car n00bie.. questions on suspension and rims in particular

hi guys, just registered about 10minutes ago LOL hectic aha ive been with my 9th gen honda civic now for a year this coming august... and ive been considering getting some work done to it?

ive spoken to a few friends but im always getting totally different opinions and whatnot so here goes...

i really want to lower my car!! the stock suspension is so bloody high and it just looks absolutely silly! one of my friends suggested i just get bigger rims (currently 16") so i was then thinking on maybe some 17"s but then another friend said if i were to change my rims i would have to do suspension work anyway since the different rims will make teh car a bit unstable or something..

so then i thought maybe ill just stick with my stock rims since i like them anyway (they are very neat and have a cute little honda sign on it ^_^) and just lower my car a little... that would be the better option right?

and my other query was just concreting the difference between springs and coilovers.. so springs pretty much just lower your car for the looks? if i were to lower my car with springs then i would also have to change the shock absorbers also right?
whereas if i just get coilovers i just .. get the coilovers and thats it. but coilovers are much more pricey?

so technically in other words, if i were to get springs and a new shock absorbers(is that the proper name?) then my car should be alright? at the moment the distance between the tyre and the body of the car is liek -_- i think about 8cm... so like 3". hoping maybe to lower it by half. that should be alright?

also i was thinking of an exhaust... nothing too extreme, just a little bit of that amazingly sexy low rumble. compared to suspension work (which i have a LITTLE knowledge of...) i dont have any knowledge on exhausts and mufflers etc. just curious if anyone could give me any basic insight into them and what i should look for and approximate or average prices?

sorry for all the questions LOL HAHA i only want the best for my baby :love: and also hopefully i can learn a lot more about cars from this forum ^_^

Standard suspension contains a damper (shock absorber) and a spring. generally (almost always) the standard ones are non adjustable.

Springs will lower your car, and you can re use the original dampers (if they are still in good nick), the problem with lowered springs though is that over time it will kill the damper because the spring is only holding the car a fraction of the height that the original damper was designed for ontop of this they arent adjustable and if they are too low for you then too bad (sort of).
also they are generally stiffer yet fairly soft for real sporty driving.
http://www.tein.com/products/photo/stech_products.jpg
*tein s tech springs

you can get dampers that match springs you can buy Height adjustable ones where i think the damper stroke is set (so you never only run it part the way up) but it is adjusted by a perch which can turn up a thread and then the bottom where it mounts to the car is higher, making the wheels sit higher up in the car (effectively lowering it).
better dampers have adjustable valving or a good valve preset for a stiffer spring.
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1217/...0e05df2a_b.jpg
*koni yellows

Coilovers are good from a track point of view, the spring rates are hard and the shocks are already matched (fittment and valving) to the spring so its an easy one piece buy (the springs fit perfectly over the damper), pretty much all of them are height adjustable and the better ones are damper adjustable (adjust the rate at which the springs return the car to full height this is called matching the valving -or something to that effect).
http://www.personal.psu.edu/kzl5059/...20coilover.jpg
*Tein coilovers

there is another alternative!
you can buy Coil sleeves/spring sleeves.
http://www.nolimitmotorsport.com/2/g...l-coilover.jpg
*ground control sleeves
these are basically a spring on an adjustable base so the give you completely height adjustable suspension.
they can fit aftermarket Dampers or stock ones, provided u get the right set.
get ground control dont just settle for a lame ebay brand because the springs rates will all be the same and it will make the car a pig t drive.


i think if your car is new and u dont mind flogging out the dampers (it will take a while though) then just use adjustable sleeved springs.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Baby Face

you can buy Height adjustable ones where i think the damper stroke is set (so you never only run it part the way up) but it is adjusted by a perch which can turn up a thread and then the bottom where it mounts to the car is higher, making the wheels sit higher up in the car (effectively lowering it).
better dampers have adjustable valving or a good valve preset for a stiffer spring.


there is another alternative!
you can buy Coil sleeves/spring sleeves.
http://www.nolimitmotorsport.com/2/g...l-coilover.jpg
*ground control sleeves
these are basically a spring on an adjustable base so the give you completely height adjustable suspension.
they can fit aftermarket Dampers or stock ones, provided u get the right set.
get ground control dont just settle for a lame ebay brand because the springs rates will all be the same and it will make the car a pig t drive.

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thankyou for the very detailed reply!!!!! :D:D what exactly are these height adjustable springs? and these "coil sleeves" ????

^^ This guy knows his shit. +1

For exhaust. There are 3 parts to it, starting from your engine to what you see at the back of your car.

Headers > Cat Converter > Muffler.

You could go to a exhaust shop and get them to weld a muffler to your current cat. For fairly cheap under $300?? This will get you sound.

Spend abit more and gain some performace by either buying a sexy JDM one try JDMYard or JDMConcept or spending abit more at the exhaust place.

Hi Flow Cat + Bendrel bent straight flow exhaust system cost approx $1k at a descent shop this will get you better sound + little performace.

