ground control + koni setup bottoming out anyone else have the same problem?

acurablister · 03-09-04, 08:05 AM

just checking to see if all of you who lowered your car bottoms out after hitting a huge freaking pot hole or not. mine does. my conclusion is that the spring is not strong enough. any thoughts on this matter. i hope i am not the only one here. by the way the front springs are set on the highest setting and still bottoms out but the rear doesnt even on the lowest.

Gerald · 03-09-04, 08:07 AM

It shouldn't be bottoming out at all. Who installed tha setup?

jigga622 · 03-09-04, 09:39 AM

mine "bangs" sometimes if i hit like a pothole or something.....but oh well

ScotcH · 03-09-04, 01:03 PM

Did you cut your bump stops?

oneblackac · 03-09-04, 03:32 PM

remember that most of the weight is in the front...and big freakin potholes will make anything bottom out sometimes

Merlin the Wrench · 03-09-04, 04:08 PM

First, I am sorry that your car is bottoming out. However you changed your spring rate and things like this are to be expected. Your choices are rather limited. If you want factory clearance, which is minimal compared to most cars, go back to stock springs and shocks. There are some sophticated ways to raise your ride height without changing spring rates however it would require re-engineering the Legend suspension. It isn't a formula one. It also is a quite heavy car for its suspension and brakes. I love mine but realized early on that it was never going to be a race car. Just too heavy, too many accessories and too much metal.

acurablister · 03-10-04, 12:55 AM

i had two different guys worked on it. i guess the first guy screw it up. then i went to another place which they know what they were doing. whats so funny was that the first guy who did the installation put the rear spring in the front and when he went and figured it out he called me and said i some how switch the springs in the boxes. really studpid thing to do and he wanted 350 for the labor cause of his own mistake. but we agreed on 300. the second guy put in the konis for the front and back. he said the first guy install it wrong or something. after putting on the konis everything seems to work fine except sometimes i get really nervous going bumps at high speeds. dont get me wrong it was worse without the konis alot worse. well you can feel that the spring has reach its full length on a big pot hole, and you hear a boom, bang or whatever (which is i think is inevitable on a lower car). i am pretty sure the installation is done correctly now. could the adjustable konis be the problem here? i am just not sure. or is it normal to bottom out like that.

***LegendGS*** · 03-10-04, 01:17 AM

Same question as above. Did you have your bumpstops cut? Without cutting your bumpstops, your shocks have very little play. Also, did you have a camber kit installed? If so, did you have the upper control arms ground down to clear your inner fender?

Volk Racing · 03-10-04, 03:24 AM

Going over bumps or potholes with banging is not spring rate related. It's shock related. Either your shocks are way too soft for a lowered car so it compresses way too fast over a bump or potholes. The only way to keep your car from bottoming out is to stiffen your shocks depending how low you are.

The banging you hear is the upper control arm hitting your inner fender. If you raise your car, and look under, you will see where the upper A-arm engraved it's mark up there.

ScotcH · 03-10-04, 04:25 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by VolkRacing
Going over bumps or potholes with banging is not spring rate related. It's shock related. Either your shocks are way too soft for a lowered car so it compresses way too fast over a bump or potholes. The only way to keep your car from bottoming out is to stiffen your shocks depending how low you are.

The banging you hear is the upper control arm hitting your inner fender. If you raise your car, and look under, you will see where the upper A-arm engraved it's mark up there.

Ummm ... no, it's not shock related. The konis are only REBOUND adjustable, not compression. If you put on a 100# vs a 500# spring you're saying I won't bottom out the suspension any easier?

The shock (or damper) is only used to control the osilations in the spring. The spring will determine how far the travel is (spring rate is lbs per inch ... in other words, how many pounds to compress the spring 1")

I do agree that the banging might be related to the A-arm hitting the fender, however.

acurablister · 03-10-04, 08:22 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by LegendGS
Same question as above. Did you have your bumpstops cut? Without cutting your bumpstops, your shocks have very little play. Also, did you have a camber kit installed? If so, did you have the upper control arms ground down to clear your inner fender?

i did all of the above. and i dont think the upper c arm is hitting the fender. i thought it had something to do with the adjustable konis too. is it possible to adjust the shocks without having to remove it? i tried to turn the shock where its sticking out in the engine bay but i dont think thats gonna work. its not as bad right now since i had my half shaft replaced. i only bottom out once in a while now. difinately not a city driver though. i live in nh so i am ok.

95legend · 03-10-04, 09:46 AM

how do you know you are bottoming out?? what kind of noise is it?? if its a loud bang, or something of the sort, its your control arm slamming into your inner fender wall, mine does it every once in a while, but when it was lower, it would do it almost over every bump, so much so, it did this...drivers side

and passenger side

...so i doubt your car is bottoming out, unless you can see marks or damage to your bumper or undercarriage. btw, how much did you lower your car??

edit: on the drivers side, there are two holes, the one with the metal sticking up is from the control arm slamming into the fenderwall so much...on the passenger side, it didnt go through, but it was well on its way as you can see the bulge it created.

