Suspension FAQ
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The Standard One
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Suspension FAQ
What lowers your car __ inches?(*note these are according to the companys' website)
Springs..........................................Drop.........................Part Number
Apex.............................................. ....~1.6-1.8...........180-4000
Arospeed.......................................??? ?????????????????????
Eibach Prokit.................................1.00 (F)/1.00 (R)..........4051.140
Eibach Sportline...........................1.40 (F)/1.40 (R)..........4.5140.....205-50-15:front
Goldline 2 Door............................1.75 (F)/1.75 (R)..........GPS-0106
Goldline 4 Door............................1.75 (F)/1.75 (R)..........GPS-0107
H&R Sport.....................................1.30 (F)/1.30 (R)..........51866 *not for 4 door EX
H&R Cup Kit.................................2.00 (F)/1.70 (R)..........31866-1 *not for 4 door EX **includes both spring and strut as one
Intrax Sport....................................2.00 (F)/1.80 (R)..........35.1.030
Intrax Super Sport........................2.50 (F)/2.30 (R)..........35.2.030
Matrix............................................ ..2.75 (F)/2.50 (R)..........MS-101
Neuspeed 4 Door Sport.............1.75 (F)/1.50 (R)..........55.20.61..... pics w/ 215-45-17 tires: 1 2 3.....205-40-17: 1 2
Neuspeed 2 Door Sport.............1.75 (F)/1.50 (R)..........55.20.62.....stock EX tires: front closer front.....205/45/17: front
Neuspeed 2/4 Door Race..........2.25 (F)/2.00 (R)..........55.20.68
Progress 2001 civic.....................1.80 (F)/2.00 (R)..........40.1006
Progress 2002 civic.....................same as 01 just havnt updated their catalog
Skunk2...........................................2 .50 (F)/2.25 (R)..........519-05-1570
Suspension Technique..............????????????????????????
Tanabe Super Down Precedo...~1.6-18.....................TPR044
Tein.............................................. ...?????????????????????????
Do i need a camber kit?
You dont NEED a camber kit even with a 5" drop. however, with any type of drop(even if its .5") you should get one in order to get a correct alignment. most people will say that with a drop lower then 2", a camber kit is HIGHLY recommended. just think of it this way would you like to save $200 by not getting a camber kit but replace your $400-500 tires twice a year? just invest in a camber kit, it'll save you in the long run.
Whats the difference between springs, adjustable springs aka sleeved coilovers, and true coilovers?
springs - fairly comfortable ride, set height ~$100-$200
sleeved coilovers - ride is usually rough/bouncy, adjustable height ~$300
true coilovers - coilover and shock in one designed to work together giving a great ride. adjustable height ~$800-$1300
Will lowering my car void my warranty?
Yes and No. by law they have to prove that lowering your car cause the problem. whether you have a easy/hard time getting something repaired under warranty is up to the dealer. most likely your suspensions warranty will be voided but all other warranties wont. however there are exceptions. some dealers will allow you to lower your car with only the struts not being covered under warranty. some dealers will even agree to give you all warranties only if they install it for you. n there are some that will say you need to pay for your badd tranny because your warranty is voided due to lowering your car. that is when you should take action. call Honda of america or get lawyers, do whatever it takes to get it fixed under warranty because chances are lowering your car didn't cause the tranny to break. if your worried about warranty issues, best bet is to call up your dealer and ask what is allowed and what is not.
How long will my stock shocks last?
it mainly depends on the springs. also the way you drive and luck. i've heard some people blowing their shocks in one week with the prokit(about 1") and others going for 2 years with the neuspeed sports(1.7"). but most likely you wont need it for awhile with anything higher then 2". so ya for a drop lower then 2" its best to get one so that you wont have to pay for installation again or for you DIY you dont have to waste that much time again. n if your drving 100mph over speed bumps then chances are your shocks are gunna blow faster. but if your going over them at 1 mph then you have a better chance of them not blowing.
Do i have to get new struts as well?
besides worrying about your shocks blowing, do you care about the ride quality? the ride on lowering springs is never going to be the same as stock. their going to be stiffer and your going to feel more bumps. it will probably be more bouncy as well. usually the lower the drop, the worse the quality. and sport springs are going to be worse then race. aftermarket shocks or even shorter shocks are going to improve the ride quality. right now the only ones available for our cars are konis(these are inserts so you'll have to modify your stock struts in order to put these on your car because these are not full struts). another one is Bec Tec. these are shorter versions of stock shocks. i dont think anyone has these on their car yet because its basically a unknown company. maybe someone with alot of money can get them and try it out. these are full strut replacements and they also come in an adjustable version. not a adjustable damper setting but adjustable height. for more info on bec tec search for the username 'strutwizard'
Springs..........................................Drop.........................Part Number
Apex.............................................. ....~1.6-1.8...........180-4000
Arospeed.......................................??? ?????????????????????
