Advisable GC springrates for a canyon carver...

[K-Swiss]

Currently my car (89 325I) has 375 lb's fronts and 475lb backs. It rides like a hung of plywood with wheels attached so it needs to be softened up substationally. Any ideas what I should drop it down to?

[e30_kid89]

That's how soft as it gets i think. You may need to look into going back to a regular spring system.

[Dave]

H&R Sports.

[golde30]

yah, those rates are pretty damn soft. if those are no good for you, then take off the coilovers and get some H&R springs...

[K-Swiss]

Hmm possibly i'm bottoming out my shocks. I guess I should raise it.. Anyway I can play with length?

[golde30]

if you were riding really low and didnt have the short-body shocks, then there is a good chance your shocks are blown.

[pogiboy9]

What suspension are you running now ?

[K-Swiss]

Ground controls with Adjustable Koni Yellows...



Pic of current stance

[rwh11385]

Who cares?

You're going to go too quick around a corner, going to understeer and slam into a guardrail, or even better plunge off a cliff, so either will be a vegetable or riding around in a POS civic... so then your rates won't really matter much anymore.

[K-Swiss]

What does that have to do with anything?

Thanks for actually making a worthy contribution:up::wgaf:

[K-Swiss]

Thanks for assuming I don't know what to drive either. Oh my gosh a guy that wants to modify his car for performance? Not just looks? That must be completly foreign to you guys...

[jlevie]

What do you have the Koni's set to? With those spring rates I'd guess that 1 turn from full soft would be a good starting point.

The Koni SA's are only adjustable for rebound damping. If set to stiff for the springs the shocks won't be re-extending in a normal fashion when traversing uneven or rough surfaces. So you loose spring travel and may run into the bump stops. Just enough rebound damping to prevent wheel oscillation over rough surfaces is the sweet spot.

[K-Swiss]

Right now I'm just in the middle. So somewhere between full soft and full hard.

[rwh11385]

Thanks for assuming I don't know what to drive either. Oh my gosh a guy that wants to modify his car for performance? Not just looks? That must be completly foreign to you guys...

You do not know what to drive. Clearly to anyone who is more intelligent than you, carving canyons is not a wise decision. People who want to modify for performance and put it to use go to tracks, not recklessly driving on the street.

Go carve a new facade in a canyon with your soon-to-be crumpled up r3v'ed E30.
I'll laugh about it and say I told you so if you survive. I'll just laugh if you don't.

[K-Swiss]

Your an ass clown. Theres nothing wrong with going out and enjoying a few curves. Why would anybody build a car they can't enjoy everyday? Why do you feel so certain I'm going to ball up my e30? Sorry buddy, Countless BMW owners do it every year. Its all about restraint. You don't go flying down some road that you know there could be gravel on the shoulders 10/10ths.