Nastyc4

iTrader: (13)

I expected a much stiffer ride but was dissapointed going from sportlines and kybs to Koni 4/4s and ground control coil overs 550/175. Right now I have it set to full stiff back 1/2 a turn front and rear. FIgured I would just try it out stiff first. It's not stiff enough. But Im wondering since I may just put the baby seat in the rear if I go full soft it will make the wife really happy and ride like a caddillac. Imo $850 for these shocks is just overkill I wish I just waited for Bilsteins

99Bluz28

iTrader: (35)

Turning up the Koni SA's mostly adjusts the rebound, not compression dampening.
If your car feels like it drops when going over dips in the road, you've got the rebound set to high.

This info is from the koni website:
Too much rebound control in relation to spring rate will cause a condition known as "jacking down." This is a condition where, after hitting a bump and compressing the spring, the damper does not allow the spring to return to a neutral position before the next bump is encountered. This repeats with each subsequent bump until the car is actually lowered onto the bump stops. Contact with the bump stops causes a drastic increase in roll stiffness. If this condition occurs on the front, the car will understeer; if it occurs on the rear, the car will oversteer.

FYI, the reason your car rode so stiff with the Sportline springs and KYB AGX shocks is, because the AGX shocks when adjusted also adjusted the shocks with noticeably more compression dampening and the ride height of the Sportline spring had you riding right on the bumpstops most the time.

Nastyc4

iTrader: (13)

I've been lazy past few days tinkering with an amp and sub install but I'll try adjusting them softer for sure. Since the hat on the fronts had to come off I wrapped the shocks with some special tape to keep the dirt etc off. It covers the front adjustment slot which Is why I haven't bothered tinkering yet. I do believe they may be jacking ad I do have the car set lower than the sportlines already. I didn't have it with the old setup they were the non adjustable kybs. (gas a just) . The rudebus definitely better in the gangling department. Just not $850 better. I mAy toss this setup up for sale soon.

SOMbitch

iTrader: (8)

IDK what to say??? I went from stock to Strano springs (550/150) /Koni 4/4's / Strano bars and it was very noticeably more firm. I settled on 4 sweeps from full firm on the fronts and 2 sweeps from full soft on the rear and I love it....

I had Eibachs with DeCrappys on my old LT1 car and I got so tired of riding on the rear bumpstops I swapped stock springs back on and it was a big improvement...

BTW Bilsteins ride more stock like (softer) than Konis.....


It does handle noticeably better than the Eibachs right??? It should be night & day and with GC + Konis. They are very good rates on the GC springs but do they change when you change ride height??? I believe they do.... Maybe that is affecting your ride??? IDK much about GC's as they are about the only spring for these cars I have never driven/ridden on including the old LG G2's.....

z28bryan

iTrader: (7)

Full soft sets rebound to softest setting. Full hard sets rebound to stiffest setting. Compression stays the same. But that's not a bad thing.

How low are you on the coilovers? If too low, you could be hitting bumpstops before compressing the spring maybe?

Nastyc4

iTrader: (13)

Ya they do 'handle ' better. For smooth roads or light bumps the eibachs were much softer of course but still with the stock sway bars my current setup has all but killed initial body roll that the old setup had. I guess I was just exaggerating. The rear of the z I really like a whole new car. The front I think I'm guilty of keeping it too low and not giving them enough travel to function correctly. There are only a few bumps and potholes around me that make the front hit the bump stops. I just figured with way stiffer rates over the sportlines I would be stiffer but not bottom out. Car also likes lower tire pressure i tried bumping them to 37/35 for some response but I just got more roll and wallowing. I put them back down to 34/32 and it feels good.

I think I will try full soft front and bAck just to experience it then settle on somewhere in the middle or a recomended setting. I know someone who had offered me 600lb springs for the front I may try those too

z28bryan

iTrader: (7)

The less suspension travel you give yourself, the harder the car is going to ride. On one hand you want the low stance. On the other hand you want the caddillac ride. I personally don't think a caddilac ride is capable on this car no matter what suspension you have in there, but that's just me.