Gerald · 03-10-04, 10:00 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by 95legend
how do you know you are bottoming out?? what kind of noise is it?? if its a loud bang, or something of the sort, its your control arm slamming into your inner fender wall, mine does it every once in a while, but when it was lower, it would do it almost over every bump, so much so, it did this...drivers side
and passenger side...so i doubt your car is bottoming out, unless you can see marks or damage to your bumper or undercarriage. btw, how much did you lower your car??

edit: on the drivers side, there are two holes, the one with the metal sticking up is from the control arm slamming into the fenderwall so much...on the passenger side, it didnt go through, but it was well on its way as you can see the bulge it created.

Oh my

!!!!!

Why is it doing that????? I'm getting scared now. I wanted to get custom gc's but I'm a little bit on tha sketchy side now.

acurablister · 03-10-04, 10:57 AM

dude, youre sure banging alot more than i do lol. mine doest hit on the control arm at all. it did but a friend help cut off part of the control arm to make room. i dont see any evidence of metal hitting metal like yours. i definately seek help asap if mine car did that. btw i used to set it so that there are no finger gaps between the tire and fender but the ride is not as smooth and the ball joints seem to go more quickly if i do that for the front so i just set it at the highest setting in front and the lowest for the back. i like the front high low back look.

Volk Racing · 03-10-04, 02:10 PM

My Prelude use to do that A-arm smashing deal, but not to that extent. Mine did that because I had soft shocks. My Skunk coilover springs were 450lbs, but that's nothing if you don't have the right shocks for it.

Shocks is what it's name is. It asorbs sudden shocks. High spring rates keep a car more lateral during turns, braking and taking off. Stiffer shocks help keep the car from bottoming out from sudden speedbumps/potholes. Too bad Koni Specials only adjust oneway.

I think if you are truely in the game of having slammed cars, you need to know how to drive one. Keyword: "DETOURS". My Prelude was lowered 3.5" with a body kit, and I always avoid uneven roads, speedbumps and potholes. If you can't do that, then you shouldn't lower your car. My car never goes places if I never been there before.

03-09-04, 08:05 AM	#1 (permalink)
acurablister Registered User Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: nh Posts: 11 Car 1: 1991 blue legend iTrader: (0)	ground control + koni setup bottoming out anyone else have the same problem? just checking to see if all of you who lowered your car bottoms out after hitting a huge freaking pot hole or not. mine does. my conclusion is that the spring is not strong enough. any thoughts on this matter. i hope i am not the only one here. by the way the front springs are set on the highest setting and still bottoms out but the rear doesnt even on the lowest.

03-09-04, 08:07 AM	#2 (permalink)
Gerald Registered User Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Tallahassee, Florida Posts: 2,368 Car 1: 1991 Cobalt Blue KA8 Car 2: 1998 Kouki (sold) iTrader: (0)	It shouldn't be bottoming out at all. Who installed tha setup? __________________ Help Me Find White/Black KA8

03-09-04, 01:03 PM	#4 (permalink)
ScotcH Legend no more Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Ottawa, ON, Canada Posts: 1,016 Car 1: BMW M3 iTrader: (1)	Did you cut your bump stops? __________________ '93 Legend Coupe LS - 6-speed (fast, pimp) SOLD '96 BMW M3 (faster, but less pimp) '95 BMW M3 (fastest, not pimp, track car) '88 Nissan 200sx - 5-speed (ice race, winter beater) '06 Subaru Impreza - 5-speed (grocery getter, winter fun) 2nd Generation FAQ...Click here http://www.macrocosm.on.ca/images/m3_sig.jpg

03-09-04, 03:32 PM	#5 (permalink)
oneblackac Registered User Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Rocky Hill, CT Posts: 73 Car 1: 1992 Legend LS iTrader: (0)	remember that most of the weight is in the front...and big freakin potholes will make anything bottom out sometimes __________________ 1992 legend ls, black on black leather : KMS strut bar, alpine s620 changer, shaved "acura" badge, MORE TO COME

03-09-04, 04:08 PM	#6 (permalink)
Merlin the Wrench Registered User Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: sacramento Posts: 863 Car 1: 1995 L sedan; past 1992 L sedan iTrader: (0)	First, I am sorry that your car is bottoming out. However you changed your spring rate and things like this are to be expected. Your choices are rather limited. If you want factory clearance, which is minimal compared to most cars, go back to stock springs and shocks. There are some sophticated ways to raise your ride height without changing spring rates however it would require re-engineering the Legend suspension. It isn't a formula one. It also is a quite heavy car for its suspension and brakes. I love mine but realized early on that it was never going to be a race car. Just too heavy, too many accessories and too much metal. __________________ Best Wishes Steve

Remove Advertisements Sponsored Links
The Acura Legend & Acura RL Forum Advertisement

