Lowered problems galore

[anchovies]

I've put suspension tech 2" with konis front and tokicos rear (and rear knuckle/upper arms/wheel cylinders) for the pass 3 days.

Problems:
1) The rears on the passenger side looks okie, but the drivers side is reaalll low (rubbing on my 14s).
2) Clanks and squeaks on both rears (might be the dead coils against each other).
3) Front konis with 2" drop is now sitting higher than my stock suspension!!!! :rant:

I'm too tired to think about it now..help from experienced ppl is appreciated thanks

[Jims 86LXI HB]

Originally posted by anchovies
I've put suspension tech 2" with konis front and tokicos rear (and rear knuckle/upper arms/wheel cylinders) for the pass 3 days.

Problems:
1) The rears on the passenger side looks okie, but the drivers side is reaalll low (rubbing on my 14s).
2) Clanks and squeaks on both rears (might be the dead coils against each other).
3) Front konis with 2" drop is now sitting higher than my stock suspension!!!! :rant:

I'm too tired to think about it now..help from experienced ppl is appreciated thanks

Did you do suspesion work on the offending rear side not relating to installing the springs/sturts?

Did you reinstall the plastic spring covers on the rear springs?

On the front, is it equal on both sides? Did you make sure that the struts are properly seating in the pinch fork's? Are the springs properly seating into the rubber cups in the upper sturt mounts?

[anchovies]

Originally posted by Jims 86LXI HB
Did you do suspesion work on the offending rear side not relating to installing the springs/sturts?

No, both sides got the same treatment (knuckles and upper arms). Although I think this might be the lip on the drivers side that's making it look worst. But even on stock suspension, the driver side is lower than the other side (this is whats driving me crazy, I always thought it was the suspension that was doing it).



Did you reinstall the plastic spring covers on the rear springs?

Plastic spring covers? You mean upper spring seat? Then yes, together with the upper mount, bushings (w/ inner cylinder), washer ...etc and also lower rubber seat



On the front, is it equal on both sides? Did you make sure that the struts are properly seating in the pinch fork's? Are the springs properly seating into the rubber cups in the upper sturt mounts?
Need to check these when the sun comes up.

thanks

[89AccordNate]

Might just be bad quality springs!!!

Nate.

[anchovies]

Okie took the fronts out today, besides the top strut nut not really low (tighter down) enough, everything else sits correctly.

Anyone running Suspension Techniques SpeedTech 2" springs? Does the front need time to settle? How much drop initially fresh when on?

I hope Nate is wrong but shit does happen and lately to me :)

[Jims 86LXI HB]

What issues do you still have?

Do you have ANYTHING in the trunk?

[anchovies]

Originally posted by Jims 86LXI HB
What issues do you still have?

Do you have ANYTHING in the trunk?

Yeah, let me see. Jack, jack stands, knuckle, old suspension, some tools :D.
I know it's somewhat heavy, but I still don't understand the difference in drop for the rear (compare both rears and compare rears to fronts). I'll take the rears off tomorrow and compare them side by side. As for the fronts, it's off the car for now. I need to borrow a "wedge" thing to yank the suspension back in.

PS: No spring compressor (clamp style) will work when trying to compress aftermarket lowering springs. The dust boot will not clear it. At least this is true for the 3 spring compressors I tried.

[Jims 86LXI HB]

You shouldn't need one to put the suspension back together, especially with 2" drop springs. If you have another person all you do is put all the parts together and place something under the suspension to allow you to comress is and then have another person slowly lower that corner of the car as you guide the raiseing strut rod through the strut mounts and when you get a couple thread past the top of the strut mount you catch a few threads of the strut nut and tighten it down and your done, repeat for each corner.

Do you have any pics of how the car is sitting?

[KaMiKaZeE]

This is making me rethink using S/T springs on mine. Keep us posted. Who else has these springs? Also, is it possible they sent you 2" drop springs designed for some other car?

[Night Rida]

Hi guys,
Man I really need toknow what the deal is w2ith these springs, there sitting in my room and need to know if you got springs for some other car by accident or could they just be bad springs???
Should I return mine and get the sprint springs for the 2.25 inch drop? Jim, what do you think about all this and about me exchanging them? Does NOPI accept exchanges? Or should I just try my luck and try the springs I have? BTW are they a silver color? That's what color I have, and Jim can you pls tell me what springs Mike used to drop his car?/
Thanks alot fellas.
Jay

[anchovies]

Yeah it's silver.

