Difference between springs & coilovers?

[ToNoAvail]

Does anyone know the difference between how coilovers and springs control your ride, or the comfort? I recently bought KYB GR2's and Dropzone lowering springs. I've heard from sources that coilovers are a tougher, bumpier ride, so I went for the springs instead. Could someone give me some insight or comments? Thanks.

[Jims 86LXI HB]

Originally posted by ToNoAvail
Does anyone know the difference between how coilovers and springs control your ride, or the comfort? I recently bought KYB GR2's and Dropzone lowering springs. I've heard from sources that coilovers are a tougher, bumpier ride, so I went for the springs instead. Could someone give me some insight or comments? Thanks.

Oh no, I wish you would have asked for input BEFORE you made a purchase. KYB GR-2's are oem valved replacements, they are no stiffer than stock and should never be used on stiffer coilovers or stiffer lowering springs. In addition dropzone coilovers are extreamly stiff( this is how much stiffer than stock they are,front 213% rear 300%), so stiff that even using standard Koni's is debateable. If their's any way you can return those sturts please do so, you'll regreet using them.

Read this FAQ post for further info on why you need to make a different sturt choice and for a explanation on coilovers. http://www.3geez.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=11093

If you have any questions after reading the above thread, please feel free to ask them here.

[ToNoAvail]

Wow, very valuable information Jim, thanks. I bought those springs off of E-bay thinking they were some kind of blow-out deal. I look for maximum comfort when I drive, but I am striving to minimize the leaning around turns to keep my friends from holding on to the 'oh shit grips'. Thanks again and I will return those craps. Any suggestions for a smoother yet good handling spring?

[AZmike]

You can't have both; it's always a compromise. One of the softer aftermarket spring sets would probably be your best bet (either H&R or Neuspeed) with good struts (Konis front and Tokicos or Konis (better) rear). You'll still end up with a different ride that is less comfort-oriented.

It's impossible to maintain your current ride and reduce lean in corners without screwing something else up. Lowering you car with stock spring rates or significatly stiffer sway bars will accomplish this, but you'll end up either bottoming out your suspension on bumps or feeling little one-wheel bumps in the road much more (since the opposite side of the car will react more).

[Jims 86LXI HB]

Originally posted by ToNoAvail
Wow, very valuable information Jim, thanks. I bought those springs off of E-bay thinking they were some kind of blow-out deal. I look for maximum comfort when I drive, but I am striving to minimize the leaning around turns to keep my friends from holding on to the 'oh shit grips'. Thanks again and I will return those craps. Any suggestions for a smoother yet good handling spring?

WHOA, you sure went to the oppisite end of comfort with those coilovers, I coe rumba:D

Well to get what your asking for you'd want to go with the softest lowering springs possible, but you'll also have to ask yourself if you will be happy with a 1.5" drop. I'll show you a pic of my car with a 1.5" drop to help you think about that. What I would recommend, for maximum comfort would be this.
Neuspeed 1.5" drop springs from www.nopionline.com for $130
Koni special struts for the front $212 from www.shox.com
Tokico H.P. struts for the rear $119, also from shox.com
If you have the money, I would get the Koni's in the rear as well, but certainly use the Koni's in the front no matter what.

Another good choice for a spring, but one that will not offer as much ride comfort, would be suspension techniques speed tech 2" drop springs $97 from www.nopionline.com Same strut recommendations as above (only differance would be, since the ST springs are stiffer in the rear, I would recommend rear Koni's more).

Opps, I forgot the pic of my car,....give me a minute.:tongue:

[Jims 86LXI HB]

Ok here's what a 1.5" drop looks like.

[LIL'LXi]

Jim that is a nice ride you had there. It looks just like mine except the wheels and yours was in better shape. Do you still have it? If so, you gonna fix it or part it out?

[dXsquared]

it has been gone for a long time dood!

