Advise with lowering my Accord

[88Accord-DX]

I'm a mechanic, but suspesion is not my specialty. I have a few questions with lowering my 88 Honda Accord. First of all, I won these lowering springs off of ebay. Check em' out http://suspensionmax.com/dvc00054.jpg . Can I get away without using a camber kit on the front? I know the rear isn't much an issue. What is the drop limit without using one? I've heard 1.5" from work, what you guys think? I'm going to see if I can go with 2" drop all the way around, but these have a 2.5" drop for the front. Going to see if they will send me just 2" drop springs. I plan on getting some monroe shocks and struts or equal. I can't afford them TOKICO struts and shocks, I have a baby on the way.
I have these stock 13" rims on it at the moment, kind of worried my exhaust my get some road rash . Can you guys let me know how bad I need a camber kit and the cheapest link to get one at? Guy I work with said something about putting a Prelude control arm on it. (told him "right") Any advise I might not be asking would be helpfull too. Much Appreciated !

[SteveDX89]

You are definitely going to need some kind of camber correction. You can use the Prelude front upper control arms but they might not have enough adjustment. I have them on my car and they're set all the way out and I still have a little bit of negative camber. It's within Honda spec so it's no biggie. In the back, I used the washer trick. Basically, you just stick some washers between the upper arm and where it bolts onto the car. Make sure you're saving for better shocks though. Those Monroes won't handle it and you're ride is gonna be bouncy. They're gonna blow much faster as well.

[88Accord-DX]

Thanks Steve, what I'm not sure is where the cheapest struts and shocks I can get at Autozone that will hold lowering springs, & a link for cheap chamber kit, I was hoping Monroe would work, but I will take your advise. Does Autozone sell chamber kit for our cars? Not sure, kind of early to call, lol.

[SteveDX89]

No shock sold at an auto parts store will handle lowering springs. Pretty much every lowering spring available to us should have revalved Bilsteins. Since they're expensive and not everyone can pay it, they get Tokico's. The Tokico's are really just a stock replacement or can handle springs 15% stiffer. The softest lowering spring available is 26% stiffer so really Tokico's aren't really even that great. They would be better than Monroe's but not by much. You can get a camber kit at Napa. It's made by Moog.

[3gn86lxi]

So Moog makes a kit, do you know what that runs?? I got the same set of coils, and I dont want to spend what I know Scwabb's going to want for the camber kit!!
Could you explain the washer trick again, sonds pretty easy, how many washers (what thickness?)

[SteveDX89]

The washers all depend on how low you drop the car. I used some standard size washers you find at Lowes or Home Depot. I just made sure the hole was big enough for the bolts to go through. Make sure you get new longer bolts to. But all you do is unbolt the upper rear control arm from the body. Swap out the bolts and then stick the washer between the control arm and the body. I'm 2 washers thick on my car dropped 2.25" and I still have some negative camber back there. I need to add another washer or 2.

[Oyvind Ryeng]

So, besides better tire-economy, is there any other advantages of going from -3 degrees negative to 0?

In some time, I'll fit 8-inches wide, 20-30ish offset wheels, and the extra clearance from the tire to the wheel arch is really going to help me, as I have to roll the arches less.

[Justin86]

2.5 is pretty low, that low you will need to get blistens that are shortened, which will not be cheap at all. Any shock besided blistens you are wasting your money, unless you can find a set of koni's some how and they are going to be $450.

[3gn86lxi]

Thanks for the tip Steve. I got a camber kit today, so I'm doing all this this weekend, have you heard anyone use the springtech coils? I'm curios how they will ride. They say 2.5 in front, 2.25 in back. Should sit really nice.

[88Accord-DX]

Ok, figured out where them washers go on the back.

[3gn86lxi]

My buddy manages my local les schwabb so he sold them to me at his cost:$120. And they are pretty easy to put in I guess. I'll find out this weekend.

[3gn86lxi]

My shocks.........well right now I'm going to use some new kyb's I got b4 I decided to lower it . Yeh I know everyone says they can't handle drop springs, but they are better than the blown to shit factory ones!!

