Kw users quick questions

[ulllose]

I bought the Kw's v2's about 3 months ago. When I installed them I put the setting on "6" out of 12 settings. I have the ride height really low also.

Now the question I have, Im trying to get rid of the "Bouncy" feel when im driving on the interstate. I feel every imperfection in the pavement which then can make the car feel bouncy. When I had the stock shocks and eibachs it felt the same way.

If I turn the setting to "softer" I will probably get a softer ride but will I be bottoming out everywhere because I have the ride Height so low.

Has anyone with the KW's really dial these things in for street driving yet? Sure I could make some adjustment then drive it but damn its easier to just ask on here.. If nobody has I guess I will report back after doing some adjustments and then test drives. Thanks

 

[ulllose]

Front height

 

[ulllose]

Rear height

 

[Richie7]

I use 8 for the street

 

[Nine Ball]

What spring rates do you have front/rear? The springs will likely be the cause of stiffness or bouncy feeling.

 

[ulllose]

Nine ball....that makes sense....I don't remember off hand I'll have to look on box or receipt. I didn't order anything special put it that way. The more I think about it.....car really rides like heLL, I thought I would get a better ride.

 

[ulllose]

Richie---thanks...I'm going to try something different. Even thou I put them on in June.....I didn't drive the cat at all this summer...so now I'm driving it and noticing this bouncy feel. I would think this should ride better than my stock shocks and eibachs....and it dont

 

[bmw2nv2000]

You have my attention now. I have always run eibachs/spring caps on past vipers and am totally planning on going KW's on my current car but not if it rides exactly like spring/caps(BOY would I be pissed after installing to find out they ride the same). I'll use the $3k difference on better mods. I hope others chime in with some honest opinions on their KW's ride quality too.

 

[redtanrt10]

ulllose, do a search and you should find some help on your KW2's. There a good overall set up, I had them on my 06 and and put them on my 08 (before I switched to Moton's). The low rear ride height is what's giving you the "bouncy" feel. Leave the rebound at 6 and raise the ride height 1/2" and take it for a drive. Spring rates in the 2's are something like 360F and 685R. Spring removal requires a hard to find special tool or shipping them back to KW in CA. good luck, Mike

 

[bmw2nv2000]

REDTANRT10 are you saying that if you slam your viper on KW2's then they will ride like eibachs? The rear pic shown above looks great but if raised 1/2" itll be no lower than springs/caps? If thats the honest case I'll just order springs and caps now and stop saving up for coilovers. Thanks for some honest feedback. I think soo many times people spend so much money on certain mods and will say they love the difference even when they really dont just to justify the high cost of the mod.

 

[bmw2nv2000]

BTW REDTANRT10 your ACR is just amazing

 

[redtanrt10]

bmw2nv2000, I've never had the spring caps so all I know is what I've read here. Bought a used '99 ACR 8 years ago from a 25 yr old who had the Koni coilovers slammed. On the 400 mi ride back it was very firm, when I got to the ****ty concrete parts in LA, my head hit the roof 3 or 4 times. After I set the ride height they were firm but fine. The KW2's are better than OEM, plus the rebound and height adjustments, much better on the street and track. But if you want to get the slammed look there is a ride vs. look tradeoff. My gut feel is that your roads are much smoother than where ulllose lives so you may not have an issue. Reach out ot the local guys in TN or GA, maybe you can get a demo ride. Thanks for the compliment, the 08 started out as a red/black striped coupe, Mike

 

[bmw2nv2000]

Actually the roads here arent too bad but I suspect they will continue to go down in quality as the economy gets worst and TN cuts spending . But yopu have a great pioint I will find someone to catch a ride with. Maybe someone in nashville area will help me out with a KW ride???

 

[Sonoman]

If thats the honest case I'll just order springs and caps now and stop saving up for coilovers. Thanks for some honest feedback. I think soo many times people spend so much money on certain mods and will say they love the difference even when they really dont just to justify the high cost of the mod.

Bingo. I saw this behavior all the time on the Ducati forum. The more cash people spent on a mod the more they had to like it, to the point where everything was a must-do/greatest mod ever.