Why not raise the car up a bit to test it out... just see how different it rides for you

99Bluz28

iTrader: (35)

FYI, the Koni are all about optimizing control, that's there purpose, and they can do it very well when you get them dialed in.
My bad, on the KYB shocks, but if your going to run the front that low, I'd do the Upper Mount Mod, and go with a little stiffer front spring rate 600-625. In the rear I'd ditch the factory bump stops and put a set of Koni 55mm shaft mounted bumpstops (if you can find them) or some GroundControl shaft mounted bump stops (I'm running the GC bumpstops) and get a little more suspension travel and a smoother transition on to the bump stops.

I'm currently using the GC Soft strut Bumpstops($12ea) on the rear Koni shock shafts, which is a nice improvement over the factory bumpstops.
http://www.ground-control-store.com/...umpstop_fs.jpg

96blackz28

iTrader: (3)

^^^ Do you know if you can use those shaft mounted bumpstops on KYB AGX shocks?

99Bluz28

iTrader: (35)

If you can slide them over the shaft I don't see why not.
You will need a large diameter washer about 1/8" thick and as wide as the base of the bumpstop to mount directly above it.
Use this larger washer in place of the lower upper bushing washer.

Nastyc4

iTrader: (13)

Actually I don't want a soft ride. I wanted a super firm flat ride. My brothers stock ss in 97 had sportlines with the level II Bilsteins factory and it rode much firmer and flatter although it did have bigger ss sway bars. That's the ride Im after. his rears used to bottom out on big bumps which was pretty much the only bad thing with the setup.

I'm not even the least interested in rear bump stops. with 175 springs in the rear I've yet to hit them. The front has slammed through to my teeth a few times but not the rears. I figured #550 fronts would be much stiffer than the sportlines (#360 i think) and would be fine a 1/4 of an inch lower.not. the sportlines Never bottomed out in the front, just the rear. now i have the opposite.

** where's this upper mount mod?

99Bluz28

iTrader: (35)

If you still have the stiff factory front bumpstops, swap them with the soft koni bumpstops.

https://ls1tech.com/forums/suspensio...ock-mount.html
Here's my car with Upper Mount Mod.

Nastyc4

iTrader: (13)

chrst I wish I knew about the upper mount mod before I did the install. I may be too lazy to want to pull everything back apart but if it gives me 1 more inch of shock travel thats amazing ! I am using the bump stops that came with the gc kit.

Then again Im going to be installing upper ca's soon and ball joints so it can be done I guess. So that lower portion is just sawed off?

99Bluz28

iTrader: (35)

Basically, yes!
FYI, stick with the factory upper control arm up front, otherwise you could run into issues with the aftermarket upper control arms limiting you compression travel. With the upper mount mod you will definitely run into issues. I Stuck with the factory upper arms with new balljoints and upgraded Global West bushings. Supposedly the UMI upper arms don't limit the suspension compression travel, but I can't confirm it.

SRfastZ

every since i install http://www.stranoparts.com/partdetai...D=96&ModelID=7 (umi kmember kit) and new strano and Bilstein HD shocks my car rides like ****. i was thinking about getting koni shocks... what do yall guys think. should i do that Modifying Your Front Upper Shock Mount.

DaSkinnyGuy

i have stranos and KYBs they rode nice when they were new but now i need new shocks

Nastyc4

iTrader: (13)

Interesting I ws thinking to sell my Komi 4/4s for the bilsteins. I think though that because my car is low that the answer really is a little more suspension travel. When I muster up the patience to do it all over again. I'm going to pull em off and do the upper mod mount.

Obviously noone to blame but myself but FFA I wish i knew about it sooner

Killer_Z

iTrader: (1)

waited for bilsteins? r they comin out w/ a new shock? cuz arent bilsteins cheaper then 850? or were they out of stock and thats why u mentioned u should have waited?

pjb

iTrader: (2)

your other threads indicate you bought used Konis for $500, and you noticed problems with them right away when you were installing them. I don't think your impressions of Koni shocks would be valid.

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

There are a few issues with used shocks.

1. You don't know what you are getting, they could be broken
2. There is no warranty to anyone but the original purchaser, and use of coil-overs generally will bounce the warranty too since the shock has to be modified to fit them, but also there is nothing to stop you from running the car say 2" or more lower than stock...