Ksport review..the good the bad and the ugly.

OK gang. Quick review!

Order a set of K sport coil overs for my Christmas present. I went right to the source K sport since they sell direct it seemed easiest.

They came in about 3 weeks and I put them on about 2 months ago. I got about 300 miles on them. Cold weather and my tire choice I don't drive much in the winter on this car anymore.

Coil over came boxed nice and the instructions pretty well written out.

http://imageshack.com/a/img923/1610/70jqTU.jpg

I set them at the maximum height which is the threaded ends MUST have 30 mm of thread. I marked out 30mm on the threads just to remind me. When installed this got the ride height front and back right at stock ride height. The rear might have been 1/4" higher. I reset the rear to 25.5". Its pretty easy since you dont have to really unbolt anything just turn the shock body to get they height you want. NEVER mess with the spring perch to adjust the height.

http://imageshack.com/a/img924/4881/t6C7g7.jpg

The install went great front and back top hats fit great. The front 3 bolts hat is great fit pattern machined correctly.

http://imageshack.com/a/img923/5175/iXBRje.jpg

http://imageshack.com/a/img923/3112/hWN7aj.jpg




The rear fit just as well but I felt like there may be an air gap that a gasket could help keep water out on raining days. I have not done anything to that part as of yet. The stock gasket may work but is big on the new top hat.

http://imageshack.com/a/img922/5628/KkP318.jpg

http://imageshack.com/a/img924/6082/ZPRasU.jpg

Ill post the ride part below....

So ok on to the ride part which is most important

Few things about the setup on my car is a little bit from stock.

Suspension:


Camber is about -2.0 all around.

Front upper and lower control arms the bushing are replaced solid nylon. Sway bar bushings are poly. Strut rods are stock but poly.

Rear is stock bushings with Ingalls upper control arm adjustable with a poly end. rear sway bar has a solid bushing in the connecting arm. The sway bars are stock 24mm front 13mm rear.
Suspension is good and tight

the new springs rates are 13.5k front 11.5k rear. Yeah LOL. :bong: i did too when they recommended these rates.

Tires:

225/50/15 Hankoks sorry to say on a 6.5" rim.

https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires...28Version+2%29


Mistake on may part the rim is too small for the tire width. I usually run Falken Aziens 615 at 205/50/15. running 35 psi front 25 psi rear my usually numbers.


Start testing the car of short slow trips and moved my way up just to get the feel of the car. Initial feeling was spring rate was higher but not crazy. Rear did not feel correct at all. I waited until a wet day and hit the parking lot of an old closed Food Lion to spin around a little and check that the rear would not step out on me. Happily the rear would not pivot on wet roads. I set the 32 way adjusters middle 16 clicks all the way around.

On road the front of the car is very firm but the shock valving is SO MUCH BETTER than stock! I am very surprised on this. Small bumps on the highway are no longer teeth rattling. Rides as nice or nicer than my SRT challenger with this high a spring rate.

As good as the front is the rear is JUST AS BAD. The rear of the car now feels like you are riding on a pogo stick. all uncontrolled. bumps at highway speeds are borderline dangerous. By only running the adjustments all the way soft can the car really be driven safely. I lowered the car another 1/4" just to see if maybe I had the suspension bound some how and it didnt change a thing.

Overall the car handles pretty damn well in the corners. I am currently just testing on highway clover leaf exit ramps to get the feel of the car etc.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0gOVnfZ7Io

OK so now on to the bad and possible ugly.

The kit they sent me is this.

https://ksportusa.com/product/honda-...da-accord-1988

Not sure why but thats what they sent.....18k front 8.7k rear thats 1008 fl bs front 487 rear for you,like me, who lack math. Possible the rear is spring TOO soft for the valving so I am upping the spring rate. Coils are 40$ so pretty reasonable.

Not much update really more off topic.

You guys ever think what the engineers/designer were thinking about when they did our cars?

Dave Colmen is one of my heros from way back in the Sport compact car magazine days.
Its so cool all this info in out there now days.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMyo...V9qvNZ9Zyf-5ni

just 9 mins.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1JVX2VAcc4


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1JVX2VAcc4


well been getting some confidence in this set up starting at the 2:30 mark until the end I ran this run blind.never driven it before. I make a little mistake in the middle and lock the brakes for a second but the car tracks nice no weird stuff.

I bought new rear springs after calling K sport a few times. I think they sent me higher rate springs but at this point I didnt put them on yet. I might have a shop lined up to dyno the shocks,check the spring rates, for me after race season is over for them.