Big a BALLER get the full system, in this you will see all gains left right center, sound performace and get it done right your mileage should increase too.

Nice 4-2-1 Header to see gains from mid or 4-1 Header will see heaps of gains from higher end. with a matched Hi Flow Cat and straight flow exhaust you will be cheering you did the full setup. Cost approx 1.5k+ depanding where you go what products you choose.

I just did a xforce twin loop + high flow cat with bendrel bent pipping cost $1050.00 and the sound is awesome. Awaiting my PLM headers soon. It sounds real good but the performace gains are very minimum.


Aww cant repp you BAby it says i must spread it.

OP if your budget permits I would reccomend a set of coilovers. Do it Once and do it right.

This way you have the option of Lowering to increasing hieght of your car. Some more expensive ones also come with Damper controls to control the stiffness of the dampers as well. You can pick a nice set of as shown above is what i used to have Super Streets from Tiens nice spring rate mated to a good set of dampers.

Or if you dont mind the high spring rate and stiffer dampers try the Buddy Club N+ they are abit cheaper then tiens but offers similar performace.

I think the N+ is more of a track suited product over the super streets.

what does OP mean?? my friend just said apparently you have to change coilovers every now and then.. please tell me thats not true HAHA so ultimately in the long run coilovers > springs i guess? although i would have to invest slightly more money into it....

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Baby Face

Standard suspension contains a damper (shock absorber) and a spring. generally (almost always) the standard ones are non adjustable.

Springs will lower your car, and you can re use the original dampers (if they are still in good nick), the problem with lowered springs though is that over time it will kill the damper because the spring is only holding the car a fraction of the height that the original damper was designed for ontop of this they arent adjustable and if they are too low for you then too bad (sort of).
also they are generally stiffer yet fairly soft for real sporty driving.
http://www.tein.com/products/photo/stech_products.jpg
*tein s tech springs

you can get dampers that match springs you can buy Height adjustable ones where i think the damper stroke is set (so you never only run it part the way up) but it is adjusted by a perch which can turn up a thread and then the bottom where it mounts to the car is higher, making the wheels sit higher up in the car (effectively lowering it).
better dampers have adjustable valving or a good valve preset for a stiffer spring.
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1217/...0e05df2a_b.jpg
*koni yellows

Coilovers are good from a track point of view, the spring rates are hard and the shocks are already matched (fittment and valving) to the spring so its an easy one piece buy (the springs fit perfectly over the damper), pretty much all of them are height adjustable and the better ones are damper adjustable (adjust the rate at which the springs return the car to full height this is called matching the valving -or something to that effect).
http://www.personal.psu.edu/kzl5059/...20coilover.jpg
*Tein coilovers

there is another alternative!
you can buy Coil sleeves/spring sleeves.
http://www.nolimitmotorsport.com/2/g...l-coilover.jpg
*ground control sleeves
these are basically a spring on an adjustable base so the give you completely height adjustable suspension.
they can fit aftermarket Dampers or stock ones, provided u get the right set.
get ground control dont just settle for a lame ebay brand because the springs rates will all be the same and it will make the car a pig t drive.


i think if your car is new and u dont mind flogging out the dampers (it will take a while though) then just use adjustable sleeved springs.

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You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to Baby Face again.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by educk

thankyou for the very detailed reply!!!!! :D:D what exactly are these height adjustable springs? and these "coil sleeves" ????

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maybe i didnt convey myself well, the height adjustable springs are the Sleeved springs/ Coiles with sleeves/sleeved coils etc.
they are basically a spring that perches on a giant nut (essentially) as you spin the nut it winds up the threaded base of the inner sleeve effectively giving you control of how high the spring sits and how high the car will then be elevated by the spring.

dont go getting larger wheels until the car is lower, i think 16's is a very suitable size for a civic. and tyres are more reasonably priced i would imagine.
if you go or larger tyres to fill the gap the amount of gap you fill (very little) will also raise the car.
and then the lack of tyre will make the tyre gap evenmore noticable and the end result will be ugly (hate to say)

FB2 has a r18 engine i believe so there are no "headers" or "extractors" available as the exhaust outlet goes straight to the cat:
http://asia.vtec.net/Engines/RiVTEC/main.jpg

the newer R engines and the L engines in the Jazz's have no headers since the ports are made inside the Head block, essentially without the CATALYTIC converter you ONE hole.

so since the CAT is new and i would imagine a performance one for this engine may be awkward to mount, i would say to just get a Cat back (replacing the B pipe/mid pipe and the Axle back ( basically a muffler with some pipe and a flange that connects to the Mid pipe around the rear wheels area) )
the new one made up by an exhaust shop will be a solid piece in contrast though, although that doesnt really matter.
a 2inch mandrel bend with a free-er flowing muffler would do it.
my EG doesnt rumble much and sounds rather clean since i went to a 2.25 from a 2. it eliminates some of the rasp especially since its mandrel bent.

