coilover help. too low to stiff.

[thenextscuba]

ok so im putting on my K-sport coilovers on my s13 and the guy that we got it from had it really low all the way around. So we tried to raise them for what feels like the max height but its still to stiff and bumpy. we tested it out and hit the slightest bump it bounces pretty bad. there is still alot of camber as it still seems too low. i dont really want it to be very low, well, as low as i can get it without having camber problems.

dag its to hard to explain.

i just need help on tuning k-sport suspension for a s13.

sorry for the really broad and noobish question.

oh yeah please dont give me crap about K-sport. the project is really budget based and i got a good deal on them soo.

thanks in advance.

[chitownguy]

Height really doesnt matter it would be bouncy low or high. When you get coilovers your getting stiff shocks and springs, basically. Just turn the knob at the top of the shock down to a lower setting and it should make it softer but dont expect it to be that like airbags though.

[thenextscuba]

ok maybe i didnt describe it right.i think its not so much "bouncy" as it is tight. its so tight that when it hits the little ribs in my driveway it hits each one and jots making it feel bouncy because there are so many in a row.

sorry that might be really confusing.

i ahve the dampener set at "standard" in the k-sport book"

i cant figure out how to make the car higher without compressing the spring.

[KFL]

ok maybe i didnt describe it right.i think its not so much "bouncy" as it is tight. its so tight that when it hits the little ribs in my driveway it hits each one and jots making it feel bouncy because there are so many in a row.

sorry that might be really confusing.

i ahve the dampener set at "standard" in the k-sport book"

i cant figure out how to make the car higher without compressing the spring.

Thats normal for coilovers..there is a rubmle strip I used to go over...on full soft I felt them.upped the settings no longer feel them. To make the car higher you just loosen the bottom collar then turn lower shock portion to thread out..making it taller..and then lock collar back on.

[thenextscuba]

yeah man thanks for the reply.

ill post pics in a little while to see if you guys think the drop looks good. (forgot to measure stock height)

allthough, i think they are set as high as possible without tension on the springs.

on the fronts the bracket that connects to the brake/wheel assembly is all the way down on the strut. the backs are the same. the drop looks pretty nice now and we got the fronts feeling pretty good but the backs are still too stiff. i think there is still a little tension on the back springs. im going to try to take that out but im afraid it will drop the backs even lower.

the back seems to be a little lower then the fronts and from what ive heard you want the opposite.

we have them set with 75 percent to the softest setting on damper.

im sorry for all the noobishnesss from me heh im learning.

[GhostDriver]

If your springs ar e too stiff it wouldn't matter (to a degree) how low you are. Too stiff and you'll bouncty bounce over pebbles.

[thenextscuba]

allright i think i got it pretty good now.i have it set with no compression on the springs and abotu a 1 inch gap in the back springs. dampening is 50% in the back and 75% soft in the front.

heres a pic of the lowering. i have camber but i think that the ailinment will fix that pretty good????

[thenextscuba]

heres a couple more just for kicks.

[yokota180sx]

no put it backset your suspension up like this

Seat your springs snug, then tighten 10mm of preload.do half dampningon the front and a little past that on the rear.

Unlesss you have some cheap *** single adjustable coilovers.post a pic of the type of coils you have

i think your actually higher than stock

[thenextscuba]

i have k-sports.

it cant be higher than stock because the jack is really close to hitting the frame of the car underneath. stock it had loads of room.

i think i will try your suggestion yokota because it still feels a little to boincy. i just dont want it to be so harsh stiffness.

[yokota180sx]

hen your going to have to sell your coilovers ad get tein Stechs or something

Coilovers are harsh. its a fact of lifeyou buy them for better performance, not comfort

get Tanabae air cobra if you want comfort.its going to be harsh....if you think it is, then coilovers arent for you. if you dont mind it, then you can benefit from the advantages and adjustability of coilovers.

[Logan76]

Dude when I had coil's on my S14 there was NO WAY I was fitting a jack under the frame rail's, So dont worry about that.

[yokota180sx]

lol yeah, i have to use an ultra low scissor jack to jack it up to get a regular jack under it

[Logan76]

I used an ultra low scissor jack under my x-member and then once I got the frame rails high enough to get a jack under I would jack from there, or I would drive up on some 2x4's.

[yokota180sx]

yep. sucks. im gonna get the uras low down ramps

[Logan76]

Never seen them before, I was thinking of one of those "Low Profile" floor jacks so I dont have to jack it up so far with the scissor jack.

[yokota180sx]

[Logan76]

Those are attractive, how much?

[yokota180sx]

around 80 a pair

[Logan76]

Thats not too bad of a price, almost worth the price to save from the hassle of jacking our cars up.

[yokota180sx]

im gonna get 4 of em for the track

[Logan76]

Nice, make for some quick tires changes, what coil's are you running? I remember you telling me once before but its totally evading me atm.

[yokota180sx]

footwerkssome offbrand **** i gota hookup on, that im extrmely pleazed with.http://footwerksusa.com/productsservices.html

im working with them on some design changes to make them better. these things are superb IMO

[Logan76]

They dont seem too bad, pretty reasonably priced also.

[yokota180sx]

we are working on new lower mounts for the 240, the current ones are too tall and dont allow it to go as far down as it could, so we are working on some that will come with them, or you can buy at 75 a pair to replace the current ones. let it go about 2 inches lower

[Logan76]

Nice, I may have to look into them when I get some cash flow.

[sleepyRPS13]

bouncy? it's your muther ****ing tires.

[AmoebAssassin]

I have a friend with cheaper coilovers on his S14 (D2s), and he's noticed that the dampers are non-linear in the sense that they do not damp as well at the top or bottom of the stroke as well as they do in the middle of their stroke. If this is the case with your coilovers, which are also cheaper models, you may benefit from lowering your spring perch and bringing your dampers to a height somewhere around 3/4 of their total length, and increasing your damping slightly.

It really all depends on how you define "bouncy"

Bouncy, as in you hit a bump and your car porpoises down the road and continues oscillating up and down means that your suspension is underdamped, and you will benefit from increasing your damping.

Bouncy, as in you hit a bump and your car is harsh but does not oscillate or porpoise means that tough ****, coilovers are harsh so deal with it or be a *****.