[adams86lxi]

man, if i was you guys i would get the springs and run the stock struts and see how they ride first. You might be surprized how well they ride,until you get new ones. Back in my stupid days i cut my springs and slamed the car about 2.75 inches on stock struts and it rode good till you hit something like railroad tracks, then you would think you were going to die! LOL!

[88Accord-DX]

AdamsLxi, when you lowered you car that low, did you have problems with bottoming out? Cause I am kind of scared about going lower than 2" with my stock 13" rims. That is funny what you said with going over railroad tracks. That is what I was thinking too, just see what them stock absorbers and struts do untill they blow. I don't think my sh*t has been replaced since out the factory. I was wanting to put some Monroe or something I can afford, them Koni's and Tokicos are out my spending limit. I need some Prelude control arms if anything, them camber kits high $$ too.

[88Accord-DX]

I was reading a sticky posted by Jims 86LXI HB, he talks about wasting time with differnt kind of struts and shocks if going lower that 2.25". I think I better stay at 2" and go with trial and error.

[88Accord-DX]

Ok, here is the deal. I want to get these Prelude control arms. I need to know how much the degree of offset it going to give me. Are Prelude control arms going to make up the angle you need when lowering the front end if I go 2-2 1/2"?

[SteveDX89]

Not all the way. You'll have between .5º and 1º of negative camber. You can make the slots in the arm longer to make up more or get the camber kit.

[3gn86lxi]

I did get a price on a camber bolt set made by moog that steve talked about for $90. But I'm going to use the kit that les schwabb cus' I can use my account! I've been told by the "pros" that even with the camber kit, your not going to get all negative camber out. But I think that a little helps in the handleing of the car. wned:

[adams86lxi]

AdamsLxi, when you lowered you car that low, did you have problems with bottoming out? Cause I am kind of scared about going lower than 2" with my stock 13" rims. That is funny what you said with going over railroad tracks. That is what I was thinking too, just see what them stock absorbers and struts do untill they blow. I don't think my sh*t has been replaced since out the factory. I was wanting to put some Monroe or something I can afford, them Koni's and Tokicos are out my spending limit. I need some Prelude control arms if anything, them camber kits high $$ too.

well with the cut springs and stock struts on my stock 13 inch rims i bottom out a few times but not very often. I just had to be more carefull with bumps and stuff but the stock 17 year old struts put up with my car that low and on cut springs at that for about 3 months and i had no problem with it the stuts never blew out or anything. I think you could get away with a 2 inch drop no problem at all on stock struts! If you dont like that way it drives you can always change out the struts. Right now i have tokico 1.5 inch lowering springs and it rides great on stock struts! Ive had those for a while now and i have no problem with them at all! Good luck!

BTW: i have the prelude upper control arms (wish they were more adjustable)and the washer trick in the back!

[3gn86lxi]

Hey ddude2uc
Got those springs in today, they ride pretty nice. Stiffer struts are needed though, factory replacements will bottom out on big bumps. I'm going to have to clearance the inner fender well, the upper control arm hits the inner fender. Oh well.

[88Accord-DX]

I bought some 87 Prelude upper control arms from Low Tek. Don't know if they will hit the fender well? I looked at some archives and heard that these control arms are recommended little more than camber kit. All I have is 13" stock rims, so I don't think I will bottom out that much. I don't want 2.5" drop on the front, don't think there is away round that.

[88Accord-DX]

So, besides better tire-economy, is there any other advantages of going from -3 degrees negative to 0?

In some time, I'll fit 8-inches wide, 20-30ish offset wheels, and the extra clearance from the tire to the wheel arch is really going to help me, as I have to roll the arches less.

He asked something that I was wondering too, is there any advantages other than tire-economy?

[88Accord-DX]

Here is the dilly o'. I"m working on painting my car before it's going to be to cold. I have to save up for some Tokicos, so it will be a while before I lower it. I can't afford Blisteins, for that price they better be "gold plated".

[AZmike]

He asked something that I was wondering too, is there any advantages other than tire-economy?

Too much camber, especially in the front, reduces your car's braking ability since the contact patch is so distorted. Acceleration off the line will likely be affected for the same reason. If the car is driven really aggressively some negative camber will help offset the extra wear you'd get on the outer shoulder.