Not alot to report my thoughts are just about the same other than I have confidence in the setup enough to pretty much tear up the Dragon tail late fall. The rear is still a pogo stick. I am thinking about lowering the rear like an inch just to see if maybe I am topping out the shocks. I notice on my vids the Ingalls arms are not squeaking at all were stock they squeaked like mad. When the weather gets better Ill start messing around with it. With 200 tread wear tires and few holes in the body I dont want to drive it on salt roads until I get it fixed.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Oldblueaccord

Not alot to report my thoughts are just about the same other than I have confidence in the setup enough to pretty much tear up the Dragon tail late fall. The rear is still a pogo stick. I am thinking about lowering the rear like an inch just to see if maybe I am topping out the shocks. I notice on my vids the Ingalls arms are not squeaking at all were stock they squeaked like mad. When the weather gets better Ill start messing around with it. With 200 tread wear tires and few holes in the body I dont want to drive it on salt roads until I get it fixed.

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vaguely sounds similar to when i first installed my koni's and had the rebound dampening set to 75-80% max. sounds like you possibly may be over dampened on the rebound rate, try backing the rears to 8 clicks? what were the alternative rate springs they sent you? not sure about taking some camber out of the rear as well. I've been running up front -1.5* to -1.8* and near 0* in the rear. Handling is predictable being i daily my hatch.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KofQWhckvs&t=10s

One thing is there is no FRONT wheel hop except in very extreme circumstances like couple turns in the video. Other than that you can just stab the gas anywhere in a turn and put the power down. Pretty much eliminated all the "one wheel peels" on tight turns.

They 32 adjustment is really a bit of a joke. The style of adjuster its really just the middle maybe 8 clicks that do anything its not a linear curve at all.

Edited post for clarity.

I think you guys know by now im a bit nuts about shocks....I have nearly talked myself into a Chevy Camaro just because the use those Multimatic DSSV shocks.

These are even more interesting

https://tractivesuspension.com

https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...uspension.html

Forgot to add on to this.

About a year ago I decided to store Oldblue for a while to clear some space in my garage. In the week before I decided to lower the rear about an inch just on a hunch I was topping out the struts.

WOW big difference on what the rear was doing no more pogo stick bouncing. I never really ran much anymore. I just pulled the car out of storage last week and it reminded me how much better the suspension is working now in the rear now.

I do feel the suspension is fast but there seems to be some added understeer. This is now on what is old 200 TW tires that been in the cold on/off for several months so they have lost some of there grip.

I'm glad you figured out what was going on with the rear shocks. What is the rear lowered by now, in total inches? Also, do you happen to know the factory preload these springs are supposed to be set at? I recently purchased a used set and to fit them in the box the previous owner loosened the spring perches on the rears

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Fixedit

I'm glad you figured out what was going on with the rear shocks. What is the rear lowered by now, in total inches? Also, do you happen to know the factory preload these springs are supposed to be set at? I recently purchased a used set and to fit them in the box the previous owner loosened the spring perches on the rears

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I started at my factory ride height so it was an inch lower that that.

I just set the preload where the spring was tight so it would not rattle aroundEDIT: I meant the shocks OFF the car.. I just checked them last week and with alot of effort you can turn the spring by hand if there is no weight on it.

I would make your setting /measurements with them off the car its way way easier to do then on the car installed.

Every set of coil overs i've seen have had the pre-load set wrong .
A wise man told me that the correct way is to back the spring perch off until the spring is loose , wind the perch up until it touches the spring and then add 2 turns .
Every car i've done like this has been completely transformed .

Awesome, thank you both for the advice, I appreciate it greatly.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Fixedit

Awesome, thank you both for the advice, I appreciate it greatly.

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in this case of the rear I moved the shock BODY threaded part since I was lowering the car one inch which I feel is a lot so I did not adjust the spring at all. I dont think I would ever adjust the height one inch buy compressing the springs alone. I would buy new springs one inch shorter.

On car you can do it it kinda sucks I had too loosen the spring perch nuts enough to spin the body where I wanted it. The tighten everything up lower it on the ground recheck the height compared to the otherside etc etc.

I still havn't found anyone to corner weight the car. Im to the point I might look into buying the scales doing it myself and offering the service to others.

Wut dese "corner weights" of wich you speek?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Dr_Snooz

Wut dese "corner weights" of wich you speek?

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https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/ar...orner-weights/

Balancing the weight of the car equal on each wheel.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Oldblueaccord

in this case of the rear I moved the shock BODY threaded part since I was lowering the car one inch which I feel is a lot so I did not adjust the spring at all. I dont think I would ever adjust the height one inch buy compressing the springs alone. I would buy new springs one inch shorter.

