sl33pyriceboi

iTrader: (3)

Read the previous comments. You do not need to replace springs unless they are damaged

azi90

ok i get that .. but i been getting mixed reviews .. my ride is pretty stifff i want to soften it up a bit but i dont expect it to feel like a luxury car .. would i be able to do that by just replacing the struts with sensa tracs ?

TiggerDX

iTrader: (1)

If you want to soften the ride, you will need to find new springs that have a lower rate. Although the shocks may make a small difference, most will be tuned to OEM specs or stiffer.
You can lower your air pressure a little in the tires. 28 will give you a little better ride, but will decrease mileage and may decrease tire life.
Also a good butt pillow will make a difference.

sdaidoji

iTrader: (1)

you still have not changed them? ...
shocks weak, will not hold the springs movement anymore and springs will go boingo, boingo and hit the travel limits and crash on them. simple as that, rough ride.

azi90

Thats the thing man i dont know for sure if my struts are the problem.. visually they are pefrectly fine as my mechanic said and my car doesnt go boingo boingo on bumps lol its just feel like my car has no suspensions to it .. like hard to explain but it feel like if u were standing on boat and its floating eveywhere when i go over the potholes and uneven roads but ofcourse without "comfortable" feeling.. on the highway if there is even a little uneveness on the road my car will 'move' and i feel it..

azi90

So youare saying ill have to replace the whole thing ? bearing in mind im not looking for luxury comfort but a better ride compare to right now what im experiencing

TiggerDX

iTrader: (1)

I'm not telling you to do anything. What I am saying is that based on the fact that you have said you want a softer ride, you will need to change the spring rate. You may find that changing the struts will do what you want, but to really get a softer ride, you will need to change the springs to ones with a lower compression rate. Not that I know where to find them or if they even make them.
Remember, the labor for changing out the struts is the same as changing out the complete unit. If you find the struts are not enough, then you will have to pay full labor rates again to change the coils.
You might see if you can find some adjustable units. I know the Tokico Blues I had on my Inifiniti were adjustable for a softer or firmer ride. It will cost more, but you will only do it once.

azi90

im in canada to replace just the struts with monroe sensa tracs costing me 8 bills.. looking at the cars value i dont think im willing to spend more than a grand..

TiggerDX

iTrader: (1)

I understand. I have $6k into a 94 worth $2500. And I need to do the struts as well some day.
I don't know your situation, but if you have access to a garage, you could buy all the tools (if you don't already have them) and do it yourself for a whole lot less than the mechanic will charge. (you can rent the coil compressor - the only specialized toll you need)
It's not a difficult job but it takes time.
The Monroe's are a decent shock. They seem to have a bad rap on here but they are standard on many cars. But there are better ones for what your mechanic is charging.
(if it makes any difference Monroe owns Rancho who make some of the better off-road shocks)

TiggerDX

iTrader: (1)

Not that I recommend this place as I know nothing about them but this will give you an idea of what you can get a good set for.
http://www.customcarscentral.com/tkc...FSRxQgodNRQABQ

azi90

Im not a good handyman .. i cant even install leds on my car so i HAVE to get it done by some one... and yah i heard bad abt munroes too but i heard sensa tracs are the only ones that are good .. its not the blue ones they are BLACK in color

azi90

These are for 96-00 .. mine is 04 and usually the prices are very nice online but shipping price is what kills it ..

sdaidoji

iTrader: (1)

tiggerdx,

my experience with adjustable shocks is: even if the springs are really stiff, if the shocks can control the spring rates, they WILL be more confortable. they will just follow the contour of the bumps. of course it have a limit, if they are like steel beams, they will not compress at all, just jump.

azi90,
most of us does not use the monroes, we prefer not to. so asking our opinion will not help you at all, so you just... need to pull the trigger for what your wallet will allow and live with the potential chances that it will... not work for long.

azi90

In that case i would rather not make that investment than .. considering im a student 1000 dollars a big investment and i dont to be back on square one with in a year or two with that much of investment,,, i want my car to give me some comfort for atleast another 3 years without having to think abt this issue again .. how much price difference is there between sensa trac monroe and tokico blus or any other good ones

azi90

So i decided to go get the struts installed but than i found out tokico blues dont make struts anymore for civic 2004 :S now they gave me otion to instal KYB GR-2® / Excel-G .. how are they for comfort ? again no LOWERingS

sl33pyriceboi

iTrader: (3)

KYB aren't as good as the blues but are probably your best option besides the blues.

azi90

they dont make anymore for civic 2004 ...

azi90

another mechanic that i took my car too for further inspection said the same thing .. and this time this guy is been in market for abt 20 years.. he said thats how all civics drive and even if i put on new struts its not going to change any thing how i feel my car

sl33pyriceboi

iTrader: (3)

search. yes they do.

http://www.andysautosport.com/honda/...0shocks/tokico

sl33pyriceboi

iTrader: (3)

that mech is an idiot. thats not how "all" civics drive. the earlier civics (6th gens and before) had a completly diff type of suspenion while the later ones have a completely different set up.

ask any mechanical engineer if a mcph. strut and a double wishbone drives the same.

obviously, that mech is very limited and generalizes more than his understanding.

bravo79

KYB GR-2 are stiff as ****. Very uncomfortable ride trust me I had them with OEM springs. I also Have Tokico with OEM springs still stiff but not as bad as KYB-GR-2

Only OEM shocks will be smooth

azi90

So you are saying replacing the original struts with after market aint worth it ?

sl33pyriceboi

iTrader: (3)

the blues/kyb will be valved a little bit differently from stock.

however, its not "stiff as ****" or even close. that is a very far exaggeration.

ive installed blues on stock springs before and they were very soft...especially compared to my koni yellows/ground control (even on full soft)