coilover questions

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question 1) since i already have a set of eibachs, can i go buy a cheap set of coilovers and swap my eibachs into them? i am thiking of getting the zero1 or APC coilovers for this purpose (yea, i know they will prolly rust but by then i can afford new and better stuff). a reputable shop here has coilover sets on sale for $89.95!

question 2) can i use any shock with coilovers? i THINK i have kyb gas shocks and struts (non-adjustable). i tried to see a brand on them but couldnt because of the shock covers in the front, and i wasnt able to get a good look at my rear struts. my mechanic said they are either kyb's or gab's. the front shocks are blue. ???
 
1) im pretty sure this isnt possible ... the full springs are a lot longer than the springs used on the slip-on "coilovers"
2) yeah you can put them on pretty much any strut stock or aftermarket... the only issue is if you go too low on a strut that is not designed for it you will botom out the strut and fuck it all up (you will lessen the life of it regardless of if you bottom it out or not though) so look into getting a strut designed to work with lower springs
 
ok. thanks! actually, i was looking to raise my car about 1" so i didnt have to worry about scraping anymore, but maybe drop it when i go to shows :)

BTW, is there a way to raise my ride height about 1/2" to 1" without getting a whole new set of springs or coilovers? are there such things as spacers/washers for that purpose?
 
Get the Zero 1 coilovers (same as R1). I'm hopefully putting mine on today. Guy on HAG with a boosted Civic runs with R1's and says they ride better than his skunk2's. He's also installed 8 sets of R1's and hasn't had a problem with anyone. Good coilover for the money. I'll let everyone know if this is true later.
I have a quick question. These rubber rings are for between the coilover sleave and the strut so they dont' run?
http://www.hondagallery.com/~prowler/suspe...nsion/rings.jpg
And R1 is a lot better than APC and (God forbid) Ractive coilovers.
Also, any useful hints on installing coilovers? I've only installed lowering springs before.
Is there any cutting on the strut to keep the coilover sleave aligned correctly? Thanks
 
thanks for the info, nate. im really surprised that the zero 1's ride so good. i can get them locally for just $130 for the set. maybe i will try them. if i dont like em i can give em to my cuz. he wants to lower his civic hb.

sorry, i dont know anything about installing coilovers or springs so i cant help u with that other stuff.
 
It's ok. I installed the front coilovers today. Would've been a fast job, except I used a shop 10 miles out of town. After pulling both front struts/springs out, I found out I had a bad spring compressor. So I sent my dad who helped back in town to Checker to buy some new spring compressors. All he could get were some cheap rentals. It took two people, a pry bar, and a huge screwdriver and hammer to get the clamps of the spring compressor on the coils. It really sucked. THat was over an hour just compressing the springs and getting them off with air tools. So that took a while, and after I got the coilovers installed and back on, it was getting late and cold. So tomorrow I do the back springs. It should go faster since the coil rate in the rear is much lower, so the clamps will fit right on. Also, the spring compressors are due back tomorrow evening, so I have to get my work done.
The ride home was very smooth, much better than the stock springs and Matrix lowering springs I had earlier.
I dropped the front end about 2" to match what my camber is set at (still set 2.25" down from the Matrix springs) so I won't eat up my new tires. Yes, I put my 16"s back on and am throwing those gay steels back in the garage.
So after tomorrow, I have to pay to get my camber re-adjusted (I'm lazy and don't know how to do the front end), get an alignment, and take my car to a shop to get that stupid clunking noise taken care of. It's not suspension related, but sounds with variations in the road surface.
 
nate, glad to hear u got it done. hope the repair thing is minor. turns out the coilovers i thought were zero1's were APC. im gonna not worry about coilovers for now. i want some front and rear strut bars instead, since my car has so many miles on the chassis, i want some rigidity. might get some neuspeeds or pilot motorsports monday. maybe even dc. my honda dealership had this awesome carbon fiber front bar that had beefy aluminum ends and weighed like nothing, but they didnt have any left and the company went out of business (invidia). too bad.

civicracer901, thanks for the advice but not to worry...i still have money for the swap :) just waiting for my D15 to start dying or something cause it still runs like a champ and i hate to get rid of it just yet.
 
ok. i heard that once before actually...but didnt want to beleive it cause they look so pimp. guess i'll get pilot motorsports for the front and maybe neuspeed for the rear.
 
speedpeople.com to get your zero 1 coilovers for $129 i think.
 
you get what you pay for.

get ground controls, and get custom spring rates.

and as far as strut bars, get benen or mugen.

everything else pales in comparison.
 
I'm liking what I paid for.
It just looks funny when you only have time to do half the job.
highlow.jpg

This is the first picture of my car in months that it has been clean.
 
Holy wheel gap batman! My stock springs/tires have less than that!
 
Originally posted by chet@Dec 29 2002, 01:54 PM
you get what you pay for.

get ground controls, and get custom spring rates.

and as far as strut bars, get benen or mugen.

everything else pales in comparison.

I gotta go with chet on this one, his suspension is the shit.
 
Originally posted by chet@Dec 29 2002, 01:54 PM
you get what you pay for.

get ground controls, and get custom spring rates.

and as far as strut bars, get benen or mugen.

everything else pales in comparison.

yea, i started thinking that maybe after a few thousand miles, the zero 1's might start sagging, so i'm putting off the coilovers for awhile. thanks for the info though, nate. as far as the strut bars, as long as they are rigid and don't crack or anything, they should be good. ive read alot of good reviews on the pilot motorsports even though they are pretty cheap. i can get a front upper bar and rear lower bar for under $100.

just checked out the mugens, they are like square bars of metal with welded on braces. strong as hell but they are $276 just for the front! anyway, they dont even make them for the crx. the spoons dont look too impressive. they have the hinged braces and are $182 for the front. prolly gonna stick with the pilots.

nate...your car looks good. those wheels look like the motegi mr7's i was gonna get. but why does your car look lowered in front and stock height in the back?
 
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