Steve91

I recently up'd my rear springs from 550# to 700# because I was getting some tire rub in the rear and hoped the stiffer springs would reduce the amount of squat. At the same time, I sent my rear Koni's to ProPartsUSA for revalving to handle the higher rates.

My first time at the track with this setup, I was unhappy with the way the car handled. It felt oversprung no matter where I set the Koni's. When I would go over bumpy areas of the track, the rear of the car would feel weightless. It really made me pucker when it would do this over a bump in a fast sweeper.

From what I've seen on this board, 700# springs are not as stiff as what many and most CRX's are running in the rear (BTW I have 450# in the front).

Any ideas why the rear of the car feels so oversprung? Any help would be greatly appreciated. One thing I've noticed is more and more Honda's running rear wings, large ones. Does that offset the problem?

jc836

We are running 400F/500R and have no clearance problems in the rear. Wheels are 14x6 +35 and tires are 195-60R14 Azenis. I set the Konis stiffer in back than the front. Tire pressures are different for each corner up front and the same in the rear. Rear Sway Bar is an ADDCO, front is stock. Our CRX Si rotates fine at BeaveRun. The track is not flat. I'll know more when we go to The Glen on Monday. As to your setup-I'll hazard that you are oversprung in the rear. You might reconsider and go with 600# springs if you have not done so already.
Another thing-depending on sanctioning body and type of event-you can do what we did and 'roll the fenders' to gain about 1/2" of clearance in the rear. I had no rub before I did this, but elected to do so as the rules allow it. Lastly, our car is set within factory spec for Camber on all 4 corners.
Hope this is useful to you.

Hracer

Was this using the revalved shocks? I would say to just try to get used to it being like this because it's normal for it to feel this way at first.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Steve91 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">the rear of the car would feel weightless.</TD></TR></TABLE>

That's pretty much how it is with a crx, since there really is basically nothing that the rear wheels have to support. Currently we run 500f 700r with revalved koni yellows and actually right now I would be interested in trying going 50 lbs stiffer at both ends, as the car seems like it would do better if slightly stiffer all around. We also don't have a rear wing and are running the stock rear sway bar. You might want to try to disconnect it if you haven't already tried that, as it might make it easier to get used to the stiffer car. Good luck!

Mythos EF

I don't run sway bars on my car and personally I love the way it handles without but then again the car stays pretty glued to the point I am hesitant to push it further since the tires I have now are ultra sticky and then nothing all of a sudden

I think those spring rates are pretty heavy as well. I run 400/600 but with matched shocks.

Steve91

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Hracer &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Was this using the revalved shocks? </TD></TR></TABLE>

Yes.

phat-S

We ran 450F/600R for most of last year, now 550F/700R w/ OE Rear Sway Bar. As Alex said, you may want to disconnect the rear sway if that is an option or perhaps bump the front rates up/rear rates down a bit (50 to 100 lbs???) and see where that puts you. My guess is that you aren't that far off of where you will like it. Oh and with a 3mm spacer on the rear and a 35mm offset and a 225 R3S03, we did see some light rubbing on the right rear at a roval (LMS) - not sure if that is pertinent information.

Steve91

Sounds like a sway bar swap or removal will be the next step. I'll probably try the stock one first

solo-x

silly question, but why would you run more spring and less bar? presuming you can get the same roll stiffness either way, why would you choose more spring/less bar over more bar/less spring?

nate

madhatter

Bigger bars defeat independent suspensions to a degree. One wheel bumps cause the whole car to hop.

solo-x

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by madhatter &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Bigger bars defeat independent suspensions to a degree. One wheel bumps cause the whole car to hop.</TD></TR></TABLE>

hmmm.....never noticed that before on my car. 800lb rear springs, with and without 23mm jdm itr rear bar.

nate

phat-S

Aren't you the front stiff suspension guy? 800 lbs. rear springs puts you at what ??? 1000-1100 front springs?

Hracer

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by solo-x &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">silly question, but why would you run more spring and less bar? </TD></TR></TABLE>
For the same reason, but to a smaller degree, of why it is "better" running 700f 1000r for example with no sway bars, than it is to run 70f 100r springs but with very very think sway bars on a racetrack. Putting things on a larger scale makes it easier to visualize why it works better. Sorry if this doesn't help, but it's the best way I can describe it.

solo-x

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by phat-S &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Aren't you the front stiff suspension guy? 800 lbs. rear springs puts you at what ??? 1000-1100 front springs? </TD></TR></TABLE>

yes, i am the front stiff suspension guy, but it doesn't mean i won't try different things. for the majority of this season i've been running 700/800. the next setup is going to be 700/400, which i'll be testing this weekend. we'll see i guess. i'm going the other way, soft springs, monster rear swaybar. mostly because topeka is _very_ bumpy and i've found the car very difficult to drive on bumpy courses with the 800lb rear springs.

i guess the real question is that i'm curious why some people say super stiff rear spring AND huge rear swaybar while others say just a super stiff rear springs but stock or smaller bar? (in looking back, i'm not sure if i've heard _crx_ guys having differing opinions like this) if the total rear roll stiffness were the same, wouldn't the car handle the same? or is there some level of trying to control rear camber gain under acceleration?

i don't really buy the independant suspension reason, but that is based on my experiences. i've never setup a crx, so the shorter wheelbase might amplify an effect that is damped in my 104" wheelbase schoolbus.

nate