Also you could buy a "downpipe" for a R18 example
http://www.aj-racing.com/blog/wp-con...er-500x333.jpg
*AJ racing


lots of these though elminate the cat which is illegal, and i dont condone it. might be able to find one with a high flow cat though (legal).
and exhaust shop might be able to use the stock flange and cut the honda CAT off and weld on a high flow one if its not too big and bulky, I reckon a Venom one would fit well (get the smallst one possible though and dont quote me on the fitment im purely guessing)

This is the standard stock one.
http://wiki.clubcivicquebec.com/imag...18A_Engine.JPG*Stock


Having a High flow CAT or no cat downpipe can cause an ECU error code though because of the odd emissions so i would investigate this further.

heres a great link to help you mod your R series theres a list of air intakes and Downpipes for you to choose from.
http://www.superhonda.com/forum/f55/...-guide-325239/

Quote:

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Originally Posted by educk

what does OP mean?? my friend just said apparently you have to change coilovers every now and then.. please tell me thats not true HAHA so ultimately in the long run coilovers > springs i guess? although i would have to invest slightly more money into it....

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You dont HAVE to change your shocks ever unless they are leaking oil or knocking.


i have 20year old shocks sitting on lowered springs, and i have no adverse affects no leaks or knocks

Jasemas however has 19yr old shocks on standard springs and has a leak in ONE!

so i dont think it will matter too much, since u have new shocks they should be healthy which means they are great to keep or still worht throwing springs on.

your call. if u want comfort get springs, if u want some comfort and a particular height be it very low or still high then get the sleeved springs.

if your shocks start dying get aftermarket ones like Koni's, if you dont mind a rough ride and want to hug the road/track then you want coilovers (or a very good set of Shocks mated and valved for your springs eg Adjustable shocks (koni band is popular) with a set of ground control sleeves)
having the ability to adjust height is really good on a cornering car that way you can adjust the weight distribution among the tyres to make braking and acceleration and all aspects of handling more even by having it adjusted to sit the car perfectly distributed with your body weight in the driver seat.

OP is original Poster

or do you have a k20z engine?

thankyou :)))))) yeah i think ive decided on the springs ^_^ they seem much more suited because its not like i am going to put my car into racing, it is just for everyday drive and i think the whole adjustable thing kinda defeats the whole purpose for me getting my car lowered because .. well, i want to get it lowered for it to be lower LOL not to bring it back up again etc

as for the exhaust, im still somewhat confused... so the exhaust is the name for like.. the whole sound? component? that your car makes? and the catback is like the pipe that connects the EXHAUST (which im assuming is in the hood of my car) to the .. to the little pipe thing that sticks out of the butt of my car? is there a name for tha? or is that just called an exhaust pipe or something LOL so what is a muffler then? this is so much more complex than i originally thought LOL omg sorry im such a downie HAHAHAflkjdlkafjdlk

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Baby Face

or do you have a k20z engine?

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ummm... im not too sure ._____. how do i find out? :S

Quote:

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Originally Posted by educk

thankyou :)))))) yeah i think ive decided on the springs ^_^ they seem much more suited because its not like i am going to put my car into racing, it is just for everyday drive and i think the whole adjustable thing kinda defeats the whole purpose for me getting my car lowered because .. well, i want to get it lowered for it to be lower LOL not to bring it back up again etc

as for the exhaust, im still somewhat confused... so the exhaust is the name for like.. the whole sound? component? that your car makes? and the catback is like the pipe that connects the EXHAUST (which im assuming is in the hood of my car) to the .. to the little pipe thing that sticks out of the butt of my car? is there a name for tha? or is that just called an exhaust pipe or something LOL so what is a muffler then? this is so much more complex than i originally thought LOL omg sorry im such a downie HAHAHAflkjdlkafjdlk

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Adjustable means you can go lower, really low, or scrub down low
Adjustable are the best
Why?
Lets say you get lowered springs/shocks/dampers that are non adjustable and install them in your car
And realise that your car is too low and you cannot go over speed humps/curbs without your chassis (bottom of the car) hitting unmovable objects
You cannot 'adjust' them or raise them, because you cannot - so you wasted $300-500 dollar

Now with adjustable you can set any height you want
From stock - yes stock height
To really low, or just lowered a couple of inches
See what we are getting at here?


And exhaust means the down piping from the engine, all the way to the back of the car
Exhaust is the whole system
Comprised of the headers/extractors
To the down pipe
To the catback - which is a Catalytic Converter. It catches all the nasty gas from the engine and 'converts' the gas to less harmful fumes
To a straight pipe/silencer
To a muffler - which muffles the noise, as a car without all this system is VERY VERY LOUD
To the exhaust pipe tips
Hope the picture helps

http://www.kwik-fit.com/assets/jpg/g...work_large.jpg

Quote:

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Originally Posted by educk

ummm... im not too sure ._____. how do i find out? :S

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Well what 9th gen civic do you have?
Is it a coupe - 2 door
Hatchback - 4 door
Sedan - 4 door with boot

And what trim is it?
Sport
VTi-L
VTi-S

That can help us with what engine/car specs you have

As for finding your engine number on the engine block
I;m stumped with these new engines