On car you can do it it kinda sucks I had too loosen the spring perch nuts enough to spin the body where I wanted it. The tighten everything up lower it on the ground recheck the height compared to the otherside etc etc.

I still havn't found anyone to corner weight the car. Im to the point I might look into buying the scales doing it myself and offering the service to others.

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Did you disconnect the sway bars ? Found leaving them connected can screw things up a bit when measuring ride height side to side .

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Hauntd ca3

Did you disconnect the sway bars ? Found leaving them connected can screw things up a bit when measuring ride height side to side .

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No I did not. Certainly possible.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Oldblueaccord

https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/ar...orner-weights/

Balancing the weight of the car equal on each wheel.

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Do you find that it makes a big difference?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Dr_Snooz

Do you find that it makes a big difference?

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Well since i havent had it done I say I dunno. My gut tells me "not much".

But curiosity killed the cat as they say I wont know until I try it. Im still not to old to learn something just gets a lot harder to learn. :lol::lol::lol:

Plus with our cars the motor is on the driver side so with the weight of the driver doubt it can be balanced much.

There is a whole nother discussion on what I call "wedge" the front to back weights relation. I think Honda,Acura sport type cars always have used this to make a front driver to work.

I'm curious about it. Let us know how it goes.

Any updates on these? Are they worthy? I'm in the market, you might say.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Dr_Snooz

Any updates on these? Are they worthy? I'm in the market, you might say.

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Nothing really good or bad to add.

Now comparing to say Multimatic DSSV shocks....there actually not bad :eek5: no joke.

I would go with alot lower spring rates for a more daily driver.

What spring rate did you get?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Dr_Snooz

What spring rate did you get?

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Post #2 there sir!

EDIT:

Actually rereading I think the rates are stated in post #4.

LOL. You expect me to remember something I read 2 years ago? I can barely remember what I had for breakfast today!

The question I really wanted to ask was: What spring rate would you recommend?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Dr_Snooz

LOL. You expect me to remember something I read 2 years ago? I can barely remember what I had for breakfast today!

The question I really wanted to ask was: What spring rate would you recommend?

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DING! :lol:

Why do you think I write stuff here anyway....to remember!

I think with your tires and such I would be fine with 600 front 400 rear. Thats a pretty standard front to rear ratio on FWD cars our style. you should be able to get what ever you want from them the springs are a standard size so its easy to swap around rates. I think they charged me like 8o$ for two rear springs

Im thinking you have both the front and rear sway bars correct?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Oldblueaccord

DING! :lol:

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I think I deserve one of these for my faux pas: :facepalm:

Yeah, LX-i suspension, so sway bars front and rear. If the springs are standard, then I assume I can order them in varying heights? I'm thinking a 1.5" and 1" drop front and rear, respectively, ought to do it. Maybe I'll order 1/2" drop springs and torque them down. It's easier to torque them down than make them taller.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Dr_Snooz

I think I deserve one of these for my faux pas: :facepalm:

Yeah, LX-i suspension, so sway bars front and rear. If the springs are standard, then I assume I can order them in varying heights? I'm thinking a 1.5" and 1" drop front and rear, respectively, ought to do it. Maybe I'll order 1/2" drop springs and torque them down. It's easier to torque them down than make them taller.

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The threaded body makes it so you dont have to mess with the spring to get the height you want. thats the trick to these. But yes to a point you can get shorter or longer springs if needed.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Oldblueaccord

I think with your tires and such I would be fine with 600 front 400 rear. Thats a pretty standard front to rear ratio on FWD cars our style.

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Interestingly enough that's what the spring rates are on the standard Kontrol Pro's (or ballpark at least). https://ksportusa.com/product/kontro...kit-chd240-kp/ I'm not sure if that changed since you ordered them or if you had them send you different springs, even though they sent you the asphalt rally versions, but they certainly aren't 13.5kg/mm f (755lbf/in), 11.5kg/mm (645lbf/in) r. I might be in the market too, at least in a couple months and I was just going to run with what they had on the Kontrol Pros... Not sure though because prelude body swapping is always prospect.

There is alot of formula and ratios front to rear that go into spring rates. you can google motion ratio and ride frequency to delve into it.

I will say I dont have any confidence in what springs K sport sent me. I dont think they have any idea just going thru there techs in the first 6 months. Some day I will pull them and get all the springs tested and see where I am at.it wouldnt surprise me they just grabbed 4 "setups" off the shelf and boxed them up.

It hard to see what there game is. I think there more than a warehouse that just drop ships stuff but some of there tech is really questionable. I like there brake kits but I question alot of what they do.

What ever you go with try and make sure they use standard sized springs that you can swap easily like 2.5" if your into swaping springs.

