Suspension Decision
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Suspension Decision I need some help/opinions on lowering my ride. I want to do this the right way and not necessarily the cheap route. Correct me if I'm wrong on all this: If I buy lowering springs ($150) i'll need struts ($550) and pay someone to put them on ($125). Lowering springs approx total cost: $825. If I buy adjustable coilovers ($280) i'll need struts for these also ($550) and pay for installation ($125). Adjustable coilover approx total cost: $955. And if I decide to get full coilover suspension it'll be bout $900 or so plus the installation so total for that will be around $1000. I know that it's just whatever I want for my car but just want some opinions and suggestions of what would be the best...oh yeah btw I want to slam my car so I'd prolly need a camber kit also 
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You can always DIY the install. Most full coils will swap right in. Konis, on the other hand, will require a little more work. and yes you will need a camber kit. you can get that for like $140 from danscreations.
If you want to slam your car then I suggest maybe Hayame's or D2's. They are both full coilovers. Teins are nice but don't go that low. B&Gs go a lot lower.
If you want to slam your car then I suggest maybe Hayame's or D2's. They are both full coilovers. Teins are nice but don't go that low. B&Gs go a lot lower.
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Originally Posted by Vinh
play cheap and it usually backfires
Agreed... I don't know much about the Hayme's but if I where going for a full coiler over I wouldn't both with cheap names. On the other hand, if all you want is looks, then go wiht that. But you might be disappointed in the performance and adjustible ranges... just my .02
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Rep Power: 583 depends on what youre looking for from the drop. are you looking for just looks or do you want peformance to be maximized?
if just looks:
springs are cheaper but not adjustable, so youll have the same ride height. coilovers are adjustable, but will give you a worse ride (or so i hear). you dont need to get new struts right away, but you will need a camber kit. struts are good tho, but you will need to get those installed. i think DIYing struts is a bit of a project. installing springs/slip on coilovers is pretty easy.
if youre going for performance as well:
go with the full coilovers. you can get them from 600+ - 1500...around. these are easy to install and you dont need to pay anyone really. just DIY it.
if my car wasnt a lease i would have probably saved for this option. but i have to return the car, so i just went with springs. my springs cost me 130 on ebay (new) and installation was free. camber kit was like 25 from a friend. still riding on stock shocks after a year.
if just looks:
springs are cheaper but not adjustable, so youll have the same ride height. coilovers are adjustable, but will give you a worse ride (or so i hear). you dont need to get new struts right away, but you will need a camber kit. struts are good tho, but you will need to get those installed. i think DIYing struts is a bit of a project. installing springs/slip on coilovers is pretty easy.
if youre going for performance as well:
go with the full coilovers. you can get them from 600+ - 1500...around. these are easy to install and you dont need to pay anyone really. just DIY it.
if my car wasnt a lease i would have probably saved for this option. but i have to return the car, so i just went with springs. my springs cost me 130 on ebay (new) and installation was free. camber kit was like 25 from a friend. still riding on stock shocks after a year.
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Rep Power: 0 yes i definitely want performance as well as the look...so full coilovers seems the way to go...but just got to decide on a brand name...so i'll do my research on different coilovers and see which ones i want
performance and looks = $ suspension wise (even power wise too)
you should talk to the autocross guys, i would trust them with suspension work.
what do you plan to do with your car? just street driving?
you should talk to the autocross guys, i would trust them with suspension work.
what do you plan to do with your car? just street driving?
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coilovers are adjustable, but will give you a worse ride
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Originally Posted by Boilermaker1
This may be true of sleeves, but is completely false with a quality set of full coilovers.
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Originally Posted by jttegx
performance and looks = $ suspension wise (even power wise too)
you should talk to the autocross guys, i would trust them with suspension work.
what do you plan to do with your car? just street driving?
you should talk to the autocross guys, i would trust them with suspension work.
what do you plan to do with your car? just street driving?
Last edited by 7thgencivic9; Jun 10, 2004 at 03:40 PM.
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Rep Power: 374 From experience, go all out right from the start. Go with full coilovers with a decent warranty. If you get springs only, the struts may blow, then you may have wasted money on the springs. B&G carry a good warranty and ride, also teins have a warranty and a great reputation.
