Ok here is the deal. I have read the FAQ many many times. I have saved my money to do it right the first time as many people say to do. so I did it right. I bought all new mounts, Pro-kit and the AGX struts.

Here are some of my questions.

1.) I know It wont ride like stock but it seems pretty rough. I left the struts at the default setting as they came out of the box when me and my cousin installed them today. Front at 2 and rears at 4. It seems pretty smooth on the flat but any kind of bumps seems pretty stiff or speed bumps. The roads in my city have lots of little dips and bumps all over the place. I know it isnt going to ride like stock or like a cadillac but this seems a little either to stiff or to soft. I know it is hard to explain.

2.) When doing the installation of everything being brand new, Mounts, struts, springs I asked my cousin (4th year mechanic) about cutting the bump stops as it says to in the eibach instructions that came with the springs. He said not to b/c there is way more then enough travel of the strut shaft in order to absorb bumps in the road and to prevent rubbing or something he said and that the bump stop will absorb anything what ever it needs to since it is compressable or something. I cant remember exactly what he said. But he said not to so we didnt trim them like the instructions said. Could this be the issue with the ride. I mean there is a good 7-8 inches of shaft for travel. It cant compress that much can it unless hitting a real big dip?

3.) So what are you prokit/abx people running to make the ride a little smoother? I'm running 2 front 4 rear. Do I need to adjust them up a bit like to say 3 front and 5 rear? Or should I just leave them for a while for a break in period? I heard people mention this before but my cousin said it was BS. We did a wheel alignment afterwards and it was out a tad so everything is straightened up now. Or is this relating back to the bump stop debate?

4.) I want to smooth out the ride a little so that it is a little more smoother. What can I do? Like I mentioned above I know it isnt going to ride like a cadillac but I mean I saved and paid good money for this setup. The ride seems nice and firm. Am I jumping the gum here on my first lowered ride? I didnt expect it to ride like stock but I would like some comfort. The handling is amazing and it hugs the ground really well and looks amazing.

5.) I think we installed the springs the right way. We installed them just as they were in the box with the eibach letter level so that you can read it. Nothing is upside down and everything has been torqued to spec. So I'm a little lost here.

Any Advise would be appriciated. Sorry if this post seems a little scattered. Just concerned that is all. I'll post back if anything pops into my head.

Regards,

J

It was the same way for me when I installed my Tokico suspension setup. I left the struts and shocks on the default settings, which was 2.5 turns from full soft, for the recommended break-in period from Tokico. I would leave them alone for the recommended break-in period because I have heard of people blowing the struts prematurely after messing with the settings straight out of the box. Mine did seem to soften up a bit after I put some miles on them. The ride will be firmer and stiffer than stock, and may take a few weeks for you to get used to. I know what you mean about the roads. They are horrible in my area. I've gotten used to the ride now, and would never go back to stock.

Dont worry about a break in for the AGX's. the Eibach springs are stiffer than stock therefore it is a rougher ride. if you feel too bouncy, try 3 and 5-6. to me, it feels nice and tight. just play around with the different settings until you like the way it rides.

I was thinking about messing around with the settings a little today but like shiftycav said they should be ready out of the box as my cousin said so to.

One thing I did remember is when we got it down off the lift. I tried to push down on the front fender to see how much travel there was. There wasnt much. My cousin mentioned that is pretty STIFF. I know it would be b/c with eibach having stiffer spring rates in all.

As for the bump stop question. My ride is nice and quiet. We torqued everything to spec and did a clean install and I have no suspension noises that I can tell off so far after putting about 30km on my car last night so that is good. I did a search and found that some people will say that you can hear it bottoming out. Everything on my car is quiet so far. With all new mounts and a wheel alighnment it should be perfect.

So you suggest bumping it up a little. I may try 3 front and 5 rear and see how that is today. But what is everyone's opinion on break-in time?

They Call Me...Baby Gorilla states ride gets better?

Ill post as I think of more questions,

Regards,

J

Just looking through the AGX papers. They dont say anything about a break in period

Could it have made a difference b/c it was so damm cold out last night as well. I think when we pulled out of the shop it was about -15 celcius then there was a bit of a wind to so I would have said it was about -20.

We dont really have any snow. Maybe like a inch or two on the ground but the street are dry. This year we has been a good winter b/c of no snow. Or not much of it.