Check out these new links
That'll help with your lack of familiarity with cars
http://www.ozhonda.com/forum/showthr...-cars-see-here

http://www.ozhonda.com/forum/showthr...r-car-see-here

how did u determine you have an fb2 but not know the engine?

look on the engine for a number.
or if your engine looks like the ones i posted before thats an R18 engine.

since you dont seem to have any real track purpose or interest in gaining power just get a press bent 2.25inch cat back system. should be cheap 200$ at most for a press bent. Mandrel bent is more pricey (but better quality bends).
OR!
just ask the shop to weld a Hot Dog resonator at the end to replace your muffler.


in regards to the pics above remember your catalytic converter is on the front of the engine and points down ward into a pipe that then goes under the engine and to the rear of the car

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jasemas

Adjustable means you can go lower, really low, or scrub down low
Adjustable are the best
Why?
Lets say you get lowered springs/shocks/dampers that are non adjustable and install them in your car
And realise that your car is too low and you cannot go over speed humps/curbs without your chassis (bottom of the car) hitting unmovable objects
You cannot 'adjust' them or raise them, because you cannot - so you wasted $300-500 dollar

Now with adjustable you can set any height you want
From stock - yes stock height
To really low, or just lowered a couple of inches
See what we are getting at here?


And exhaust means the down piping from the engine, all the way to the back of the car
Exhaust is the whole system
Comprised of the headers/extractors
To the down pipe
To the catback - which is a Catalytic Converter. It catches all the nasty gas from the engine and 'converts' the gas to less harmful fumes
To a straight pipe/silencer
To a muffler - which muffles the noise, as a car without all this system is VERY VERY LOUD
To the exhaust pipe tips
Hope the picture helps

http://www.kwik-fit.com/assets/jpg/g...work_large.jpg

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ah so pretty much its all a matter of luck whether i like the final look of how low my car is???? yeah i think my friend had that problem! he lowered his dc5r and then after a few months he put it up a little bit because he was sick of the scraping.. but as long as i dont get springs that are TOO low then it should be fine right? as long as i do my research into these springs? :D

its a VTi-L sedan :))

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Baby Face

how did u determine you have an fb2 but not know the engine?

look on the engine for a number.
or if your engine looks like the ones i posted before thats an R18 engine.

since you dont seem to have any real track purpose or interest in gaining power just get a press bent 2.25inch cat back system. should be cheap 200$ at most for a press bent. Mandrel bent is more pricey (but better quality bends).
OR!
just ask the shop to weld a Hot Dog resonator at the end to replace your muffler.


in regards to the pics above remember your catalytic converter is on the front of the engine and points down ward into a pipe that then goes under the engine and to the rear of the car

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im not sure :S i was just told by my friend it was an fb2 because the fb6 is the sport version and because mine is just a VTi-L model... i will go take a look at the engine/vin number tomorrow when it is not pitch black outside haha

i put springs on my car and its lower than legal height, a bit of a bitch if im honest.

better off getting ground control if i did it again.

but for me i think i should get some COILovers

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Baby Face

i put springs on my car and its lower than legal height, a bit of a bitch if im honest.

better off getting ground control if i did it again.

but for me i think i should get some COILovers

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really? so was it not what u expected? im looking at a set of eibach springs that will supposedly lower my car about 1.5" (sportline range) and i think about 1-1.25" for non sportline... it should be an approximate measurement of how low it will go right? or does it depend on the car when its actually installed?

Your car has an R18 engine
1.8 litre
If i were you i'd sell it and buy an EK or a Jazz
As your car is new - there's not a whole range of aftermarket/performance parts, as it's an economy box
The newer model of Honda's are almost unmodifiable and made of tin foil (e.g Honda Jazz radiator support beam)
You'll get that 'sexy pur' but at the cost of people laughing at you and not much performance gain as your car has not exhaust manifold

nah keep it unless u really wanna be sporty if u just wanna look sporty use those measurements get your springs and and get a new muffler. if its still not a good enough noice get a cat back for it.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jasemas

Your car has an R18 engine
1.8 litre
If i were you i'd sell it and buy an EK or a Jazz
As your car is new - there's not a whole range of aftermarket/performance parts, as it's an economy box
The newer model of Honda's are almost unmodifiable and made of tin foil (e.g Honda Jazz radiator support beam)
You'll get that 'sexy pur' but at the cost of people laughing at you and not much performance gain as your car has not exhaust manifold

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but i love my car :( it has been through a lot with me... and regardless, it is not my car to sell HAHA it is still the family car (although my parents barely touch it and i drive it everywhere) so the idea for an exhaust i should just wipe completely from my mind and not get one? ..... i dont understand why people would laugh at me though :( thats just mean HAHAHA

If it's not your car - and you have only had it for less than a year (how much can you go through)
I do NOT think you should be doing these modifications without your family/parents permit/consent
As cars with coilovers/exhaust/any mods can void your insurance etc.
I think you should reconsider all of this until those questions can be answered

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Baby Face

nah keep it unless u really wanna be sporty if u just wanna look sporty use those measurements get your springs and and get a new muffler. if its still not a good enough noice get a cat back for it.

