Lowering Car ?? Q/A

[91hondaguy]

Hi,
Im planning to buy some "lowering springs" instead of coilover, because i don't want to be worry about my shock F*** up and chamber problems.

am i wrong? if i am please correct me...

Which brand do you guys recommend?
and my stock shock will be fine rite?


thank you

[slammed89civic]

skunk 2 is the best set of springs i ever had, i had them with tokico blues, i had to opt for the aftermarket struts because i blew the front 2 out after about 3 months of bottoming them out, so if i was you i would get aftermarket struts or else be ready for a very bouncy ride!

[Cjz89civic]

Springs and coilover do the same thing. Your struts will probly go out in a few moths . also the camber can only be fixed by buying a camber kit. No matter which way you go those problem will still exist. Coilovers allow you to adjust you ride height. and springs are at a set height 2.5" or whatever drop you get.

[jeef]

aight let me clarify this a little better...it is generally recomended to get a new set of struts when you put on new springs b/c of the stock ones blowing up... and as for the camber kit it isn't really neccessary *most* of the time till you go 2.0 or greater of a drop... a lot of sets o springs don't really need one, its just a matter of what you buy...

[91hondaguy]

ohhh.. ok

alrite so if I was going to buy some coilovers , I would still need to buy new struts or shocks.

man now I don't really want to do it any more so much more money.

[red4thgencivic]

GR-2's are like 35 bucks man, that's not that much, what like 120 for the whole car, that's the same price if not less than a decent pair of springs will cost you.

You don't technically need new struts though, the only reason they blow up is because people slam their cars and then the strut bottoms out all the time and that's what causes them to go bad. Stock struts will work as long as you only lower it like 2" or less.

It's a good idea to get new struts though just because it will handle alot better, but it's not a necesity unless you're planning on like a 2" or greater drop. Also when you buy the springs plan on buying new lower arm bushing for the rear suspension chances are your bolts will be rusted to the shanks in the bushings and you'll tear up the bushing trying to get them out.

[CRXkid]

Quick question, whats the difference between a shock and a strut?

[FourthGenHatch]

A Strut has perches which the Spring sits on and they are basically together in one piece. A shock is just a tube and usually sits apart from the spring.

[dfarres]

I think that anyone that lowers a car should get a camber kit. I think the 2" rule is mainly untrue. I have H&R sport springs which r 1.9" in front & 1.8" in rear & my camber is jacked. I mean think about the process of lowering..... as the spring gets shorter ur tilting the lower control arm back towards the wheel well which creates negative camber. The greater degree u lower ur car the more negative camber u create. Anything u do beyond factory settings will have to b corrected in some manner. Just my 2 cents.

[EFsleeper]

Ok,
lower your car more than 1.5 inches you need a camber kit. If youre gonna get springs/coilovers you NEED to get some struts. Why go back in a few months and do the same labor twice? Lowering a car the right way will cost you between 650 and 1000 bucks depending on springs and strut features... Do it right the first time. Anything else is subject to flamage. EFs use STRUTS NOT SHOCKS! When did this place get so fucking ricey?

[BullShifter]

Strut & coilovers are similar in both function & looks. A true coilover will outperform most springs/shocks/struts. Today there are many junk coilovers out on the market for lowering not for performance. Just cause it looks like a race car doesnt mean it handles like one. I have yet to see a decent coilover set-up for under $700. A coil-over is a strut with a threaded perch to adjust stiffness & lowering.

"If you absolutely must have coil-overs, research brands carefully. When selecting suspension components, dont look to save a few bucks at the expense of quality. Trust me-you'll be sorry. Springs are a quality-sensitive product. Not only should the springs rates be precisely engineered, but the steel material used should be of the highest quality. This goes double for coil-overs. With the correct rating & highest quality materials, the final cost will be substantially more then just repairing tweaked suspension parts."

Would you pay $2.99 for cheap shoes to run a marathon?

[91hondaguy]

what about if i buy USED but still good tokico struts and H&R springs

USED shouldn't be a problem.. rite?

my friend has a set to sell me

[Cjz89civic]

well I see anything that is said here is not goin to make a difference on what you do so do what ya want. Used is used less life in a strut. If you buy new they will ride the same area all the time unlike a use set which you dont know where they have ridden at. So used ya blow them out also. But what ever buy what ya like. We are just telling you here that if ya lower your car get new struts, and get a camber kit. OK IM DONE.....

[SkyNex721]

Originally posted by dfarres
I think that anyone that lowers a car should get a camber kit. I think the 2" rule is mainly untrue. I have H&R sport springs which r 1.9" in front & 1.8" in rear & my camber is jacked. I mean think about the process of lowering..... as the spring gets shorter ur tilting the lower control arm back towards the wheel well which creates negative camber. The greater degree u lower ur car the more negative camber u create. Anything u do beyond factory settings will have to b corrected in some manner. Just my 2 cents.

What you say is true, but when you put new springs on a car there is a settling period. Most springs settle to a point that give you the advertised drop height. However some other springs settle a lot more......

[BullShifter]

I would not buy any used suspenion parts besides maybe a strut brace or something minor. New springs settle after a short while & each car will settle slightly different.