I"m averaging 12K~15K miles of driving a year: daily driving, autox, and track events.

How long will it last under these conditions?

yoshi - who's just trying to get an idea of when to upgrade the sus
39

 

There was a guy at the Acura Dealer recently with under 15k on his 2001 R that had both rear shocks leaking that were being replaced under warranty. Claims he doesn't shove fat women in the trunk either.

Mattj

 

Most shocks die so slowly that you never notice, only when you ride in a different car with new shocks do you realize how fux0red yours are. Apparently, shocks are past their prime after 10-15k miles, but that doesn't mean they stop functioning, they just aren't optimal. 50-60k is probably a good window assuming they're not leaking etc....push your car down and let go, if it rebounds once then stabilizes you're in good shape. Obviously, if it bounces, they're fried.

 

Yoshi-

I'll debate that one can not put an average lifespan on the shocks
(or on most parts) since you both auto-x and drive on the track.

My guess is that if the shocks "give-up", it won't be a gradual
thing, but probably something akin to a catasrophic event that
will cause an internal valve to go bad, or seal to break. (READ:
spinout at Big-Willow on turn-9 at 90+MPH).

If you are waiting for justification to get a new suspension,
then waiting for your stocker's to go bad is probably too long.

You only live once, and even then, have no idea if you'll be
able to enjoy things later in life (due to health, money, shifted
interests, etc...).

Bottom line: I'd upgrade after sufficient research (and $money$).

-Ken

 

I dunno about that. My original shocks have 180-200ish kms on them and I still use them when I'm not using my Teins. They don't bounce or anything. In fact I was still faster in my car at the track just before I changed my shocks than when they were new. I don't think they wear really.

 

I have about 100k mi on my stock shocks and they are just now starting to make
squishing noises in the front.

 

The aftermarket (Koni, KYB, etc.) companies say shocks will have degraded significantly by 25k miles.

My ITR is just below 39k miles and I can tell they've gone down in performance significantly... I get much more bounce and hop in cornering over rough pavement than I used to. Daily driving it's not noticeable, but under spirited driving... grrr...

I figure I'll score a set of Mugen/Showa Lowdowns and be done with it at or about 40k (a little present for my ITRs longevity).

 

stephen, maybe you're bushings are making the noises rather than the shocks? High variation in temp changes as well as moisture eat away at the stock rubber bushings and literally tear them apart.

Yoshi, you might want to consider aftermarket bushings w/ a new suspension. From what my friends have been saying, the new line of poly bushings wont need constant lubrication after getting wet (driving in rain) and wont crack like older bushings. You wont need to replace every bushing, just critical ones that see the most load.

 

Its not the bushings when i have the shock in my hands and me compressing them
by hand makes a squishing noise.

Also, stock ITR bushings i dont think will ever come apart considering how freakin
stiff and dense they are. They make other honda bushings look like playdoe.

 

HMMM.. Don't like the sound of shocks lasting 100k..

The oil in them must have the viscosity of gasoline.

Your tire condition can tell you something about shocks.. Like are the cupping, or just generally wearing out faster than usual. If you use adjustable shocks you can start them out soft then click them to med then firm during thier life and get a reasonable amount of wear out of them...

remember that new cars feel better than used ones cause EVERYTHING is new...


Including shocks.

 

Any info on the lasting qualities of Mugen's Sports Lowdown Adjustable Suspension? I have them on for about 2 years or 20K miles. They seem to work worderful still but how can you test them to see when they are wearing out?

 

that's a g00d question!!! I'd like to know also before I commit to them.

yoshi - who doubts they're rebuildable, but hopes they are

 

here is the response i got back from King MotorSports when i asked a few questions about Mugen's suspension:

"...From our experience these are VERY durable parts. 20,000 miles + should not be a problem at all. We have many customers with well over 100,000 miles + with no problems. The spring rates are as follows:

Front 6.8 kgf/mm
Rear 4.5 kgf/mm

Please let us know if you need further assistance in the future...."

They did not respond to my question of how to test their performance or rebuildability. If any are rebuildable it would be the N1 or N-Zero units, but i can't say for sure and they did nto comment on it.

 

OK, good info on the Mugen Low Downs.
What's the conversion factor from the Metric units to US (lbs/in).
Thanks, ed

 

56 x kg/mm = lbs/in

 

I don't know exactly how long the stock shocks last, but mine aren't good enough to autocross with competitively with 45K miles on them. THe cars dives and bottoms out under braking, gets inside wheel spin on long sweepers, etc. etc. On the street, it's barely noticeable but when pushed to the limit their age shows.

For comparison we swapped a set of almost new '00 ITR shocks on my car for Nats last week and the handling was back to normal, so it was definitely the shocks!

 

Thanks, Aaron.


[Modified by zygspeed, 12:58 PM 9/17/2001]

 

X kg/mm x 55.99684 = X lb/in



Interesing how the Lowdowns have 6.8F & 4.5R rates. This is the exact same rates that Sp00n had on their EG suspension kit.

The early sp00n kit had 7.2F / 6.3R rates on the nonadjustable ITR kit.

yoshi - who found this info when he went back and reread the Civic & ITR Hyper Rev b00ks

 

Hey guys, I agree with Jeff B. and a couple of other people on this topic. First let me say that I have 12K miles on my car and I can definately tell the performance of the shocks has degraded 100%. I've been trying to get the dealer to change them but since they're not leaking they won't.
So, IMO the number of miles is not as relevant as the number of racing events- in my case 3.5 seasons of autox and very hard street driving. When driving on the street it's very hard to notice that the shocks are much degraded because the R has a super stiff suspension. On the track though it's a different story, the car dives and bounces under the hard, sharp turns or if the pavement is not smooth at the turn.

 

Just out of curiosity, did you also swap the springs for '00 ones too or just the shock?