TypeRod

So I got all my parts I need to try and put my R back to its stock ride height...BUT...I have a little issue. So I'm putting my stock springs back on the car and will be using OEM everything but the rear dampers, b/c Honda no longer offers them for sale. So I bought new bilsteins for the rear.

So I finally was able to get the old strut out, it took forever b/c I couldn't get the arm low enough to get free from the top of the strut mount. I put the stock spring on the new bilstein strut and its bottom opening on the spring is not wide enough for sit in the spring perch properly. BUT the H&R spring sits in there just fine. See pics below.....

The very last pic is the H&R spring, the first 3 pics are the OEM spring.

Is this safe to put back on the car and use this way? I plan on contacting Bilstein to see what they say.

Any input is gratefully accepted, my car is down until I find a solution I feel safe with, lol.

testify

I don't see an issue.

However, if you disconnect just one link of the swaybar you will be able to install and remove the shock without fighting the control arm.

TypeRod

Hi Testify, thanks for the suggestion about the sway bar. When you say you don't see an issue, do you mean you think its ok to put the spring/strut assembly back on the car even though the spring isn't seated properly?

I also wonder if the spring may settle down in the perch.

I just read on bilstein's site that the damper is meant to be used with aftermarket lowering springs!!!! AHHHHHH!! lol! what am i going to do now? lol!

testify

Once you put the weight of a 2500lb car on it, it will seat in the perch.

The damper is designed to work with stick height springs as well.

TypeRod

I'm waiting to hear back from Tirerack as well, I bought the struts from them. Little stuff like this irks me to death, lol. I'd rather it be seated properly before I put them on the car (like my aftermarket H&R spring in the last pic of my first post), and not just hope and pray they seat properly after I put the full weight on the car. But here is a screen cap of the bilstein struts description off the bilstein website...first sentence mentions that these struts are meant for aftermarket springs....but now that I think about it, not sure if that means the OEM springs aren't meant to fit or it just means performance wise.

testify

Cheap dampers fail quickly when paired with lowering springs. All Bilstein is saying is that their damper is designed to be capable of more travel than an OEM or cheap damper.

Unless you have customized these dampers with shortened shafts and bodies (you didnt), they are designed for stock springs.

Bilstein only makes 1 type of shock for your application and it's designed for OEM springs and ride height, with the capability to work when lowered.

TypeRod

Thanks for your input! I'm leaning towards just throwing them on the car now, lol!

testify

I wouldn't lie to you and I definitely wouldn't pass you bad info.

Put them on and don't look back.

TypeRod

So sorry, wasnt trying to say you were telling me wrong info. Im a worry wart is all, lol!

testify

Nor was I implying that I thought you felt that way.

Just giving you some reassurance. After all, I'm just a random person on the internet.

itr#1334

iTrader: (2)

and with a creepy avatar!

Little_Nolan

iTrader: (3)

I have bilsteins with stock springs and it didnt sit right when assembled. After it was driven on it was completely fine and settled right on.

I actually prefer the bilsteins over the konis (off the shelf).

TypeRod

Thanks for the reassurance, lol!

lol

AWESOME!!! Thanks Nolan! Is your vehicle you mention a Type R or another Honda? Would it be possible to get pics? It would calm my OCD down, lol.

testify

You guys think I'm creepy?

Tough crowd...

Caoboy

You'd also benefit from front Bilsteins as well...The OEM shocks are a bit under-damped for the springs

TypeRod

LOL ahhh I can't unsee that gum disease! lol!

Thanks for your suggestion! I currently have all bilsteins on the car, they have been on the car for 13 years or so, and my front right bilstein is blown out. The bilsteins are great, I love them. So when I decided to go back to stock, I was gonna go OEM all the way. But I was able to get new OEM fronts (can't return them now, lol), and when I couldn't get the OEM rears I decided to just buy new rear bilsteins. The car is my daily driver, has over ~253K on it, its the original engine, I don't track it or street race anymore, I only drive it hard when some idiot provokes me and I can't back down, lol. So as long as the ride isn't rough anymore, and I can get a decent alignment result (so I can stop buying used tires, and finally buy a brand new set of tires), despite all the worn bushings I have to replace, I'll be happy!

dave7

For future reference, the jdm oem suspension is great imo, and is easy to buy for around $200 used in good condition. It's stiffer than usdm.

TypeRod

Thanks for the info dave! Hey did you ever sell your stock ITR wheels?

TypeRod

Ok just a little update, I finally finished the rears, the right rear went so much faster, lol. The springs did finally seat down into the perch. So thanks to testify and little nolan for the assurance and vote of confidence, lol.

