Adjustable strut cartrige question

[Heavy Z]

Do adjustable struts like toks or konis limit suspension travel(i.e. on the firmest setting, do they keep the springs from compressing as far)?

 

Thanks

[Drax240z]

No, they dampen the movement more, but the travel is the same as on the softest setting. All that changes is the rate at which the oil flows through the holes in the piston (in the strut). (or equivalent, I'm not sure how the koni's are designed)

[Heavy Z]

So are you saying that you'd be able to push on the fender and the suspension will move more on the soft setting than on the stiff setting, say like the difference between soft and stiff springs? I figured they would have the same travel, just wasn't sure if the stiff setting acted similar to stiffer springs or not.

 

Thanks

[evildky]

the shocks limit hav fast the spring will allow the given corner of a car to travels up and down, the spring is loaded with the weight of the vehicle, as you drive more or less weight is applied to each corner, when you compress a spring it's reaction is to spring back, the shocks/struts limit how fast they return to their origional shape and keep them from bouncing for 10 minustes after every bump

[Drax240z]

OK, its like this:

 

You set your koni's on their SOFTEST setting on 1 corner of the car. You apply a load SLOWLY to that corner, the suspension travels 1".

 

You set your koni's on their HARDEST setting on 1 corner of the car. You apply the same load SLOWLY to that corner, the suspension travels 1".

 

You set your koni's on their SOFTEST setting on 1 corner of the car. You apply the same load QUICKLY to that corner, the suspension travels ~3/4".

 

You set your koni's on their HARDEST setting on 1 corner of the car. You apply the same load QUICKLY to that corner, the suspension travels ~1/4".

 

Numbers are hypothetical, but I hope that demonstrates what shocks do. They dampen based on the velocity of the movement, not the distance of travel.

[johnc]

In Drax's example, #4 sould be HARDEST.

[Drax240z]

Eeek, thanks John... edited it. Nice of me to lay out a simple example and then make it confusing by screwing up.

[Heavy Z]

Thanks, that is the info I needed. My car will bottom out under hard cornering/big bumps only on the left rear side - I wanted to know if adjustable struts would get rid of this problem or if going from a 200 poud to a 250 pound rear spring would be the way to go(I know the latter makes better sense, but I thought I'd ask about the adjustable struts too since I've never owned them).

[Savage42]

Thanks, that is the info I needed. My car will bottom out under hard cornering/big bumps only on the left rear side - I wanted to know if adjustable struts would get rid of this problem or if going from a 200 poud to a 250 pound rear spring would be the way to go(I know the latter makes better sense, but I thought I'd ask about the adjustable struts too since I've never owned them).

 

If you go with stiff springs like you mentioned, then you'll want different struts that are valved for that rate or adjustables. Stock struts with stock struts (excludes changing the oil) will bounce you all over the place. Adjusting shocks to make up for too soft of a spring will wear out your struts. They work as a unit and most people don't think of suspension that way.

[Heavy Z]

Thanks everyone. I'm currently running KYB's in the rear coilovers, maybe I'll start with some adjustable konis and see if the bottoming is curbed without having to put them on the stiffest setting. If the mid setting does it, I'll leave it as is but if I do have to crank 'em up, I'll get stiffer springs too.