Suspension work

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Ok guys here is what I am thinking on doing for my supsension within next month let me know what you think and any tips would be appreciated. Well first off after reading some advice from you guys I am planning on just replacing my struts for now. My main question is go stock OEM which will be easier and probly cheaper to get or aftermarket which will probly be tougher to find and definaley much more spendy. Next I am going to put new rotors on the front wheels at around $200 for right and left wheels and new brakepads all the way around for $200. Before I buy the brakepads anyone hear of Street Technology pads and if so are they any good at the price I am looking at and what are some other brands I should look for. BTW i't for my 3rd g accord.

[86AccordLxi]

First off, rotors should cost you about 24 buck a piece at max. I'm not a believer in cross drilled or slotted rotors unless you're actually going to use them. With that said, nopi.com has stock brembo blanks for around $25 a piece (and for those that don't like nopi, I've never had a problem ordering from them). In terms of pads, you can pick up a nice set of pads for way less than 200, just look around. Do a search and see what other people have run (i know jim liked his ebc greenstuff pads).

Now, in term of struts, no one really buys OEM (as in Honda factory) struts. There are many stock replacements that exist, however, namely kyb gr2, monroe sensatrac, or even gabriel struts (though I'd recommend the first 2 over the 3rd since I don't know anyone who has run gabriels). Depending on the springs your car is lowered with automatically dictates what struts you need. If your springs are soft (as in h&r or neuspeed; the softest made), or even stock, and you want to save some dough, get 4 tokico blues. The front will still have a little bounce but it's tolerable if your springs are one of the two brands I mentioned or stock. If you want stiffer/lower springs, then you basically have only one option; revalved bilsteins. That means buying the bilstein h.d. strut made for the 3g and having them sent to bilstein to be revalved so they're stiffer. This costs, if I remember correctly, $55 per strut on top of the initial cost of the strut. So it's not cheap, but if you want to play, you gotta pay.

The only other, slightly cheaper alternative would be to try to find some koni red struts, which are not in production anymore but which float into the marketplace section every now and then. Ideally you'd get all 4, but even just the front pair will do as the tokico blues in the rear are stiff enough to control the bounce.

Suspension is not an easy thing to decide. You need to decide how much money you're going to spend and what you want it to do : looks, autocross, etc. I'd DEFINITELY suggest you run a search through the suspension forum, or at least browse through the vast number of threads that exist covering the topic of strut/spring choice. Good luck (and sorry for the novel)!!

Alex

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Thanks for the input. I am going with sensatrac for struts and shocks as far as pads go why don't u believe in slotted or vented pads because that's where I am leaning on. Total cost for new rotors, drums, pads, calipers, struts, shocks will be around 500 for the parts.My friend is going to install all the stuff over a couple days next month we are just waiting to see what his schedule is gonna be like. I appreciate the input and it helps that there is a sight like this for all my questions on my 3rd generation accord.
First off, rotors should cost you about 24 buck a piece at max. I'm not a believer in cross drilled or slotted rotors unless you're actually going to use them. With that said, nopi.com has stock brembo blanks for around $25 a piece (and for those that don't like nopi, I've never had a problem ordering from them). In terms of pads, you can pick up a nice set of pads for way less than 200, just look around. Do a search and see what other people have run (i know jim liked his ebc greenstuff pads).

Now, in term of struts, no one really buys OEM (as in Honda factory) struts. There are many stock replacements that exist, however, namely kyb gr2, monroe sensatrac, or even gabriel struts (though I'd recommend the first 2 over the 3rd since I don't know anyone who has run gabriels). Depending on the springs your car is lowered with automatically dictates what struts you need. If your springs are soft (as in h&r or neuspeed; the softest made), or even stock, and you want to save some dough, get 4 tokico blues. The front will still have a little bounce but it's tolerable if your springs are one of the two brands I mentioned or stock. If you want stiffer/lower springs, then you basically have only one option; revalved bilsteins. That means buying the bilstein h.d. strut made for the 3g and having them sent to bilstein to be revalved so they're stiffer. This costs, if I remember correctly, $55 per strut on top of the initial cost of the strut. So it's not cheap, but if you want to play, you gotta pay.

The only other, slightly cheaper alternative would be to try to find some koni red struts, which are not in production anymore but which float into the marketplace section every now and then. Ideally you'd get all 4, but even just the front pair will do as the tokico blues in the rear are stiff enough to control the bounce.

Suspension is not an easy thing to decide. You need to decide how much money you're going to spend and what you want it to do : looks, autocross, etc. I'd DEFINITELY suggest you run a search through the suspension forum, or at least browse through the vast number of threads that exist covering the topic of strut/spring choice. Good luck (and sorry for the novel)!!

Alex

[86AccordLxi]

I don't believe in them because you'll probably never use up your brakes enough to actually necessitate slotted or cross drilled discs. The stock vented rotors should be fine. Also, if you're lowering your car, stay away from the sensatracs. I bought new sensatracs for my car when i put on my h&r springs (softest spring available) and they blew out inside of 8 months. I've learned my lesson the hard way: do it right the first time, it's cheaper.

