Coilovers... setting Preload

[DOOK]

Yeah, I know how I've always done it, but recently my car seems to be handling kinda janky and I wanna make sure I've done it correctly. I don't want the opinions of backyard mechanics, I want the opinion of the guys who competitively track their cars or professionally set up performance suspension systems. Weekend warriors need not apply.

BTW, this isn't necessarily for an S chassis, so if that changes things let me know please.

[norbac]

id like to know too... going to be in the market for a coilover someday, and this would be helpful...

[SR20d2fourT]

Originally Posted by norbac

id like to know too... going to be in the market for a coilover someday, and this would be helpful...

So then start your own thread when you get them.

Don't waste his space.

Btw, I can't help you on this Dook.

Nice wallet.

[norbac]

um okay, so there are more than one person interested in the same info?

[blueshark123]

Originally Posted by SR20d2fourT

So then start your own thread when you get them.

Don't waste his space.

Btw, I can't help you on this Dook.

Nice wallet.

Wow what a dick head next time just help the op or stfu.

WQhat i do is lower the shock into the mount. You have to set the preload with the spring and LEAVE IT!! Basically the spring should not move up and down but you should be able to spin it between the top and the bottom mounts (while jacked that is). Do not adjust the height by the spring!!
IM NO PROFESSIONAL so take it or leave it for what it is

[g6civcx]

Originally Posted by DOOK

Yeah, I know how I've always done it, but recently my car seems to be handling kinda janky and I wanna make sure I've done it correctly.

What are you asking?

Originally Posted by DOOK

I don't want the opinions of backyard mechanics, I want the opinion of the guys who competitively track their cars or professionally set up performance suspension systems. Weekend warriors need not apply.

What do you mean by "competitively"? Points racing? Have sponsors? Win/place requirements? Open practise? Racing license?

[DOOK]

Originally Posted by g6civcx

What are you asking?



What do you mean by "competitively"? Points racing? Have sponsors? Win/place requirements? Open practise? Racing license?

your opinion would be one I would value... Russ would be another... I wasn't looking for the opinion of every fanboy with coilovers on a 20 year old rust bucket who likes to think they are a drifter cause they slide around empty parking lots at their local grocery store. I want the opinion of people who have knowledge, not those who THINK they do. That is all.

Currently, my preload range is set like so: I tightened the top collar to snug the coil, at that point I tightened about another 1/4 inch or so. Obviously, I then used the bottom mount to adjust ride height. I am wondering if the additional tightening I did was adverse to my car's handling.

[punxva]

Originally Posted by DOOK

your opinion would be one I would value... Russ would be another... I wasn't looking for the opinion of every fanboy with coilovers on a 20 year old rust bucket who likes to think they are a drifter cause they slide around empty parking lots at their local grocery store. I want the opinion of people who have knowledge, not those who THINK they do. That is all.

Currently, my preload range is set like so: I tightened the top collar to snug the coil, at that point I tightened about another 1/4 inch or so. Obviously, I then used the bottom mount to adjust ride height. I am wondering if the additional tightening I did was adverse to my car's handling.

the way you did it, is the way i've always set mine up, basically too much preload will make the car feel bouncy, since it is really only using the spring to dampen. Could you go a bit more indepth on how it is feeling? like is it bouncy or what? atm i've got mine drooped a bit so i dont lift my tires when making sideways entrances into my drive way, only about a 1/4 inch while raising it the same so i didn't lower the car.

[DOOK]

sure... around town it seems to do fine, over big bumps, it seems to be bouncing excessively regardless of the setting I have the dampening set at. For what it matters, the other day I hauled about 300 pounds or so of mulch in the back and it seem to ride a WHOLE lot better, though I can't for the life of me figure out why.

[az_240]

struts are being over powered by the preloaded springs causing it to bounce.

with the heavy mulch in the back it was forcing the car to the ground creating less suspension travel and less bounce.

Get better struts or coilovers...

also check all your suspension links and make sure the bushings arent worn out.

[DOOK]

They are Tein Flex... bushings are all fine... I'm thinking along the same lines that you mentioned except for maybe I'm running too much preload causing the issue, not poor quality parts.

[az_240]

ahhh preloading flexes? but they ride so smooth without preload...

Id suggest selling those and getting some more aggressive coilovers if you want a stiffer ride.....

[burnsauto]

I'm having a very similar problem with my car. the springs are overpowering the dampening, no matter what setting i have them on (JIC's).

