Suspension upgraded.... back too low?!?!?!?
08-16-02, 06:54 PM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Suspension upgraded.... back too low?!?!?!?
FD, touring
99 spec 17" wheels
235/45-17 front
265/40-17 rear
slightly used Racing Beat Lowering springs
(lowers .75 inch front and 1.5 inch rear)
brand new bilstein self-adjusting struts
fron end is fine, but the back end appeared really low. Now, especially after driving it, I will hit a relatively small bump on the road and the rear end just SLAMS... feels like metal hitting metal... really damn hard.... much harder than the front feels and the back when "normal"
Also, driver side rear tire rubs the wheel well under accel. load or turn load. Do I have a bad set of springs??? Is there an easy cure for this?? Is something not installed right??? Help!!!
99 spec 17" wheels
235/45-17 front
265/40-17 rear
slightly used Racing Beat Lowering springs
(lowers .75 inch front and 1.5 inch rear)
brand new bilstein self-adjusting struts
fron end is fine, but the back end appeared really low. Now, especially after driving it, I will hit a relatively small bump on the road and the rear end just SLAMS... feels like metal hitting metal... really damn hard.... much harder than the front feels and the back when "normal"
Also, driver side rear tire rubs the wheel well under accel. load or turn load. Do I have a bad set of springs??? Is there an easy cure for this?? Is something not installed right??? Help!!!
Last edited by xurotaryrocket; 08-16-02 at 07:19 PM.
08-16-02, 07:17 PM
#3
Senior Member
Thread Starter
bump.... c'mon folks..... any insight would be greatly appreciated so I don't sound like a damned idiot when I take this back to the mechanic next week 
08-16-02, 08:47 PM
#4
Your Opinion is Wrong
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Peoples Republic of California
Posts: 591
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Could the rear shocks be worn out already? Sounds like they arent supporting the car correctly. I assume you bought them used from your description.
08-17-02, 06:36 AM
#6
Full Member
iTrader: (6)
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: Batavia, OH
Posts: 105
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I have RB springs with 245/45/16 front/rear, and never any rubbing. The RB springs do run noticably stiffer on the street than stock ones, especially if you've switched from touring shocks to the Bilsteins.
I could stand for my rear to be at least 1/2" lower.
Your tire heights are lower than stock, so you shouldn't be rubbing for that reason. Your rear section width (265mm or 10.4") seems kind of wide for a OE rim. Check the tire mfrs. recommendation for specified rim width for that tire. Your sidewalls may be bulging past the edge of the rim and rubbing on the rear fender lip.
Ask the previous owner of your RB springs if the rears were cut. You should be seeing a good inch of gap, or two fingers, between the top of your rear tire to the fender lip. Also when springs are cut, the spring rate goes up (harder ride). If your rear is riding much lower than what I describe, you may have been screwed on the springs.
Ask your installer if he shortened the rear bump stops on the shocks. If he didn't that would help explain the hard hits you're taking in the rear.
BTW, shocks do nothing, repeat nothing, to hold the car up. It's all done by the springs. A bad shock is not your problem.
I'd be interested to know where you got the Bilsteins and how much.
Also, if you'd like some info on the Cincy RX-7 club, PM me.
Good luck
I could stand for my rear to be at least 1/2" lower.
Your tire heights are lower than stock, so you shouldn't be rubbing for that reason. Your rear section width (265mm or 10.4") seems kind of wide for a OE rim. Check the tire mfrs. recommendation for specified rim width for that tire. Your sidewalls may be bulging past the edge of the rim and rubbing on the rear fender lip.
Ask the previous owner of your RB springs if the rears were cut. You should be seeing a good inch of gap, or two fingers, between the top of your rear tire to the fender lip. Also when springs are cut, the spring rate goes up (harder ride). If your rear is riding much lower than what I describe, you may have been screwed on the springs.
Ask your installer if he shortened the rear bump stops on the shocks. If he didn't that would help explain the hard hits you're taking in the rear.
BTW, shocks do nothing, repeat nothing, to hold the car up. It's all done by the springs. A bad shock is not your problem.
I'd be interested to know where you got the Bilsteins and how much.
Also, if you'd like some info on the Cincy RX-7 club, PM me.
Good luck
Last edited by Ned M; 08-17-02 at 06:40 AM.
Trending Topics
08-17-02, 10:22 AM
#8
Full Member
iTrader: (6)
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: Batavia, OH
Posts: 105
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally posted by Ned M
Ask the previous owner of your RB springs if the rears were cut. You should be seeing a good inch of gap, or two fingers, between the top of your rear tire to the fender lip. Also when springs are cut, the spring rate goes up (harder ride). If your rear is riding much lower than what I describe, you may have been screwed on the springs.
Ask the previous owner of your RB springs if the rears were cut. You should be seeing a good inch of gap, or two fingers, between the top of your rear tire to the fender lip. Also when springs are cut, the spring rate goes up (harder ride). If your rear is riding much lower than what I describe, you may have been screwed on the springs.
My car and another 3rd gen in Cincinnati both use RB springs, and neither of us has the rear end riding lower than the front.
08-17-02, 09:10 PM
#10
Senior Member
Thread Starter
after some more very mild driving... its still doing it.... feels like the car is bottoming out and I'm pretty sure that even with the lowered/stiffened springs that this SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING...
Anyone know of a fix or adjustment or maybe just different springs needed???
The tire rubbing I could live with, but I'm going to have addressed.... should be cured if I can keep the car from bottoming out (which is driving me insane....)
Its hard to be excited about new performance mods (ecu, dp, cb) when you can't get on it due to a f-ed up suspension....
Anyone know of a fix or adjustment or maybe just different springs needed???
The tire rubbing I could live with, but I'm going to have addressed.... should be cured if I can keep the car from bottoming out (which is driving me insane....)
Its hard to be excited about new performance mods (ecu, dp, cb) when you can't get on it due to a f-ed up suspension....
08-17-02, 10:55 PM
#11
Bourbon King
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Louisville, KY
Posts: 667
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally posted by xurotaryrocket
Its hard to be excited about new performance mods (ecu, dp, cb) when you can't get on it due to a f-ed up suspension....
Its hard to be excited about new performance mods (ecu, dp, cb) when you can't get on it due to a f-ed up suspension....
**** bitch you drive that car slower than an old lady!
08-17-02, 11:57 PM
#12
Senior Member
Thread Starter
ha, you are funny...
so that's why I had it up to 100 at WOT Thursday night on I-71 south???
You drove the car... you felt that slamming so kiss it, *** munch
so that's why I had it up to 100 at WOT Thursday night on I-71 south???
You drove the car... you felt that slamming so kiss it, *** munch
08-19-02, 10:42 AM
#13
Full Member
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Kutztown, PA
Posts: 83
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally posted by Ned M
I misstated about cutting springs. If you shorten one, the spring rate is softer, not harder.
My car and another 3rd gen in Cincinnati both use RB springs, and neither of us has the rear end riding lower than the front.
I misstated about cutting springs. If you shorten one, the spring rate is softer, not harder.
My car and another 3rd gen in Cincinnati both use RB springs, and neither of us has the rear end riding lower than the front.
08-19-02, 10:52 AM
#14
I ran RB springs on R1 shocks with great ride quality. i'd first check and see if shortened bumpstops help. Make sure everything is installed correctly.
Then, i'd start thinking about the life left in the springs... HOW used were they? was the info reliable? the could just be tired out.
Then, i'd start thinking about the life left in the springs... HOW used were they? was the info reliable? the could just be tired out.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
82streetracer
1st Generation Specific (1979-1985)
7
08-23-15 09:28 AM