I'm not sure how much I agree with coilovers being better performance than springs and shocks...You also have to factor in the application and usage of the two. With coilovers and their linear rated springs you are more likely to have the chassis become unstable if you encounter a large bump, or sudden change in velocity/direction. Then you have to factor in the tuning of coilovers to your desired specifications, it is not always about the look of the drop, ask the auto-x guys that...springs and shocks are more user friendly, but not without faults of their own...So, just remember in the comparison it is really hard to give a better relationship unless you qualify it with application, use, and tuning abilities...
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Rep Power: 0 also with my suspension setup i'm looking into tie-bars. I know that the front upper strut tie bar makes the biggest difference...but wut about the rear upper strut bar, lower tie bar, and the front lower x brace by neuspeed? do they make a big difference in handling???
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Rep Power: 0 I've done some more research...and I want some more opinions...I think I have changed my mind to the springs/shocks setup. I don't really care that much about performance in my suspension anymore...I am going all show on the drop but want decent ride quality. So I think my best bet would be the springs and get some konis to go with them. I do want to slam my ride though. I am riding on 205/40/17s. What are some good springs that have a pretty big drop? Are the neuspeed race springs decent? I think they have at least a 2 inch drop. thanx again
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Rep Power: 0 If you go to the full coilover set-up, its easily installed by yourself or another buddy.
parts411 is selling a TEIN Basic for $865 plus $45 shipping to east coast. I suggest installing it yourself.
But you cant slam your ride with TEIN basic. 1.77 front and 1.81 rear.
Try Skunk2 Sleeve-over and a good set of struts.
parts411 is selling a TEIN Basic for $865 plus $45 shipping to east coast. I suggest installing it yourself.
But you cant slam your ride with TEIN basic. 1.77 front and 1.81 rear.
Try Skunk2 Sleeve-over and a good set of struts.
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Rep Power: 0 yeah but adj. coilovers don't have that good of ride quality...and if i do get coilovers i'll go ahead and buy the full coilovers...so i think i might get the springs and struts setup...will the neuspeed race be too much of a drop?
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Originally Posted by 7thgencivic9
yeah but adj. coilovers don't have that good of ride quality...and if i do get coilovers i'll go ahead and buy the full coilovers...so i think i might get the springs and struts setup...will the neuspeed race be too much of a drop?
Depends on what you call decent ride quality. If you "slam" your car, you won't get a decent ride becasue the spring rate has to be so high due to a lack of travel length. What I'm saying is if our car has a suspension travel of 3 inchs stock (and that's just a random number, I think it's actuall about 4), and you lower the car 2 inches, you now have 1 inch of travel. That 1 inch has to do the same amount of work the 3 inch travel has when ever you hit a bump but it has to do it with 1/3 of the space. To do this you have to AT LEAST triple the spring rate which will give the harshest ride ever (but good for handling) If you want a good ride, then the spring rate can be lessened, but you'll be hitting the bump stops all the time and cause all kinds of premature ware on your car. So this idea is fine if you're car is a Sunday driver only and goes on smooth roads. Otherwise go with a coilover where you slam the car for shows and crank it up for street driving.
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Rep Power: 319 And I think 205/40/17 will be fine, not sure though beacuse I've never gone that low with my car.
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Well when he was in the pound he was raped by another bigger male dog with all four of its legs so he couldn't fight back. I think it kinda messed his mind up.
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Originally Posted by Master
Well when he was in the pound he was raped by another bigger male dog with all four of its legs so he couldn't fight back. I think it kinda messed his mind up.
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Rep Power: 0 ok lets say that the ride quality doesn't matter that much...basically I want my car to be as low as possible but still be "every day driveable" because I'm bout go to college and I'll be driving it bout every other day. What springs would be the best for my application? I'm thinkin the neuspeed race (2.25 front/2 back) would be good. Alot of people say they are great springs.
Last edited by 7thgencivic9; Jul 15, 2004 at 05:45 PM.
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get outta this thread man
Originally Posted by Master
Well when he was in the pound he was raped by another bigger male dog with all four of its legs so he couldn't fight back. I think it kinda messed his mind up.
