i just installed h&r springs that are supposed to give me a 2.5in drop in the front and a 2.3 in the rear, but it looks maybe a little more then an inch lower. the gaps in the fender wells look the same size. will the springs "break in" and the car lower a little more after a few weeks?

I dont know much about suspension: Flame suite on!

 

If your car's springs were already sagging, then your baseline for the perceived drop would be off. I'm guessing you got H&R sports?
They dropped my bro's 98 hatch quicte nicely, just above the tires. Are you using stock shocks? They'll be sufficient, but lack proper damping to control the H&R sport springs for any performance needs.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by black7hatch &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">i just installed h&r springs that are supposed to give me a 2.5in drop in the front and a 2.3 in the rear, but it looks maybe a little more then an inch lower. the gaps in the fender wells look the same size. will the springs "break in" and the car lower a little more after a few weeks?

I dont know much about suspension: Flame suite on! </TD></TR></TABLE>

If thats the drop you're supposed to get, I assume you were purchasing the H&R Race springs. If the drop is as you describe, you may actually have H&R Sport springs.

What color are the springs on your shocks/struts right now?

When you say "gaps in the fender wells look the same size", are you saying they are equal in spacing or they look as big as before?

 

yes the spacing in between the fender and tire look the same size. and the springs are gray. i am still using the stock shocks but i was thinking about some koni shocks but i dont really know what will work best.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by chrisw85 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
They dropped my bro's 98 hatch quicte nicely, just above the tires. </TD></TR></TABLE>

this is what i was hopping for...

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by black7hatch &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">yes the spacing in between the fender and tire look the same size. and the springs are gray. i am still using the stock shocks but i was thinking about some koni shocks but i dont really know what will work best.</TD></TR></TABLE>

If they are a dark grey, then you have Sport Springs...

 

H&R Springs Rundown (Off the top of my head, I may be wrong)

Gray = OE Sport Springs = designed for moderate drop and to be compatible with stock dampers

Black = Sport Springs = slightly larger drop and slightly stiffer, will work with stock dampers but are borderline too low/too stiff

Red= Race Springs= largest drop and stiffest spring, should be used with aftermarket dampers (I prefer Koni Sport, others may disagree)

If you expected a 2.5" drop I am guessing you thought you were getting the Race springs, but you ended up with the OE Sports (the least drop and lowest spring rates). My advice (although this will be a big pain in the ***) is to remove the springs, send them back and get the Race springs because there is no way the OE sports will ever sag enough for them to be as low as you want.

Jon

 

all right thanks alot. i probly did get the OE sports on accident. thanks alot guys

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by HondaF1Fanatic &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">H&R Springs Rundown (Off the top of my head, I may be wrong)

Gray = OE Sport Springs = designed for moderate drop and to be compatible with stock dampers

Black = Sport Springs = slightly larger drop and slightly stiffer, will work with stock dampers but are borderline too low/too stiff

Red= Race Springs= largest drop and stiffest spring, should be used with aftermarket dampers (I prefer Koni Sport, others may disagree)

If you expected a 2.5" drop I am guessing you thought you were getting the Race springs, but you ended up with the OE Sports (the least drop and lowest spring rates). My advice (although this will be a big pain in the ***) is to remove the springs, send them back and get the Race springs because there is no way the OE sports will ever sag enough for them to be as low as you want.

Jon</TD></TR></TABLE>

I am getting Koni Yellows for my '07 V6. Which H&Rs are most compatible to give the best ride with improved handling? Are the OE Sports too soft for the Konis to work best with? I'm not concerned about drop or looks in particular. I think the Race will be too stiff, so maybe that means the Sport is best. (I already have 17" Kumho SPTs to go on the car for summer and a 17mm rear sway bar.)

 

i am doing sorta the same thing. i want the koni yellows to go with the h&r race springs that i know have to wait 2 weeks for. do i need to mess with the shock at all or can i just swap it in?

as far as handling the race springs and koni yellows should work fine.

 

If you are interested in preserving ride quality I would go with the OE Sports or the Sports, the Race Springs are going to definitely be on the stiff side. I am not positive if H&R has every model spring for the Accord but it is worth checking.

Jon

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by HondaF1Fanatic &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">If you are interested in preserving ride quality I would go with the OE Sports or the Sports, the Race Springs are going to definitely be on the stiff side. I am not positive if H&R has every model spring for the Accord but it is worth checking.

Jon</TD></TR></TABLE>

According to TireRack H&R makes the OE Sport and the Sport, but not the Race spring for the '03+ Accord. If the OE Sport gives about a 15% increase in firmness to the stock springs, then I'm guessing the Sport will give about twice that based on the increased drop (OE Sport=.75F/R; Sport=1.5F/1.3R). Does that make sense?

