 

Thats good to hear that this setup should last a good long time.

 

there are a few threads on this, not to mention what's been said in this one. what exactly is it that you want to know that you haven't been told?

 

I enjoy this setup too... its DD doable, just dont dump it.

 

400/550 f/r here..
when it's in full stiff, only me (the driver) can stand it. chicks hate it

 

No, it's mainly OEM and JDM setups that run higher in front. I'd hate driving most front bias setups on track. I use to run up to 800lb/in on the front and up to 1200 on the back. On the street I use to use 450/600.

You can make a front bias setup work well with appropriate alignment and tire changes though.

Anything <600lbs or so should be easily streetable with good shocks.

 

I like having it stiffer up front. I tried having the front softer and I hated it. It felt like the front would roll more and twist. My front inside tire kept losing grip. Braking also felt better with a front bias and I could do it later and harder. I'm at 500f/450r with a Mugen 26mm rear sway. When I bought my car it had 22mm LS front sway and Cut ITR springs and the rear had 650lb Mugen N1 and 26mm Mugen rear sway. My old DA had 500f/400r Suspension Techniques F&R sways and the *** end kept coming around.

 

It varies with driver preference. The general trend in the US is opposite Japan. With my driving style, front heavy (without a lot of alignment/tire tweaking) produces an understeering and less responsive car.

For street use, it won't matter much one way or the other though.

 

I'm using f450/r550. +3 years now.

 

I'd adjust the understeer/oversteer with F/R ride height/weight distribution. Something I used to do alot with the DA I used to have. In my own theory, which someone is free to prove me wrong, is that doing that simulates softer/stiffer springs. Like if I felt the front isn't turning in enough and losing traction, I'd either lower the front or raise the rear. Years later after I figured that out I found a Best Motoring clip that supported my theory. Orido and that mouseman guy did a demonstration with a EG hatch and raised the front/rear by 30cm at a time to simulate this and took laps around the track. I'll post the link when I find it

Edit: found it http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...997&q=jond1492

 

Again I'm not saying that you can't make a front bias setup work, you can, I said you can

I was replying to the guy that said front bias setups are for the track, which isn't accurate, especially in the US. Front bias setups are extremely common on OEM FWD setups, and every JDM suspension that I know of, which is why I said they are more common there, than for track use. That doesn't eliminate them from track use, but go to a SCCA, NASA, etc race and ask the fast FWD guys, MOST of them are running rear bias setups. That was my only point

Wai has proven that front bias can be fast on a race car, as have many racers in Japan. I prefer the feel of rear biased suspensions on FWD cars, as do most racers in the US.

I'm not saying that front bias is "wrong" or not "proper" or anything else to that effect.

In all reality, the OP is just going to slam the car, won't do any suspension tuning, etc so it doesn't really matter anyways

 

it also depends on the track. longer faster tracks seem to draw out the stiffer front rates and a more neutral car. autocross always favors the higher rear rate

 

Yes you're right. I'm just trying to lower my car. I'm not trying to go super slammed but just a nice drop that I can enjoy even when my kids are in the car. It'll be mainly for street use. The only tracks that I've been on are qtr. mile just to see how the car performs. I dont plan on using it for other track events.

 

I want to get some advice on what spring rates to use for a DD setup with a nice drop. Not super slammed...

 

The range that is being discussed is the normal range that you'd expect to see for Konis. 400 F / 500 R will give you a very nice handling street car...enough of a performance difference to be noticeable, but not heavy enough to rattle your teeth.

Ten years ago when we were all tracking our commuter ITR, this is what we were using.

If that's worth anything to you.

If you have heavy springs on the nose, you will have to make other changes to make the car handle as well as it would have handled if you'd just put the heavier springs on the rear in the first place.

Wai bought a car that was already set up by Spoon for N1 racing.

 

the above video is such a good watch. if anyone reading this thread hasn't seen it, you really should.