Coilovers

I am new here and I just got my gen 5 prelude and was thinking of getting some coilovers. I have herd alot of different things about alot of coilovers. I was thinking of ground control but I have herd they dont fit right and squeak whenever you hit a bump, but I have also herd they are really good. I have herd that tanabe s/s coilovers were good but they are in some places up to $2000.00. I have herd skunk 2 are good but i have also herd the arnt. I havent really herd anything about progressives but I am betting they might be ok. All I am really looking for though is good handling, good ride quality, and good fit. So Can anyone help with my decision by giving me some suggestions?

I've never had any problems with my Ground Control coilovers. I went for very stiff spring rates (450lbs front/380lbs rear), but you can get different spring rates to your liking. Keep in mind that the stock springs on your Prelude is under 200lbs front/rear (if I remember right). Check out www.ground-control.com . Other comments you can get on coilovers can be found from the North Texas Prelude Owners Group... www.ntpog.org

I have had people tell me to put 18s and 17s on which do you think I should do if I were going with ground controls, koni yellows, and eibach prokit springs? Is the ride on your car smooth or is it ruff?

Does anyone know how good the tein coilovers are?

Originally posted by blueluder
Does anyone know how good the tein coilovers are?


tein is worth the money, and they have a setup for all pocketbooks.

as for wheel sizes, that's personal preference... but the heavier you go, the slower your car will become.

just FYI... the Tanabe Pro SS coilovers are built with KYB AGX strut bodies.

What suspenson setup do you run on your car?

Originally posted by blueluder
I have had people tell me to put 18s and 17s on which do you think I should do if I were going with ground controls, koni yellows, and eibach prokit springs? Is the ride on your car smooth or is it ruff?

My FYI is that Ground Control uses Eibach ERS springs. Eibach Prokit springs have a conservative drop (1.4 inches I believe), and have moderate stiffness. Neuspeed or H&R are a little stiffer.

jacques were did you get your ground controls and koni yellows and for how much?

Originally posted by blueluder
jacques were did you get your ground controls and koni yellows and for how much?

I got mine from www.shox.com ...the combined total was about $880.

Were did you get those r/h cp-035s from and did they have the 1-peice m5s?

Originally posted by blueluder
Were did you get those r/h cp-035s from and did they have the 1-peice m5s?

Options Auto Salon. I think they sell the one piece M5s.

I dont have the same gen prelude as you i am one down, but i would suggest ground control. Everyone that has them, that i know, has never complained about them. So i would go with those if i was you. :sun:

Originally posted by mision1423
I dont have the same gen prelude as you i am one down, but i would suggest ground control. Everyone that has them, that i know, has never complained about them. So i would go with those if i was you. :sun:

Ditto on that one. :)

Just to clear one thing up with coilovers. There are two types: the first is a sleeve system that slides over top of the strut, whether you're using a stock strut/shock or aftermarket. These are good for a tight budget as they do the job but the quality isnt there. With this type of setup it all depends on PERSONAL preference!! I stress personal because they are all made relatively the same. I had Skunk2s and loved them, my brother hated the ride and got ground controls which i thoght were horrible (not to mention the threading gets stuck on them all the time!)

Your second option would be the true coilover system that the spring and threading are integrated into the shaft of the strut/shock. This is a one piece system and if you have the money, it is definitely worth it. One BIG advantage this has over the sleeve system is that the stru/shock they company uses is engineered to match the springs. Therefore you're getting the best setup for your suspension. (unless ofcourse you have crazy amounts of money and can afford to mix and match many different setups until you get what you want!@)

Anyway, the tein system i s a system i consider the best. I would die for and N1 damper setup. But there are others that are good aswell.

I'll stop babbling now!!! Remember personal preference!

PMPExR, the disadvantage of the TEIN NA/HA coilovers is that if you want to replace the coils at one point, you can't be able to swap it out. I did hear on my board that there are now a couple of places (in the US anyways) that can replace TEIN coils for you. Don't get me wrong...I wanted TEINs at first, but I wanted coilovers where I can replace components when I need to.

As for Ground Controls, it all depends on the spring rate your friend has. I have 450 lbs front/380 lbs rear...far stiffer than any aftermarket spring, over twice the spring rate of stock. So, riding in my car is pretty rough, but that's my personal preference. I got the spring rates for autocrossing/road/track purposes, not for style. The advantage of GCs are that you can replace any portion of the coilovers easily. If I so choose, I can swap in/out either stiffer (up to 650 lbs) or softer coils. I haven't had any problems adjusting my coilovers up or down (gotta jack up the car to get to it though), and customer service at Ground Control is great.