Regards,

J

NeoJuice wrote:I was thinking about messing around with the settings a little today but like shiftycav said they should be ready out of the box as my cousin said so to.

OK let me ask you this with all the lowering springs and different spring rates out there..... you really think they are gonna be set to one perticular spring??? yeah maybe the stock springs. if you didnt need to adjust them at all out of the box then they wouldnt be adjustable. do some adjusting and you will find a happy place.

This what I use for every day use. Try:
Front: 1
Rear: 2

When I feel for sportier driving I swich to: F:2 / R:4

For the track (roadcourse) F:3 / R:6-7





>>>For Sale? Clicky!<<<
-----The orginal Mr.Goodwrench on the JBO since 11/99-----

Mr.Goodwrench-G.T thanks for the reply. Do you know anything about the break-in period that people talk about? Right now I'm set on 2 front 4 rear but I think I may drive on that for a bit. The weather seems ot be turning colder so maybe I'll run this setup for a bit to break-in the struts.

Once it warms up a little I'll give the 1 front 2 rear a try. But you would think that the setting of 2 on the front would be neutral and not so stiff. You would think that 3 & 4 would be stiff. Not 2. That means there is only 1 adjustment in the front for softer then.

Regards,

J

those telling you to put the shock settings higher for a softer ride are all wrong.

1 is softer, 4f/8r is stiffer.

I have them at 2f4r all the time except when racing when they are all the way to 4 front, 8 rear.

Yeah the ride is rough but I've become used to it and I drive slower when there are a lot of bumps. Think about it you wouldn't want to ruin your expensive suspension too fast now would you.

The handling is like day and night.

BTW if I can give you an advice for further suspension modding, try getting a front and rear strut bar set... It made a hell of a difference for me, especially in the rear.



15.574 @ 89 mph stock

I do have the RK front/rear strut tower bars as well as the hellwig 19MM rear sway bar and FE2 suspension (22MM front sway bar). The car handles amazing but I guess I'm just not to used to it yet. I have only put about 30km on the setup so far. I'm going to ride it like this for a while then start to play with the settings.

Once it warms up a little and this damm snow stops. I'm going to give the 1 front 2 or 3 in the rear a try for a bit of a smoother ride. But I guess I'm going to try and break in the new setup first a little bit.

Check out my registry for mods I have to my car.

Regards,

J

Quote:

3.) So what are you prokit/abx people running to make the ride a little smoother? I'm running 2 front 4 rear. Do I need to adjust them up a bit like to say 3 front and 5 rear?

by smoother do you mean stiffer or softer? if you go over a bump with the settings on 1 and 1, then it will rebound more than if it was on 3 and 5. you are not going to have a smooth luxury style suspension like a Cadillac. you lowered it with stiffer springs, therefore the ride will be somewhat harsher no matter what. if you want a smooth suspension where you can run over a bump and not feel it, then lowering it is something you should not have done.

Also you dont need to break in AGX's. people have asked KYB if there is a break in period and they said no. you the SEARCH button if you dont believe me.

I have mine currently set at 2/4. I've tried using 3/6 for daily driveing but it can beat you up, especially on rough roads. I'm pretty happy with my setup, however its all personal preference.

NeoJuice wrote:Mr.Goodwrench-G.T thanks for the reply. Do you know anything about the break-in period that people talk about?

Neo,
No need to worry about break-in period. When I asked for some spacers (did not get) I also asked on break-in period as it was a roomer here.
The rep said, there is NO break-in period on KYBs. So you will be fine. Judging by what you said try; F-1/ R-1-2.




>>>For Sale? Clicky!<<<
-----The orginal Mr.Goodwrench on the JBO since 11/99-----

I just got home from doing a whole bunch of running around. It wasnt to bad. But before I came in I changed the the setup a little. I changed to 1 front and 3 rear. Im going to be heading out later so I'll give that a try. I guess it is just going to get some getting used to.

Has anyone had any issues with exhaust rubbing or banging? I think I need to pull my rear sway bar off b/c the bushings are making noise when I take off and go over some bumps. It made noise before but now since I'm lowered now maybe it might need some adjustment or tightening up. I think they need some more grease on the inside of the bushings. It has been quite a while since I put it on.