Speaking of mods-- been itchin' to do a few more (it's a sickness), who is a good supplier of the lowering caps? Dave's Viper Shop via Parts Rack? Any cons to doing this mod?

 

[ulllose]

ulllose, do a search and you should find some help on your KW2's. There a good overall set up, I had them on my 06 and and put them on my 08 (before I switched to Moton's). The low rear ride height is what's giving you the "bouncy" feel. Leave the rebound at 6 and raise the ride height 1/2" and take it for a drive. Spring rates in the 2's are something like 360F and 685R. Spring removal requires a hard to find special tool or shipping them back to KW in CA. good luck, Mike

Those spring rates dont ring a bell but you may be very right. I do love the adjustability of the height but like i said it doesnt ride much better than the stock with eibachs, and I was hoping it would. I do understand while the car is at such a low ride height I would have to give up something but I was thinking the Coilover is designed to be used at this height and would not have the ride suffer like it did with the oem/eibach set up. Im sure there are enough of use running these KW2 to get enough opinions to narrow down my options. I think I will raise car some and give it a drive and c what happens, but I love the look at where it is at.

 

[ulllose]

bmw2nv2000, I've never had the spring caps so all I know is what I've read here. Bought a used '99 ACR 8 years ago from a 25 yr old who had the Koni coilovers slammed. On the 400 mi ride back it was very firm, when I got to the ****ty concrete parts in LA, my head hit the roof 3 or 4 times. After I set the ride height they were firm but fine. The KW2's are better than OEM, plus the rebound and height adjustments, much better on the street and track. But if you want to get the slammed look there is a ride vs. look tradeoff. My gut feel is that your roads are much smoother than where ulllose lives so you may not have an issue. Reach out ot the local guys in TN or GA, maybe you can get a demo ride. Thanks for the compliment, the 08 started out as a red/black striped coupe, Mike

Even on the great roads around here the car will still begin to bounce on the very smoothe pavement,,,, its the slights up and down but enough for my buddy in front on me says "I can see ur lights going up and down" Hard to explain but im not talking when i hit a expansion joint or bumb in the road im talking the slightest imperfection when they pour the concrete

 

[ulllose]

I use 8 for the street

Ritchie --I dont have my manual right in front of me but 8 makes me think it will be stiffer, no? or does it go the other way?

 

[Paul Hawker]

When I purchased my 09 it came with KW Variant II shocks and coil overs.

It was really low, but still road fairly well. Shocks were set at mid level.

I decided I wanted to raise the car up a bit to keep it from scraping, and maybe get a better ride.

I raised up the car about 3/4", but the ride was little better. We reset the shocks to full firm at the advise of my mechanic, and the ride is now fantastically smooth, with no pogo. The car corners like on rails, and drives straight down the road with no trammeliing. Even rain grooves do not upset it.

In most cases, everytime you adjust ride height you will need to get a fresh alignment if you want the car to ride and handle properly.

The surprise is just how solid, and well controlled the car is noW. I am a really happy camper. (but still might like to upgrade to Motons for track use).

Most owners do not realize how little shock travel is available to dampen the Vipers suspension. Only a couple inches (or less) of shock travel is used at the rear. Your poor shocks have a tremendous job to accomplish with that little travel. This is why shock choice can make such a major change in your Vipers ride and handling.

 

[ulllose]

Paul....did you go full firm on all four corners ?......that's good info, thank you. I'm going to keep ride height where it is at and go full firm and c what happens. Then I won't have to run out an get an alignment also...lol

 

[bluesrt]

Bingo. I saw this behavior all the time on the Ducati forum. The more cash people spent on a mod the more they had to like it, to the point where everything was a must-do/greatest mod ever.

Speaking of mods-- been itchin' to do a few more (it's a sickness), who is a good supplier of the lowering caps? Dave's Viper Shop via Parts Rack? Any cons to doing this mod?

i have lowering caps on my 09 with the stock shocks and springs, feels and is loose in high speeds-dangerous as hell, looking for a stock gen 4 acr shock set up

 

[ulllose]

Blursrt----that may have more to do with the alignment.....did u align it after that change?
Once I changed my alignment car was much better at high speeds.