03-09-04, 09:39 AM	#3 (permalink)
jigga622 Banned Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: pa Posts: 2,960 Car 1: 94 ls 6-speed black on tan iTrader: (0)	mine "bangs" sometimes if i hit like a pothole or something.....but oh well

03-10-04, 12:55 AM	#7 (permalink)
acurablister Registered User Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: nh Posts: 11 Car 1: 1991 blue legend iTrader: (0)	i had two different guys worked on it. i guess the first guy screw it up. then i went to another place which they know what they were doing. whats so funny was that the first guy who did the installation put the rear spring in the front and when he went and figured it out he called me and said i some how switch the springs in the boxes. really studpid thing to do and he wanted 350 for the labor cause of his own mistake. but we agreed on 300. the second guy put in the konis for the front and back. he said the first guy install it wrong or something. after putting on the konis everything seems to work fine except sometimes i get really nervous going bumps at high speeds. dont get me wrong it was worse without the konis alot worse. well you can feel that the spring has reach its full length on a big pot hole, and you hear a boom, bang or whatever (which is i think is inevitable on a lower car). i am pretty sure the installation is done correctly now. could the adjustable konis be the problem here? i am just not sure. or is it normal to bottom out like that.

03-10-04, 01:17 AM	#8 (permalink)
*LegendGS* GS Hog Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: SoCal Posts: 7,001 Car 1: 1994 Legend GS-Auto Car 2: 1994 Legend GS-6 spd Car 3: 1993 NSX-6 spd iTrader: (2)	Same question as above. Did you have your bumpstops cut? Without cutting your bumpstops, your shocks have very little play. Also, did you have a camber kit installed? If so, did you have the upper control arms ground down to clear your inner fender? __________________ Please read the Forum Rules and other announcements

03-10-04, 03:24 AM	#9 (permalink)
Volk Racing Registered User Join Date: May 2003 Location: here Posts: 2,865 Car 1: Gynomobile iTrader: (2)	Going over bumps or potholes with banging is not spring rate related. It's shock related. Either your shocks are way too soft for a lowered car so it compresses way too fast over a bump or potholes. The only way to keep your car from bottoming out is to stiffen your shocks depending how low you are. The banging you hear is the upper control arm hitting your inner fender. If you raise your car, and look under, you will see where the upper A-arm engraved it's mark up there. __________________ 1994 GS (F:18 X 8.0 - R:18 X 9.0) RIMTUCK.com - Wheel fitment database

03-10-04, 09:46 AM	#12 (permalink)
95legend Whaever * *akes Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Naples, FL Posts: 2,600 Car 1: 2006 Nissan Titan iTrader: (0)	how do you know you are bottoming out?? what kind of noise is it?? if its a loud bang, or something of the sort, its your control arm slamming into your inner fender wall, mine does it every once in a while, but when it was lower, it would do it almost over every bump, so much so, it did this...drivers side and passenger side...so i doubt your car is bottoming out, unless you can see marks or damage to your bumper or undercarriage. btw, how much did you lower your car?? edit: on the drivers side, there are two holes, the one with the metal sticking up is from the control arm slamming into the fenderwall so much...on the passenger side, it didnt go through, but it was well on its way as you can see the bulge it created. __________________ http://memimage.cardomain.net/member...66_14_full.jpg 2nd Generation FAQ...Click here

03-10-04, 10:57 AM	#14 (permalink)
acurablister Registered User Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: nh Posts: 11 Car 1: 1991 blue legend iTrader: (0)	dude, youre sure banging alot more than i do lol. mine doest hit on the control arm at all. it did but a friend help cut off part of the control arm to make room. i dont see any evidence of metal hitting metal like yours. i definately seek help asap if mine car did that. btw i used to set it so that there are no finger gaps between the tire and fender but the ride is not as smooth and the ball joints seem to go more quickly if i do that for the front so i just set it at the highest setting in front and the lowest for the back. i like the front high low back look. Last edited by acurablister : 03-10-04 at 11:07 AM.

03-10-04, 02:10 PM	#15 (permalink)
Volk Racing Registered User Join Date: May 2003 Location: here Posts: 2,865 Car 1: Gynomobile iTrader: (2)	My Prelude use to do that A-arm smashing deal, but not to that extent. Mine did that because I had soft shocks. My Skunk coilover springs were 450lbs, but that's nothing if you don't have the right shocks for it. Shocks is what it's name is. It asorbs sudden shocks. High spring rates keep a car more lateral during turns, braking and taking off. Stiffer shocks help keep the car from bottoming out from sudden speedbumps/potholes. Too bad Koni Specials only adjust oneway. I think if you are truely in the game of having slammed cars, you need to know how to drive one. Keyword: "DETOURS". My Prelude was lowered 3.5" with a body kit, and I always avoid uneven roads, speedbumps and potholes. If you can't do that, then you shouldn't lower your car. My car never goes places if I never been there before. __________________ 1994 GS (F:18 X 8.0 - R:18 X 9.0) RIMTUCK.com - Wheel fitment database

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes	Rate This Thread
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode	Rate This Thread: