I hate how uncontrolled the travel feels at the top of the suspension travel on KYB AGXs and eibach pros on the rear suspension. Here is what I was thinking. Thread the back shocks down about another inch on the shaft and cut an inch to load the suspension travel at the top. Besides voiding the warrenty, what else can i expect? Its safe I dont want to hear saftey issues...


2004 Cavalier, 2.2L Ecotec
1965 El Camino, 396 BBC, 14:1, 800 BHP

If I understand you correctly, you want to cut another inch of threads into the top of the strut shaft, so that the upper mount is 1" closer to the strut body?

That won't accomplish what you want to do. All you're really doing is changing the spring length at ride height. It would be similar to clamping the spring.

Are you more concerned about abrupt weight transfer during cornering? Or the "bounciness" right before weight transfer?

That will not change ride height at all. It will only limit the downward travel of the strut, and even then only under extreme circumstances. It will not accomplish what you want at all.

How are you driving that you think the rear suspension is at "the top of travel"?? If you're at the top of travel, the wheel would be pulling up off the ground. I think that would be the limiting factor in controlling the car.

If you're talking about going around corners way too fast, you may want a rear sway bar. It would help, although it may not solve all your driving problems.

at the "TOP" of travel you will have no weight in the rear thus you will have no traction. Sounds more like a driver problem than a suspension issue.

Try stiffening the rear a little bit, what settings are you using right now? I'm still at stock height with AGX's and I don't have this problem.


-Chris

It sounds like you need to stiffen your rear shocks.

yes, i am losing traction. Its a driver problem. the dumba$$ driver behind the wheel occasionally likes to drive the car harder than it was meant. Im not looking to change the ride hieght, but compress the spring further. See with the spring at the top of the travel there is not compression on it, hence the reason many people are able to put lowering springs on the shocks without compressing the springs. this, i believe is causing a bounce when the spring goes to recompress. i want to eliminate this problem.


2004 Cavalier, 2.2L Ecotec
1965 El Camino, 396 BBC, 14:1, 800 BHP

You believe wrong.

If your rear end is loosing traction that easily, it's probalby the tires, not the suspension.

If you were to compress the springs more, they would expand more because the car doesn't weigh enough to keep them compressed that far. Adding weight in your trunk would more effectively accomplish what you are proposing.

what about coilovers. someone for the gravanatuning coilovers made a comment on how much more controlled the suspension felt after they installed the coilovers. i think ill just go with those, and i would also get ride height adjustability.


2004 Cavalier, 2.2L Ecotec
1965 El Camino, 396 BBC, 14:1, 800 BHP

Coilover kits typically run a higher spring rate, which would take away some bounce. You shouldn't put them on just the rear though. It will create an even worse drivability problem and you can expect it to oversteer.

so what is the best corse of action to eliminate the "bouncyness" at the top of the suspension travel? the suspension feels fine mid and low travel...


2004 Cavalier, 2.2L Ecotec
1965 El Camino, 396 BBC, 14:1, 800 BHP

I think you may be getting bouncyness confused with stiffness. "Bouncyness" is when your suspension continues to move up and down after you have travled over a bump.

sounds like your setup overall is too soft....


with the weight of the car on the struts and springs, unless you pull a fast and the furious get away or a dukes of hazzard jump... your springs will always be in contact with the strut mount and the strut perch.

it will always have pressure and should never separate.




if you are bouncing, it means your springs are overpowering your dampers.... aka your setup on the struts are too soft....


loosing traction on the rear tires? how much of em is left, and how fast exactly are you going... theres been a few people in here who drive like its a video game or something. like the kid who was complaining he kept spinning out in the rain when he tried to make a 90 degree turn, and was going over the speed limits.

sean M wrote:BUT I almost crashed my car several times already on curvy backroads.What happens is i go to tap the brakes to go around a corner and the back brakes lock up and i end up in the other lane backwards. fun but scary as hell. this only happens when the roads are wet. this also happened on a gravel dusted road. BTW this only happens during left hand turns...........................................but I'm not driving too fast in the rain, just slower than when the roads are dry, not necicarily under the speed limit, but slow enough that this shouldnt happen.

ok so its not bouncy per se, but it does feel like (and sometimes sound like) there is no contact with the strut mount. I just put the 17s and new zr rated sumitomo 225/4517s on. Dont quote me on the tire size, it may be different. ill check. it actually feels a lot better with the new tires, way more controlled.

Heres is what i worry about. When i put the springs on the struts, i didnt have to compress the springs like you would have had to on the stock springs. This was the same before i upgraded to the agx and the same on the agx struts. Im thinking that when i go over drains turning onto different roads, the suspension is exteneding as far as it will go and im losing traction. It is not a big problem becuase i usually am not driving fast enough to be a problem, but i hate the feeling that my suspenion is losing conact between the spring and the mount.

It is kinda hard to explain the problem, because for most of the time the suspension does its part, however, im being kind of picky. My other cars are heavier and feel more controlled. I know these cars are light, i just hate the feeling of the suspesion at the top and feel like something just lost contact with something else.

any ideas or if you need my to clarify this confusing post, shoot them to me.


2004 Cavalier, 2.2L Ecotec
1965 El Camino, 396 BBC, 14:1, 800 BHP

Sounds like you needs some better dampers?

What setting do you have the AGX's on? There is no need to "upgrade" your shocks. I never had a need to use a spring compressor on the aftermarket springs either.

FYI, weight is relative. These cars are actually VERY heavy for their class.

you're comparing your car to heavier cars for starters..... different handling characteristics...

the list goes on and on....

and you still havent listed any settings....



half arsed info given, gets half arsed info in return


cant help you solve the problem in full if you only give half the story.

Funky Bottoms (Event) wrote:you're comparing your car to heavier cars for starters..... different handling characteristics...
the list goes on and on....
and you still havent listed any settings....

Agreed.

I very much doubt you're suspension is fully extending. The wheel would have to drop over 5 inches, that's alot! You could add tender secondary springs, but I really think it's unnecessary.

adding a spacer or tender springs will do nothing but raise the height....