Eibach Prokit.................................1.00 (F)/1.00 (R)..........4051.140
Eibach Sportline...........................1.40 (F)/1.40 (R)..........4.5140.....205-50-15:front
Goldline 2 Door............................1.75 (F)/1.75 (R)..........GPS-0106
Goldline 4 Door............................1.75 (F)/1.75 (R)..........GPS-0107
H&R Sport.....................................1.30 (F)/1.30 (R)..........51866 *not for 4 door EX
H&R Cup Kit.................................2.00 (F)/1.70 (R)..........31866-1 *not for 4 door EX **includes both spring and strut as one
Intrax Sport....................................2.00 (F)/1.80 (R)..........35.1.030
Intrax Super Sport........................2.50 (F)/2.30 (R)..........35.2.030
Matrix............................................ ..2.75 (F)/2.50 (R)..........MS-101
Neuspeed 4 Door Sport.............1.75 (F)/1.50 (R)..........55.20.61..... pics w/ 215-45-17 tires: 1 2 3.....205-40-17: 1 2
Neuspeed 2 Door Sport.............1.75 (F)/1.50 (R)..........55.20.62.....stock EX tires: front closer front.....205/45/17: front
Neuspeed 2/4 Door Race..........2.25 (F)/2.00 (R)..........55.20.68
Progress 2001 civic.....................1.80 (F)/2.00 (R)..........40.1006
Progress 2002 civic.....................same as 01 just havnt updated their catalog
Skunk2...........................................2 .50 (F)/2.25 (R)..........519-05-1570
Suspension Technique..............????????????????????????
Tanabe Super Down Precedo...~1.6-18.....................TPR044
Tein.............................................. ...?????????????????????????
Do i need a camber kit?
You dont NEED a camber kit even with a 5" drop. however, with any type of drop(even if its .5") you should get one in order to get a correct alignment. most people will say that with a drop lower then 2", a camber kit is HIGHLY recommended. just think of it this way would you like to save $200 by not getting a camber kit but replace your $400-500 tires twice a year? just invest in a camber kit, it'll save you in the long run.
Whats the difference between springs, adjustable springs aka sleeved coilovers, and true coilovers?
springs - fairly comfortable ride, set height ~$100-$200
sleeved coilovers - ride is usually rough/bouncy, adjustable height ~$300
true coilovers - coilover and shock in one designed to work together giving a great ride. adjustable height ~$800-$1300
Will lowering my car void my warranty?
Yes and No. by law they have to prove that lowering your car cause the problem. whether you have a easy/hard time getting something repaired under warranty is up to the dealer. most likely your suspensions warranty will be voided but all other warranties wont. however there are exceptions. some dealers will allow you to lower your car with only the struts not being covered under warranty. some dealers will even agree to give you all warranties only if they install it for you. n there are some that will say you need to pay for your badd tranny because your warranty is voided due to lowering your car. that is when you should take action. call Honda of america or get lawyers, do whatever it takes to get it fixed under warranty because chances are lowering your car didn't cause the tranny to break. if your worried about warranty issues, best bet is to call up your dealer and ask what is allowed and what is not.
How long will my stock shocks last?
it mainly depends on the springs. also the way you drive and luck. i've heard some people blowing their shocks in one week with the prokit(about 1") and others going for 2 years with the neuspeed sports(1.7"). but most likely you wont need it for awhile with anything higher then 2". so ya for a drop lower then 2" its best to get one so that you wont have to pay for installation again or for you DIY you dont have to waste that much time again. n if your drving 100mph over speed bumps then chances are your shocks are gunna blow faster. but if your going over them at 1 mph then you have a better chance of them not blowing.
