Has anyone had their lowering springs go very soft????

lilnicko11 · Post by **lilnicko11** » Fri Aug 03, 2012 10:42 am

So I still need to replace my lower control arm bushings but I just replaced all four struts on the 02 acr. the car sits on an eibach lowering kit. After the replacement the ride is literally as rough as before. I still bottom out it seems over the smallest bumps in the road and I feel like my whole body gets slammed when hitting a big bump. Just wondering what is the most likely culprit.......
either
1) my springs are soft from riding on old struts for so long
2) the strut mounts are completely bad
3) the struts do not have bump stops causing this to happen

thanks for any info guys. car is absolutely no fun to drive anymore

Post by **occasional demons** » Fri Aug 03, 2012 12:26 pm

I used a bump stop, and what I had cut down when I replaced the Eibach springs that broke on mine.

FWIW, when we replaced the struts on my mom's Lebaron GTS years ago, they only lasted about ~10,000 miles. We re-used the springs.

Then we bought new springs and struts, and they outlasted the car.

I have always since then just replaced the springs after the oem struts wore out.

Eibach's million mile warranty is just a marketing tool. I doubt many have put a million miles on a set. Mine didn't last 100 thousand, let alone a million.

Put some full bump stops on, maybe a half of one in addition, and go from there. If it doesn't ride any better, throw those springs in the scrap hopper.

The extra bump stops won't make it ride any higher. But they will help slow down the travel as they are compressed. Who ever came up with the idea of cutting them was misguided. If they were Hard urethane like 4WD bump stops, I could see the point. But they are very soft and squishy.

Danteneon · Post by **Danteneon** » Fri Aug 03, 2012 5:24 pm

Which Eibach springs are you running? If they are Sportlines, they will ride like crap. Pro Kits last a bit longer and aren't as kidney pounding on good struts as the Sportlines. What struts are they on?

UriahRR · Post by **UriahRR** » Fri Aug 03, 2012 5:39 pm

My Sportlines on Blues felt like I could do a 180 just by flicking the wheel. Like shit. Oversteering like crazy, car gave you no confidence deep deep into the corners.

Then I upgraded to coilovers which tightened it right up, no more bouncing ass all over and oversteering.

Then, I realized I had a Neon, not a race car. Oh yea... And went back to stock suspension. Now I can aim for sewer covers like a truck without hesitation. Wweeeeee, stock is so underrated.

lilnicko11 · Post by **lilnicko11** » Mon Aug 06, 2012 12:37 pm

its eibach pro kit dante with monroe sensa trac struts

Donkeypuncher · Post by **Donkeypuncher** » Mon Aug 06, 2012 1:32 pm

Well there's your problem, those struts are not made for any kind of lowering. Probably fine for oem springs, but I would be hesitant with any lowering spring.

Post by **occasional demons** » Mon Aug 06, 2012 2:26 pm

Possibly a good part of it. The "sense" part of the damper is telling it that since the position is lower, it is firmer to keep it from bottoming. How successful it is at that, is another matter.

When you take an oem type damper out of it's normal operating range, you results can be anywhere on the map.

When I lifted my Cherokee 2" on the oem shocks, it rode like a 2 x 4 was wedged in there. I went with some "off road" shocks, and problem solved.