Travis

[Grant2k]

Originally posted by Jims 86LXI HB
Oh no, I wish you would have asked for input BEFORE you made a purchase. KYB GR-2's are oem valved replacements, they are no stiffer than stock and should never be used on stiffer coilovers or stiffer lowering springs. In addition dropzone coilovers are extreamly stiff( this is how much stiffer than stock they are,front 213% rear 300%), so stiff that even using standard Koni's is debateable. If their's any way you can return those sturts please do so, you'll regreet using them.

Read this FAQ post for further info on why you need to make a different sturt choice and for a explanation on coilovers. http://www.3geez.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=11093

If you have any questions after reading the above thread, please feel free to ask them here.
i saw that coming! hahahah! just for another opinion, i'm happy with my Neuspeeds.

[Jims 86LXI HB]

Originally posted by LIL'LXi
Jim that is a nice ride you had there. It looks just like mine except the wheels and yours was in better shape. Do you still have it? If so, you gonna fix it or part it out?

No I sure don't, I sold all the good parts off in in like 48hrs within a month of the wreck (july 3, 2002) It sat in front of my house for a long time, I had decided that since it had frame damage, that it wasn't worth fixing. In december I finally had it taken to the junk yard. But I did save the front pinch forks for a lowering experiment:D Just need to get a stationary grinder to do them. Oh, yeah I still have the rims and tires in my garage.

[ToNoAvail]

Woah, Jim that was a sweet lookin ride man. I love the drop... i dunno it just seems like the perfect drop, not too little not too much, and i've always liked the hatchbacks. I gotta coupe so I'm happy (I prefer 2 doors). I've also been lookin around for Neuspeeds, they look like they're high quality, but Eibach's catch my eye for some reason. yea yea, i love this page.

[ELM'sLX+CHL'sDX]

Jim:

Your accord looks awesome. It's much sportier looking than the standard setup yet still retains that classic elegant Accord look.

Claude:bow: :bow:

[pearldrop]

Jim, you can shorten the pinch forks by about 1/2 inch by grinding down the top of them. I paid $30 and had a machine shop do it to the Prelude. I needed that last 1/2 inch out of it.

[Jims 86LXI HB]

Originally posted by pearldrop
Jim, you can shorten the pinch forks by about 1/2 inch by grinding down the top of them. I paid $30 and had a machine shop do it to the Prelude. I needed that last 1/2 inch out of it.

Yep, that's the plan, it's exactly the distance I have to work with, more and I'd start to remove the bolt threads for the pinch bolt.
I figured it would be a fun project to do and make someone's day;)

[Jims 86LXI HB]

Originally posted by ELM'sLX+CHL'sDX
Jim:

Your accord looks awesome. It's much sportier looking than the standard setup yet still retains that classic elegant Accord look.

Claude:bow: :bow:

Hey thanks for the complement, I like Rob5580's car more:D

[87DXHatch]

Originally posted by pearldrop
Jim, you can shorten the pinch forks by about 1/2 inch by grinding down the top of them. I paid $30 and had a machine shop do it to the Prelude. I needed that last 1/2 inch out of it.

What exactly would that do? What would it change? Is it something that would be worthwhile for someone to do?

[Jims 86LXI HB]

Originally posted by 87DXHatch
What exactly would that do? What would it change? Is it something that would be worthwhile for someone to do?

It would do 2 things, lower front of car 1/2", with out ANY reduction in front suspension travel. Which would be perfect for allot of members that still have their front ends too high, even after lowering. Secondly, it performs the same purpose as shorting the front strut bodies 1/2", meaning less chance of bottoming out the struts inside the struts themselves.

I also know of another mod that can net another 1/2", thing is I need someone to measure how much distance their is between the bottom of the pinch fork and the drive shaft that runs through the pinch fork, their might not be a inch avaliable for the sturt body to towards that axle. Problem is, it wouln't be easy to get a accurate measurement being that the brakes are in the way.