Do i have to get new struts as well?
besides worrying about your shocks blowing, do you care about the ride quality? the ride on lowering springs is never going to be the same as stock. their going to be stiffer and your going to feel more bumps. it will probably be more bouncy as well. usually the lower the drop, the worse the quality. and sport springs are going to be worse then race. aftermarket shocks or even shorter shocks are going to improve the ride quality. right now the only ones available for our cars are konis(these are inserts so you'll have to modify your stock struts in order to put these on your car because these are not full struts). another one is Bec Tec. these are shorter versions of stock shocks. i dont think anyone has these on their car yet because its basically a unknown company. maybe someone with alot of money can get them and try it out. these are full strut replacements and they also come in an adjustable version. not a adjustable damper setting but adjustable height. for more info on bec tec search for the username 'strutwizard'
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Quote
[hr]anyone know how to make the spaces show here??? [hr]
[hr]anyone know how to make the spaces show here??? [hr]
Okay I bought some new Neuspeed sports 55.20.61 that are made for 4 doors and I have a 2 door. Long story, but I got them new for $100 and was told that they would work on a 2 door. So will they? If not, I can sell them on ebay and make myself $40 or so
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Quote
[hr]Originally posted by: 2001CivicEx2dr
_____have to use the underscore________[IMG]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/IMG]
Okay I bought some new Neuspeed sports 55.20.61 that are made for 4 doors and I have a 2 door. Long story, but I got them new for $100 and was told that they would work on a 2 door. So will they? If not, I can sell them on ebay and make myself $40 or so[hr]
[hr]Originally posted by: 2001CivicEx2dr
Quote
[hr]anyone know how to make the spaces show here??? [hr]
[hr]anyone know how to make the spaces show here??? [hr]
Okay I bought some new Neuspeed sports 55.20.61 that are made for 4 doors and I have a 2 door. Long story, but I got them new for $100 and was told that they would work on a 2 door. So will they? If not, I can sell them on ebay and make myself $40 or so
[hr]
Thread Starter
The Standard One
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From: City of Angels, California, US
Rep Power: 416 damn how'd you get it for 100? i got mine for 140 from a local shop n thats cause they price matched...
but ya only thing different between the 4door and 2door kit is the height of the rear. i had the 4 door kit on my 2 door and the back was really really high, almost like stock, still had like 3-4 finger gap. called up neuspeed and just by asking they replaced my springs for the 2 door for free. n since their headquarters were near my house they even installed it for free. n yes i had a big box in my trunk too but it was still to high. my suggestion is GET THEM REPLACED. i'm glad i did. wish i had gotten the neuspeed race tho cause with my sports i still have a 2 finger gap all around. in the pictures sports look low enough but in person its not, alot of people could hardly tell its lowered... but anyways read my thread about what happened with neuspeed... ATTN: neuspeed sport owners
oh n yes i do have alot of time at work. [IMG]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/IMG] if anyone knows the ones with ???? please fill it in, n this reminds me i should call progress and ask whats the difference between 01 and 02.
but ya only thing different between the 4door and 2door kit is the height of the rear. i had the 4 door kit on my 2 door and the back was really really high, almost like stock, still had like 3-4 finger gap. called up neuspeed and just by asking they replaced my springs for the 2 door for free. n since their headquarters were near my house they even installed it for free. n yes i had a big box in my trunk too but it was still to high. my suggestion is GET THEM REPLACED. i'm glad i did. wish i had gotten the neuspeed race tho cause with my sports i still have a 2 finger gap all around. in the pictures sports look low enough but in person its not, alot of people could hardly tell its lowered... but anyways read my thread about what happened with neuspeed... ATTN: neuspeed sport owners
oh n yes i do have alot of time at work. [IMG]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/IMG] if anyone knows the ones with ???? please fill it in, n this reminds me i should call progress and ask whats the difference between 01 and 02.
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From: Tallahassee Florida, Florida, US
Rep Power: 0 VMlilMan... I was in a car show this Saturday in Tampa and this guy walks up, says he won the springs in a raffle they just did and he has no use for them. Offered me them for $100 still in the box and bags and I figured I couldn't go wrong Probably the best bet is to sell them here or at ebay... just buy new ones somewhere local and lose a few bucks, no big deal
Probably the best bet is to sell them here or at ebay... just buy new ones somewhere local and lose a few bucks, no big deal 
Thread Starter
The Standard One
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From: City of Angels, California, US
Rep Power: 416 camber kit for front is about $23 for up to -1 degree and $46 for up to -2 degree
rear is about 150.
i've heard people gettin all corners for $155 tho. so i guess anywhere between 150-200 is reasonable
perfect drop for a daily driver IMO is....
2.25-2.5 front/2.25-2.0 back with no kit
2.0-1.75 front/1.7-1.5 back with kit.
i have neuspeed sports(1.75-1.5) with no kit and you could hardly tell its lowered... still have a 2 finger gap on all sides. only thing good is i dont scrape easily. if i could i would get race(2.25-2.0) but i dont feel like losin money right now so i'll stick with my sports
rear is about 150.
i've heard people gettin all corners for $155 tho. so i guess anywhere between 150-200 is reasonable
perfect drop for a daily driver IMO is....