Hopefully the car will back together and drivable soon so I can start messing around with the preload, if i find any difference, I'll be sure to post up what I had to do.

[S14DB]

What are the shocks set up?
Stock sways?
Stock Sway Endlinks?

[DOOK]

Flex are currently set at midrange dampening... stock sways and endlinks. Stock sways are 20mm front and 18mm rear on the wagons. stock endlinks are still fine, not maxed out.

[DOOK]

Originally Posted by az_240

ahhh preloading flexes? but they ride so smooth without preload...

Id suggest selling those and getting some more aggressive coilovers if you want a stiffer ride.....

I don't want a stiffer ride, i want to get rid of the bounce... I think my problem may be the preload, I'm going to try backing them down and see what my results are.

[S14DB]

Originally Posted by DOOK

Flex are currently set at midrange dampening... stock sways and endlinks. Stock sways are 20mm front and 18mm rear on the wagons. stock endlinks are still fine, not maxed out.

Stock end links are plastic and twist like a bitch. I would at least replace them.

Try dropping the damping to 2 or 3.

[nismo tuned s14]

yay for a fellow tein flex owner. i have no preload on mine and they ride like a dream. my friend had flex's on his s14 with lots of preload and it rode like ebay coilovers.

my dampening is set at 14 f, 12 r

[DOOK]

well that confirms it... I'll take all preload out and see how it goes...

as for the sways and endlinks, I should be ordering my Rallitek setup in the next month or so 22mm front and 19mm rear with endlinks.

[aznpoopy]

i also have flexes and they are similarly installed

i have them set to roughly 6 clicks (very soft) and they only bounce driving slowly over what i can only describe as smoothly uneven road... like concrete in a parking deck with no big bumps but a imperfect surface.

imo problem is simply the shock characteristics at that general piston velocity. not enough rebound to bring the spring back to rest without a few oscillations. try upping shock stiffness.

naturally the trade off is the shock might be alot stiffer at a higher piston velocity and knock you out of your seat. that's why shape of the curve and how it changes at each click is nice to know. too bad we're pretty much in the dark when it comes to that information. luckily the flex's ride pretty awesome on most of the settings i've tried so far.

[DOOK]

well we'll see what happens when I take the preload out of my setup... if that doesn't cure things, I'll pull them off and put the stock suspension back on and do one of two things... sell them or send them back to Tein and have them revalve them for me and run a softer spring rate spring from swift or something.

[S14DB]

Try playing with your damper settings more. it took me a while to find 2 settings I like. One for DD/Dates and one for track. I am still tempted to get the EDFC.

[DOOK]

haha... funny you mention that... I've had EDFC on my watched list on ebay for about 6 months now, I've got to the screen where it says to confirm ordering about 6 times... I just can't justify doing it to myself right now since the car doesn't and probably won't EVER see any track time. Unless I win the lottery and have ECS swap it for shits and giggles. I may order the damn thing just for ease of changing the settings until I find what I like.

[nismo tuned s14]

lol ive been thinking about buy the edfc for a while too, but it just seems like a waste of money since it only takes like 30 seconds to change the settings with your hand.

[S14DB]

I dunno even for the ability to trim on the fly it helps. People look at you like you are nuts when you pop the hood to turn 2 knobs. Also I like it super stiff on the HW so when I am going on a trip I'll crank it up. Then grin and bear it on city streets getting on and off the HW.

[nismo tuned s14]

dont get me wrong. the ability to adjust on the fly is amazing, i just cant justify spending $300-$400 on something id (1) rarely use and (2) its simple to change without it.

[DOOK]

another thing about EDFC is... I hate having to count clicks everytime I wanna change it and even then, you really don't know 100% where you're at to have front to rear and left to rear matching however you want them to be... I think EDFC is in my near future... wiring the shit up will be the bitch part, having to take all the panels and shit off.... ughhhh

[S14DB]

I got so pissed when my friend was looking at my car and she started twisting the knob. I got so pissed, she looked like a lil kid with her hand in the cookie jar still holding on the knob.

[DOOK]

yeah, I had a buddy who did that... I hit him and thought I stopped his heart... he was ok though. God damn honda guys.

[mmdb]

Originally Posted by DOOK

I don't want a stiffer ride, i want to get rid of the bounce... I think my problem may be the preload, I'm going to try backing them down and see what my results are.

ZERO preload is ideal. Fasten the spring just enough so you can turn it. The bounce is most likely because you're shocks are blown, or you need to increase your dampening.