How do you know your suspension is bottoming out?

[DaksGT]

I have the eibach sportlines and its a pretty low drop
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid28/p800283237c5aca4beb1ccea3103f5d48/fdfa24e9.jpg

The ride is quite good on the highway, I took it to the track twice and it was great, as for the city thats a different storry, so what are the signs of my suspension bottoming out?
Big clunks etc...

[oldster]

It usually is accompanied by a nice thud but is definitely noticable in the "bum", it is going down and has an immediate stop.

[pitcrew]

Any more than a 1" drop will probably bottom out the shock travel over anything more than a small dip in the highway. This will quickly damage the shocks. The solution is a custom shortened shock shaft to match the drop.

[oldster]

I can't speak to the Pitcrew's accuracy of 1", I have the TRD springs and it has to be a severe bump before I bottom, it won't do it on normal highway bumps. You also have to factor in that I rarely have more than 1 person or their equivilant in weight.

[DaksGT]

Originally posted by pitcrew
Any more than a 1" drop will probably bottom out the shock travel over anything more than a small dip in the highway. This will quickly damage the shocks. The solution is a custom shortened shock shaft to match the drop.
So the konis will not be satisfactory then?

[pitcrew]

Koni rebuilders like Proparts can sell you a set of shortened Konis to match your suspension drop.
Most shocks have < 6" working range, ~ +- 3" from installed design height. If you lower the car 1", you have reduced that range by >33% in the compressed direction. The only way to prevent bottoming out is to then increase the spring rate dramatically, making for a teeth shaking rough ride. Easy test of suspension travel: put a wire tie (the type you twist around a bread wrapper, not the nylon ones) tightly around the shock shaft just above the shock body. Drive over your favorite/roughest roads, then check the position of the tie wrap. If it's up against the bumpstop, you've bottomed out!

[DaksGT]

Originally posted by pitcrew
Koni rebuilders like Proparts can sell you a set of shortened Konis to match your suspension drop.
Most shocks have < 6" working range, ~ +- 3" from installed design height. If you lower the car 1", you have reduced that range by >33% in the compressed direction. The only way to prevent bottoming out is to then increase the spring rate dramatically, making for a teeth shaking rough ride. Easy test of suspension travel: put a wire tie (the type you twist around a bread wrapper, not the nylon ones) tightly around the shock shaft just above the shock body. Drive over your favorite/roughest roads, then check the position of the tie wrap. If it's up against the bumpstop, you've bottomed out!
So my drop is 2.1" inches all around so that means i reduced it by 67% or so.
So I get in contact with these guys and tell them my applictaion etc and my drop and what not and they will build me shocks?
That sounds to good to be true, but porbably twice the price of normal Konis right? So getting the normal Konis would be pointless then right?

[pitcrew]

Definitely DON'T want to bottom out Koni adjustables! You can give Proparts your drop, springrates, application, (street, track, AX, etc.) and they will rebuild you a set of shocks. ~ 150-250.00 per shock over the cost of the shocks, maybe less if they are providing the shocks. Very much worth it in the long run.