Suspension isn't easy as buying something that says Performance....or is it?
20-Nov-2004, 03:52 PM
#1
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Suspension isn't easy as buying something that says Performance....or is it?
Well from all the stuff I know, suspension stuff is hard to do. I feel the person has to know what he/she is buying and all the specifications within in to know if it works or not.
Brand is important too. Anyways the thing is my brother lowered his 4dr 92 civic i dunno 1-2 years ago and since then the car has been making weird noises. Now I dunno about the springs he used....Its not my car...But I have a feeling about them being some sort of "generic" lowering springs as they were bought off ebay. Anyways I felt that was a bad mistake and felt that doing suspension work isn't as easy as it seems to be.
Now my dad and uncle are no means car techies but my bros cars shcoks died. I already told him...You cant use lowering springs with stock 8+ yr old shocks. Nobody ever seems to listen to me on this stuff as I am the younger one and they think they know more...but not to be mean but they are newbies on this stuff., Like I am but read more bout this.
Anyways my dad comes home today from this place where he says they sell "PERFORMANCE" shocks. I tell him you can't just buy these so called "PERFORMANCE" shocks without knowing a single thing about them and if they can handle the spring rates, etc on those loweriung springs...I think they even disregard what the hell the springs are.
Anyways it's not my car but my dad is like they will work, they are PERFORMANCE kind and he says they cost close to stock ones...
Now I'm paranoid a bit so tell me I am right about this stuff about suspension work being harder than it is? I mean I think pros should handle it...But more research should be put in to it also.
Am I right or wrong? I have my own civic (first car getting license soon) and if I ever do suspension work, it's gonna be done by me or someone who knows more bout it...not them...lol
Brand is important too. Anyways the thing is my brother lowered his 4dr 92 civic i dunno 1-2 years ago and since then the car has been making weird noises. Now I dunno about the springs he used....Its not my car...But I have a feeling about them being some sort of "generic" lowering springs as they were bought off ebay. Anyways I felt that was a bad mistake and felt that doing suspension work isn't as easy as it seems to be.
Now my dad and uncle are no means car techies but my bros cars shcoks died. I already told him...You cant use lowering springs with stock 8+ yr old shocks. Nobody ever seems to listen to me on this stuff as I am the younger one and they think they know more...but not to be mean but they are newbies on this stuff., Like I am but read more bout this.
Anyways my dad comes home today from this place where he says they sell "PERFORMANCE" shocks. I tell him you can't just buy these so called "PERFORMANCE" shocks without knowing a single thing about them and if they can handle the spring rates, etc on those loweriung springs...I think they even disregard what the hell the springs are.
Anyways it's not my car but my dad is like they will work, they are PERFORMANCE kind and he says they cost close to stock ones...
Now I'm paranoid a bit so tell me I am right about this stuff about suspension work being harder than it is? I mean I think pros should handle it...But more research should be put in to it also.
Am I right or wrong? I have my own civic (first car getting license soon) and if I ever do suspension work, it's gonna be done by me or someone who knows more bout it...not them...lol
20-Nov-2004, 04:01 PM
#2
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Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 3,745
how low did he go? and what shocks is he planning to buy? and yes its nothing really to mess around with, check the balljoints and make sure there is no play because when a balljoint snaps you loose all control of the car and thats not good at 100km/hr.
20-Nov-2004, 04:37 PM
#3
Luka
Join Date: Aug 2003
Posts: 14,319
Suspension is definately something you must research on your own...do a lot of it. Too many people make the mistake of buying ****ty shocks and then spending more money replacing them then they would have if they bought the good stuff to begin with. If they cost close to stock, thats what they are, stock replacements.
buy some illuminas and call it a day
21-Nov-2004, 12:57 AM
#7
To take the "guess work" so to speak, out of choosing a suspension setup just by a kit. I bought the tokico advance handling kit (illumina's and 1.75" drop spring) and its perfect, not too low, very stock like ride quality and amazing performance. I also have suspension techniques sway bars and strut tower braces all around to help with performance.
Or buy coilovers, real coilovers, not just the sleeves. There are many quality products to choose from in terms of coilovers.
If aftermarket parts are the same price as stock parts they would usually be of the same caliber....meaning not performance. You get what you pay for with car parts. Don't cheap out on suspension, its just money that you will have to spend again on the good stuff.
Or buy coilovers, real coilovers, not just the sleeves. There are many quality products to choose from in terms of coilovers.
If aftermarket parts are the same price as stock parts they would usually be of the same caliber....meaning not performance. You get what you pay for with car parts. Don't cheap out on suspension, its just money that you will have to spend again on the good stuff.
21-Nov-2004, 06:19 PM
#8
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Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Canada
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Thats what I was expecting. This stuff ain't just buying claimed "PERFORMANCE" stuff when you don't know what the hell your doing and getting yourself into.
