Ham'ed Hatch

i'm getting lots of messages regarding using 86-89 accord struts in civics. i finally got around to taking comparative pics, so here you all go.

here i lined the struts up with the brake line bracket, where the damper fork would mount. the black strut is for an 86-89 accord (from autozone), and the blue tokico is for an 88-91 civic.

notice here, using either a full spring or threaded sleeves, the spring perch (or point at which the sleeve will sit) is at least 3/4"-1" lower than the civic strut.

here you can see there's at least an inch extra of strut travel on the accord strut. it may be easier to tell from the first picture how much more travel there really is.

the rear 86-89 accord struts are identical to the 88-91 civic struts. so you don't gain anything by using the rear accords. i tossed the coilover sleeve and set the skunkwork coilover spring on the perch of the civic tokico like this...

...and when used with the black accord struts up top (with the threaded perch in the same exact place on the sleeve), the setup yielded this ride heigth:

at this heigth, the upper control arm is this high in the strut tower:

compare that to the upper control arm heigth here...

...at this ride hiegth (stock):

but whatever setup you use to get anywhere near how low this setup yields, your upper control arms will hit the inner strut tower. because of the travel left in the suspension at such a low suspension-to-body-to-ground heigth is my explanation. that's why i cut the holes for the upper control arm to pup up out of.

these front accord struts acheive the SAME EXACT results as my old set up of dropforks/proarms did. but at a quarter of the cost (in my case). in the front at least. although, if you're real crafty and creative, the rear proarm design isn't much to imitate. it's as simple as moving the strut mount bushing down in the lca, and determining a good overall length for the lca so that it would correct camber and allow for wheel/tire clearance.

i've ditched all that crap above though, and opted for these wonderful beauties!

mmmm, i can't wait to find the time to install them and post pics so everybody can talk their **** .

so anyways hope this helps those who were asking and wondering about using the accord struts. and by the way...take of this what you will, but THIS POST WAS IN NO WAY INTENDED FOR THOSE INTO "RACE" SUSPENSIONS, OR THE "I WANT MY CAR TO HANDLE GREAT[/I]" CROWD. so spare me your narrow thoughts. this is for the folks who want a low ride heigth with a good ride quality. but for the record, <u>i think</u> my setup handled great (for the STREET) and the ride was sweet. and like i've said before, other HT members can vouch for how wel

89civicdx

nice pics

keithv

there is some good tech info here that i think even the race crowd could use. shock travel is one thing racers try to maximize with their lowered suspension.

hell i am going to see if koni sells yellows for the 86-89 accord and pick up a pair...

Superhatch

Did you _have_ to cut your towers? Or are you just so low on the coils that was the logical thing to do? From the work you have done do you think the accord struts would fit fine, but just allow more travel if a sport spring was used?

-Jake (just making sure)

KinGClowN

Excellent timing on the post I was just searching for information on this very thing!

McD

nice information i have a set of neuspeed race springs, if i were to buy accord struts and put them on, the front would be way lower then the back correct, becuase the back are the same??

Ham'ed Hatch

i don't think koni's are available for 3g accords, but tokico makes illuminas for them.

it all depends. there's a lot consider (strut valving, spring rate, drop of spring, etc.).

when i had eibach pro-kit springs (1.2" drop i think) with dropforks (same amount of 1.5" fixed drop as the accord struts), the control arms sometimes would still hit. not nearly as bad, and only on bad bumps. but you have to remember what i considered bad and annoying, my friends never thought much of.

basically you're moving the strut assembly further up into the wheelwell w/o affecting the suspension travel, and therefore lowering the car's ride heigth. versus the method of compressing the strut assembly, reducing the suspension's travel, to lower the car.

so you'd be fine with just sport lowering springs on accord struts. i'm just kind of extreme on how low i want my car, so i cut mine to allow more room up there.


[Modified by Ham'ed Hatch, 9:27 PM 1/29/2003]

Ham'ed Hatch

yeah the front would be about 1-1.5" lower.

i've been told by a few on this board that 88-91 wagon struts are shorter than sedan/crx/hatch struts because wagons have taller springs, but i haven't gotten a chance to check that out. dunno if the spring perch would be higher on the strut casing, or lower. if it's lower, they'd be a bad idea...less suspension travel.

ImportHatch

Awesome info man. I might have to check that route out. Cant wait to see the cylinders on, keep us posted.


Yager-

shortyz

canned. i like it.

Chronicsinners

soo, you say that the rear struts for the 88-91 civic are the exact same as the 89 accord (i drive an 89 accord). There are better struts made for the 4g civic than the 3g accord, ie adjustable tokico's and konis. can i get a confirmation?

lovin the ride as always....

McD

are those rear headrests in the back of your car too?? If so how'd you mount them or are they the JDM ones.

eccentric.ek

dam u straight up cut the wheel well, ur down as $%^^

usdm_ED7

damn clean love that drop...wish i could do that but dont wanna go through axles left and right...how are you axles holding up?

Ham'ed Hatch

yeah the rear struts are the exact same except for the civic struts have that nut welded to one side of the mounting fork at the bottom of the strut and accords don't.

they're from CRX seats. they were temporarily mounted

heh, not too much power transfers through them, so they've never been an issue with my heigth.

seekerONE

here is where i can help.
front wagon shocks are about 1/2-3/4 inch lower BUT have less travel so more likely to bottom out
rear wagon shocks are signifigantly lower(1 1/2- 2 inch) but as far as i know nobody makes performance versions.

Muckman

iTrader: (2)

Thanks for the post! Ive encountered a problem lowering my GSR with Ground Controls and Koni Yellow - but mine is a much different problem. Its not the upper control arm its my shock that is compressed more since the car is lowered. Since the shock body is the same length as OEM ( ) I cant lower much past 2" before Im bottoming out on the bumpstops.

At my desired lowered ride height I can turn the wheel full and see the top of the shock body is merely an inch or less from the bumpstop when under normal suspension load. I can only image what thats like when I hit a big bump and my shock body kisses my bumpstop.


[Modified by Muckman, 2:24 PM 2/6/2003]

essex

maybe this will help muckman
https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=378981

Muckman

iTrader: (2)

That might work on my Konis, Ill have to see.

But what shocks are MADE to be used on slammed cars? Its real dumb for any aftermarket performance strut manufacturer to make the shock body the same length as OEM. 95% of people who replace their struts/springs with aftermarket lower their suspensions to some degree.

I know you can get shortened Konis but I didnt know this until after I bought mine and realized they werent short enough

*Boostwerks*

Bump...

I just ordered a set of 89 Accord Koni's, along with a Skunk2 coilover setup. I will give a full report of how it works out when I'm done...

I will be using a 1/2" polyurethane bump stop up front to keep the upper A arm from hitting.

Unlike Ham'ed Hatch, This is my race car/weekend fun bucket. We'll see how it goes.