Rear Suspension Hitting Bump Stops/ Bottoming Out

FossilFossil Band Wagon
in Suspension, Braking & Wheels
Question about rear suspension hitting bump stops and I am hoping some of you can help me resolve. I am currently running Ground Control Coilover kit ( 1991 Crx specs) with OTS spring rates mated to Koni Red shocks. I have the ride height front and rear set at about 1.5 finger gap. I am also running GC extended top hats in rear. The issue is that on sharp bumps I am still bottoming out in the rear. Fronts never bottom out on any bumps.

For those of you whom lower your car or even slammed them, is this an issue with you as well and you just live with it or is there a way to resolve this, other than raise the car?

Thanks!

Comments

  • lil'ghostlil'ghost Council Member
    i'm still learning all this stuff, so maybe don't take my word 100%, lol, but i think that stock rear shocks with help you tremendously, even with top hats, you'll ride smoooth. my boyfriend Revmaynard, had skunk2 shocks in the rear, with gc sleeves/springs, and top hats - still didn't run as smooth as he thought, but as soon as he put stock rear shocks back on .. it rides friggin' amazing. maybe this will help?
  • NZ-DB8RNZ-DB8R Moderator
    You need longer extended tophats, the shock is outside its optimum operating range (too low) so by having a longer extended tophat, the operating area is moved back up, giving the shock more travel and keeping you off your bumpstops


    Alternatively you could send you Koni's to whoever can strip them down and internally modify them to moved the operating area and revalve to suit your set up.


    I run Koni yellows and whilst not slammed the rear constantly hits the bumpstops, ive run standard shocks and they were, for lack of a better description, f*cking horrible! Probably due to being old and worn but ugh, do not want.
    I have some extended tophats to install at some stage which im certain will fix my problem of the bumpstops
  • FossilFossil Band Wagon
    Thanks for feedback/suggestions Lil' ghost and NZ-DB8R.

    Gonna try to find longer extended top hats. I don't weld so cant make my own. If anyone reading this has any customized, 'very' extended top hats they want to sell me, please let me know. Thanks!
  • NZ-DB8RNZ-DB8R Moderator
    Fossil wrote:
    Thanks for feedback/suggestions Lil' ghost and NZ-DB8R.

    Gonna try to find longer extended top hats. I don't weld so cant make my own. If anyone reading this has any customized, 'very' extended top hats they want to sell me, please let me know. Thanks!

    Take your OEM ones into a engineering shop, or even exhaust shop.

    They just need to cut the top off and weld a bit of pipe on then weld the top back on again. I got my brother to make some and he said it was easy as, hardest part was finding the right sized pipe.
  • 949949 Senior Wagonist
    i know this is old posting but i recently decided to drop the wagon more. the rear is hitting the bump stop. i will try an old trick which i dont recommend as this is the cheapest and resort.

    just trim the bump stop down. my bump stop is about 3-4 inches. im just eye balling it. i can trim it down to maybe about 1inch. it will allow the system a bit more travel but i woulnt trim too much more after that.
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