EDIT: Also if your running formulas again the STOCK coil rates for our car are mistated in the sticky and some one misstated them again last week. Do some quick internet research or better yet get them checked.

I found a great vid on corner weighting and suspension tuning. I'll never pay for another alignment job again.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcwB8LZfRhQ&t=6s

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Dr_Snooz

I found a great vid on corner weighting and suspension tuning. I'll never pay for another alignment job again.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcwB8LZfRhQ&t=6s

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yes great video really explains alot.

That guy Finn with the old Camaro his cars really do rip it.

Yeah. All the other car shows have someone talking about how important suspension tuning is, but not showing how it's done. It's like black magic, something you spend a bundle on but never learn how it's done. This vid actually shows it all, which is awesome!

Just updating: I have been driving the car some during the fall/winter on nice days locally. The rear set up was still annoying to drive with to much bounce and unruly behavior on street. I started every time I drove it adjust the shocks back 2 clicks until I am where I am now at a pretty soft feel for the spring rate. Problem with the adjusters is there really no way knowing where I am at since there is no indication. I add two clicks harder today but the adjusters don't really click anymore just more of a resistance feel.

The drive is live able at highway speeds + and I been set this way for a few weeks. Again I havent messed with the front it works great and rides better than all my new cars on the same traveled roads.

I guess my next step is to go full hard again and try and get a baseline where I am at.

I don't think I will be able to get the springs rates checked again this winter I have to many things going on but I still think the rates need to be checked.

Merry Christmas.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SeZPgYwvBzs&t=53s

OK little fun on an entrance ramp.No changes to the suspension at this time. Same tires too but there aging out. The hanging beads on the mirror are my "G" meter.

Got the triple block by a trash old nissan and zipped by a 4 circles of slow car. All in fun.

Looks like fun, but do they use the ramps there for missile testing? or do they just bust big chunks out of them for giggles? I see why you drive the 3g. It's the only thing nimble enough to dodge all the road craters.

Oh yeah that interchange has always been awful thru there. I use that ramp alot so I know what and where to dodge. its a compression left hander makes it kinda fun since most ramps are not lefts but rights here in the east. I left the video long to show there was NO REASON for that person to swap to the left lane except to block me. There no left turns on that highway for another 5 miles.

I still have the rear shocks set way low in No mans land. There working but I am thinking about trying to send them back to K sport just for kicks and get them re valved.

I still cant believe how GREAT the fronts are. They handle the spring rate perfectly even rough roads like that at decent speeds. Cant get over that.

Keep me posted on your progress with the rears. I'm looking to buy a set at some point.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Dr_Snooz

What spring rate did you get?

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K2 Pro-Circuit 2Way</br>EG/DC2/EK

Check out these recommend spring rates...guess im not that far off!

heres same road with the 2018 Camaro ZL1 1LE and Mutltimatic DSSV shocks.

https://youtu.be/VkTjFFFWmXY

I'm looking at these ksports now. The spring rates you mentioned are not the spring rates that come with them now.

Their site list 12kg/mm (672lbs/in) front 6.7kg/mm (375lbs/in) rear.

It looks like your initial order was
13.5k (755lbs/ft) front and 11.5k (643lbs/in) rear
or ?
18k (1008lbs/in) front and 8.7k (487lbs/in) rear

My H&R setup is
4.7k (265 lbs/in) front and 3.0k (170 lbs/in) rear
Progressive springs

Looking for a daily driver. I like the ride comfort and handling of the H&Rs but i can tell the Tokico blues cant keep up with the H&R spring rates especially in the front. What should i get and i guess the first questions is can i request a different spring rate when i order them and not pay more.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Oldblueaccord

OK so now on to the bad and possible ugly.

The kit they sent me is this.

Ksport Adjustable Coilover Systems, Camber Kits and Suspension Products | Ksport Store

Not sure why but thats what they sent.....18k front 8.7k rear thats 1008 fl bs front 487 rear for you,like me, who lack math. Possible the rear is spring TOO soft for the valving so I am upping the spring rate. Coils are 40$ so pretty reasonable.

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I think they sent me the Aspahlt Rally version which has a much higher spring rate.

https://ksportusa.com/product/honda-...da-accord-1988


The 600/400 is more what you are after I think.

Since they uses a standard size coil its very easy to get replacement rates. off the top of my head the coils are 2.5 inches ID so alot of other spring companies make them in that size.

I wouldnt hesitate to call and ask them some questions.

Rear replacement springs they set me.


https://imageshack.com/i/pnBX4TMrj

https://imageshack.com/i/pnjjYs5Mj

https://imageshack.com/i/pmHlw7Maj