Suspension questions for a new owner.. Mostly DD with occasional track. iLift/KWV3?

[neoprufrok]

Being new, but being very involved with many forums in the past, I'm impressed how much info is on NSXPrime. It's incredibly helpful.

I've searched already, but still have questions specific to my application that would be helpful before I embark on a major rebuild of the suspension. As a background, my car is a 91 NSX with 91k miles on it. As for suspension, the previous owner said the car has Comptech sway bars, Comptech Sport Springs and Koni shocks. That's all he knew, since the car had them on when he bought it 4 years ago. Also has Driving Ambition's Noncompliance Toe Link and Rear Beam.

Currently, the car rides overly stiff (compared to my McLaren 12C and RS4 with KWV3s) and small bumps will actually bounce it off line on the highway. Definitely feel like there's no damping at all. Also feels like the suspension may need new bushings as there feels like a little looseness that I'm not accustomed to.

My intention is to make the car a daily driver with occasional track duty. I don't have much time owing to my career - so I can maybe go to track once every month at most - more likely once every 3 months. Where I live (NorCal) the roads are extremely variable in terms of quality. And there are a lot of driveways that are not low car friendly. I have a lift system in my McLaren - and it works perfect for these situations without affecting the quality of it's suspension.

Finally, I'm not looking to spend thousands and thousands of dollars on a suspension system. Something in the middle range would be good.

Here are my questions:

1) I plan on going the KW V3 route. Have had them on multiple cars (standard suspension on my C63 Black Series I had before) and I love them. How does the car ride on rough roads?

2) How low can the KW's go? I don't like wheel gap, so I tend to want the car to sit about 1/2 inch above the tires. Will this be doable with the KWV3s?

3) ILiftSystem - love the concept. But will this hurt the car on track days? It's a little expensive, but I'm willing to go with it if it works out with track days. It's not THAT important, but if it has no effect on handling/track than I might be willing to add it.

4) Camber/bushings/etc. Any recommendations for my specific application?


Thanks so much in advance. I know its a lot of questions, but I'm excited to get the car going!

Rich

 

[Honcho]

I had the CT/Koni Sport suspension on my NSX and agree it was stiff as hell. KW V3 is one of the best all-around systems for the NSX but is geared toward a track car, since it is a double-adjustable system and requires some fairly serious suspension tuning to get dialed in. I use the BC Racing single-adjustable system in my NSX and find it excellent for the street and adequate on the track, though it is designed primarily for street driving. You can find my review here:

http://www.nsxprime.com/forum/showthread.php/159029-BC-Racing-Coilovers-Comprehensive-Review

Billy Johnson, who is a pro driver and active forum member, has some great initial setup numbers for a KW V3 NSX. I would search for them here on the forum, or maybe he will chime in. As for bushings, the original rubber bushings on your NSX are now over 20 years old and degraded far beyond their original spec. Titanium Dave offers a service for replacing the bushings in your control arm assemblies with solid units that also include camber correction for lowered suspension. Not cheap, but it would transform your NSX and have it feeling like it just rolled off the factory floor in Tochigi.

 

[neoprufrok]

Thanks for the info. It may be that I'll be tracking the car more than I thought. So I'm pretty set on the KWV3's. I'll search for Titanium Dave and see about the bushings. The car is going to Shad at Driving Ambitions and he is gonna do a once over all the bushings, etc and see things can be tightened up.

Thanks!
Rich

 

[TURBO2GO]

FYI I just listed a brand new set of Hyperco springs that should be excelllent for what you are looking to do in the marketplace. I find the standard KW 350 too soft.

 

[FF Drifter]

The iLIFT should not affect your track day performance. It acts as solid spacer atop the springs when the cups are not in use. However as a result the car cannot sit as as low as a similarly equipped car without the iLIFT (the difference is probably like 1/4 inch).

 

[ChrisK]

The iLift will not affect the performance of any of the shocks it is used on when in the down position (Not lifted). It also has software safety programmed to not allow any accidental or intentional lifts at preset determined speed.

 

[neoprufrok]

Thanks for the info re: iLift. I think I'll hold off for now... the factory front lip may get some... patina.