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So i have a 1999 Civic Ex coupe and i have it maxed out on ebay coilovers with stock shocks. You can guess its a bumpy ride. I want to know what are the best shocks i could get to make the ride less rough im looking to spend no more than 400, 350ish if possible. If you are going to tell me to get new coilovers please save me the trouble i know that would solve the problem i am only looking for advice from people who have had good experience with certain shocks or are in the same boat i am in (ebay coilovers). I am looking a tokico blues and kybs. Please help.Thanks

 
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You say coilovers maxed out...Does that mean all the way to the bottom?? If so you may be hitting the bump stops and if that is the case a shock change won't really make much improvment.

Do you happen to know what the spring rate is?? That will also make a harsh ride if the rate is quite high, and again a shock change won't make much improvment

I have used the blue hp with eibachs on a 87 prelude and the ride was nice, very low and not as stiff I really wanted for performance but it was good.

I have run Tokico illuminas with their springs on a 91 hatch and it was really low and harsh from being on the bump stops all the time. The stiffer I ran the shocks the better the ride seemd to be. Less crashing and bottoming. setting 1-2 were uselessly soft, 3 "Normal" 4 was "Fiesty" and 5 was "race car". Trasitions got better the higher though the travel was tighter at higher numbers. Overall setting 4 was best for ride quality.

I like the Illuminas, it is a bit more budget wise than you wanted but I think the main thing really is what you have for springs and overall height. let us know what the deal is there and we will get it figured out.

 
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Thanks for responding, by maxed out i mean the coilovers are all the way to the bottom, but my front is not exactly slammed and neither is the back. Im not exactly sure what bump stops are and i dont know the spring rate i will figure out asap and let you know. Yeah i like the blues and they are in my price range. And im willing to raise the car some if it will give me a better ride... How much can you get illuminas for, i could stretch my budget a little if i have too.
Thanks

 
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I have seen Illumina's on E-Bay for about 440. not cheap, but I really like them.

Bump stops are rubber "stoppers" that keep the coil springs from binding ( compressed all the way. no spaces) and the shocks from hard bottom impacts ( really bad for them) and just generally everything in the suspesion from squishing so tight that it hits metal on metal. All the suspension travel used up in other words.

Try raising the car all around and inch and see what changes. Does it get better? or stay the same. If better, then maybe you are hitting the stops, with the extra height now, better shocks will help things by slowing the speed that the suspension moves at, and you may be able to start down again a 1/4in at time, till the ride suffers. If no change it may be springs that are really stiff for your taste. Try it and see! While you're at it, smear some anti seize or something on the threads. It will keep them from sticking together 2 years from now.
Yeah it's a little work, but get your buddies to help you. It will keep you guys out of trouble for the afternoon.

Let us know what you find out.

I my self am trying to choose between the Illiminas or Koni yellows.

Edit: Looking at your photo the car is what i would consider "slammed" and I bet the raising the car improves things. Might have to get some bigger tires/rims to fill th gap if you raise the car! Your next project!

 
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Yeah thats a little pricy forr me, im on a strict budget hah, but that seems like good advice. I will try raising it and seeing if that improves it and let you know, also i was wondering if better shocks (or coilovers) would make the car not bottom oout or is that inevitable for a car as low as mine (not talking about speedbumps of course), just like bridges on the highway where the cement is uneven, i recently bottomed out on the highway and it was a little scary hah. just wondering
Thanks for the quick reply again and good luck in your decision between illuminas or koni let me know what you choose!

 
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Ok....I'll try and explain some more. This could get long

Springs will carry the car (or load) shocks will manage the travel. They work together.

When you lower the car you reduce the amount of travel available to manage the bumps and holes so the car " bottoms out". The springs guys will make them stiffer to put back the load capacity ( it also to a point will increase the handleing)

The spring guys rate them by "inch/lbs". Say 1inch=100lbs. It takes 100 lbs to squish the spring 1 inch. So class, a 10in spring will carry ......1000lbs at it's limit.
If you lower the car and reduce the suspension travel by 2 inches the spring can manage 800 ( this is using a coil over not a shorter spring. You're using the same 10 but only 8 work till other things stop the travel, bump stops etc.). To get the same capacity you now need a 125 inch/lbs spring, 8x125=1000. This will ride harder or truck like.

This is why cutting springs never works well, you reduce the over all load capacity of the spring. It can get more complicated when you start talking progressive springs. That is where each inch has a different rate. 1st in. 50, 2nd in. 100, 3rd in. 175 3inch=325.
Springs cycle fast. Think boing, boing, boing.

Shocks control this in both directions. Compression (squish) and Rebound ( boing)
Shocks move oil and gases back and forth to give you "Dampening"

Soft they move quick, Stiff they move slow. They need to match the spring, too stiff you hit a bump, they never move. Too soft they move fast like a screen door. You need to find the "right combo" of spring, compression, rebound.

When you lower the car you need a combination of stiffer springs and more compression and rebound on the shocks. This adds up and the ride can suffer, but the car can rail turns.

"Better" coil overs won't change any of this. The coil over lets you wind the spring up and down. The spring, shock and travel (height) decide how it "feels" .

Racers pay big money for people and equipment that do this stuff. I myself have spent 2 grand on my motorcycle "setup" and when I gain 30 lbs. I have to have them change the springs and revalve the shocks to match my new weight.

Hope this helps.

 
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wow alright ahah thanks so much for taking the time to explain this too me, im getting the jist and i will probably re read this over a few times haha, so i guess my goal now is to raise the car and i will probably invest in some tokico blues and hope that helps. ill let you know how it goes.
thanks again

 
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It's all good. I had to reread it a few times to make sure I was getting the point across and yet not get too complicated. There are people that could write a thousand pages on just this. It's math, science and black magic all wrapped up in one, and after that it's all about what "feels right" to the driver.

 
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I feel ya, hah i cant wait to get it just right either drove about 4 hours on the highway and every bridge i braced my self, ill let you know how it goes thanks alot agian your advice was very helpful
have a good one