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so if i just add a muffler, my exhaust system will stay the same, but jsut the noise will be different?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jasemas

If it's not your car - and you have only had it for less than a year (how much can you go through)
I do NOT think you should be doing these modifications without your family/parents permit/consent
As cars with coilovers/exhaust/any mods can void your insurance etc.
I think you should reconsider all of this until those questions can be answered

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yeah theyre fine with it! but they want me to just collect all the information i can so they can agree and discuss all kinds of options etc before i concrete it all down HAHA which is why im asking all these questions atm sorry LOL

Are you a girl...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jasemas

Are you a girl...

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yes... why do u ask that like its something dreaded and horrible ._.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jasemas

Are you a girl...

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+1 I thought of this on the 2nd page too lol. She knows thats its a fb2 but cant read the engine block number.

And OP = Original Poster which is you.

You also got to consider how much you love this car. Yes even i loved my 1st car. Yes I even said i wont sell it. Yes i drowned 20k on it. Yes i sold it for 8k lol.

Now i bought another civic and Im planning to drown another 20k in it cos its a passion/hobby for me.

Do you really want to spend so much money on a car??

Isnt there something more you would like to do with your money?? (Shoes,Makeup,Cloths...getting trashed with the girls??)

I would say just get nice set of springs cost approx $500 from pedders installed.

Get a cannon installed cost under 250

And call it a day.

Not being a dick but srsly Im being honest.

Everytime i tell my family or firends how much I have used on my 99 Civic or on my girlfirends jazz lol everyone laughs at me.

Im just being honest.

Also why wreck such a nice car. If i had something new like that I would not touch it. But thats just me I do like the smooth nice and quiet ride. Plus i think girls are hotter driving stock cars. Just me lol.

And Baby Face WHOA IT DSNT HAVE A HEADER?? WOW it must be a super quiet car.


OH I HAVE TEST DRIVEN THIS CAR. Dont change a single thing its perfect from factory.

Once my missus Jazz is sold this is what shes upgrading to.

Dont change it your voiding your warranty. Yes its slow but who cares you got features that shits all over other cars in that price range.

ignor him (jasemas). youre a girl wiht a honda and thats great.

NOW:
getting a new muffler will change the exhaust system.
the only way to make it louder or change the noise of your exhaust system is to modify it.
so you can put holes in it (before the muffler) or you can get a new muffler, or a new system all together.
by changing the muffler for a Sporty style one you will be removing the old one which is very silencing and putting on one that has less baffling.
simple right?

to make it louder then you can have the piping changed to a bigger size, i dont think this is necessary for you though, since it will change the feel of the engine a lil and probably wont benefit city driving much at all.

you could also ask the exhaust shop to cut off the muffler and make a new pipe to replace it (this will probably make a pretty cool noise) and then they can just weld/attach a fancy tip to make it look sexier from behind.

a new muffler will come with a new tip but that doesnt mean the tips cant be changed or welded over.

i actually recommend you have the old muffler removed and have a straight pipe with a new tip put on instead.

PS dont get a love heart or star shape tip or any of that stuff, that shit is terrible and putting it on is a sin.

a stright pipe should be more than 60$

What did I say that was offending??

Just trying to help her out in her best interest.

And lol at your suggestion to crack her exhaust. Thats a Sin

Now I dont think you guys need much of an explanation why she shouldn't do this.

But OP if your really interested in using your money like this knowing you will not get this money back if anything your just dropping down what your car is worth currently.

SureFlo - Exhaust shop in Ingleburn do really good exhaust and have a great deal more experience then you will find on the forums.

Bankstown Exhaust - Great customer service, questionable knowledge on hondas but they do what you ask them to do and the welds I have seen them do look like Factory robot welds.

For your lowering eibach is a good brand or Tien S if you would like to keep things simple just go pedders and they will do a descent job for you.

This is just my 2cents. Have a read of peoples build threads and what the sticky's all over these forums it will help your car knowledge grow.

The information the other 2 perth lads are giving you are on the dot.

omg relax people LOL i absolutely love my car despite a lot of my more jdm-influenced friends disagreeing and trying to make me sell it and buy a new one lol i love my car stock but it is just a tad too high for me which is why i want it lowered a little. i dont want it scraping the floor.... and yes im aware that the handling will alter after i lower it which is why im only 99% sure on lowering and if i am 100% i want to be able to find the most reliable mechanic to do it for me hahah

and as for the exhaust was merely just an intriguing thought, i wasnt set on getting one.. but just because i dont 100% want one doesnt mean i dont want to know how it still works :P sorry i get kind of carried away when it comes to cars because its actually so complex that its fascinating LOL

Quote:

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Originally Posted by amant02

Do you really want to spend so much money on a car??

Isnt there something more you would like to do with your money?? (Shoes,Makeup,Cloths...getting trashed with the girls??)

