Just picked up the suprisingly-large box of suspension gear from Tire Rack tonight. They're getting installed first thing Friday morning. I'm too excited to wait 'till they're actually on to post though. I remember the night-and-day difference putting a good set of shocks on my Miata made, so I'm really looking forward to seeing how my 5 handles after this. I also remember what a huge PITA it was getting all the rusty crap off the Miata was, so I'm "cheating" and having a shop install them for me (like I have time with 3 kids and 2 jobs anyway...) The stockers made it 105K but are totally dead now so this aught to be fun.
Koni FSR's going on tomorrow
- Thread starter daan
- Start date
Turbohatch
Member
- :
- 2006 Honda Odyssey Touring silver, 2008 M5 GT 5MT pearl white
Daan (and Susan),
Congrats on those sweet shocks, I've read great reviews on the FSRs.
I'm waiting for my shocks to blow too so the upgrade will be a need vs a want to the wife.
Don't sweat the shop install thing...me and my buddies with kids have paid our dues in our youth with many DIY installs and have learned to appreciate paying a shop to do it. Too many times a seized bolt, wrong tools or something breaking has resulted working into the wee hours of the night or worse the loss of use of the car. Thank God for 24 hour Home Depot and Timmies coffee.
Congrats on those sweet shocks, I've read great reviews on the FSRs.
I'm waiting for my shocks to blow too so the upgrade will be a need vs a want to the wife.
Don't sweat the shop install thing...me and my buddies with kids have paid our dues in our youth with many DIY installs and have learned to appreciate paying a shop to do it. Too many times a seized bolt, wrong tools or something breaking has resulted working into the wee hours of the night or worse the loss of use of the car. Thank God for 24 hour Home Depot and Timmies coffee.
I actually got the car back a couple days ago. It rides a lot better (it was doing this horrible oscillation that would make you sea sick, and 99% of that was gone on the way home from picking it up) My wife has been driving it the last few days, and even she has noticed how much nicer it rides. "Hey it feels almost new again." She hadn't noticed how wore out they were before so it's good she thinks it's better. Anyway the shop called me just before it was done to say, "I think these are the wrong shocks, the car sits like a 4X4 now" but I don't think it's all that much higher. I didn't want the car any lower than it already is because of the actual dirt road we live off of, plus the general 3rd world quality of the paved ones around here... I haven't had a chance to see if it corners better now but when I have it next I'll check that out. If there isn't too much loose crap in it like before...
OK so I had it to drive again the last 2 days, I know the classic symptoms of blown shocks (bouncing, kind of "juddering" feeling where the wheels are bouncing up and down on the springs, etc) The car still does a little of that now, especially on one of the roads I go on my commute. Almost as bad as before the FSR's went on. WHat else causes "blown shock syndrome"?
phunky.buddha
Booga Booga?
- :
- DFW TX
- :
- No mo MZ5 want MX5
Looking at the literature on Koni's web site, the shocks are basically a digressively valved setup- which means they should bounce fast on sharp impacts. That's what gives you the smooth ride- the valving blows open on a fast movement and lets the wheel move, giving you a smoother ride. Try taking a high speed corner hard- if you have a lot more control than before, then the FSDs are working (slow speed damping).
Yeah I've been driving this more lately, and I can say on smooth roads, the car feels way ...smoother than before. Cornering is definitely better as well (a little harder to test with my kids on board) The main problem is the crappy dirt road I live on, the potholes and washboard surface make it feel like old worn out suspension especially if both sides fall in a hole or hit bumps at the same time. Once I'm back on pavement though, we're back to "new car" tightness.
Other aspect of the ride is your tire construction and pressure. Wrong tire would give the same exact feel you mention.
Are you on 16" wheel? If you commute are pretty rough road, going to smaller diameter but wider wheel would help. You might be better running 205/60R16 on 7" wheel than stock 205/50R17 on 17x6.5 wheels. I would not go wider tire since it would increase wandering on uneven pavement.
I have 16x7.5 wheel for winter and with same tire I feel it would perform better than the stock 17x6.5 oem one. The added width provide more stability for the taller sidewall. The added sidewall give better ability to conform to road imperfection.
Are you on 16" wheel? If you commute are pretty rough road, going to smaller diameter but wider wheel would help. You might be better running 205/60R16 on 7" wheel than stock 205/50R17 on 17x6.5 wheels. I would not go wider tire since it would increase wandering on uneven pavement.
I have 16x7.5 wheel for winter and with same tire I feel it would perform better than the stock 17x6.5 oem one. The added width provide more stability for the taller sidewall. The added sidewall give better ability to conform to road imperfection.
