I know I saw a suspension FAQ somewhere but I can't find it anywhere, it might not of even been on here. I'm looking at the GC coilovers w/ Koni's for autox/daily use, and I've got a few questions. I know you can adjust them, but what effect does that have as far as height and stiffness. I mean it seems like if you compress the springs it would raise the car slightly and make things stiffer, and if you loosed them it would do the opposite, but I don't really know. Basically I need to know how they work and how good they are for daily use.

It's going on a 91 Civic Si hatch

Thanks

 

Changing the ride height won't change the ride quality. The only time it will do this is if you lower the car TOO MUCH and end up bottoming out the suspension. The static load on the spring when the car is sitting still is the same regardless of what you've got the ride height set to.

How they work on the street is subjective - it all depends on what your opinion of "rides badly" is. Most racer types like a harder riding car than, say, their girlfriend does. So it's a difficult question to answer.

Personally I ran 375lb front and 425lb rear springs on my Integra and thought it rode pretty okay. Much more than that though and I would have quickly started hating it.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by krshultz &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote"> Most racer types like a harder riding car than, say, their girlfriend does. So it's a difficult question to answer.
</TD></TR></TABLE>

So true

I ride a 446/338 set up (Tein basic, integra rates) on a weighted 2030lbs hatch daily and I like it. God knows how bad Quebec's (canada) roads are.

 

Well, I don't mind a harsh ride, it's the damn concrete interstates that would kill me around here. I was trying to decide between a sway and springs, but after a emergency manuver on the interstate (someone left a tire in the middle of the road) and feeling that nose of the car dive down, even with the Koni's, so I think i'm going with springs.

I think that's what I needed to know, though if anyone has anything else to add please do, if for nothing else that searching.

 

I am not sure if this is it but http://www.norcalcrx.org/tyson/coilover.html#04

Which Konis are you getting (reds/Yellows??) Make sure you have a setting on your konis thats comfy for street and another setting that functions well for the auto-x/track( or just ride around on one setting if you like). A lot of people toy around too much with their adjustable setting that they messup a "good setup" that works well with their springs rates.

This is a reason why I am looking at Omniman's Full coilover system, since the shocks are set very well according to the springrate the coilovers come with. Another side of me wants adjustable shocks just in case the race setting is too stiff for the streets, but I like my rides stiff!

 

I've seen that site, and read it too. I've already got the Koni's (yellow). On my current tires, Falken Ziex Z-512's, I give it a turn in the rear and half a turn in the front. With better tires I think another 1/2 turn all the way around.

I'm still tryign to decide if I need a custom rate, and I can't find out what the rates for my car are from GC online, I guess I'll have to call tomorrow. "If you don't know what custom rates you need, you probably don't" Imostly just want to make sure that the rears are harder, which from everything that I've read on here is what I need to do.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by krshultz &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote"> Most racer types like a harder riding car than, say, their girlfriend does. </TD></TR></TABLE>

When my girlfriend bitches about the car, she gets to ride in the trunk.