I would say just get nice set of springs cost approx $500 from pedders installed.

Get a cannon installed cost under 250

And call it a day.

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yeah lol this part here makes if sound like u thought i was going to spend thousands. only a couple hundred LOL i just wanted good springs and thats about it. i wasnt fully after bags or a whole exhaust system change.. but yeah as i said, i just got a bit carried away with asking questions LOL

Quote:

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Originally Posted by amant02

For your lowering eibach is a good brand or Tien S if you would like to keep things simple just go pedders and they will do a descent job for you.

This is just my 2cents. Have a read of peoples build threads and what the sticky's all over these forums it will help your car knowledge grow.

The information the other 2 perth lads are giving you are on the dot.

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ive seen some absolutely horrible reviews about pedders :( not so keen lol but can they just install springs uve already bought? or do u have to buy their own springs? haha good thing you live in sydney, thanks for the heads up on the workshops!

Yes i dislike pedders as well.

yes they will install springs for you that you provide.

If you would like information on pricing and what not theres a guy named Senna on this forum. His really good with pricing from what I've read.

Theres also other guys here who are willing to install it for cheap I think one of the moderators Ben.

Give them a try. Well I'm off to sleep I got work tmr need to earn dollars for my car. Feel free to PM me if you need help.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Baby Face

or do you have a k20z engine?

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they are either R18 or R20 now

so it'd be a extractor cast in head design

IMO after reading all that... just lower it on some decent springs, it will be fine.

lol yeah sry its an r18 engine and it is an fb2 ... and yes i called up eibach and the springs for my car are currently out of stock an will e back in a few wks :)

have you called honda to determine if it voids warranty to
A) install springs.
B) Any exhaust modifications.

Told you horn bags that its an r18 :P

From my experience, if its still under warranty, itll void anything related to that part. Just get a new muffler. N king springs. In my opinon.

king is probably a good idea in this case since they are soft.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by educk

what does OP mean?? my friend just said apparently you have to change coilovers every now and then.. please tell me thats not true HAHA so ultimately in the long run coilovers > springs i guess? although i would have to invest slightly more money into it....

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What your friend is referring to I think, is when you buy a set of coilovers, they generally don't last as long as shocks & springs due to their construction. There are many factors to the accelerated wear rate of coilovers inclusive of usage [People still can't grasp the concept that race spec coilovers [Mostly cheap ones] wear out very fast on the street], quality of parts, height and dampener setting.

So you can either overhaul it [Can be expensive, some brands must be sent overseas] or buy a new set and sell off your old set/bin the old set.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Baby Face

have you called honda to determine if it voids warranty to
A) install springs.
B) Any exhaust modifications.

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no not yet .... am somewhat dreading the answer LOL how long do warrantys usually last? :S

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Harricade

From my experience, if its still under warranty, itll void anything related to that part. Just get a new muffler. N king springs. In my opinon.

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Baby Face

king is probably a good idea in this case since they are soft.

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i was thinking eibach? ive heard a lot of good things about eibach so thats why im set on those right now.. havent heard much about kings. are they reliable?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by DreadAngel

What your friend is referring to I think, is when you buy a set of coilovers, they generally don't last as long as shocks & springs due to their construction. There are many factors to the accelerated wear rate of coilovers inclusive of usage [People still can't grasp the concept that race spec coilovers [Mostly cheap ones] wear out very fast on the street], quality of parts, height and dampener setting.

So you can either overhaul it [Can be expensive, some brands must be sent overseas] or buy a new set and sell off your old set/bin the old set.

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oh really? so, although coilovers are "better" , they wear out faster and arent as longlasting as springs? ... so then in the end for me just as a regular everyday driver who doesnt do any drastic racing or harsh driving in general would just be more suited to a good sturdy set of springs?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by educk

i was thinking eibach? ive heard a lot of good things about eibach so thats why im set on those right now.. havent heard much about kings. are they reliable?

oh really? so, although coilovers are "better" , they wear out faster and arent as longlasting as springs? ... so then in the end for me just as a regular everyday driver who doesnt do any drastic racing or harsh driving in general would just be more suited to a good sturdy set of springs?

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I dislike the quality of King Springs personally... Dependent on the application some of their springs are too soft... Eibach is reputable and you shouldn't have much issues with them as long as you keep to their softer lineup.

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Regarding coilovers, that is a general misconception. People that have not experienced enough with setting up cars will claim for fact that in general coilovers will beat shocks and springs combo both on the street and on the circuit which is utter nonsense. Handling =/= Stiffness. Handling is more about the ability for a driver to push the car to the limit with confidence. A car bouncing off bumps and not absorbing the bumps instead isn't going to give you confidence, quite the opposite actually.

Shocks & Springs due to simpler and sturdier design and specification [Street spec ones anyway] aren't as 'stiff' in general thus last longer than coilovers. Think of it like a cheap roundabout car being easier and cheaper to maintain then an exotic Supercar.

