rodan Posted February 7, 2008 Posted February 7, 2008 I'm currently running Tokicos on Ion springs, and would like to soften things up just a little bit. The bounce over bumpy pavement at slow speeds is getting a little old. At highway speeds things are great, but around town it can be annoying. Anyone out there have the Spec B pinks on Tokicos? Looking at the spring rates, this might be where I'd like to be...
hammerhead Posted February 7, 2008 Posted February 7, 2008 try the swifts. machv used the swifts w/tockico's. the only other member i know of w/tockico,s is trs and he's uses tein-h springs. i know this cuz searched and posted the same thread a fews months ago
fweasel Posted February 8, 2008 Posted February 8, 2008 Rodan, are the pinks/swifts linear or progressive like the Ions? ignore him, he'll go away.
sickdrift Posted February 8, 2008 Posted February 8, 2008 Rodan, are the pinks/swifts linear or progressive like the Ions? From the pictures I've seen, and some posts I've read the fronts of the Pinks are progressive, the rears linear, but the Swifts are linear front and rear.
Underdog Posted February 8, 2008 Posted February 8, 2008 What settings are you using on the Tokico's? My understanding was that - generally - rough over small bumps but planted on the highway describes an overdamped setup. If the Tokico's are full soft and still overdamped, I'd be surprised. The Crimson Dynamo
fweasel Posted February 9, 2008 Posted February 9, 2008 the issues he's describing are likely due to spring rates to high for his tastes, not an overdamped strut/shock, IMO. ignore him, he'll go away.
sickdrift Posted February 9, 2008 Posted February 9, 2008 So what is the condition I am experiencing everyday in my car when I run over a raised seam in the road at 40+mph and it feels like I ran over a brick, then when I drive over a quick high to low to high transition and it feels like my car is bottoming out the suspension.
Underdog Posted February 9, 2008 Posted February 9, 2008 To me, that sounds underdamped! The Crimson Dynamo
fweasel Posted February 9, 2008 Posted February 9, 2008 a rough ride over small inperfections is likely due to a higher spring rate that stock. The spring is not soft enough to compress for these bumps and as a result, its transmitted directly to the chassis. Bottoming out a suspension could be caused by an underdamped shock/strut not able to control the compression of the spring or a lowered spring operating on a shock/strut designed for more travel resulting in too little suspension travel to properly absorb large bumps. Both scenarios (small bump -> brick, large bump -> bottom out) IMO, sound like a lowering spring on a stock strut/shock. ignore him, he'll go away.
sickdrift Posted February 9, 2008 Posted February 9, 2008 a rough ride over small inperfections is likely due to a higher spring rate that stock. The spring is not soft enough to compress for these bumps and as a result, its transmitted directly to the chassis. Bottoming out a suspension could be caused by an underdamped shock/strut not able to control the compression of the spring or a lowered spring operating on a shock/strut designed for more travel resulting in too little suspension travel to properly absorb large bumps. Both scenarios (small bump -> brick, large bump -> bottom out) IMO, sound like a lowering spring on a stock strut/shock. Thanks for the reply. I emailed underdog after his response in an attempt to not HiJack the OP's thread. As I told him, I dont think I explained my problems correctly. At freeway speeds my car eats up pot holes like no other cars I have ever owned, just great. My problems are at 25-40mph encountering a raised "lip" in the road feels like I hit a brick. Also, when encountering quick hi-low transitions I feel like the car moves through the whole stroke of the shock, not so much in an abrupt drop, and the rebound feels controlled, but it feels excessive for what the spec B's Bilsteins should be in my opinion.
rodan Posted February 9, 2008 Author Posted February 9, 2008 Sorry, got distracted for a couple of days... thanks for the replies. For me, it's a spring rate issue. The iONs are excellent at highway speeds, just a little too stiff for rough pavement up to about 30mph. Being adjustable, the Tokicos should work with a slightly softer rate spring. I think Pinks are just a bit softer in rate than the iONs. I was also thinking about stock Spec B springs, but I think they would be too soft. Anyone know the rates for the stock Spec B springs? BTW, sickdrift, your problem does sound like underdamped...
sickdrift Posted February 9, 2008 Posted February 9, 2008 Anyone know the rates for the stock Spec B springs? I was instructed to ask unclemat regading this exact question in another post a couple days ago. I PMed him and have not yet recieved a response. You can try and see if he answers you.