Alex

[nswst8]

Ebay 86-89 accord basically the best price I've seen. As for rest it all depends on what your trying to do, show off go for what ever you can imagine. practicality do only what is nessasary.
Hope this helps, LOL
Phil :cheers:

[zerotap]

I don't believe in them because you'll probably never use up your brakes enough to actually necessitate slotted or cross drilled discs. The stock vented rotors should be fine. Also, if you're lowering your car, stay away from the sensatracs. I bought new sensatracs for my car when i put on my h&r springs (softest spring available) and they blew out inside of 8 months. I've learned my lesson the hard way: do it right the first time, it's cheaper.

Alex
Ok what brand would u recomend, have you heard of performance friction ? I am also looking at those.

[SteveDX89]

If you're going stock replacement brake parts, I suggest Raybestos. I've always used them and have never had any problems. They are a bit pricier than the other brands but they're worth it for the extra piece of mind. Don't get new calipers either. You can buy a rebuild kit for 4 dollars a side. You'll have practically new calipers for 8 bucks. I agree with Alex, unless you car is wicked fast, there's no need for slotted or cross drilled rotors. I also saw you had struts and shocks figured into your price. Our cars don't have shocks, just struts. All that stuff you're going to replace should only take an afternoon unless you go really slow. All you're doing is bolting and un-bolting. It's nothing that should take several days.

[AZmike]

I also saw you had struts and shocks figured into your price. Our cars don't have shocks, just struts.

Actually our cars all have coilover shocks. A strut not only acts as a damper, but also locates the suspension. Our shocks only act as dampers. The upper and lower control arm locate the suspension. Most cars that use struts have a lower control arm and the strut takes the place of the upper control arm. Take a look at an MR2, most Hondas older than ours, and many GM sedans (and many others) and you'll see the difference.

[zerotap]

Yeah I just found out about the struts, thing is kits I see come with two rear shocks, and two front struts, what is up with that. Anyway as for now I may have to settle for some struts from another car that have a good 30k miles left in them while I save and make arrangements to get some revalved Bilstein struts which is what I really want.
If you're going stock replacement brake parts, I suggest Raybestos. I've always used them and have never had any problems. They are a bit pricier than the other brands but they're worth it for the extra piece of mind. Don't get new calipers either. You can buy a rebuild kit for 4 dollars a side. You'll have practically new calipers for 8 bucks. I agree with Alex, unless you car is wicked fast, there's no need for slotted or cross drilled rotors. I also saw you had struts and shocks figured into your price. Our cars don't have shocks, just struts. All that stuff you're going to replace should only take an afternoon unless you go really slow. All you're doing is bolting and un-bolting. It's nothing that should take several days.

[SteveDX89]

Actually our cars all have coilover shocks. A strut not only acts as a damper, but also locates the suspension. Our shocks only act as dampers. The upper and lower control arm locate the suspension. Most cars that use struts have a lower control arm and the strut takes the place of the upper control arm. Take a look at an MR2, most Hondas older than ours, and many GM sedans (and many others) and you'll see the difference.

I must have read something wrong or the information I got was incorrect because I thought our "dampers" were struts.

[zerotap]

No worries, I think I have made up my mind. I am looking at some monroe matic plus and going stock height. Not sure on coil springs but probly H&R or Skunk. Next decision is what kind of tires are good for combined performance with wet or dry roads, oh and what size rims can I go up to with stock height.
I must have read something wrong or the information I got was incorrect because I thought our "dampers" were struts.

[86AccordLxi]

Uh, you can't go stock height AND have aftermarket springs....pretty much every aftermarket spring lowers your car.

Alex

[zerotap]

Cool thanks for the info. So if I get monroe static struts, and some H&R or Skunk springs my car will autoamtically be lowered because of the springs ? I only want to lower front end an Inch since front end struts for our cars are shorter anyway I figured I could get away with that and not bottom out the struts.
Uh, you can't go stock height AND have aftermarket springs....pretty much every aftermarket spring lowers your car.

Alex

[Justin86]

so good pads are those EBC green stuff pads. I can't remember where to get them online but they are good pads and don't put out as much brake dust.

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Yeah I agree, I've talked with my buddy he said we can get shit done in about 8 hours and that's with doing a complet tune up and going slow because this will be our first time working on a 3g so he will have to figure things out on the first strut and spring we do. Thanks for the info.
If you're going stock replacement brake parts, I suggest Raybestos. I've always used them and have never had any problems. They are a bit pricier than the other brands but they're worth it for the extra piece of mind. Don't get new calipers either. You can buy a rebuild kit for 4 dollars a side. You'll have practically new calipers for 8 bucks. I agree with Alex, unless you car is wicked fast, there's no need for slotted or cross drilled rotors. I also saw you had struts and shocks figured into your price. Our cars don't have shocks, just struts. All that stuff you're going to replace should only take an afternoon unless you go really slow. All you're doing is bolting and un-bolting. It's nothing that should take several days.