Suspension is all about application. So for your application, your car is a DD [Daily Driver] and you stated yourself you want to lower it but not to the extent I think you said that the car will be 'dumped'. Eibach springs with stock shocks should be sufficient, you can change shocks when the stock ones wear out which will be some time cause your car is pretty new and low ks?

- FAQ on Coilovers
- FAQ on Shocks & Springs, not finished though lol

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Regarding exhaust, if you just want to make the exhaust note a little more 'audible' without drawing too much attention rather than chasing performance, you can just change the axleback on your car to a high flow muffler. This will usually be slightly larger than your stock one but visibly unaltered from factory hence less attention. It is a little hard to predict the note and volume changes though as different designs and different material changes the pitch, tone and volume.

a more softer spring from eibach.. so would the sport springs be softer or the regular springs be softer? the regular ones im assuming? LOL

Quote:

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Originally Posted by DreadAngel

Think of it like a cheap roundabout car being easier and cheaper to maintain then an exotic Supercar.

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bravo! that analogy actually helped a lot LOL

but yeah my car is almost a year old so it should be fine i think, and its not like i drive very aggressively normally anyway, if anything im a pussy driver (although if im angry i tend to floor the accelerator a lot hahaha) because i am a stingy fxck when it comes to conserving petrol LOL even though my car already has amazingly low fuel consumption LOL is changing shocks simple?... actually dont answer that, i will ask that when the time comes to change them HAHAHAHHA

i looked at a few "mufflers" but they all seem to be pretty big ._. the exhaust pipe sticking out under my car is weird because it points downwards and u cant really see it unless u fully bend underneath the car so i was just rethinking any modifications with that... since it would be hard to find/install a new muffler and make it point down?.. or whatveer omg i dont know i am way too hungry and tired right now lol

Can you list the ones Eibach has available for your car?

That way I can check their specs :)

Yup, your shocks should be fine for a long time provided the springs aren't too aggressive [Stiff + Very Low = Aggressive]. Shocks aren't that hard, just like springs, you need to know your application and have the right advice, you'll be fine ;) Yup, leave it to when your factory shocks are shot lol...

Is it possible for you to take a picture of your car from the rear then? When I mentioned muffler, I was referring to the overall design unlike a Cannon... Something like this:

http://site.icbmotorsport.com/Fujits...60_52041_4.jpg

Is classified as a high flowing muffler =)

^that is a butiful muffler!


People often say coilovers are 'better' because they can either go stance|works lower or are fullysik spec hard which must be better (it's just not..)

So IMO go for a nice set of springs with some drop and a slightly harder rate but don't go for anything crazy

Quote:

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Originally Posted by DreadAngel

I dislike the quality of King Springs personally... Dependent on the application some of their springs are too soft... Eibach is reputable and you shouldn't have much issues with them as long as you keep to their softer lineup.

-------------

Regarding coilovers, that is a general misconception. People that have not experienced enough with setting up cars will claim for fact that in general coilovers will beat shocks and springs combo both on the street and on the circuit which is utter nonsense. Handling =/= Stiffness. Handling is more about the ability for a driver to push the car to the limit with confidence. A car bouncing off bumps and not absorbing the bumps instead isn't going to give you confidence, quite the opposite actually.

Shocks & Springs due to simpler and sturdier design and specification [Street spec ones anyway] aren't as 'stiff' in general thus last longer than coilovers. Think of it like a cheap roundabout car being easier and cheaper to maintain then an exotic Supercar.

Suspension is all about application. So for your application, your car is a DD [Daily Driver] and you stated yourself you want to lower it but not to the extent I think you said that the car will be 'dumped'. Eibach springs with stock shocks should be sufficient, you can change shocks when the stock ones wear out which will be some time cause your car is pretty new and low ks?

- FAQ on Coilovers
- FAQ on Shocks & Springs, not finished though lol

------------

Regarding exhaust, if you just want to make the exhaust note a little more 'audible' without drawing too much attention rather than chasing performance, you can just change the axleback on your car to a high flow muffler. This will usually be slightly larger than your stock one but visibly unaltered from factory hence less attention. It is a little hard to predict the note and volume changes though as different designs and different material changes the pitch, tone and volume.

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not only is it a confidence thing, but its also more so a stability thing, u cant control a car if the front wheels dont stay on the ground to apply power or directional control

Quote:

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Originally Posted by DreadAngel

Can you list the ones Eibach has available for your car?

That way I can check their specs :)

Yup, your shocks should be fine for a long time provided the springs aren't too aggressive [Stiff + Very Low = Aggressive]. Shocks aren't that hard, just like springs, you need to know your application and have the right advice, you'll be fine ;) Yup, leave it to when your factory shocks are shot lol...

