Need some help with KW's, ride height way too high, can't go lower.

Magnus_ · Sep 16, 2009

I had the coil overs put on my 06 FE by a local shop and went to check it out today.

The car was still on the lift with no road miles and the rear end was sitting basically as high as stock. The tech did say he pulled down on the rear of the car to make sure the shocks were settled and it didn't make any difference.

They were adjusted with basically 2 threads left to go, so near the bottom. What we also noticed is that the top spring was basically at coil bind.

Obviously something is wrong, but I'm not sure what and I race on Monday.

So, anyone have any suggestions?

My possible ideas:
1) The shocks are indeed not settled yet and the car needs some road miles for them to seat properly.

2) The springs they put on the shocks are wrong? Doesn't seem likely.

3) One thing I thought of.. perhaps there's another set of adjuster threads below the KW sticker that the spring seat is supposed to be on??

I dunno, just throwing out ideas, but I'd like to get this figured out so I can get the car balanced and aligned.

I already got a call into JonB (What a huge asset to have access to), but they are out of the shop for the week.

Thanks for any suggestions!

- Keith

mjorgensen Woodhouse · Sep 16, 2009

The springs could be too long at static to allow lowering. If there is a helper that is in full bind then remove it and gain the droop.

Viper X · Sep 16, 2009

Not a fan of KW's but Mark is usually right. Sounds like you got (for example) 8 inch springs and should have had 7 inch springs.

If the helper springs are fully compressed, you can remove them. This will give you about 1/2 inch though I would not run without them.

Not sure why any vendor would recommend KW's to Viper guys when most of us can buy Motons, a much better product, for a few dollars more.

Good luck,

Dan

Magnus_ · Sep 16, 2009

I wanted a set and forget type setup, and did not want to have to drill or run any lines into the car for the moton canisters. I wanted an easy setup.

I have a ticket in with KW support. They do not recommend you to remove the upper spring.

I haven't heard back yet but sent in plenty of pics and parts #'s, etc..

I'll post the results when I figure out what they are.

Nader · Sep 16, 2009

The remote cannisters, which I assume you are talking about, are quite simple to deal with. You should have done your homework on this site. Motons are nuts and bolts to install just like KWs. They are a proven setup. I hope it all works out.

Magnus_ said:
I wanted a set and forget type setup, and did not want to have to drill or run any lines into the car for the moton canisters. I wanted an easy setup.

I have a ticket in with KW support. They do not recommend you to remove the upper spring.

I haven't heard back yet but sent in plenty of pics and parts #'s, etc..

I'll post the results when I figure out what they are.

treesnake · Sep 16, 2009

Nader said:
The remote cannisters, which I assume you are talking about, are quite simple to deal with. You should have done your homework on this site. Motons are nuts and bolts to install just like KWs. They are a proven setup.

Couldn't agree more.... :dunno:

Magnus_ · Sep 17, 2009

Where did you mount your rear canisters?

Magnus_ · Sep 24, 2009

Attached is a pic of my rear setup. Can anyone help me verify that these are correct? KW Wants me to run a different keeper spring.

I'm just not comfortable with that solution when my car sits like any other viper on stock coilovers, however with these rear coilovers my car does not sit like any other viper with the same part # setup from KW. I got to believe that something on this assembly is not right.

I see so many cars here with their cars slammed using KW's, and the lowest mine can go with the same setup is about .5" lower than stock.

Overall length: 23"
Fork length: 9 1/8"
Shock body length: 6 3/8"
Keeper spring length: 2 1/4"
Keeper spring #: 20-60-80
Main spring #: 130-140*
Shock body #: 270 1106

Edit: KW Did confirm that my keeper spring should have been a 10-60-80 instead of a 20-60-80 and was assembled wrong in Germany. I should have it fixed in a few days.

redtanrt10 · Sep 24, 2009

Magnus, I'll take a look at mine tonight and try to send you a picture. At first glance your helper springs look longer than mine. Mike

JonB · Sep 24, 2009

SORRY I was in MI.... we did trade messages tho!

We have sold many many dozens of these kits, and this one has KW baffled as well.
KW is talking with the engineers in Germany. They have pulled the build-sheet on YOUR KIT and they feel that the wrong keeper spring was factory installed.

They will be providing you the correct spring, overnight if you can remove/replace it, or they will install it for you if you had the time.

Art 138 · Sep 24, 2009

I just looked at mine and note that your spring keepers are in completely different locations....if you can look at the ACR manual 5.1 (do a search its downloaded) there is one keeper within the lower part of the KW. Your pic shows the keeper 5 inches down from the top of the spherical bearing mount. Too far up if you compare to the Standard ACR setting. Also are you going to use/mount the compression adjuster??

Magnus_ · Sep 24, 2009

Thanks a bunch to Jon@PartsRack and Tom@KW.

It seems that when my kit was assembled in germany it was kitted incorrectly. A 10-60-80 spring should have been installed instead of a 20-60-80.

I'll be sending the rear assembly back and should have it corrected in a few days, ready for the track with time to spare.

Thanks Jon and Tom!

Magnus_ · Sep 24, 2009

Art 138 said:
I just looked at mine and note that your spring keepers are in completely different locations....if you can look at the ACR manual 5.1 (do a search its downloaded) there is one keeper within the lower part of the KW. Your pic shows the keeper 5 inches down from the top of the spherical bearing mount. Too far up if you compare to the Standard ACR setting. Also are you going to use/mount the compression adjuster??

