Lowering springs.....

[mysticivics]

I just wanted to know how low should I go on my particular car because I have 17's and wanted to suck up some of the gap between wheel and wheel well. to bring it closer to earth and keeping a good ride quality minus the coilover price.
i have 3 inches of gap to kill.
Any suggestions?

[accordlove]

I just wanted to know how low should I go on my particular car because I have 17's and wanted to suck up some of the gap between wheel and wheel well. to bring it closer to earth and keeping a good ride quality minus the coilover price.
i have 3 inches of gap to kill.
Any suggestions?

lowering your car shouldn't be just for looks. suspension is one of the best performance upgrades you can get for your car. my suggestion is function and form type one adjustable coil overs or this:

http://www.cb7tuner.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=177121

[Raf99]

(waits fro Deev to write his helpful suspension speech )

[Jon]

Aesthetically speaking, I personally don't like to see more than a 2" drop on our chassis.
Performance wise, all depends on what you're doing.

A great combo is Koni yellows with your choice of lowering spring (quality springs are available from a wide range of companies). Just depends on how much of a drop you want. I don't like to say 'get this brand over that brand' because some people will find H&R Race springs too harsh, others won't. Same with Eibach, Tanabe, etc.., but Koni struts are definitely a top contender when you're looking at dropping.

Koni yellows will set you back around $550 or so. You throw in some quality springs for another $150-$200.
If you want adjustability, Ground Control sleeves can be added...

[accordlove]

i like one piece coils since they are easier to install and uninstall thats why i said function and form, that and they're the best bang for yor buck imo.

[Raf99]

At times I still always think "why did Honda make the cb7 a 4x4 stance?". I still think it sometimes. Just makes no sense, you're not going off roading. I guess one advantage is when you get in and out the seat is right there for ya. Not a lot of bending required. But DAM, the wheel gap just looks horrible.

Oh OP, check out my sig, click on the wheel one. May help you a little.

[accordlove]

At times I still always think "why did Honda make the cb7 a 4x4 stance?". I still think it sometimes. Just makes no sense, you're not going off roading. I guess one advantage is when you get in and out the seat is right there for ya. Not a lot of bending required. But DAM, the wheel gap just looks horrible.

They wanted to appeal to the normal, get up and go to work an hour away everyday crowd. It was meant to be be a more affordable "luxury" sedan, like a bmw or Mercedes.

[deevergote]

accordlove nailed it. The CB7 was Honda's first step toward taking the Accord in a luxury direction. Before the CB7, the Accord was sportier. The 3rd generation Accord was closer to a 4 door Prelude than any generation that followed. With the introduction of the CB, they went with a softer, more comfortable ride. They weren't interested in low and sporty. They were looking for cushy and comfortable (and I think they nailed it... a stock CB7 is actually quite comfortable!) Still, entry level luxury vehicles of the same era (E30, 190E, etc...) didn't have quite as much wheel gap. Other cars, "normal" cars, of that time were comparable, though. The Toyota Camry, for example, had a similar wheel gap. Honestly, it was probably just the Japanese style for the segment at the time!

Anyway, Jon pretty much covered what I normally say. I agree with the ride height as well. Performance advantages are limited beyond 2", and I feel that anything lower often looks juvenile. Not always, as I've seen some very nice cars that were lower that didn't make me say "that looks like a 16 year old drives it!" But overall, I think a drop of 2" or less is tasteful. That being said, there are a number of suspension manufacturers that make springs that will drop your car between 1.5" and 2.2". Stick to those.
Also, only buy suspension components from actual suspension companies. Companies that engineer, manufacture, and support their own products. Unfortunately, a large amount of the stuff on the market today is made in undisclosed Chinese or Taiwanese factories that do nothing but "reverse engineer" (copy) existing products, using inferior materials, imprecise machinery, no technical expertise, and no quality control.
Most of the "one piece coils" that accordlove mentioned (including the brand mentioned) are such things. There are a few high quality manufacturers of full coilovers, but MOST of those things are only appropriate for competition use. If you do not have the need, knowledge, or tools to properly adjust something adjustable... you don't need it. It's more to break, and more for you to set incorrectly.
Your life rides on your suspension. Buy quality, and buy what is suitable for your needs. If you can't afford to do it right, you can't afford to do it. Be patient, save your money, and do it properly. There is no "for now" with suspension.

Also, one piece coilovers aren't significantly easier to install. The more frustrating parts of a suspension installation are the same whether you go with a one piece design or shocks and springs (and your old top mount.) Swapping the top mount to the new stuff (or better yet, installing a new one) will add MAYBE 30 minutes to your installation time... and that's if you stop in the middle to eat a sammich.

(waits fro Deev to write his helpful suspension speech )

You know I type it out each time, too...

[mysticivics]

That sheds a lot of light on the suspension subject! Thanks for that.
Now the question I have is this:
1. Is it a smart move to buy a set of full coil overs used from some else?
2. Are springs and sleeves a good buy or no?

[Jon]

A used set is fine, just like a used car can be fine. If they've been maintained and not thrashed they will last a good long time. Of course there wont be a warranty of any sort... so you have to weigh that part of it too.
Check them out. Look for signs of wear and abuse. Don't just take the sellers word for it. Look for damage on the strut such as rubbing/scuff marks on the strut shaft. See if there are broken, damaged, or replaced components.

Used sets should look dirty, dusty, scuffed, covered in brake dust and road grime. They shouldn't be greasy. If they are, that screams leaking strut.


As for spring/sleeve combos, they can be a good buy... all depends on what you are wanting in a suspension setup. Properly designed and made (and paired with a good strut), you'll be extremely happy.
The 'ebay brand' (I hate using that term) versions like this:

Just scare the living sh*t out of me. Lots of people are driving around on them, some even swear they are 'just like XYZ brand, but a quarter of the cost...'... well they aren't. Most sellers don't even know what type of steel or aluminum that is being used in the construction of these sleeve kits.