Is it possible for you to take a picture of your car from the rear then? When I mentioned muffler, I was referring to the overall design unlike a Cannon... Something like this:

http://site.icbmotorsport.com/Fujits...60_52041_4.jpg

Is classified as a high flowing muffler =)

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looks exactly like this:
http://performancedrive.com.au/wp-co...-rear-side.jpg

sry my dad purposelly took the car this morning when i was sleeping LOLOL and ye so i couldnt take a photo hahha

the springs.. umm im actually not too sure which ones they are. although the other day i called the eibach in warriewood and asked them if they had springs for my car and the guy said theyll restock them in a few weeks time, although he didnt specify which ones they were... but i tried doing a google search just then and i came up with this website?

http://www.nolimitmotorsport.com/eibach/spring-apps-Honda.html


i think my civic is the one halfway down the list: "Civic 2 & 4-door 1.8L 4 Cyl." its either this one or "Civic 4 Cyl." this one since they are both 2012 models and my car is 4cylinder and 1.8L and its a 4door ._. but then there isnt much information on the types of springs.... T_T and regardless, they both say TBA so :|:|:| but ive seen some 2012 civics have eibach springs installed? bleh

Quote:

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Originally Posted by curtis265

^that is a butiful muffler!


People often say coilovers are 'better' because they can either go stance|works lower or are fullysik spec hard which must be better (it's just not..)

So IMO go for a nice set of springs with some drop and a slightly harder rate but don't go for anything crazy

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haha ye i just want it lowered like a max of 2"... preferably about 1.75" :D

are there any other good brands i should look at for springs?

as for the kings, surpposedly the lowered springs are KHFL171 for the front and KHFL172 for the back... are these just liek codes for the types of springs?

I would recommend getting Tein S-Spec, they are awesome and you can use them with your stock shocks.

Yeah those are codes.

King is a bit second rate in the eyes of most but come with a lifetime warranty i think, which is great for making up for flaws lol

those are product codes,
i have springs in my civic (94) and they are a lil soft for me (and for some reason way too low on the front and a lil high ontop.

I personally think kings have dropped their quaility over the years. - Just my view

http://www.tein.com/tech_info/hc0.html

Have a look at these. They are the S tech's. Highly rated within the Fanboys and they are progressive as well :)

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Originally Posted by amant02

I personally think kings have dropped their quaility over the years. - Just my view

http://www.tein.com/tech_info/hc0.html

Have a look at these. They are the S tech's. Highly rated within the Fanboys and they are progressive as well :)

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progressive meaning over little bumps they are soft but when u push it they stiffness increases. kind of a "best of both worlds"

Just be aware that lowering it will also result in a change in driving style and precautions, e.g possibly snaking over humps n up driveways. You may be ready for it but dont 4get ur family who drive your car too. You dont really want them to borrow ur car n come back with your exhaust gone after they went over a hump. Just something else for you to consider.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Harricade

Just be aware that lowering it will also result in a change in driving style and precautions, e.g possibly snaking over humps n up driveways. You may be ready for it but dont 4get ur family who drive your car too. You dont really want them to borrow ur car n come back with your exhaust gone after they went over a hump. Just something else for you to consider.

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these cars are kinda heigh i dont think a 1.5inch drop will be a life changer i think they have a tighter wheel base too)
and if she gets a straight pipe wont need to worry about a muffler being ripped off.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Baby Face

these cars are kinda heigh i dont think a 1.5inch drop will be a life changer i think they have a tighter wheel base too)
and if she gets a straight pipe wont need to worry about a muffler being ripped off.

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This baby face knows the score =)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by NightKids

I would recommend getting Tein S-Spec, they are awesome and you can use them with your stock shocks.

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Baby Face

progressive meaning over little bumps they are soft but when u push it they stiffness increases. kind of a "best of both worlds"

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yeah i think these tein ones sound amazing too! they are slightly more pricey though... is there a good website i can take a look at? there seems to only be a legitimate US site LOL

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Harricade

Just be aware that lowering it will also result in a change in driving style and precautions, e.g possibly snaking over humps n up driveways. You may be ready for it but dont 4get ur family who drive your car too. You dont really want them to borrow ur car n come back with your exhaust gone after they went over a hump. Just something else for you to consider.

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Baby Face

these cars are kinda heigh i dont think a 1.5inch drop will be a life changer i think they have a tighter wheel base too)
and if she gets a straight pipe wont need to worry about a muffler being ripped off.

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yeah i think the muffler can wait till later, just at the moment the car is pretty high, if anything it looks like a bloody 4wd LOLOL from the wheel to the chassis is about 3inches+ ... so hopefully a 1.5inch drop wont make too much of a difference? or will it be a huge difference :| i am used to driving over speedbumps slowly anyway and my mum has her own car.. as for my dad, about 50% of the time he needs the car, i drive it for him (because i just deliver stuff to his shop and etc) and regardless my dad is a typical slow asian driver but unlike the stereotype, he knows how to park so all is good LOL

also can someone tell me the proper way to pronounce chassis? i always thought it was just.. chas-iss... but then my friend pronounced it really weirdly the other day and he sounded kinda french LOL

SHAS SEE
(not SHARS-SEE)

measure how high the car is off the ground.

IE look under the car behind the front wheels and in front of the back wheels.
there will be a long plate of steel running all the way along.
along the long plate there will be 2 thicker parts of the plate they are the jacking points.
measure the height of them off the floor