Guys I just got done with my KW V1, SPC camber kit, lowered the vehicle about an inch from stock, new 19" rims and Hankook v12 Evo2 285/35/19 rear, and 245/40/19 fronts. I just took the car out for a pretty hard ride (100+) and around some pretty curvy roads with lots of dips and various road surfaces and I hate how it handles. It feels like the front end is loose and even at times the rear feels off also. Even long straight runs at 120mph dont feel as solid as they did with my stock setup. Is this due to me dropping it an inch? The KW v1's? The wheels? I had the tires/rims installed for 2 weeks before the other stuff and I know they felt a little squishier but nothing like I feel now.

I am considering a Cusco front strut brace and possibly doing some chassis stiffening as was mentioned on another thread on here. I would like to add a steering damper as well. Any suggestions on what was done to make the car feel like this or what I can do to make it more solid? I am going to post my alignment info in case that might add some insight.

Alignment

 

You have to dial in those coilovers. You may have to adjust them a few times to get them right. It's strange that it feels WORSE though. I've never heard that after a coilover install.

It could also be the tires. You shouldn't drive hard on brand new tires. Wait about 500 miles.

 

The tires have almost 800 miles on them. The ride quality overall is fine. And the handling at slower speeds isnt bad. Its hard to compare the handling before for the slower speeds but I can definitely feel issues at higher speeds. As far as dialing in the coilovers, would corner balancing be the best way? The height is basically where I want it so I have no idea what tweaks can be done other than that. I didnt get the V3's but I should have too if the stock shocks/springs felt more solid than the V1's.

 

Your alignment looks good although a little more front camber wouldn't be a bad thing if you're doing a lot of higher speed cornering.

The V1s are specifically set up for spirited driving and the spring rates and damping should be a solid improvement over your OEM setup. Haven't heard anyone w/ K1s saying their handling got worse when they added them so

i suppose it's possible something wasn't tightened down properly or springs not fully seated, something sure sounds amiss.

Another thing that may be occurring is tramlining, wider tires are more prone to this and some tire brands can be more likely to do it. Just google "tramlining" for more info.

 

When you say more camber, do you mean more negative camber? This is not my area of expertise so how much would be recommended for the front and rear? I want to avoid running through tires but I also am looking for more stability. I dont know if the KW's are the reason for the handling issues, but I can try and have them check all the attachment points and any other hardware associated with them. Its not a major issue for daily driving around town so I will have to find time to go back to LA and have the same shop check it out.

Any thoughts on the Cusco FSB and how this might "tighten" things up a bit? I may look into the Hotchkis swaybars.

 

Camber in the back is where I'd recommend it but a bit more negative in front wouldn't hurt, just up to the max negative camber and still be in spec.
In the -1.2 range.
FSB won't hurt but won't have a dramatic effect, sways will improve things but firm up your daily driving as far as comfort goes.
G/L through this as you shouldn't be experiencing a degradation in handling w/ those KWs but it will be firmer for sure.

 

The trouble with this is I have modified my car so much at once that its hard to say how much of this is one thing or another.

 

is your toe in spec?
1. check coilover full installation again
2. check tyre pressures when tyres are cold
3. get it aligned by a professional
4. report back

 

Did you not see his alignment report?

 

I will say that with my V1's I raised the rear up just a little bit higher than the front and it made a world of difference. When all corners were at the same height the ride was okay but not what I wanted. When I raised the rear up a little, MUCH better. This may not help what you are feeling, its just an experience I had.

 

I am going to take ride height measurements tonight when I get home. You got me thinking and if the measurements are all the same, or the rear is lower, I bet this could have an impact on the handling. I assumed the guys at the shop did more than just eyeball it but Im pretty sure I never saw them measure the overall ride height.

 

Yes you need to know that a tiny bit of height difference can yield uneven weight on the corners. That's why people pay a few hours of labor for corner balancing to completely dial in for a perfect balance.

 

Ok here are my ride height measurements:

Left Front - 26 3/4""
Right Front - 26 7/8" (almost 27" really)
Left Rear - 26 1/4"
Right Rear - 26 3/4"

Im not an expert but this is definitely an issue needing to be fixed for starters.

Terribleone, can you tell me how much higher your rear is compared to the front? Also, can anyone give me stock ride height since I never thought to do that prior to all of the mods. I just would like a basic idea for comparison. I think the drop is more than I intended it to be anyway. Just want to get this straightened out before I get too crazy.

 

I'd shoot for a 26.5 front and 26.75 rear, should be a good height for daily driving and a better balance from where you are now.

 

Do the numbers I posted explain some of the handling issues I mentioned?