I'm running koni yellows with GC coilover OTS rates and GC extended Tophats.

1. How much should I cut the bumpstops, if any? I was thinking half?

2. Can I cut it while its on the car? If so, what should I use to cut?

I don't want to take apart my suspension again since I rarely have time and space to do so. Planning on dropping it till no wheel gap or slight wheel tuck. I looked at it when I had my wheels off and the bumpstop was loose, so I was thinking its possible to cut it since its only foam while on the car.

 

Do NOT cut the GC supplied bumpstops. They are intended to be used at full length.

And OTS rates aren't going to be stiff enough to dump the car like you intend to.

 

Yeah and extended tophats are not going to help you out too much.

 

Really? I've seen people with ots rates and tucked with no problems. Not like I'm speeding. Low and Slow.

I got extended tophats for future purposes, when I get stiffer springs. Its currently my daily to school and work while trying to have a ride that I can feel comfortable without getting a stiff *** ride.

 

Define "no problems".
At that ride height and those spring rates, you'll be using the bumpstops as supplemental springs. This can be an issue, depending on many factors we won't go into here.

What does speeding have to do with anything? You are going to drive the speed limit on the roads you use.

Extended shock mounts for future purposes? So, you're adding a lot of side loading to the shocks now (damages seals, shortens lifespan) and risking bottoming out the UCA into the shock towers, for future purposes...

You want comfort? Don't screw with what was perfectly functional, the stock suspension. It's cheaper too, a huge benefit for a student.

 

If the tophats are for future use maybe you should leave them off for now and put them on when you get your stiffer springs. All they are going to do for you is cause potential problems.

 

To me, riding low is comfortable. I had 2 front blown shock and ebay coilovers on stock struts up front and kyb oem replacement in rear. I liked the ride, couldn't stand the bouncing. UCA never hit, and my front wheels were tucking. Not a huge tuck, but just a touch. Can't stand wheel gaps. Feel too high. When I put koni/gc setup in and set it up for winter. I didn't like it. Felt too high off the ground. Anyways, my questions was answered. If the shock lifespan is shorten, then I'll just buy another when they go.

This is my ride before koni/gc. Maybe not as low this time until I can find BBS RS's.

 

Wait so your not supposed to cut the bumpstop that comes with the extended top hats? I cut one notch off mine that's why... And op, the rates will most likely be too soft to tuck, i have 450 f and i wish i got 550

 

I was thinking of getting 450f, but decided not to. Road is not the best around here. I thought that ots which is 350f/280r from what I was told over the phone when I ordered was enough for my road condition. Didn't want too stiff causing my wheel to come off the ground.

 

Yes you will need to run a stiff spring rate if you want to go low. No other way around it.

Bumpstops are used to prevent the shock rod from bottoming out in the shock body. When using extended top hats this is impossible as common sense would tell us...

If your going low enough extended top hats serve a very good purpose, but NOT needed if your ride height is high enough. Remember they allow you to move the shock travel up while lowering spring height on the shock body.

As for hitting the shock tower with the UCA, it really all depends. OEM UCA will give you the most clearance of any UCA. And again stiffer spring rates will assist in this not occurring.

Figure out how low and do it correctly. Don't let others bitching discourage you.

PS: If your looking to go low low.... you REALLY should have bought the 450F and atleast 350R.

I run that and no way in hell I'd run something softer.

 

Correct, do NOT cut them.

You cut the stock ones to allow a little more travel. The extended upper mount provides that. You still want adequate bumpstop to perform its intended purpose, and the GC supplied bumpstop is soft enough that it can't do that if you shorten it.

Correct on one of the intended purposes of bumpstops (preventing bottoming out).

The other purpose is to provide a progressive spring rate as the suspension approaches full compression, and many stock suspensions use the bumpstop for this.

Common sense should tell you that bottoming out would still happen with extended upper mounts, but only after more suspension compression than without it. After all, at some point, something has to bottom out and prevent additional suspension travel. The idea scenario for that is a controlled bottoming out, where the bumpstop helps slow the impact, but many of us have bottomed out the UCA or tire (less than idea and harder on the equipment), and in some cases coil bind could be the limiter of travel.

 

Ya no kidding. Under correct setup bottoming out with a bump stop and extended tophats would be a challenge for most ride heights. Personally I have ran many setups and I guess I'm not going low enough? Never bottomed out a shock. At correct spring rates this would be again more difficult. I'd love to see some of these potholes and bumps you guys are hitting and the ride height. Sound pretty crazy compared to what I run and drive on.

 

I'm on radiator #3, thanks to potholes and other road irregularities.

Also, the Integra has so little front suspension travel that the bumpstops are used as additional springs with the stock spring rates and ride height.

 

I slow down when I see potholes and road irregularities. Don't give two **** if somebody behind me honks or gets pissed off. If they hit me, it's there fault for not following a safe distance. Never really bottom out before. Maybe I need to go lower, I never scrape unless I go down a driveway or into a parking lot. I always angle down driveways and ****. Any car I drive I angle down or up, it became a habit.