So thats my opinion on those two questions. I'm sure deev and a few others will spend a few minutes typing up their response... seriously deev you should just have a copy and paste cheat sheet.

[F22Chris]

Koni yellows with Ground Control sleeves or Neuspeed/H&R Sport are your best sub $1,000 set ups. Best warranty, performance, fit & finish for the money. eBay metal is made of Chinesium. Just in case you were wondering

[mysticivics]

So there is essentially NO difference between coil/spring combos vs full coilovers other than how they're made? I know this is sounding very newbish but all I want to do is close the gap in between my 225/45-17 and my wheel well lip AND have some upgraded suspension aspects at the same time. So it's not a matter of either or but rather a matter of achieving both if possible. I want my '90 LX to look and perform good, know what I mean?
Considering both styles are approximately $500.00 each would it be safe to assume that the full coilovers are a better buy overall for what I want to achieve?

[Corweena]

at $500, not necessarily. Most coilovers at that price are straight crap.


THE ONLY coilover I'd recommend in that price range are Tein Street Basics. Any they'd honestly be great fit from what info you've given. They aren't meant to slam the car to the ground (which you don't want), and they aren't super stiff, meaning they still ride very comfortably. They are a great option, because for the price its going to be hard to piece together a spring/shock setup that is comparable. Plus you have height adjustability to raise and lower to you specific likes.

[HenRoc]

Koni Yellows. hands. down. I've had my set since 2011 along with the Neuspeed Sport springs. I think at the time I paid around $600 out the door although IMO the sports are soft but the trade off is that I liked the comfort level they provided especially after I dailed in the dampening settings on the Konis.

Keep in mind you're basically adjust for feel with those as Koni doesnt have a real indicator of how harsh or soft the ride would be.

Right now I have them set aside hopefully for a full warranty rebuild since I logged a lot of miles (I drove both cars first a coupe then a sedan through out all four seasons) so theyre definitely weathered and not to mention my wagon currently has a decent set of Bilsteins installed by the previous owner.

I just have to figure out the spring rate for my wagon since I know that if I ever lowered it the back end would sag.

GC with Koni Yellows seems to be everyones go to setup as well. Though I'm not a fan of having to adjust height manually I think this is a pretty good route if you like that sort of setup.

[deevergote]

So there is essentially NO difference between coil/spring combos vs full coilovers other than how they're made? I know this is sounding very newbish but all I want to do is close the gap in between my 225/45-17 and my wheel well lip AND have some upgraded suspension aspects at the same time. So it's not a matter of either or but rather a matter of achieving both if possible. I want my '90 LX to look and perform good, know what I mean?
Considering both styles are approximately $500.00 each would it be safe to assume that the full coilovers are a better buy overall for what I want to achieve?

You must have missed my last response. It was a lot of words, I know. I tend to do that.

You will NOT find anything worthwhile for $500. You will not find anything safe for under $500. Anyone who says otherwise is either misinformed or trying to sell you something. You could get lucky and find a sale. As mentioned Tein is the only legitimate suspension company that makes a full coilover setup for a price even close to what you want to spend (they usually start around $700, plus shipping.)
Full coilovers are no different than a shock/spring combo, other than the fact that they have threaded shock bodies and adjustable mounting collars. They are still just shocks and springs. They are not "better" if you do not have the need for them. Cheap ones are significantly worse than a quality shock/spring combo (like the Koni/H&R/Neuspeed/GC setup people keep talking about.)

I would avoid used suspension components unless you know where they come from (and you know it well.) I got my first Koni/H&R setup from my friend, and I had known him since before they were installed. I knew how the car was driven, I knew how the car was maintained, and I had been in the car while the parts were installed. I also knew my friend well enough to be sure he installed the stuff correctly, so that they weren't damaged. If you have such intimate knowledge of the parts you're buying, then buy them. Otherwise, if you're just buying parts from some guy on Craigslist that says "dey ride gud"... pass. Pay for new. It's not that much money, considering how expensive an accident would be.

You will spend about $550 for a set of Koni Yellows. Those, or Tokico Illuminas (which are inferior, while costing about the same) are the only shocks that can handle anything greater than a 1.5" drop. Most lowering springs for our cars will exceed that.
You will spend about $200 for a set of quality springs. More if you want Ground Control sleeves.
You will probably have to pay for shipping, which could end up costing another $100.
You will need an alignment after you install your new suspension. That will cost up to $100. (or you could forego the alignment, and end up spending $500 on tires in 6 weeks or so...)
If you go lower than 2", you would be wise to get a camber kit, which could cost $150 or more, depending on the style (SPC and Ingalls are the only brands I would ever recommend... cheap kits break, and when they break, you crash.) If you forego the camber kit, you may again end up replacing expensive tires sooner than expected (not as soon as if you didn't get an alignment altogether, but excessive negative camber WILL cause premature wear on the inner edges of your tires... and when that is bald, your tires are done.)
You may also discover/create damaged parts during the swap process... ball joints ($25+ per joint), axles ($75 per side), and a number of other components. You DO NOT want to reassemble your car with a busted axle or ball joint... because, again, when those things fail, you crash (more so with the ball joint than the axle... but you don't want your axles to fail either.)
If you intend on paying someone to install the stuff... yeah, that's not going to be cheap (and if it's cheap, I'd question the quality of the work.)

To lower your car correctly, set aside $1000. At least. If you want to cut corners, you're not going to find any advice on doing so here. Nobody here wants to see you get hurt because you did something stupid with parts you didn't properly respect or understand... or worse, hurt someone else.