Anyways at least it's not my car. It's my brothers car. They are all newbies. I tried talking to my dad about this stuff and he was stubborn about it saying oh they are "performance" stuff they will work...Sheesh.
BTW I think my brothers suspension is dropped like 2 inches? or close to that. Its fricking low. Its about like 1-2 finger heights. Everytime you drive it, you know somethings just messed up. He's getting iregular tire wear (camber kit needed, I know...They just think Im crazy).
Anyways thanks guys. You helped me out. It's not my car so if they dont want to hear me and take some advice, then screw it I say. I just won't be asking them to help me with my suspension down the future.
Edit: I don't know what kinda lowering springs he has. All I just saw before was some "generic" looking box with "lowering springs" name on them. It's purple/redish in color and by no means did I see any name brand on them. They ain't Eibachs, H&R Springs thats for sure. They are doing a noobish rush job IMO.
Anyways at least it's not my car. It's my brothers car. They are all newbies. I tried talking to my dad about this stuff and he was stubborn about it saying oh they are "performance" stuff they will work...Sheesh.
BTW I think my brothers suspension is dropped like 2 inches? or close to that. Its fricking low. Its about like 1-2 finger heights. Everytime you drive it, you know somethings just messed up. He's getting iregular tire wear (camber kit needed, I know...They just think Im crazy).
Anyways thanks guys. You helped me out. It's not my car so if they dont want to hear me and take some advice, then screw it I say. I just won't be asking them to help me with my suspension down the future.
Edit: I don't know what kinda lowering springs he has. All I just saw before was some "generic" looking box with "lowering springs" name on them. It's purple/redish in color and by no means did I see any name brand on them. They ain't Eibachs, H&R Springs thats for sure. They are doing a noobish rush job IMO.
22-Nov-2004, 12:17 PM
#12
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To adjust negative and positive camber depending on track application.
i've had a lowering spring (not too low i guess) with stock struts. i'm about to change the struts, should i do something about the camber?
22-Nov-2004, 12:40 PM
#13
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Join Date: May 2003
Location: Ontario
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More negative camber makes the bottom of the wheel pushing further out, what it does is it helps the car in cornering because when the car corners, the G force will make the wheel straight again, providing full tyre surface contact to maintain traction.
On the race track, people sometimes increase negative camber and once the car is back on street, they set it back to factory setting, to reduce unnecessary tyre wear.
On the race track, people sometimes increase negative camber and once the car is back on street, they set it back to factory setting, to reduce unnecessary tyre wear.
22-Nov-2004, 01:53 PM
#15
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Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Honda
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About suspension:
OEM Engineers spend a long time tuning suspension set ups from hundreds and hundreds of different possibilities. Buying a set of dampers (shock absorbers) and springs is just one of those possibilities. Engineers use all the resources and experience of an OEM and decide on settings. In no way, is this a simple thing.
That is why my car has stock suspension. If the balance is good enough for the Honda Engineer's it's good enough for me.
OEM Engineers spend a long time tuning suspension set ups from hundreds and hundreds of different possibilities. Buying a set of dampers (shock absorbers) and springs is just one of those possibilities. Engineers use all the resources and experience of an OEM and decide on settings. In no way, is this a simple thing.
That is why my car has stock suspension. If the balance is good enough for the Honda Engineer's it's good enough for me.
22-Nov-2004, 02:18 PM
#16
Mark, you may have misunderstood... I meant the physical installation is easy and fun. Not the dampening and rebound rates, spring rates, alignment settings. But thankfully there are enuf products for Civics out there to make the right choices.
22-Nov-2004, 02:24 PM
#18
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Location: Ontario
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When you lower the car too much, you are really forcing out the tyres which create a higher negative camber. High camber will greatly reduce straight line performance because the tyre surfaces have been reduced.
In the way, you don't damage camber, you adjust it. Camber damages tyre wear and other parts. When you change one thing on the car, sometimes, it effects the other component(s). Therefore, you need to pay attention to other suspension parts as well to achieve what you wanted in the first place - to lower the centre of gravity and increase cornering ability - but not to go backwards and make the car handle worse than before.
In the way, you don't damage camber, you adjust it. Camber damages tyre wear and other parts. When you change one thing on the car, sometimes, it effects the other component(s). Therefore, you need to pay attention to other suspension parts as well to achieve what you wanted in the first place - to lower the centre of gravity and increase cornering ability - but not to go backwards and make the car handle worse than before.
22-Nov-2004, 03:56 PM
#19
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yea..some people said when you use lowering spring with stock struts, you will have negative camber and in result damaging the shocks. i didn't really understand which part is camber and how the shocks are effected by the lowered springs