ShiftyCav I understand that I did lower with stiffer springs. I knew that when I bought the pro-kit. I think I'm just not to used to the ride yet. But I'm going to play with the adjustments. To see if I can make it a little more better. That is why I bought the AGX.

Do you think it is OK to run 1 front all the time?

Regards,

J

Man I must be crazy, I like 3 for the front, 6-7 for the rear. Girlfriend likes 1 for the front, and 3 for the rear. Man don't take that the wrong way, its just my preferences.






PRND321 Till I DIE
Old Motor: 160whp & 152ft/lbs, 1/4 Mile 15.4 @88.2
M45 + LD9 + 4T40-E, GO GO GO

Mine are at 3 front 7 rear right now(just came from an autocross) I don't think the ride is too bad.

As soon as I take my tires out of the car I'm going to start with 1 front and 1 rear then increase them till it is a smoother ride.


-Chris

As I stated in my first post. Could any of this be relating to not cutting the bumpstops like the eibach instructions said. Here is what I wrote in my first post.

"When doing the installation of everything being brand new, Mounts, struts, springs I asked my cousin (4th year mechanic) about cutting the bump stops as it says to in the eibach instructions that came with the springs. He said not to b/c there is way more then enough travel of the strut shaft in order to absorb bumps in the road and to prevent rubbing or something he said and that the bump stop will absorb anything what ever it needs to since it is compressable or something. I cant remember exactly what he said. But he said not to so we didnt trim them like the instructions said. Could this be the issue with the ride. I mean there is a good 7-8 inches of shaft for travel. It cant compress that much can it unless hitting a real big dip?"

I'm running 1 front 3 rear and it seems a little better. I think I may drop it to 1 front 2 rear and see how that is. I think I'm going to drop my rear sway bar until spring. It is creaking and making noise like a mo-fo in this cold weather. The bushing need grease and since it is cold out I'm debating taking it off since I dont have a garage. Or myabe it just needs tightened up since lowering my car. I'm not sure. Maybe I should have checked that when we had it up on the lift. I didnt even think to check it. Dammit.......

I have been really careful driving around. I havent bottomed out yet as relating to the bump stop question so I think things are fine. But man rail road tracks are KILLER even when you slow down and try and take them at an angle.

Neo sorry for being off topic but how did those motor mounts workd for ya?

4/8 for daily driving on my car

mike gless wrote:Neo sorry for being off topic but how did those motor mounts workd for ya?

Do I know you? Your name doesnt ring a bell.

Regards,

J

Got my alignment yesterday with the Prokit/AGX, and other than the fact that my OEM struts were blown, the car feels great. far superior ride to what i had, and i thought it rode pretty decently. Hard bumps dont clank, but you can feel them. Something i'll have to get used too, especially the slightly lowered stance. Its one of those things where if you saw a J next to my Sunfire, then you could tell i lowered it, otherwise you wouldnt know.

Here is another thing I thought of.

The shield didnt fit over the bottom portion of the strut. On the stock strut it had that plastic peice on the bottom/shaft that it kind of snapped/fit into. The top of the shield/bumpstop is snapped into place in the top of the mount on the front/rear no problem.

On my pro-kit/agx setup it is just sitting against the bottom peice b/c the stock Shield wouldnt fit over the bottom peice. Do you think that there will be any damage long term or dirt/grime getting up in there. It looks to be ok as I have been checking it over the past couple days but it kind of worries me since last week we had no snow and this morning I wake up to 8-10 inches of snow. I took a look up under there and the front/rear are completely packed with snow.

Any tips?

are you sure you cant pull it down anymore. the boot should be able to fit over the lip on the struts. i know mine does

Ahhhhhh f*ck now I'm going to have to rip it all apart again and fix this. Well I guess I mide as well trim the bump stops while I have everything out again. I'm pretty sure we tried to get the shield/boots over the bottom peice but they wouldnt fit over without alot of stretching b/c it was so much bigger then the bottom of the shield. That is why we didnt put them over it.

I dont want dirt/grime to get up in there on the shaft and ruen the strut shaft and voide the warranty on the brand new struts. Damm this snow last night. Really p*ssing me off.

I had a wheel alignment done after we put everything back together. Do you think if we remove it again that I'll need another one?

Regards,

J