 

[bluesrt]

yes, checked it where i work and tweeked a light aggressive street alighnment, but at high speeds in a long hiway curve with light rolling bumps, the car just feels like it could get away on me, i dont like the feeling, i would feel more comfortable in my truck at these speeds. lol if it would do it

 

[Paul Hawker]

Be careful using ACR shocks/coils on a SRT without wings and canards. ACR owners often put on softer springs for street use, as the ACR springs are designed to deal with over 1,000 lbs of downforce. This results in a pretty firm ride, without the handling benefits you get if you have aero downforce.

Believe Dan Cragin has some KW ACR shock take offs available at great prices. These, with softer springs should provide a great improvement in both ride and handling. Benefit is their great adjustability to compensate for non stock ride height, larger wheels/tires, or +/- aero enhancements.

Getting someone to install these that has lots of Viper suspension experience, and the proper specialized tools for a Viper 4 wheel alignment...priceless.

 

[AbsolutHank]

Okay...I guess it's my turn to chime in on my KWs. I have the Variant 2's on my 2006 Viper. I removed Eibachs/caps on my factory shocks after driving down to my shop, so I feel I had a great chance to get a true before and after since only a few hours had passed. They felt noticably smoother, and less bouncy than the Eibachs. From that day, I have been riding through the summer with them set at 2 clicks firmer than full soft.

While I've been happy with the ride, I have felt that the rear has been a tad bouncier than it should be. I just cruise with the car, and don't plan to AutoX it, so I've been content with the ride. I will admit it didn't feel quite as planted as I would have liked at higher speeds, when you come upon a good sized bump.

While I had the wheels off today for cleaning, I decided to go ahead and adjust them to full firm after reading Paul Hawker's post above. After a 30 mile drive home, I'm very pleased with the stability of the car. It certainly feels more planted than ever before, and the ride quality is much better than I assumed it would be. While it's not as soft as before, I think it takes the bumps better, and doesn't do the "porpoising" it would start to on certain highway expansion joints. I'll probably adjust it a click or two softer next time the wheels are off, but I'm here to tell the OP to adjust them much firmer than you have them.

My car is ridiculously low, and I'd imagine a "regular" lowered Viper would ride better still.

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[ulllose]

Absoluhank-----thanks for chiming in here. If I remember correctly u put your kw's on right before I did and was hoping you would chime in here.
I will for sure adjust mine to firmer as soon as I get a chance. I'm guessing you did all 4 corners right?
Thanks again to everyone... I will update my opinion once I try it.
One more thing....turning the adjuster clockwise ...is that the way to go so it's firmer?

 

[AbsolutHank]

Yeah, I did all 4 corners the same...I'm sure there is something better, as far as front and rear bias go, but the trial and error is time consuming! I need to get everything sorted out before my new wheels arrive so I can get a proper alignment again.

 

[bluesrt]

are the kw-s adjustable on compression and rebound?

 

[bluesrt]

Be careful using ACR shocks/coils on a SRT without wings and canards. ACR owners often put on softer springs for street use, as the ACR springs are designed to deal with over 1,000 lbs of downforce. This results in a pretty firm ride, without the handling benefits you get if you have aero downforce.

Believe Dan Cragin has some KW ACR shock take offs available at great prices. These, with softer springs should provide a great improvement in both ride and handling. Benefit is their great adjustability to compensate for non stock ride height, larger wheels/tires, or +/- aero enhancements.

Getting someone to install these that has lots of Viper suspension experience, and the proper specialized tools for a Viper 4 wheel alignment...priceless.

how do i get in touch with dan cragin?

 

[AbsolutHank]

how do i get in touch with dan cragin?

He owns DC Performance, who is a forum sponsor. www.dcperformanceonlinestore.com


The KW V3's are 3-way adjustable, hence their name. The KW V2's are 2-way adjustable, ride height and rebound.

 

[bluesrt]

good info thankyou--- he is sold out right now!!! that was a great deal he had.....