Hey guys,

Well for some time now I have been running Omni coilovers. Although I do like them, I am wondering if Low Downs would be better suited for me. I do HPDE the car once a month and drive the car on the street still.

Do you guys think that Mugen Lowdowns will handle better than Omni's that have been cornerbalanced? I am currently running 12K front springs and 10K rear, so Low Downs will be a good amount softer. I have never ridden on a set, but I hear good things. Anyone that has a fair amount of HPDE seat time want to give a review on the LowDowns vs. cheaper coilovers?

Any help appreciated.

 

Low-downs are like the OEM ITR suspension + 1. They give you slightly better shock valving (adjustable), sit a touch lower and offer slightly more springrate. They make a great upgrade for a daily driver and weekend autoxer.

Only you can answer the question as to if they'll be enough for a HPDE as this will differ from person to person. They will indeed be softer, but that's not to say they will handle any worse considering your current coilovers may need to be serviced (and HPDE's aren't timed anyways).

 

I've tracked/AutoXed on LowDowns for over 3 years now. They are a great user friendly set up. Like Todd stated they are just a lil more aggressive than stock.

I switched to the LowDowns from Koni Race yellows. It was one of the best changes I have ever made. I hated the race yellows. I could never get them set up properly and was slower on them than on stock suspension. Switched to the LowDowns and even before the alignment the car felt instantly balanced. Moreso than the Konis ever felt.

Best of all the LowDowns are simple to use and are rebuildable. I have found the limits of LowDowns on a few occasions but for an overall package at this price point they are tough to beat.

 

Where would I get them rebuilt? King?

 

Correct.

 

Interesting. Any chance you know the cost for rebuild haha.

 

I dont...

 

low downs rebuildable??? never knew, i guess thats why their KING!

 

Spring Rates - Mugen low downs
Front – 385 lb 6.8 kg/mm
Rear – 245 lb 4.5 kg/mm

Spring Rates – Stock itr
Front – 246 lb /in
Rear – 140 ~246 lbs/in

Stock rates converted to kg/mm
Front – 4.4 kg/mm
Rear – 2.5 ~ 4.4 kg/mm


1 kg = 2.20462 lbs
1 mm = 0.0393701 inchs
conversion factor = 55.997317

 

Are they still available new? Regret not ever getting a set...

 

I'm pretty sure they are discontinued

 

They still appear on Kings site. Doesnt mean they aren't discontinued...

http://www.kingmotorsports.com/p-151...nsion-kit.aspx

 

^^If you look closely though. The pics don't match what ITR lowdowns look like. Not sure if they revamped the design or something. I just bought a used set for around 400. Since they are rebuildable I decided what the hell why not. Besides Showa makes the stock shocks which easily last 100K or more, so these should do the same.

I'll probably keep my Omni's in case the Lowdowns don't do what I need them to. They are easy enough to swap out so I'm not too worried. I think the need for something more than Lowdowns may arise when moving to Rcomps, but I'm not there yet so I will worry when that time comes.

 

Can someone explain mugen's terminology.

What is the difference between "Mugen 5-way adjustable suspension kit" vs "Showa suspension" vs "Low-downs" etc

 

All different names for the same thing. The Mugen 5-way adjustable suspension kit is made for them by a company named Showa, who also makes the OEM shocks for a lot of honda cars. Lowdowns was just another name for them. I'll let you guys know how I feel about them once I get them on the car and out to the track.

 

^Thanks for clearing that up!

Can someone post pics of the ride height with these?
They lower and itr .75" in front?

 

He's right. all the Showa fixed/adjustable suspensions where the same. 3 brands had them, Mugen/Spoon/I am forgetting the other....

 

Glad you are enjoying them that much Shawn. I personally think they ride rough, but not nearly as harsh as the Koni/GC setup you had.

I didn't get much track time on them, but they were capable.

 

I've had the Mugen Lowdowns on my ITR for about eight years. I bought them new in 2002; they are quality equipment. The spring rates are a bit soft for an experienced driver, but you can compensate to some degree using the 5 way damper rebound adjustments. I think they are fantastic for the street though. For the street driven mostly stock ITR that sees occasional track use, they are an excellent choice.

My ITR has been the recipient of continuous modification over the years, and the Lowdowns are being pushed to the edge with the car's current build state (230+whp, rcomps, Mugen 26mm rear anti-sway, adjustable upper front control arms, SBC camber adjust in the rear, additional chassis rigidity from the 4-point roll-bar, 15x7 wheels, front/rear tower bars, etc.).

 

Yup, my Spoon N1's are made by Showa and they're holding up great for track use and daily driving

can't go wrong with this damper package for the price (unless you want higher rates of course).

 

N1's are a totally different deal when compared to Lowdown/ 5 way adjustable.

 

I'm excited to get them on the car and try them out. I am glad to hear that some folks have used them for a long time and are finding the limits on them with rcomps etc.

 

The Mugen Low Downs were an option for me when I finally decided to install suspension on the R after 80K miles. But I wanted something a little more for the track. I decided on PIC. I've been very happy with them. But if my budget was higher, I would have gone with SPOON or Mugen Showa's.

 

Are they still available from king or another dealer?

 

X 1 billion. N1s = Hot metal sex; Lowdowns = Nearly stock lingerie ad.