How to fix a nose dive while braking.

[1993MTXSHO]

Well guys before my car exploded it used to nose dive a decent amount. Its got koni/eibach with a 24/26 combo. I don't have bias plugs or anythign like that and was wondering if there was anything I could do to make it stay flat while braking. My buddies bmw stays so nice and flat while braking im really jealous. Course thats a rwd and doesn't have such a heavy front end could that be part of the problem and would bias plugs help? Im also thinking of cutting one coil off my front springs before putting my car back together would that help any or make it worse? Im doing it because my front wheel gap is bad even with stock size slicers on it, my summer wheels just make it even worse.

EDIT: I do have the 12.5" baer pbr kit up front and the 11.6" rear kit

 

[HotRodKid]

lowering the front will only make things worse. the best option is to have the car sit level while at rest

brake dive is a function of a number of things:

weight
weight placement
suspension design
strut valving
spring rates

moving the battery to the very rear is one of the few things you can do about weight placement

some more antidive angle on the front struts could help (or could cause bind, depending on how much is already built in to the car)

stiffer rear rebound / stiffer front compression valving in the struts will help keep things level

softer springs in back and sligthly stiffer ones up front could also help

mind you, the best strut / spring combo is the one that allows you to drive the car as hard as you like, without causing to much under / oversteer in most situations , so changing that stuff to reduce dive could cause the car to have less desirable charateristics in other more important aspects of handling

 

[1993MTXSHO]

oh, ok maybe I should leave it alone because the car handles pretty damn well I must say as it is. I should move the battery to the trunk but I don't want to use a regular battery, I want it to be sealed so no gases vent into the cabin and my battery is going to be brand new when i put my new engine in (battery I have now is shot but under warrenty).

 

[SHOtime2511]

id try bias plugs.
just be aware that it changes the breaking chariteristic of the car dramatically

 

[1993MTXSHO]

ok this is a dumb question but how do you adjsut the front konis, I know on the rear you jsut turn the **** which i cant because one of mine is busted and cant be adjusted anymore but I think the fronts are ok but I don't know how to adjsut it.

 

[1993MTXSHO]

id try bias plugs.
just be aware that it changes the breaking chariteristic of the car dramatically

how so, rear end fly out easier?

 

[SHOtime2511]

how so, rear end fly out easier?

yeah thats about right,what you might expect from increase rear break force.
personally i like the way it feels,combined with ALSFB's 24/26 swaybars.

 

[1993MTXSHO]

yeah thats about right,what you might expect from increase rear break force.
personally i like the way it feels,combined with ALSFB's 24/26 swaybars.

ok maybe ill give them a shot iv got that combo with the alsfb so maybe ill liek it. You dunno how to adjsut front konis though do you?

 

[K-Dawg]

Turn the **** on top of the strut. Same as in the back.

 

[1993MTXSHO]

Turn the **** on top of the strut. Same as in the back.

umm I guess im a ***** or mine are broken, because iv looked and dont see anything. I have a stb up front maybe thats covering them?

 

[SinisterSHO]

Are you positive you have Konis? Theres nothing thats going to cover up the adjuster. You just need the Koni **** which goes on the top of the strut. I have seen seized Konis, though.

However, the best way to stop nose dive is to not stop.

 

[hawkeye18]

However, the best way to stop nose dive is to not stop.

That, sir, is the best line I have heard in years. That gets Sig'd.

 

[Mels]

You just need the Koni **** which goes on the top of the strut.

You can also use a (forget the correct size) tiny six-point 1/4" drive socket. The adjuster sits nicely in two opposed points of the socket.

 

[K-Dawg]

I've used a pair of pliers to adjust mine.

 

[SinisterSHO]

You can also use a (forget the correct size) tiny six-point 1/4" drive socket. The adjuster sits nicely in two opposed points of the socket.

Regardless of how you adjust them, its obvoius that they are adjustable.

 

[1993MTXSHO]

well I have the knobs and I know for a fact that I have rear konis and im pretty sure I have fronts, but I guess i could be wrong. Maybe I have tokioes up front were they yellow? I remember some sorta of yellow thing in the front shock. I was told when i bought the car that it had konis. Maybe Ian can chime in Manyshos he know all but one of the previous owners of my car.

 

[drivinhard]

Try a gen3 subframe with the true LCA's (vs the gen1/2 quasi arm with the tension strut). It'll help nose dive.

 

[1993MTXSHO]

Try a gen3 subframe with the true LCA's (vs the gen1/2 quasi arm with the tension strut). It'll help nose dive.

whats that? I am taking my subframe out in a week, but this is a mtx so will the gen 3 subframe bolt in?

 

[SolidState]

no, not at all. requires alot of modifications. And if not done properly, you can adversely affect the geometry of the front end...

 

[naval-avi8or]

whats that? I am taking my subframe out in a week, but this is a mtx so will the gen 3 subframe bolt in?

Have you or do you know someone who has done this or are you compairing a GEN 1/2 to GEN 3. The lack of nose dive while braking for GEN 3's is a result of the SARC system. SARC adjust the shocks automatically to prevent nose dive while braking. SARC for a GEN 2 would take some modifications to work. I know this because I'm currently retrofitting my 94 back to stock strut system from a 97 SARC system.