tokico hp with OEM springs installed
 

got my tokico hp installed on my 03 LX sedan this weekend by a shop. Kept stock springs on. I have several questions about what the shop said that sounded fishy to me:

1. they said i HAVE to get an alignment even though my ride height won't change cuz the front macpherson strut does steering duties and the new struts will change my alignment. I decline the alignment anyways.

2. I picked my car up after the install and when i got home to check out my front struts with a flashlight, I found out they didn't put the front OEM dust boot/bump stop on the new struts, with the polished metal shaft exposing. I took the car back today to have them put it back on and they said the reason they didnt put it on cuz they had to ask me permission to cut the boot shorter inorder to fit the new strut. I got home afterwards and stick my hand to feel the boot and it didnt feel like it was cut. Sounded like its a lame excuse to cover up their negligence.

Keep in mind i am using stock OEM springs with stock ride height. Is the shop full of shit or what?

you need alignment,

and yes they are covering it up but at least they put them back on for you.

it's beneficial to get an alignment when you get any sort of suspension work done to the car. and the dustboots they should've put on the new struts.

You need the alignment any time you unbolt all that stuff. there's slop in the holes that can and will throw off the alignment.
As for the boot, it really doesnt matter if its there. There's a cleaner ring on the shock cylinder to keep crap out of the valving.... same thing that keeps the hydraulics on bulldozers looking shiny.

Like above, it is always recommended to have an alignment but it doesnt mean you absoluletly have to get one performed. The first time I changed stuff suspension wise, I installed tokico shocks with eibach prokit springs and drove on them for a season with no problems at all with aligntment. Steering was fine, tires did not wear unevenly. After I changed my suspension again however, I decide to get alignment done because I did not have one done ever since I bought the car. (3 Years after).

Thanks for all the inputs. I need new tires soon anyways so I will do the alignment by then.

The paper slip from tokico and a warning sticker on the shocks says warranty will void if dust boot is not installed. Oh well, it might not be needed but having it there makes me feel better. :)

Re: tokico hp with OEM springs installed
 

How does it ride with stock spring?
Also, how durable is the tokico shock?
Are you still running on them right now?

Re: tokico hp with OEM springs installed
 

These people don't even visit the forum anymore. Look at the date before you post...

Re: tokico hp with OEM springs installed
 

LOL, you are lucky I still get email for responses to this thread.

I got the Tokicos installed at 50k miles.

Rears were changed out to Bilstein at 100k miles. Just thought the Tokico rears are too stiff. The Bilstein is slightly better damping but still not great.

Now I am at 162k. Everything still works fine except my suspension is making squeaking/hissing sounds over bumps. Could be my bushings. So yeah IMO the Tokicos are pretty durable, at least for the front.

Re: tokico hp with OEM springs installed
 

I was well aware of that, but still, a man's gotta try right? Was it that wrong to post on an old thread like this? I don't want to start a new one only to asj tiny little question about suspension quality.
And see? I got my answer.

Re: tokico hp with OEM springs installed
 

Haha it seems so.
Thanks for replying.
Were they that stiff, unbearable? or a little bit too stiff for your taste? Does it bounce awkwardly over bumps at the back?

Woohh! 100k miles, that's 160k kilometers! Not bad.
I think I'm going to get myself a set of them then, mine are really bad, it bottoms out, too much rolling, it "jumps" over bumps. I don't feel safe in the car anymore.

Also, I'd like to know what is the shock lower bolt size for your car? I know there's a difference between 01-02 and 03-05, I think it's respectively 14mm and 16mm and one last thing, when you say "OEM spings installed", did you buy new ones or keep the old one and are they still holding up to this day?

Once again thanks.

Re: tokico hp with OEM springs installed
 

Springs should never need to be replaced.

Re: tokico hp with OEM springs installed
 

What do you mean by "never"?
OEM springs rarely break?

Re: tokico hp with OEM springs installed
 

very few cases of springs breaking around the world, except for fishy springs that no one ever heard about. they are designed to deform/distend during their whole life, non? much harsher than any gym

Dalaw,

welcome back for a few posts :D
most don't reply to a question posted on an 5 year old post

Re: tokico hp with OEM springs installed
 

You are welcome. OEM springs as in the old springs. Yes, they last forever just like what mindbomber and sdaidoji said.

Tokico rear is stiff but not unbearable. Will definitely be better than factory shocks. I bought my car new in 2002 (2003 model) and Honda designed the suspension wrong to start with.

OEM - front was soft and bottoms out, rear was stiff and bouncy, almost no damping.

Tokico - front is perfect. Will not bottom out. It will hit a speed bump and gently rebound. Yes, these have been on my car for 112k miles and they are still working fine. Tokico rear was not as gentle but not as violent as the factory shocks.

I went through my email and found the invoice with this description "HB4020, HU3741x2 03-05 Honda Civic Shocks Tokico 55mm". So yeah 01-02 and 03-05 have different fronts so make sure you get the correct one.

Also something you might want to try too: weight in the trunk will help smooth out the rear.

Check my other posts too. I believe I posted a thread in the product review section, if it is still there.

Re: tokico hp with OEM springs installed
 

In my case, I haven't bought the car new and I can tell the shocks are really done for. Like you said, front shocks bottoms out, really soft, and rear ones are bouncy, it may be even worse than yours since the car already has 114k miles on it.

Compared to the worn out stock ones I have now, I think it's worth trying the Tokicos even if the rear isn't as good as the front and this will be my first time buying aftermarket shocks, worth trying.

Yeah, I've done research and found out the parts I need for my 04 Civic.
Front right: HB4020
Front left: HB4021
Rear ones: HU3741

Also, I'm curious to know where you bought them. I can see you bought them online, where? Ebay? I'm trying to find a good deal on them, I saw people getting deals like 350$ for all four shocks. But now on ebay, the best deal I found is 450 for a full set.

Once again, thanks, I really appreciate it.

Re: tokico hp with OEM springs installed
 

Were the people you saw that got them for $350 purchasing them in like 2007? Costs have gone up since then for transportation and everything else. The best deal I could find was 419 on ebay.

Re: tokico hp with OEM springs installed
 

Yes, indeed, it was back then. That's what I thought too.

About the rear shock being too stiff. Do you think it might be caused by the rear OEM spring's spring rate being too high?

Also, what are you supposed to do if the shock arrived defective, doesn't behave the way it should and you bought them online?

If it was a local shop, you could show them.

Another thing is, have you had any experience or knowledge with Koni, Bilstein or Kyb shock? That's what a local shop suggested me since they sell Tokico anymore.

I don't need racing suspension, only steady, stable, and good ride quality that equals or exceeds OEM quality.

Re: tokico hp with OEM springs installed
 

I bought the shocks for $337 shipped, from a group buy, from THMotorsports.com, back in 2007. I think I paid another $150 for the install at a shop.

You know it might be worth it to try the adjustable damping shocks. Maybe a KYB AGX.

Re: tokico hp with OEM springs installed
 

It is still going to cost me 485.68 at least for all four shocks without shipping, I live in Canada so it ain't going to be cheap.

For adjustable damping shocks, I think there are Tokico Illumina, but don't know they make these for ours cars.

Re: tokico hp with OEM springs installed
 

Having so many variety of choice of shock, I don't really where to start. I guess I'll stick with Tokico HP blues for now since there have been so many good feedback until now.