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Hey watsup, I'd like to get some recommendations from you guys. I have 30k miles on my 2001 civic coupe Ex and I'd like to lower my car while having a smooth ride(or something similar with the stock). The eibach is expensive and I can't wait till Nov29 for the goldlines. So I'm thinking about buying neuspeed sport springs. I don't know which online site has them the cheapest(so I hope you guys can recommend a good site to buy it from). I've looked and they sell them almost the same price as eibach.

Also, reading on the suspension faq, I realized that its gonna have stiffer/bumpy ride if I use sport springs unless I buy some aftermarket shocks like koni. But I don't have any money to buy at the moment so I don't mind the bumpyness. BUt my question is this: I have 30k miles on my car already and I don't know how long the stock shocks will last if I install the neuspeed sport springs and doesn't the "bumpyness" lessen its life? The roads I drove in seems pretty smooth but probably 10% of the time, I encountered major pot holes. Some are quite severe that I almost cried[IMG]i/expressions/laugh2.gif[/IMG]

Should i just buy new shocks and springs? If so which ones do you recommend? I'm hearing alot about koni and I'm not sure the comparison of it is with the stock shocks. Is it smoother than stock?

 
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yes konis are better then stock. you use konis + stock springs then it would be better. you could also adjust the damper settings to your liking. but ya right now konis are your only choice of aftermarket shocks cause thats the only one out for our cars.
neuspeed can be found for 145 shipped at a couple places...
your going to need new shocks after awhile. after 6 months i think i need them already, the ride is getting worse by the day. and since you already have 30k miles it'll probably go pretty soon. so ya if you dont replace them now, expect to replace them later. i always knew i was going to have to get it but i didnt have money then.
but a i'd say go with neuspeeds. as for whether you want to get konis now or later is your choice. since you dont have money now i say you just get it later but then you have to pay for installation again so..

 
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I'd say if your funding will allow you do everything at once.. I wish i did.. plus its cheaper to have everything installed at once, unless you & or your freinds do it

where do you live & how bad are the roads too?
cuz I live in Mass & the roads are terrible! so my struts are getting the crap knocked out of them. maybe the roads are better where you are, so perhaps your struts will last longer with the springs on.?..

anyhows good luck

 
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hey peeps, thanks for the responds! Me and my friends will install it so installation fees really don't matter. I guess If I get the camber kit, I wouldn't need to have it aligned eh? Yap, I think I'm going with neuspeed sport springs(good deals @ tornactive) and later on probably buy konis. WIll Tocicko eventually sell aftermarket shocks maybe next year? If so maybe i should just wait for that one instead. I guess this stock shocks still has 30k miles left with the neuspeed installed...who knows. Roads here in virginia ain't bad, thanks to tax

 
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ya tokicos are supposed to come out next year. if you get a camber kit you still need an alignment. reason why you get a camber kit is so that the camber can be corrected and the camber is part of the alignment.

 
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I'm wondering, about camber kits and I'm looking at SPC in particular. When I get the neuspeed sport springs, do I need the rear camber kit only? Or should I get them on all four wheels? Or do I just need an alignment?

 
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the front you wont need but the rear you probably will. its kinda borderline. i know you dont need it for the prokit cause everything will still be within spec. i know with a 2.25" drop you need it. neuspeed sports is right in the middle..

 
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waitin' for tokicos.. i DIY'ed the springs, and i'm gonna DIY the shocks too, so whatever [IMG]i/expressions/beer_yum.gif[/IMG]

 
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I had my sportlines for about a year now and the stock struts are still good. But I will be switching my eibach back to stock springs soon.. can't take the bumpy ride no more..

roads in indianapolis

 
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Just got my Springs installed. I bought neuspeed sport springs and it looks nice and the ride is somewhat smooth! But the thing is, I didn't buy the rear camber kit for my 2001 coupe. Is that necessary to install the camber kit? I already had it aligned at Merchants and i got .04 degree or less on both camber and toe on all 4 corners. What you guys think? If i buy the camberkit i guess i would have to realign it again??

I also felt my gas mileage seem to have decreased and the engine reaches 3000rpms at 70mph. Before when it was stock, It only reaches at 2500rpms at 70mph.[IMG]i/expressions/face-icon-small-confused.gif[/IMG]

 
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.04 degree camber? for the front its possible but i dont think so for the back..
our cars come with like a -.45 degree stock in the rear...

 
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I wonder if I buy the camber kit for the rear, install it and tell them to change the rear to -.45 degree?

 
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if you have a -.04 degree camber, its still within spec so no need to

 
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Ok that sounds good but I was a little concerned about the mileage on my car. It somehow gotten less gas mileage than before. And the tachometer surely goes to 2500 very often now than before and it goes steady at 3000rpms when at 70mph. You think low center of gravity is the culprit? I love going to the turns though at faster speeds[IMG]i/expressions/demon.gif[/IMG]

 
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[IMG]i/expressions/face-icon-small-confused.gif[/IMG]

Installing springs shouldnt affect gas mileage.. did you get new wheels and tires to? Even if you did there shouldnt be a 500rpm difference. I think 3000 rpms is about right for 70mph for an automatic. My stick does ~3400 at 70mph with stock tires.

 
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ya sounds weird.. its probably just a coincidence(those two things happening at the same time)

 
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i read modifying your civic for performance gains lowers gas mileage compared to original specs. That sounds about right

 
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performance gains as in intake/headers/exhaust/turbo/super charger. more power = more fuel needed.
suspension mods such as strut bars, sway bars, lowering springs shouldnt... wheels however will.

 
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Hey whatsup vnlilman, I think you are right but I did a little research and found out that friction(lowered springs give the tires more tire traction to the ground because of Low CG) and in essence lower gas mileage. The engine is working harder(need more gas) because of added friction caused by low CG of a lowered suspension. Forgive me I think I'm just a little paranoid, I just pay attention to small details I read stuff here about friction causing low gas mileage Click here on the forth paragraph. Thanks for the help man.

Oh yah, whats the recommended tire pressure of a lowered suspension?

 
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Lowering your car doesnt decrease gas mileage, in fact it might help some by being more aerodynamic. What causes lower gas mileage is drag and friction. Wider tires, under inflated tires, mechanical drag, etc are what decrease gas mileage.

 
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well ya i guess its true that friction slows down the car(its kinda like having the brakes lightly pressed all the time) but... i'm not sure how you came up with "lowered springs give the tires more tire traction to the ground because of Low CG) " a low CG does help out handling but i dont think it gives the tires more traction. only thing i could think of is weight transfer tho. cause you lower the car 2" all around, the weight on all tires of the car is still the same as stock when its lowered.. but if the front is lowered 3" while the back 1", then alot of the weight is in the front, and since our cars are FWD, that might cause the engine to work harder.
i dunno, thats the only thing i could think of. how much worse is it anyways? my gas mileage really sucks, i get about 200-250 a tank. not sure if its cause my cars lowered, if its my 18s or if my car was normally like that. cause i know 18s are going to be harder to turn but i dont think its going to have a 100 mile a tank difference...

 
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I know when the car squats more, the weight transfer to the wheels more. A good analogy is when you try to fully squat, you notice that most of your body weight transfers to your feet compared when you slightly squat or stand up straight(I learned it through martial arts). Thats what I mean. Its the same physics as when the car leans forward(more weight on the front) leans backwards(more weight on the back) or side to side etc. But in our case, its equal weight distribution on all 4 wheels when the car is lowered equally all around.

ANyway, I did notice a difference in my mileage, otherwise I wouldn't be whining