2.25-2.5 front/2.25-2.0 back with no kit
2.0-1.75 front/1.7-1.5 back with kit.
i have neuspeed sports(1.75-1.5) with no kit and you could hardly tell its lowered... still have a 2 finger gap on all sides. only thing good is i dont scrape easily. if i could i would get race(2.25-2.0) but i dont feel like losin money right now so i'll stick with my sports
Thread Starter
The Standard One
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From: City of Angels, California, US
Rep Power: 416 i knew i forgot some questions...
first off, lets start with "how long will my stock shocks last?"
it mainly depends on the springs. also the way you drive and luck. i've heard some people blowing their shocks in one week with the prokit(about 1") and others going for 2 years with the neuspeed sports(1.7"). but most likely you wont need it for awhile with anything higher then 2". so ya for a drop lower then 2" its best to get one so that you wont have to pay for installation again or for you DIY you dont have to waste that much time again. n if your drving 100mph over speed bumps then chances are your shocks are gunna blow faster. but if your going over them at 1 mph then you have a better chance of them not blowing.
do i have to get new struts as well?
besides worrying about your shocks blowing, do you care about the ride quality? the ride on lowering springs is never going to be the same as stock. their going to be stiffer and your going to feel more bumps. it will probably be more bouncy as well. usually the lower the drop, the worse the quality. and sport springs are going to be worse then race. aftermarket shocks or even shorter shocks are going to improve the ride quality. right now the only ones available for our cars are konis(these are inserts so you'll have to modify your stock struts in order to put these on your car because these are not full struts). another one is Bec Tec. these are shorter versions of stock shocks. i dont think anyone has these on their car yet because its basically a unknown company. maybe someone with alot of money can get them and try it out. these are full strut replacements and they also come in an adjustable version. not a adjustable damper setting but adjustable height. for more info on bec tec search for the username 'strutwizard'
first off, lets start with "how long will my stock shocks last?"
it mainly depends on the springs. also the way you drive and luck. i've heard some people blowing their shocks in one week with the prokit(about 1") and others going for 2 years with the neuspeed sports(1.7"). but most likely you wont need it for awhile with anything higher then 2". so ya for a drop lower then 2" its best to get one so that you wont have to pay for installation again or for you DIY you dont have to waste that much time again. n if your drving 100mph over speed bumps then chances are your shocks are gunna blow faster. but if your going over them at 1 mph then you have a better chance of them not blowing.
do i have to get new struts as well?
besides worrying about your shocks blowing, do you care about the ride quality? the ride on lowering springs is never going to be the same as stock. their going to be stiffer and your going to feel more bumps. it will probably be more bouncy as well. usually the lower the drop, the worse the quality. and sport springs are going to be worse then race. aftermarket shocks or even shorter shocks are going to improve the ride quality. right now the only ones available for our cars are konis(these are inserts so you'll have to modify your stock struts in order to put these on your car because these are not full struts). another one is Bec Tec. these are shorter versions of stock shocks. i dont think anyone has these on their car yet because its basically a unknown company. maybe someone with alot of money can get them and try it out. these are full strut replacements and they also come in an adjustable version. not a adjustable damper setting but adjustable height. for more info on bec tec search for the username 'strutwizard'
Thread Starter
The Standard One
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From: City of Angels, California, US
Rep Power: 416 well the basic "rule" is, lower the drop, worse the ride quality. couple reasons is the shock has less to travel and the springs are stiffer. shortening the struts might help a lil but now you have the problem with stiffer spring rates. reason why its stiff.... well imagine you have a shorter version of your stock springs, 2"s shorter... you hit a dip going 40mph and chances are your going to rub/bumpers going to scrape and all that other badd things... you have stiffer springs and your car wont bounce as low and you wont rub/scrape(not that you should take a dip with a lowered car going 40mph tho). how big of a difference is it from sports and race? not sure but i doubt its THAT bad. i've heard some complaining about the ride and other loving it, i guess it depends on how **** you are about it. i know that i dont care too much just as long as i dont bounce everywhere or feel every rock i go over.
I think it's the other way around, isn't it? Sport springs are a softer ride, race are a stiffer and shorter ride. That's the way I've alwaysthought it was.
I had Progress Sport springs on my 6th gen and the ride was incredible. It was very comfortable, not harsh at all, and it cornered great.
My friend has Neuspeed Race springs on his 6th gen and the thing rides like a freakin' brick. It corners like it's on rails, but it jiggles all your fillings out on the freeway.
