So I bought my first Honda 3 weeks ago. Previous owner(s) lowered the car by just heating the springs so suspension sucks. I knew the car needed some work when purchasing, so not a big deal but looking for some specific advice. I want to do a proper strut/coilover set-up but need to know exactly what parts to order.

My local shop said they'd install cheap if I found the parts. Also, one CV joint and axle were shot, was this directly caused from the springs?

Thank you and sorry if a dumb question, I'm still learning.

 

You'd like the car to remain lowered? How low? Or you want it back to stock height? Is this purely a street driven car? Daily driver?

What's your budget? Plan on driving the car through road salt?

 

I'm happy with it being lowered as-is, the height works fine for me. It's a daily commuter, about 30 miles per day, won't be used on any long hauls. Street only though some of the streets I use can be pothole-bumpy.

I'd like to stay under 1k but willing to budget more. This will not be driven in bad weather (I have a volvo wagon for that) but MAY be driven after bad weather and they do salt, though we rarely get snow.

 

Koni yellow shocks with OFF THE SHELF rate ground controp coilovers is a great option. As long as the car is not more than about 1.5" lower than stock. Cost is around $800.

Tein Street Advance is one of my favorite budget coilovers systems. These will hold up to salted roads quite a bit better than Koni yellows will, in terms of corrosion resistance. Cost is around $600.

H&R street performance is an excellent kit as well...but only the height is adjustable. The damping rate is fixed. Around $1000.

Bilstein HD/B8 shocks and Ground Control off the shelf coilovers are another great non-damping adjustable option. Around $800.

THmotorsports.com is a site sponsor, and usually has great prices on the above setups.

But.....my strong advice is to not let them, or anyone else, talk you into buying ground control springs that are not standard (off the shelf) rate.

If your intent is to lower the car more than 1.5", the cost and complexity of lowering it (properly) will go up very sharply. If you don't care about *properly*, then your options open up.

 

How can I measure how far it was lowered? and thank you so much for all the info!

 

Update: I'm in need of plan B ladies and gents. I took the car into the tire store and was told I desperately needed new ones.3 hours later (had to wait forever for the thin lift to clear)well the tires were rubbing BADLY on the way out of the shop. I turned straight around and asked them to put my old tires back on until I can afford to upgrade the springs for a little more lift. They said no-go, it wasn't safe and they wouldn't do it and those were the very smallest tires they could put on the 17's wheels. The extra tread is rubbing. So now I have a car I can't drive :/

Tire place said they could throw on some lowering springs for much cheaper than coilovers (I need a cheap solution right now, haven't saved enough for coilovers). Quoted me lowering springs +labor+new struts+alignment 1k out the door.

Will the lowering kit lift my car enough to avoid the rub? It's got torched stock springs right now, or should I just say screw it right now and put stock height springs back on?

Thank you!

 

$1k!!!!!!

That fortune will buy you a set of pre-assembled coilovers with top hats($800ish for Tein Flex Z or $900 for Street Flex).

Do you have the wherewithal to install them yourself?

Coilovers that re-use your stock top hats are $500 (Tein street Basis) to $600 (Tein street advance). They are a combo of shocks and springs. There is no reason that they would cost more to install. In fact, the install is more simple than lowering springs.

Don't buy shocks and springs. Its 2016.

 

I'm willing to learn, but I don't know anyone that is mechanical to show me the ropes (well, that lives within a reasonable distance). I can change a bulb and the wipers, top off fluids and put on a set of chains, but that's about it unfortunately.

I know, way too much money. It makes me feel vomity. They quoted me $400 parts and the rest is labor and alignment.

Hubby is about ready to make me sell the car, already had to shell out a bit o' cash for a new master brake cylinder, CV Joint and trashed axle. Still cheaper than a car payment I say.

 

koni yellows and eibach sportline spring kit too old fashion?
on a strict budget and mainly used for daily, occasional (1-3) track days a year

 

very useful info. on a strict budget but i was thinking koni yellows + eibach sportline spring kit. daily driven and occasional (1-3) track days a year.

 

Sportlines are way too low for Koni Yellows. And they're too soft for the track. They're just show springs. Your car will ride so badly.

Within the spring rates that they actually work with on the street, Koni yellows typically take about a 1.38" drop max. You can push that to 1.5"...but that's about it.

Eibach prokit springs work well with stock Koni yellows. So do stock ITR springs. Or off the shelf rate GC's. You can play around with the GC spring rates a little bit for track use....but anything above maybe 300LB rear springs is going to be a little annoying on the street.

 

thanks B serious! info much appreciated. i live in socal and the streets are terrible. **** load of pot holes and cracks. looks do matter to me but never over performance. im planning on running 15x6.5 +45 wheels

 

This is my old car. These are either 15x7 +40 or 15x6.5 +35 (can't remember). This is as low as you realistically want to go with Koni/GC with street friendy spring rates. Anything lower than this and I'd encourage you to look into something else.

 

Wait, 17" wheels on a 1995 Civic? Much of your problem lies there.

 

very nice. once again, thanks B serious. appreciate the help man and photo. i have a 92 dx hatch so i hope it looks as good as yours.