ACR's run the variant 3 KW setup.

The setup I'm running is the variant 2, which is different than the V3.

JonB · Sep 24, 2009

Viper X said:
Not a fan of KW's but Mark is usually right. Sounds like you got (for example) 8 inch springs and should have had 7 inch springs. If the helper springs are fully compressed, you can remove them. This will give you about 1/2 inch though I would not run without them.

Not sure why any vendor would recommend KW's to Viper guys when most of us can buy Motons, a much better product, for a few dollars more.

Good luck, Dan

Dan... If my customer is a track-rat like you, of COURSE I suggest Moton or Penske or the ACR-KW V-3.... "KWs are chosen by SRT for ACR" ....they are a quality product. The above shocks require log-book accuracy at multiple tracks and even weather or tire differences at same track. Hard-Core track guys like Dan will do this, to achieve a couple tenths of a second faster laps. {There may be no limit to what Dan will do for faster laps!!}

HOWEVER: When a guy primarily wants a set-and-forget system then KW V2 is the way to go. They are not a 'few hundred less,' but in fact are about $1400 less just for the kit. They include springs, unlike MoTon. They are fully assembled, unlike Moton. They are E-Z install, unlike Moton with the remote reservoir plumbing issues. All this means KWs save HUNDRED$ of dollar$ on install labor, and even more on optional plumbing kits.

Guys with one home-track may choose NOT to be adjusting compression and rebound each track day, and are content with 2-way KWs E-Z LOWERING and REBOUND adjustments and they want cost and labor savings on a QUALITY kit....

Jon

bluesrt · Sep 24, 2009

hey parts rack-can you pm me if you can get me a price on kw-v2 for a 2010 srt8 challenger-thanks :eater:

tucker · Sep 24, 2009

100 bucks says it is your helper springs. KW sent the wrong helpers on several sets. Ditch the helpers as they aren't necessary, and your problem is solved. :2tu:

Magnus_ · Sep 24, 2009

KW does not recommend you ditch the keeper springs.

They did though acknowledge that the springs sent are the wrong ones. They are sending me the correct ones out next day air.

Viper X · Sep 24, 2009

Yeah,

Those are the biggest, baddest, longest "helper"springs I've seen so far. Main springs look OK, lengthwise.

Dan

YellowViperSRT10 · Sep 26, 2009

I use to be a very large KW dealer, and now I no longer sell KW products, mainly because KW sent me 3 DIFFERENT V2 kits for my old SRT10 and they were all manufactured incorrectly....

ROCKET62 · Sep 28, 2009

Am I crazy, but in looking at your picture, to lower the Viper you need to compress the spring, and turn the adjuster up, not down towards the bottom of the shock ????

Magnus_ said:
Attached is a pic of my rear setup. Can anyone help me verify that these are correct? KW Wants me to run a different keeper spring.

I'm just not comfortable with that solution when my car sits like any other viper on stock coilovers, however with these rear coilovers my car does not sit like any other viper with the same part # setup from KW. I got to believe that something on this assembly is not right.

I see so many cars here with their cars slammed using KW's, and the lowest mine can go with the same setup is about .5" lower than stock.

Overall length: 23"
Fork length: 9 1/8"
Shock body length: 6 3/8"
Keeper spring length: 2 1/4"
Keeper spring #: 20-60-80
Main spring #: 130-140*
Shock body #: 270 1106

Edit: KW Did confirm that my keeper spring should have been a 10-60-80 instead of a 20-60-80 and was assembled wrong in Germany. I should have it fixed in a few days.

6 speed · Sep 30, 2009

I have the KW V2's on my 08 and they are real nice. They got the car nice and low which is what I was shooting for and I thought the Motons while better, were a bit of overkill for me in a non tracked car.

ROCKET62 · Oct 24, 2009

So - what ever happened?

Magnus_ · Oct 24, 2009

Magnus_ said:
It seems that when my kit was assembled in germany it was kitted incorrectly. A 10-60-80 spring should have been installed instead of a 20-60-80.

I'll be sending the rear assembly back and should have it corrected in a few days, ready for the track with time to spare.

I ended up just having them send me the correct springs instead. I replaced them and it fixed the height issues.

ulllose · Oct 25, 2009

So what do you think of the kw's???

CPPRHD265 · Oct 27, 2009

I'll let ya'll know when I get my car back on the ground, as I am currently involved in the *EXACT* same situation.

steponz · Oct 27, 2009

Jonb is the man..

Magnus_ · Oct 27, 2009

ulllose said:
So what do you think of the kw's???

I love them. No canisters to route or pressures to monitor.

For a set-it and forget-it setup, they do they job very well.

ulllose · Oct 27, 2009

Magnus_ said:
I love them. No canisters to route or pressures to monitor.

For a set-it and forget-it setup, they do they job very well.

Thanks for the reply, any pic of the car with the kw's on

SilveRT8 · Oct 28, 2009

Magnus_ said:
I love them. No canisters to route or pressures to monitor.

For a set-it and forget-it setup, they do they job very well.

I like that.
How's the ride compared to stock ?

Magnus_ · Oct 28, 2009

Here's a couple huge pics, lol
Ignore the beat up splitter, its being replaced.

You must be registered for see images

Need some help with KW's, ride height way too high, can't go lower.

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