Im having trouble getting the yellows in the front to the correct height. First I had them really low but my 195-55-15 tires were hitting the fender like mad. So i rose it up now the car just feels shittier when driving it hard. I saw a post CRXLee made about this topic, but how far in do post people go? At first there was probably about an inch of the shock showing through the bottom, now theres less than a centimeter. I also failed inspection for them not being exactly equal

 

An inch? Wow, I have never seen one that far down but then again my cars are all CRXs which have the smaller ID forks and the fork will only go up about 1/2 max before the shock diameter increases. Usually I have had about 1/4 inch or so sticking out the bottom. If you have a later Civic or another car with a larger ID fork, you might be able to get more down in it but an inch is a very long way. I would guess that car is megaslammed and there are a number of other potential issues that can cause trouble if you are that far down. I seem to recall that in the stock location, the bottoms of the shocks are about flush with the bottom of the fork, give or take a small amount either way. Remember that with the .7:1 Honda rough motion ratio, 1/2 inch at the shock is close to 3/4 inch at the wheel so just a little bit goes a long way.

If you actually had someone fail your car for a state inspection because your two shock bottoms were at different levels then someone was taking advantage of his situation and a) being a dick and hoping to make some money working on your car "fixing" it's issues or b) being a dick and picking on you because he can. I'd think hard about looking elsewhere if possible. Maybe some crotchety inspector wants to teach a lesson to "those kid these days" or something.

 

Yeah well it is on a CRX.. Maybe not quite an inch, but it was at the point where the shock diameter drastically increases. Moving it like a centimeter did make a huge difference in the ride height. I wish I could have it where it was before but my tires were getting eaten up on my fenders. I think fixing my camber will lower the outside edge of my tire, and I was also considering getting really low profile tires. How low can you get it in the CRX without having rub problems? Springs are H&R race. tire size right now is 195-55-15. thanks... oh and he also failed me because I dont have the windshield washer fluid reservoir intact.

 

The trick of pushing the bottom of the front shock lower into the fork really only works when you are using a threaded coil-over sleeve system ala Ground Control, etc. because you lower the shock then raise the perch back up accordingly and you get back some available stroke and reduce the chances of bottoming. If you do this with a fixed perch spring like on the H&Rs, you only lower the front end of the car even further and gain no stroke.

As low as the H&R Race lower the car, I would put the shock bottom back in the stock location in the bolt dent in the body. The H&R Race already drop the car as far as it needs to go sanely IMO and much beyond that and you start really stacking up the compromises. I would think a CRX with the H&R Race springs and the forks moved 1/2 inch would likely put the car nearly 3 inches down and be a real slammed ground scraper, tire eater and I can certainly imagine that you are hitting your fenders.

Your 195/55 15s are actually larger in diameter than your stock tires were meant to be and that may be contributing a wee bit to your issue. Stock size was a 185/60 14 which makes a proper +1 sizing to 195/50 15. I usually run a 195/50 15 on my CRX but switched to a 195/55 15 this set to get a bit larger rolling circumferance to raise my gearing and gas milkeage a little bit since I am mostly commuting with it. I also raised the car a bit to give myself a bit of extra room.

I think your main issue is the car is functionall far too low with the springs and forks together plus you are running slightly larger OD tires too boot. The best answer all around it to raise the car back up and the car will appreciate it but won't look so super-yo slizzammed.

 

thanks for the input.. I've been messing around with these stupid forks for over a month now. I'll just keep them at the stock location like you said. thanks again man