Any reason you didn't mention Tein?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by stevehecht &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

According to TireRack H&R makes the OE Sport and the Sport, but not the Race spring for the '03+ Accord. If the OE Sport gives about a 15% increase in firmness to the stock springs, then I'm guessing the Sport will give about twice that based on the increased drop (OE Sport=.75F/R; Sport=1.5F/1.3R). Does that make sense?

Any reason you didn't mention Tein?</TD></TR></TABLE>

I am not sure it would be wise to assume that much of a difference in spring rate, but I wasn't able to find any specific info about the spring rate of the Sport kit. I didn't mention Tein because IMO they don't offer a good spring compared to Eibach or H&R. The S-Tech has too much of a drop with too low a spring rate so it tends to bottom out more, they have also had a sag problem in the past (although now they are supposedly warrantied against it). The H-Tech is even crappier IMO and doesn't even warrant a look. If it was my choice for your car I would get the Eibach Pro-Kit with Koni Sport Dampers, I prefer both of these because of the excellent warranty coverage and product support you get with them. Plus, if you decide in the future you want something a little more hardcore you can get the Konis revalved and sell the pro-kit for a decent price on E-bay so you can afford a nice set of GC sleeves.

Jon

PS: The only complaint I have heard about both H&R and Eibach's more DD oriented setups (Sport & Pro-kit) is that they tend to leave a bit of an uneven look on your ride, but it is just your mind playing tricks on you because the front wheel well is larger than the rear.

 

Good info on Tein, thanks! Another reason to go with the ProKit might be because it has .3" less of a drop in the back, and the extra rake angle could help with the look of the larger wheel well gap in the front.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by stevehecht &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Good info on Tein, thanks! Another reason to go with the ProKit might be because it has .3" less of a drop in the back, and the extra rake angle could help with the look of the larger wheel well gap in the front. </TD></TR></TABLE>

Pro Kit or H&R Sports, does not matter, they'll both look the same in regards to overall rake and sag. Both spring makers put together combos to add rake in the front but in the end, its not enough.

Its not extremely ghetto, but if you need that extra tad of a drop in the front to help with the overall appearance, cutting 1 coil from the dead section of the spring is ok and safe to do.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by HondaF1Fanatic &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">If you are interested in preserving ride quality I would go with the OE Sports or the Sports, the Race Springs are going to definitely be on the stiff side. I am not positive if H&R has every model spring for the Accord but it is worth checking.

Jon</TD></TR></TABLE>

i AGREE! Just keep in mind, OE sport springs only drop the car no more than one inch. SO if you're looking for non-aggressive, and really really close to stock, then pick it up. But the sport springs drop the car real nicely and leave the car with comfort in all respects. My choice would be the h&R sport spring, or Eibach Pro Kit if the drop on the H&R is too low for you.

Stay away from the race spring, it will bring the car down real low, and you MUST use performance shocks because they will prematurely blow out. Choose this spring only if you want an extreme drop.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by EnjoyTheRideDC2 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Pro Kit or H&R Sports, does not matter, they'll both look the same in regards to overall rake and sag. Both spring makers put together combos to add rake in the front but in the end, its not enough.

[...]

i AGREE! Just keep in mind, OE sport springs only drop the car no more than one inch. SO if you're looking for non-aggressive, and really really close to stock, then pick it up. But the sport springs drop the car real nicely and leave the car with comfort in all respects. My choice would be the h&R sport spring, or Eibach Pro Kit if the drop on the H&R is too low for you.
</TD></TR></TABLE>

This has been helpful, thanks. I have been going back and forth between the ProKit and the H&R OE and the H&R Sport. After looking at the consumer reviews of all three on TireRack.com and your advice here, I have to be honest with myself and admit that I don't care about a drop or much about a front rake angle. The consumer reviews for the H&R OE all sound happy with the kinds of changes I'm looking for, and do not complain about unacceptable increase in road chatter or harshness.

I only need a modest improvement in handling and don't want much more ride harshness. This all points to the H&R OE Sport. Along with some ultra-high performance summer tires (Kumho SPT) and a rear sway bar (17-20mm) I think I will be where I want to be. But I will replace the tires first, then add the sway bar, then change the suspension just to make sure I'm happy all along the way and not doing too much.

I do have a question though, about the perches on the Koni yellows. I'm not sure, but I think that there are two for the Accord sport version? If I used the lower perch for the H&R OEs would that work and maybe give the front a little more drop?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by stevehecht &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I do have a question though, about the perches on the Koni yellows. I'm not sure, but I think that there are two for the Accord sport version? If I used the lower perch for the H&R OEs would that work and maybe give the front a little more drop?</TD></TR></TABLE>

You are correct about the perches and you can most definitely use the lower one in the front. I am glad you caught that, I totally spaced out and forgot.

Jon

 

Does anyone have any pics of the above springs on a car? I am trying to decide on what springs to get as well but I want to see pics of them installed to get an idea.