Granted those are two different brands, but I think race springs are stiffer than sport. Who knows... I could be wrong. [IMG]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/IMG]
I had Progress Sport springs on my 6th gen and the ride was incredible. It was very comfortable, not harsh at all, and it cornered great.
My friend has Neuspeed Race springs on his 6th gen and the thing rides like a freakin' brick. It corners like it's on rails, but it jiggles all your fillings out on the freeway.
Granted those are two different brands, but I think race springs are stiffer than sport. Who knows... I could be wrong. [IMG]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/IMG]
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The Standard One
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Rep Power: 416 heard tokicos are supposed to be up there with konis but much cheaper. i think they're going to be full struts if they come out tho so it might be the same price as koni inserts
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The Standard One
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Rep Power: 416 full struts meaning you could swap out the OEM struts with the tokicos unlike konis where you could have to cut up the stock struts in order to put konis on your car. so ya it doesn't come with springs, just the shock.
not sure if your familiar with our suspension or mcpherson struts in general but our front struts has this thick metal rod that connects to the tie rod end. i guess making that thick metal rod costs alot so koni decided to make an 'insert'(in other words, they didn't make their own metal rod, they use the stock ones, thats why you have to cut up the stock shocks to use konis). tokico's are going to include the metal rod so that you wont have to cut up the stock struts. i think that metal rod is called the control arm, not sure tho.
not sure if your familiar with our suspension or mcpherson struts in general but our front struts has this thick metal rod that connects to the tie rod end. i guess making that thick metal rod costs alot so koni decided to make an 'insert'(in other words, they didn't make their own metal rod, they use the stock ones, thats why you have to cut up the stock shocks to use konis). tokico's are going to include the metal rod so that you wont have to cut up the stock struts. i think that metal rod is called the control arm, not sure tho.
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From: Indianapolis, Indiana, US
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Just on correction to your great post. The part number for the INTRAX springs is 35.1.030 and 35.2.030 instead of what is listed. I just bought the Intrax Sport kit and the box had 35.1.030 on it as the part number.
Just on correction to your great post. The part number for the INTRAX springs is 35.1.030 and 35.2.030 instead of what is listed. I just bought the Intrax Sport kit and the box had 35.1.030 on it as the part number.
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From: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Rep Power: 315 Just curious...I searched and couldn't find anything on the degree's of camber.
How much negative camber can I have without unevenly wearing out my tires?
I'm getting the SPC kit, and Goldlines within a week. I'm wondering how easy it is to adjust the camber, and to what degrees they should be set at?
Perhaps this could be included in the faq?
I remember hearing 0 to -1...but is there a sweet spot?
Thanks!
How much negative camber can I have without unevenly wearing out my tires?
I'm getting the SPC kit, and Goldlines within a week. I'm wondering how easy it is to adjust the camber, and to what degrees they should be set at?
Perhaps this could be included in the faq?
I remember hearing 0 to -1...but is there a sweet spot?
Thanks!
Thread Starter
The Standard One
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Rep Power: 416 technically, if your driving straight all the time, the camber should be at 0 to have perfect tire wear. but i think due to reasons such as we turn and handling, the factory spec has a slight negative camber to it. -.45 someone said. but ya roughly -1.0-0 is in spec.
and i'm not even sure if the camber kits have the degrees on them. i dont think they do tho, someone correct me if i'm wrong. i would just recommend getting an alignment... or you could do the chalk test and estimate it... the chalk test is, get a peice of chalk and mark the tread of the tire from the left side of the tire to the right(width wise), drive around a block and you'll notice the chalk rubbed off on one side more then the other, adjust the camber according to that.
and i'm not even sure if the camber kits have the degrees on them. i dont think they do tho, someone correct me if i'm wrong. i would just recommend getting an alignment... or you could do the chalk test and estimate it... the chalk test is, get a peice of chalk and mark the tread of the tire from the left side of the tire to the right(width wise), drive around a block and you'll notice the chalk rubbed off on one side more then the other, adjust the camber according to that.
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From: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Rep Power: 315 ah, interesting.
the chalk test sounds like the cost effective way for me! [IMG]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/IMG]
after ordering this stuff, I don't think I can afford an alignment!
maybe I'll just get it done at Crappy Tire or something. Should be cheap.
Thanks V!
the chalk test sounds like the cost effective way for me! [IMG]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/IMG]
after ordering this stuff, I don't think I can afford an alignment!
maybe I'll just get it done at Crappy Tire or something. Should be cheap.
Thanks V!
