Sup guys -

I have a question about my suspension setup. Before I go on though, I currently have tokico illuminas adjustable shocks/struts + Tein H-Tech springs + FSTB + RSB on my car.

I have had the H-tech springs on my car for about a year now and I believe they have gone bad. When I first bought my illuminas, I had the stiffness set to 3 on front set and 2 for the rear set for a few months. I was fine with he way the car drove until i went to a max meet and was able to drive other member's cars. I then set my illuminas stiffness to 4 around and though the handling was better, it was a little stiff but, I did like it. I have been driving with my suspension like this for 8 months and now my I35 is bouncing around like i have hydraulics. My car is still stiff, meaning you can put you hand over the hood and try to shake the car, and it's really stiff, however, when driving it's beginning to be really bad with the bouncing around over bumps or grooves in the street.

Anyway, Could the springs have gone bad? For the winter, I did put back on my stock wheels and blizzak tires. Do you think the stock wheels and blizzak tires could play a factor in the bouncing around.

I need some help before i decide to trash the springs and by something else. I really don't care for a soft, smooth ride. I want more of a sport feel along with no wheel gap and WITHOUT the west coast chevy 64 hydraulic feel.

 

its most likely ur stock rims and those snow tires, not to mention the fact that its cold out and the shocks will react different in the cold than when its warmer out. same thing with my agx's and my stock I30 rims. i have that combo now and its bounce city, the minute it warms up out in throwin my rims on (18's) and it will be back to what it used to be. hope this helped ya
p.s. NE weather sucks

 

No experience with the H-Tech's, but your bouncing around sounds like worn shocks. My OEM shocks did the same on my Maxspeeds just several months after they were paired up. The car was also stiff when pushed down, it just didn't have enough rebound damping.

Swapped the shocks and all is good now.

 

It sounds like your shocks are bad not the springs. Springs can sag but spring rate (stiffness) always stays
the same. Your winter setup should not cause anything like that either.

 

Damn, you guys trying to tell me that I blew my tokicos already?? FTW

 

this is a dead-ringer for a tire/wheel-related issue.

try putting on your "summer" tires and see if the problem is still there. We can't possibly comment on these suspension "problems" when you are comparing before-and-after with 2 different tires/wheels.

plus, most snow/winter tires are CRAP handling...even my LM-22s (which are the best-high-performance snow tires) are much sloppier than my street tires in the summer (to say nothing of my track tires)

gotta compare apples with apples here...

 

You know Lee, a couple months back I stiffened my struts up all around. I felt the ride was getting a little bouncy, and it almost seemed like the struts were starting to go soft. I went from 3/2 to 4/4 all around. Like you, I thought it was a little stiff, but it rode much better, IMO.

A week ago I kinda got the pissed feeling about the way it was riding like you just described, but I felt that everything was way too harsh (that and I had been driving around up in the midwest). I softened the front up one notch to 3 so that now I'm running 3/4. It feels a lot better in my opinion (I think winter has turned the roads to crap), but I do think my struts are starting to get softer.

That said though, I've had my H-Techs/Illuminas on for a lot longer than you have and I've driven many many more miles on them than you too. So I can't imagine that your struts are already starting to show wear. I'd try what Irish suggested before assuming the struts are garbage. Tires/wheels are one of several important elements in the handling equation.

 

Lee, were the shocks new or used when you bought them?

different tires do make difference in handling but to the point that your car becomes bouncy....?

 

Irish, my winter setup his been on since november. I changed my setup when we had our first snow storm in dc/md/va. My car just recently started having this bouncy feeling (like three weeks ago). The ride was a lot better than this throughout December/January.

 

Meta - I will try the 3/4 setup in the morning. I will also try 5/5 all around and see if I feel anything different. I can tell that I my front suspension is making this bed squeak as if you was on a cheap motel bed. I will have my shop guys look at it on monday to make sure i did not mess up anything. I have gone over quite a few after rain potholes and my alignment is kinda off, but I have heard alot more horror stories than my rather small pothole run-ins.

 

drklop - My Tein springs and tokico shocks were all bought new from sport compact only.

 

Irish - I have read your threads in the DC section where you talk about going auto-crossing. What is your suspension settings at? Have you rode in a max with tokico and H-techs? How does your setup compare to a H-tech illuminas setup?

 

ive had my tokico shocks on my 4th gen sine march 05 and they have seen several potholes and trips out of state and over 20,000 miles and my drivng and sis driveng and they are still good on the car so your struts can in no way be bad so id put it to the winter weather by may you should see a diff feel and ride

and dont show me bad signs cause i plan to get that setup in a few weeks

 

i wouldn't say there's no way. he could have gotten a bad set. personally i think it's the wheel setup + your settings on the struts. that is if you didn't change the settings when you put the stockies on. stockies = different weight, size, height etc than your aftermarket wheels.