My RTA bushings are shot, but not in too bad of condition considering they are almost 19 years old and have ~253K miles on them.

My right rear skunk2 adjustable upper arm had no bushing in the joint that bolts to the body of the car, lol. See the pics below, they were in crappy condition, never again will I buy or use those things, if the camber in the rear is to the point where it needs intervention, I'll just have it shimmed out. But I'm a bit worried about the camber in the front once I'm all done with this remove and replace session. I don't want to be constantly having inner wear on the front tires. I will also be removing my front upper control arms (also skunk2 adjustable) and replacing with new OEM upper control arms. Or maybe I should leave them in to help correct the camber? I'll be replacing more bushings and such for the front as well, but it'll have to wait a bit.

If anyone can recommend a good alignment shop in Northern VA, please do. Like I mean a shop that is strictly alignment, a place that will fix if possible the camber issues at least for the rear.

Here are some pics.

Happy new years to all! Please be safe out there!

testify

Wow, that's pretty crazy. I've never seen a poly bushing fail enough to pop out and completely disappear.

I've only seen that with Delrin.

TypeRod

Yeah, no kidding, Im surprise it didnt break completely. Never again skank2! lol

dave7

I still have them, pretty much have decided to not sell them, because I want to keep them to use on my 5 lug gsr.

TypeRod

sweet!

TypeRod

Ok so I have another update for anyone interested in reading, lol. So today I started the fronts, I bought OEM struts and will be using the OEM springs. With my dad's help I was able to put enough weight on the assembly to get the locking started, but did not have enough strength to get the locking nut as far down as it should. So I went to autozone to go borrow a spring compressing tool, took a look at it and I wasn't sure it was going to fit (i totally forgot to bring the strut assembly with me). Got home and sure enough the "fingers" to grab the coils were too large and wouldn't fit between the coils near the top of the assembly. So went back to autozone, returned it. Went to advance auto, they have the same frickin tool! lol! Then went to harbor freight, they also had the same design tool which wont work, and they had this huge like bear trap type spring compressor and I didn't even want to deal with it. Then I went to pep boys, they also have the same tool that doesn't work, THEN I went into their service area and explained my situation, a nice older gentleman, assisted me, all he did was just take his air impact and gave it a whirl for a few seconds or so and it lowered the locking nut, BUT my dumb self didn't bring the other strut with me, so I asked him if I could go home and get the 2nd strut and come back and he gladly obliged. I asked him how much do I owe him and he said I could give him a little bit or not it didn't matter to him. So then I drove back home then back to pep boys, he took care of the second strut. Super nice guy, saved my alot of hassle. I gave him $20.

So I get home after about 2 hours of running around stressing, b/c I'm a novice at the car game, lol. I was also worried I wouldn't get the top hat of the strut assembly at the right position, and would have to go back to the guy at pep boys, lol. So I get home started on the left front, it went fairly smooth for the most part, everything fit as should. Started on the front right, and I hit a huge snag....I went and got the nut off the strut fork, then when I try to back out the bolt, the dang thing isn't budging, Im blasting on the thing with my 18V bosch impact gun, nothing. I hammer and hammer, then I soak the thing in penetrating oils (pb blaster and liquid wrench), still nothing. I was desperate I held a bic lighter to it for 90 seconds, lol. So this is what I can gather, the bushing the fork bolt goes through is seized to the bolt, I wanna say there is a metal collar in the bushing. When I try to "left loosey" the bolt it won't turn but it gets bouncy, I took a closer look and I see the bushing which is torn but not all the way through, and its twisting when I turn the bolt left. I have video but it may be hard to tell b/c everything time I put pressure on the fork the camera shakes, lol. Is this a common issue? I do drive the car when it snows.

Any suggestions are welcome, I gave it the ol' college try, but no dice. In the very least I'll have to replace that bushing, and the through bolt. maybe I should just replace all the bushings while I'm at it, but I'll have to let the pro's do that for me. The car is still front end up in the air, till I figure out what I want to do. Maybe letting the penetrating oil sit over night will help?

AHHHHHH!!!! I hate not being able to finish this! I'm soo close to being done, LOL! Please also excuse the shaky video.

EDIT: video is too large, won't let me upload

TypeRod

So a question came up for me, I am replacing both front upper control arms. I got the left one in yesterday, and I did not loosen the bolts on the bushings, I just slapped the arm in there as it was. Do I need to loosen them first, then put a jack under the knuckle and jack up the suspension till its close to its final ride height, then finally tighten the bushing nuts? If so, I don't think I can fit my hands and tools in there once its jacked up.