WashabiS2K

i am in the process of purchasing a set of koni yellow shocks and I was just wondering is it safe to run the koni yellows on all four with the OEM springs up front and dropped springs in the rear? the reason i want to do this is because i will most likely scrape getting into my driveway (as i have to go in sideways with stock suspension). I pretty much want my stock height (or maybe a tiny little drop) in the front, and a 1 inch drop in the rear. oh, and if it helps, the rear springs are espelirs. thanks in advance,



-Brian

Ek9

If you drive it like an economy car then it's probaby safe. If you drive closer to the limits of the car, it's a big unknown. The only way to tell would be to slowely test the limits of the car till you know how the springs make the car react.

Normally when I make changes like that, I'll autocross the car because it's a safe way to see how the car acts at the limits.

Keep in mind, changing the springs affects how the car handles but, changing the ride height does too. Typically lowering only the rear will make the car understeer more but, not knowing the spring rates, that might be offset by the springs or the springs will make for more oversteer (if they're stiffer than stock).

You know, with the koni's you can use stock springs all the way around and still get a drop in the back by using the lower clip position.

WashabiS2K

yeah, i know, and i thought about diong that, but i also want to enhance the car's cornering stability a little bit. will putting the OEM springs on the koni yellows affect the handling in any way? positively or negatively? also, will there be a huge difference in cornering with the koni's on the stock springs as compared to all 4 espelirs or just the rears?

Mik3

LOL I'm having the same issue with going up my driveway. I am considering the Koni's but using Swift springs. I track my car so I'm not sure of the saftey issues with mis-match springs. I know that the espelirs have a higher spring rate than OEM's. So you'd be running with softer front springs and stiffer rears that will have a considerable difference in spring rates.

WashabiS2K

maybe i should just put all four on koni's and espelirs and re-cement my entire driveway I am unsure of what to do.. do you think it would be better off to just run koni's and OEM springs on all four rather than OEM springs in the front and Espelirs in the rear?

GPS2K01

What about running Koni Yellows with factory springs using the lower perches to "lower" the car a little bit?

WashabiS2K

yeah, im defenitely thinking about just running the koni's with OEM springs, but will the ride be affected in any way? i want to make the car a little more stable and balanced but im not sure if running the stock springs on koni shocks will help or hurt. i know that with koni's and the espelirs, the ride will be a little more stiff and stable in corners.

Ek9

There's nothing wrong with mixing and matching suspension parts as long as you don't switch springs then go out for a balls out drive to test them. My civic has a completely custom suspension, my spring rates, my ride height derived mainly from the camber curve of the front suspension and tire temps. It's safe because I've tested it up to the limit on the track.

As long as you're methodical about it you can run any springs you want. You just need to learn how the car reacts to the change and either change back or make other changes.

I don't believe the Koni's are necessarilly better than the stock shocks. The stock suspension at the stock ride height is damn capable. I'm not convinced that lowering it makes it handle better and I know in come cases lowering makes it worse (bump steer problems). If it was my '2k and I wasn't driving it on the track, I'd use the stock springs all the way around with the koni's. If you want to experiment, you might then spend $400 for a set of GC coilover sleeves so you can customize the suspension to your liking. They go right on the Koni's.

Nobody can tell you whether it's safe or not. That depends on you.