Guest Posted February 9, 2008 Posted February 9, 2008 I was instructed to ask unclemat regading this exact question in another post a couple days ago. I PMed him and have not yet recieved a response. You can try and see if he answers you. Sorry, missed your message. I don't know exactly but USDM SpecB springs appear to be softer than even JDM GT Rev.C (softest of the JDM bunch). I drove a 2008 USDM SpecB and it rolls too much. I have JDM SpecB Rev.C spring on my LGT now and I like them better, but they still roll a great deal.
sickdrift Posted February 9, 2008 Posted February 9, 2008 Sorry, missed your message. I don't know exactly but USDM SpecB springs appear to be softer than even JDM GT Rev.C (softest of the JDM bunch). I drove a 2008 USDM SpecB and it rolls too much. I have JDM SpecB Rev.C spring on my LGT now and I like them better, but they still roll a great deal. Thanks for the info. I kinda figured usdm would be softer and taller. I would not be suprised at all to find they have the same spring rate as the GT's, but only made "stiffer" with the Bil's. I really think my dampers are under sprung.
rodan Posted February 9, 2008 Author Posted February 9, 2008 Thanks, that leaves Pinks and Swifts, I guess.
sickdrift Posted February 9, 2008 Posted February 9, 2008 Thanks, that leaves Pinks and Swifts, I guess. From what I have read here, the best bet is pinks for you. Since the fronts are progressive they will eat up the slow bumps better than the linear rate swifts. But they will still be firmer than crappy usdm spec B's. I think I will be purchasing some too, exactly the same sets sirsimon has/had on his spec. The rake on his car is ideal to me.
Vimy101 Posted February 10, 2008 Posted February 10, 2008 From what I have read here, the best bet is pinks for you. Since the fronts are progressive they will eat up the slow bumps better than the linear rate swifts. But they will still be firmer than crappy usdm spec B's. I think I will be purchasing some too, exactly the same sets sirsimon has/had on his spec. The rake on his car is ideal to me. It depends, of course, on what you're after. The USDM Spec.B suspension is a fine GT set up. As you're finding out, it's not easy to build a system that doesn't involve some sort of compromise in some area of performance and that a good street car set up is probably the most difficult of all because it must be capable of handling the most diverse conditions.
sickdrift Posted February 10, 2008 Posted February 10, 2008 It depends, of course, on what you're after. The USDM Spec.B suspension is a fine GT set up. As you're finding out, it's not easy to build a system that doesn't involve some sort of compromise in some area of performance and that a good street car set up is probably the most difficult of all because it must be capable of handling the most diverse conditions. This is true. I'm somewhat familiar with the way suspensions works, although I am no guru. When I first purchased my car I was under the impression that the suspension was very stiff... maybe too stiff. But since I’ve broken in my suspension.... well you're read the above complaints. Overall I think it's great, but I think the springs need to be stiffened up a bit, to take some of the work off of the struts. I can tell the struts are doing their job because the travel of their stroke feels very controlled. But the amount of travel is excessive for my tastes.
Vimy101 Posted February 11, 2008 Posted February 11, 2008 This is true. I'm somewhat familiar with the way suspensions works, although I am no guru. When I first purchased my car I was under the impression that the suspension was very stiff... maybe too stiff. But since I’ve broken in my suspension.... well you're read the above complaints. Overall I think it's great, but I think the springs need to be stiffened up a bit, to take some of the work off of the struts. I can tell the struts are doing their job because the travel of their stroke feels very controlled. But the amount of travel is excessive for my tastes. I've noticed that after the initial weight transfer "sway" upon hard turn in, the OEM suspension settles to be rock solid. It can hold a lot of speed even - maybe especially - on rough roads. The Spec. B does have a rally heritage after all. I think it more than OK that the inverted struts have a good amount of travel. The Al parts lighten unsprung weight so bound and rebound are quicker than steel. My suspension has 50k on it now and feels better than new. Can't wait to get the summer rubber back on!
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.