imported_Luchez_Si

I need some suspension advice on the setup I have chosen to replace my stock 97 civic si setup. Ok your gonna love this one, I am a daily driver (I know why the f&*@ is he modding a daily driver...haha). The current setup is getting very sloppy and I want to increase the handling and feel of the car. I would have liked to have gone with a manufactured setup (matched springs/shocks,struts) but I think lowering my car more than 1" would be plain retarted since I do drive from the Hammer to the T-dot and also drive in the winter. I lieu of these handicaps this is the supension setup I have chosen

Tokico Illuminas Shocks/Struts ($400CAD on ebay WOW!)
&
H&R OE (.75") - 280F/190R (P/P) or
Neuspeed SofSports (.75") - 260F/150R (P/P)


The springs that are used with the Tokico Illumina Kit have spring rates of 250/123 (P/P). In trying to closely match these spring rates with using a differnent spring, would I be better off choosing the neuspeed over thge H&R's or does it even matter?
What would be the benefit or Downfall?

Please Advise.

imported_sane

i'm also wondering about the drop and ride quality of the illumina setup. everyone here's given them great reviews, but i'm not sure if i should drop that $ on it or go h&r sports (similar drop height) + stock shocks.

as for the h&r and neuspeed springs you mentioned, the drop is so subtle that it's almost pointless.

i've seen cars with those springs - and if you're running with +sized aftermarket rims, they don't look right.

my 2 c

bbarbulo

iTrader: (2)

I'd use the H&R OE spring

Stiffer rates will go a long way to help eliminate body roll, but at the range you're looking at, they will be very comfortable to ride on. Unfortunatly you'll also get to keep a lot of the body roll. So take the stiffest spring that will give you an acceptable ride. As for shocks, Illuminas are tough, adjustable shocks. Even at the lowest setting, they will easily handle the H&R OE springs. Remember, the OE springs were designed for use with OEM dampeners, so the Illuminas will have no problem.

imported_Luchez_Si

Thanks for the advice bbarbulo

bbarbulo

iTrader: (2)

no prob... I just hope you are happy with the drop you get, I hate to see ppl do something on their car and not be satisfied. but heck... I went through 4 suspensions before I found the right one for my ride preference, so it's all a matter of choice.

imported_Luchez_Si

Well. I would like to go lower but driving on the highway and in the city so much i have to compromise better looks/better handing for ride quality/comfort. Also winter is a bitch, if I went any lower I think that I would ahve to register a business as as snow plow.

bbarbulo

iTrader: (2)

Really, there are only 3-5 days a year when being low is a real concern... on those days when it snows overnight, and the roads are not clear yet on your way to work. that's a good time to bond with ppl at work and carpool hahaha

My buddy drives his lowered car on the winter no prob... so do many other ppl here. Winter tires are key! Now... I'm not gonna try to convince you to do anything silly. I just wanna let you know NOT to be disappointed when you eagerly put the car down from the jack stands and expect to see this lowered stance.... and then you walk around and realize it doesnt' LOOK any diff't. Well, it'll FEEL different, and it will also settle a little bit into it's stance. So DON'T be disappointed. I know how the 'big moment' feels, cuz I had to go through all this by myself before Hondas were really big around Canada (and I had no one to tell me about it). I mean... in 1998 when I first got and first lowered my car, I was the only one in Windsor. And I dropped that isht 2.5 inches right away so for me it was a huge difference.

zeeman

iTrader: (1)

my car is dropped 1.75" and i drive it everyday of the year. Like bbarbulo said it only really matters like a few times of the year and still its not like 1.75" is that low. I have the tokico advanced handling kit (springs and illumina's) and i would say the ride quality is amazing, its just a tad stiffer than stock but the handling makes up for it. I've driven from hamilton to t.o. many times and i have no complaints.
If you are not satisfied with how you car handles after your stiffer springs and better dampeners get some sway bars.
Sway bars make all the difference in the world. Especially when you put a rear sway bar on a car that was never equipped with one.

bbarbulo

iTrader: (2)

yeah, get a nice fatty one like me

DumbasSi

Luchez_Si

Speaking from experience because I have virtually the same car (98SI), live in the same city (the Hammer), and I used to drive to T.O. several times a week to visit the wife when she was going to school, I can say that driving lowered 1.75" on H&R Sports, that I have never had any problems driving in the winter.

Like bbarbulo mentioned, we don't get a huge amount of snow on a regualr basis. When we do, the roads are clear within a few hours. Besides, the difference between being lowered 1" to almost 2" won't really make much of a difference if you buy some snow tires. I have cheapo Walmart winter tires and they are great in the snow.

If your going to spend the time and money to buy quality adjustable struts like the Illuminas, I'd pair them with a more aggressive springs like the H&R Sports or the Illumina kit springs. Using those OE or Softsports with the adjustable Illuminas would be a waste I think.

H&R Sports with Koni Reds.

imported_Luchez_Si

Great advice Guys Thanks,

I tend to agree that if I'm gonna get a brand new setup that I probably would be happier in the end if I did lower it more than .75".

I have narrowed it down to the following:

Tokico Illumina Kit - 250/123 (P/P)1.5" Front/ 1.5" Rear

or

Tokico Illumina's w/

Eibach ProKit - 290F/190R (P/P) 1.5”/1.3”

or

H&R Sport - 330F/280R (P/P) 1.75" Front/ 1.5" Rear

I still have a hangup on the spring rates, look at the difference between the kit eibach and the H&R sport. It is my understanding that higher rates= less body roll, better handiling but also less comfort. Am I correct? I guess if I'm concerned about the comfort level than the kit or the eibach setup would be the one for me. Is there much difference between these springs to notice a difference?

StewPiddass

those rates aren't that bad, I had the H&R Sports in my EL (basically an EK) and they were great, it's still a progressive spring so the ride will be pretty good.

But hell, what do I know I have 400 lb fr and 500 lb rr linear rate eibachs in my EG.

I drove my EG for a couple of winters lowered 2.5" on H&R race no problem and I live in Barrie where we actually get snow!!!

zeeman

iTrader: (1)

bbarbulo:
how many mm's is that sway bar? its pretty damn beefy!

This is the tokico illumina kit on my eg, i'd say its a little lower than the advertised 1.5" front and rear. It was a little lower in the rear than in the front when i first put the kit on, but as soon as i put a b16 in the front evened out with the back.

Tokico kit gets a big thumbs up from me.

bbarbulo

iTrader: (2)

I use 22 mm rear, 26 mm front

imported_sane

this is the setup i'm planning on getting.

dumbasssi, just wondering what you've got your shocks set to? have you ever changed the setting yourself, and if so, is it difficult?

i'm learning towards h&r sports, just want to know if i should drop the $ on koni reds at the same time that i do the springs.

zeeman

iTrader: (1)

i say do it. If your gunna pull the suspension apart to do springs, why pull it apart again later when you decide to buy the Koni's. Do it all at once.

imported_sane

the main issue is $$$!!!

shocks - be them koni or tokico or whatever - are at least $400 and up depending on what u go with...

hey, if i can get some more use out of my stock shocks then why not???

zeeman

iTrader: (1)

i hear ya man. $$$ is always an issue when it comes to modding cars.
I had coilovers on stock 10 year old shocks and they were garbage after about 6 months. But i guess that would be long enough to save up for the Koni's or Illumina's. If you are doing the work yourself then it won't be so bad. But if you are paying someone else to do it, then i say wait a bit until you have enough to get both.