*updated* Springs Ordered: Which Shocks/Struts *poll up*.
Honda Civic SuspensionHonda Civic Suspension can do many beneficial things. Some lower the suspension for style while others do it for racing. This is where you can give and take information about the Honda Civic Suspension setup.
*updated* Springs Ordered: Which Shocks/Struts *poll up*.
Hello all. I've read and read about suspension trying to figure out what would be best for me. But here I am creating a thread looking for advice..
This old timer has a '01 LX Coupe, original owner. I'm now up to 80,000 miles and my suspension has of course seen better days. It's getting time for a lot of new things, but suspension is high on the list. Sticking to the original vow when I bought my car to replace the stuff that breaks with better performing higher end stuff; it's not only time to replace, but to upgrade.
Shocks, Struts, and Springs are definately on the list, but I'm going to go ahead and go all out and add the strut and sway bars. I want to be able to get off the interstate at 40MPH without my tires screaming at me. Figured while I'm at it I'm going to go ahead and get 16" Wheels and Tires, but suspension is first on my list.
I've tried to do my homework so I could post this thread without asking you too many stupid questions. So here we go, this is what I'm looking for:
I don't want much of a drop an inch or so is fine by me. The streets around here will eat my car if I do any more than that. Like I said I just want to be able to take the occassional corner a little rougher, or interstate on/off ramp faster without getting that out of control oh crap my car is going to hit the ditch feeling.
I guess my main concern is ride quality, I want the ride to be smoooooth. I'm not trying to slam the thing, or hit up the track. Just a nice smooth ride with some improved corning ability.
What spring/shock combo would you recommend?
Or would you recommend coilovers?
Price isn't a huge issue, of course I don't want to spend a fortune.
Strut bars don't do much? Rear sway bar will be ordered by the end of the week, I'm trying to decide which one. I think I'm going to get the progress. I was going to pick up the front one too.
I have added Tein Basics and the H Tech/Eiback/Tokico combo to my list of posabilities.
Any other suggestions anyone? Input is very welcome..
i like H&R springs too. They ride decent. If you go struts and springs get tokico blues struts.
I have tein flex coilovers and i love them. They ride almost as smooth as stock and i can slam it or have it at about stock height with no problems. THey are insanely expensive and sometimes i wonder why i couldnt' have just got by with struts and springs but i really like them. Thats just my advice. Suspension is always something really fun to do on our cars. And its good to hear you aren't trying to cut corners. I know a lot of guys whose idea of lowering their car is heating their springs and compressing them or even worse using bolt cutters to cut a few links off lmfao. Good luck
I PMd zzyzx and boilermaker to see what they say. .
Remember guys I want a ride quality that is stock or better, with some improved handling. Again I'm willing to sacrifice the drop to achieve that.
Or does the improved handling often times sacrifice ride quality as well? Again, I don't need track quality handling just daily driving and the occassional hard corner, or occassional fast off ramp from the interstate.
#1... your 01 LX did not come with a rear anti-roll bar. so you are going to have to buy an adapter kit. Progress sells one.
#2. Tires are going to make you have more potential grip, suspension tuning is going to alter the cars handling balance.
So of the two, tires are more important. As you can learn to drive around a cars handling balance... but you cant learn to drive in a manor that makes the tires have more grip...
Here's a short list of things you can tune/alter that will influence your cars handling... From most important to least.
For ride quality... any thing you do thats not OEM will give you a more harsh ride. Aside from adding weight. Make the car heavy and it will ride like a Cadillac, but then it will also handle like a boat.
As far as what to buy... I use to be very adamant about certain products. now I typically say buy what you are comfortable with, especially for a street going car. That being said, Bilstine dampers are near works of art and would work well with just about any progressive lowering spring.
It's interesting how my thought process has evolved.
I went from thinking you could have it all, Cadillac quality ride, and Porsche's handling. To realizing that you can't have it all and prefering the comfortable ride..
Now. Things have again changed. The more I think about it, the more I think I can handle a little bit more of a bumpy ride and have the sure footedness of quality suspension.
1. Driving, I completely understand how this relates to what you can get from a car.
2. Tires. These aren't far behind. If I get tires though, I want wheels, so I'm saving up for these.
3. Alignment, again completely understand, I want to get my tired OEM suspension out of there and get the new stuff on, with tires, etc, then I'll get her all aligned up.
4. Dampers, of course, per the topic, they are coming. I'm still leaning toward the Tokicos, but your must respected opinion on the Bilstines has me searching for information on those as well..
5. Springs and anti-roll bars, again, these babies are coming. Thanks for the reminder on the adapter kit, I did know that, but knowing me I still wont remember to order it until the day I want to install it.
6. Chassis braces. We'll see, I'm not sure if I want to go that far. Time will tell.
It's interesting how my thought process has evolved.
I went from thinking you could have it all, Cadillac quality ride, and Porsche's handling. To realizing that you can't have it all and prefering the comfortable ride..
Now. Things have again changed. The more I think about it, the more I think I can handle a little bit more of a bumpy ride and have the sure footedness of quality suspension.
1. Driving, I completely understand how this relates to what you can get from a car.
2. Tires. These aren't far behind. If I get tires though, I want wheels, so I'm saving up for these.
3. Alignment, again completely understand, I want to get my tired OEM suspension out of there and get the new stuff on, with tires, etc, then I'll get her all aligned up.
4. Dampers, of course, per the topic, they are coming. I'm still leaning toward the Tokicos, but your must respected opinion on the Bilstines has me searching for information on those as well..
5. Springs and anti-roll bars, again, these babies are coming. Thanks for the reminder on the adapter kit, I did know that, but knowing me I still wont remember to order it until the day I want to install it.
6. Chassis braces. We'll see, I'm not sure if I want to go that far. Time will tell.
I think zzyzx is talking like a racer rather than someone who just drives their car on the street. Although he is right in all aspects, he tends to overthink things when it comes to street vs. performance tuning.
2) Tires - you can great tires that are sticky, but they aren't going to last as long. Tires are a balancing act. You need tires that can perform in bad weather but also are sticky. I doubt you will find many that fit into either category.
4) Bilstein's are works of art but they are going to be expensive and I think are way more than you need.
5) Zzyzx, good call on the adapter kit.
*updated* Springs Ordered: Which Shocks/Struts *poll up*. 
