03CivicEX03

I have GC coil-over in my car right now and i'm planning to get koni shocks. Do you guys think Gc coil-over and koni make a good autocrossing? I don't feel like spending thousand for whole system.

Boilermaker1

iTrader: (16)

Custom GCs would. GC makes race springs (which I've been told are different from the street ones. Honestly, if you could get collars and Hypercoil springs, you'd have a better set up, but Hypercoils are expensive. For all out, 425 front/550 rear springs... but you'll need to get custom valved konis for that.
OTS Konis are good to about 450, so I'd say about 300/425 (gotta put a little wiggle room in.

Zzyzx

It would work, but Definitly dont buy the "generic" ground control spring rates. call them up and specify what you want. If you are going to run High spring rates then you are going to wear out the konis quicker (My co-driver had a CRX with GC springs 1000LB/in front and 900LB/IN rear, tied in with some "Stock" koni yellows.... He was re-building the konis on a yearly basis.) Of course thats the good thing about Konis, there are Many authorized shops that can service them (Back to "stock") or Re-valve them to be stiffer. So even if you ran a High spring rate and need to get the Konis serviced every couple of years, that probablby wouldnt be such a bad thing (If the cars being raced, then servicing the shocks should be a reglular mantinance thing), Its cheeper then Buying a new set of konis... and you could get them Customized to be Double Adjustible....

as far as what spring rate.... Thats a matter of oppinion and preference, For a duel use vieicle, then you dont want to go too high, also if you are racing with "Street" tires then you also shouldnt go to high. (Some where in the Sub 600 Range). If you dont mind rattling your fillings out and are lucky enough to run DOT Race tires, then you can run Much Higher spring rates.... how high is a matter of test and tune.. And remember, there is such a thing as too high of a spring rate for a given surface, in racing applications the springs main job is to keep the tire on the ground, so If you go too high, you could cause the tires to jump off the ground when they hit bumps and such, and A tire in the air can not make traction.

03CivicEX03

Sorry i'm a newbie..still learning =) I'm soo.. lost what you guys are saying. What is spring rate? Ok i have GC coil-over system( adjustable height) soo.. if i want to go race i have to change the spring off gc-coil-over system. what about the Gc system i have right now? If i add koni shocks do you think is good? Now my Gc suck i taking turn like shiet is to soft.

Zzyzx

The spring rate is the amount of weight that needs to be applied to the spring to get it to compress 1 inch. So a 600 LB/in spring needs 600 LBS applied to it for it to compress 1 inch. See, simple. The higher the spring rate the Harder the spring = Rougher Ride. You dont have to change the springs if you allready have the Coilovers, however if you find the current spring rate to be unacceptible, then you can Contact Ground Control and Purchace different springs (of what ever spring rate you want). I believe the springs alone are about $50, per Pair. Ground control has a tendency to sell "Softer" springs to the General public (The standard GC kit) where as a Race car builder would contact them and get a Specific spring rate for their application (Some times several, as Softer spring rates are better for wet conditions...).

Heres My recomendation. Since you allready have the GC coilovers, then Get a set of Konis. The ride quality will improve immensly as will Handling. once thats in, and you have some time on track, you can decide if the springs are too soft and need changing or if you need to change some other part (like an anti-roll bar).

03CivicEX03

Thanks zzyzx,boiler .. For answering my Q. I alway heard of people saying "Bottoming out" or "bottom out" What dose this mean?

Zzyzx

its when people set their ride height too low for their given spring rate, and when they hit hard bumps the spring compresses enough for the suspension to Hit the bump stops... and possibly Bottom out the shocks (if they cut the bump stops). hence the term Bottom out. SOme people use the term to describe when they scrap on the ground too.\


Bottom line is, there is such a thing as too low. Especially if you have a soft spring rate.