[AccordEXI]

I have the ST Speedtech Springs on my Accord and have not had any problems.

[Jims 86LXI HB]

Originally posted by Night Rida
Hi guys,
Man I really need toknow what the deal is w2ith these springs, there sitting in my room and need to know if you got springs for some other car by accident or could they just be bad springs???
Should I return mine and get the sprint springs for the 2.25 inch drop? Jim, what do you think about all this and about me exchanging them? Does NOPI accept exchanges? Or should I just try my luck and try the springs I have? BTW are they a silver color? That's what color I have, and Jim can you pls tell me what springs Mike used to drop his car?/
Thanks alot fellas.
Jay

If I were you I'd wait a bit and see what's up with anchovies issues. Even if nopi will exchange the springs paying to ship them back may be expensive. In the 2002 S/T catalog I have, the speed tech springs are painted silver. Mr89accordlxi aka Mike, has sprint springs on his car. I've used S/T springs in the past and had no problems.

[anchovies]

Originally posted by AccordEXI
I have the ST Speedtech Springs on my Accord and have not had any problems.

Can you please help me out and count the number of coils for the front springs. You should be able to count it by just jacking up the car. Thanks. Did it take you some time for the springs to settle?

[SiR]

Im not sure if it takes time to settle. I got twelve coils up front and their also painted silver. I have no problems with them. I got some pics of them.http://www.3geez.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=8914

I'll try to take some close-ups tonight of the gaps both front and rears. This seems like its now being a problem. Arent the springs 2.25 drop?

[AccordEXI]

Like AccordSiR posted, I count 12 coils up front as well and 11 for the rear. I had no noticable settling.

[anchovies]

Originally posted by AccordSiR

Arent the springs 2.25 drop?

No they are supposed to be 2.0" front 1.90" rear. But it seems more like -1.5" (negative for higher than stock) front 2.5" rears :D (for me at least)

Did you guys measure the before (stock) and after height (front and back) after the install?

[SiR]

No i'm sorry, i dont have the before an after measurements.

[anchovies]

YES I SOLVED THE PROBLEM!!
After some thinking time before I sleep and somemore on the toilet seat, I woke up eureka this evening. Hypothesis and preliminary experiment results were very positive. Rest of experiment will be done finished this weekend :D
This should be it (and I feel rather dumb ass). Won't tell till I finish it this weekend. Adds to the suspense :D

And Night and the rest who are worried about the ST springs, it is fine, don't worry about it.

[3G Jester]

tell us now or your dead fish man.

hahaha

Did you leave a clamp of some sort on the springs making them even more compressed? or something as equaly dumb?

[turfnnsurf]

my guess is that he had the rear springs in the fronts and vice versa.. hahahahahaha but just a guess..

[Jims 86LXI HB]

Originally posted by turfnnsurf
my guess is that he had the rear springs in the fronts and vice versa.. hahahahahaha but just a guess..

Not possible, front and rear springs have totally different outside diameters. It's like 2 1/2" front diameter and 3" rear diameter. Coilovers do use the same diameter springs front to rear. And other honda cars do use different diameter springs

[3G Jester]

Whats your guess jim

[Jims 86LXI HB]

That he's got the front lower spring cups installed upside down.

[3G Jester]

hahahaha actually thats probably it!

[Jims 86LXI HB]

Originally posted by 3g Jester
hahahaha actually thats probably it!

Hey, it's not his fault Koni's directions really suck,...bad!

I took on look at them and said, "this is nonesense" and just went about installing them and adjusting them in the way I thought made the most sense.

[3G Jester]

i havent seen em...i could only imagine the other problems you could face with bad suspension directions.

[Jims 86LXI HB]

Originally posted by 3g Jester
i havent seen em...i could only imagine the other problems you could face with bad suspension directions.

Their is a excellent how to in the how to section, that and the right tools is all anyone needs to do the install yourself. It's really not that hard. Do not ever pay someone to do it, save your money to buy the right parts and do it right the first time.

[anchovies]

Originally posted by Jims 86LXI HB
That he's got the front lower spring cups installed upside down.

You guys are no fun :rant:
Yeap, that IS the problem (or should be, haven't put em back yet)

This only happens to ppl with koni fronts and can't read silly cartoons .:werd: