Ok, here's the story; i just bought coilovers from Pacific Mall. Went to a few stores, and the average price was around $200. So got them installed for another 140 dollars. He said the car can only be dropped about 1.5 inches to keep the shocks safe. So I drive out, and it's reaaalllly bumpy! It's the first time I've lowered the car, but seriously, some of the bumps, I don't even see on the road, and my car literally bounces. It feels like my rear shocks are getting screwed on the road. I only dropped 1.5 inches, but it's really loud everytime a bump comes; as if the shock just got hit. Is this normal for a noob in dropping? Is it supposed to be this bumpy? Will this have damaged my stock shocks in just one day? Because I'm thinking of coming back to stock springs, because this feels too dangerous for my ride. I already hear some sort of creaking sound in my car from the rear whenever I turn. braking seems to be perfect though, and no sound while driving, other than the loud bumps and bounce.

 

congrats, you just bought some shitty coil overs.

alot of coil overs have a bumpy ride, because do not use a progressively wound spring, so you're going to feel every bump.

You get what you pay for.

do you research next time.

goodluck

 

****, i screwed up. now, what's progressive springs? will the current coilovers ruin my shocks? would you recommend switching back to stock springs? do you think they caused a lot of damage to my shocks already in just one day? I am a noob, and I would seriously appreciate your help. Thanks

 

Before you blame the coilovers, do me a favour......look at the struts and see if the dust sleeves are still there.

ie......the blue part in this pic...



If they are, that might be the problem.

It should look like this.....



Notice what is missing.......see the difference?

The dust sleeve comes very close to the body of the strut (yellow part in the above pic). When you install coilovers, the sleeve is there (slipped over the yellow part)......that would mean that the dust sleeve (usually made of metal with a rubber skirt) is HITTING the top of the coilover sleeve. This is what I think you are hearing.

I've sat in a car once, that the installer had forgotten to remove the dust sleeves from the stuts when the coilovers were installed....the ride was TERRIBLE! The car had little to no suspension travel. The metal boot was hitting the top of the coilover sleeve.

Once they realized that they should of left the dust sleeves off, and removed them, the ride was great.

You should of seen what the dust sleeves looked like after about 2-3 hours of driving............bent/damaged. The best way to discribe what I saw, would be to say it looked like a crushed can.





It wasn't as bad as that first pic......more like the second one, but it was still compressed quite a bit.


JSK, it's unfair to blame the coilover's before you actually see the way it was installed, or take the car for a ride. Maybe what he thinks is a rough ride, might be a really stiff suspension to you and I.

Again, I say........It's all in the install, and how low you go.

By the way, you should of called Automotive Warehouse first....you might of saved a bit of cash on the coilover kit.

 

Hey, I am going there again on Monday. If I drive my car normally until then, do you think I will damage my shocks in that time period? As far as the dust sleeve, that MIGHT be the problem. I will get them to check it. I see the logic behind it, and I see why that might be the problem. However, if it's not the dust sleeve, what could it be? thanks

 

you bought cheap coil overs and are riding on stock shocks which is a no no...see if you can return them and save up for a set of h&R sport spring sthey are 1.5 inch drop then save for some tokico blues shocks and struts at the least or Koni reds....you are right in the assuption that your car is unsafe to drive liek this...your shocks might be pooed...h&r's shoudlnt' be to much mroe than the coil overs they are aroudn 300 bux new...and teh tokico blue woudl be aroudn 100 bux a strut so all in all you are lookign at aroudn 700-800 bux to get a decently good suspension setup that will handle very well and be confidense inspiring aroudn corners that you will carve

 

You know what, I'm going to bring along my friend on wed night. I want EACH of you neasayers to go for a ride in his car.

He has the Tom's coilovers(crappy coilovers as some of you put it), on a 5th gen HB, with STOCK struts. I personaly saw the install of these, and have also gone for a ride in the car. It's been lowered around 1.5->1.6

There is also another memeber that has the SAME set up on his 6-7? gen SEDAN. He went 1.5->1.6 as well.

Both cars ride GREAT. The owner of the SEDAN actually wants to go a bit lower now, but I keep telling him that when he's in the car by himself or with another person, the ride height looks AOK to me.

Prove me wrong, come out next wed. If I'm wrong, I'll shut my mouth. That should be appealing to some of you.

I know JSK will be there. I'll even open the car door for him as well.

 

all the people that frown upon the stock shocks thing probably just had a bad experiance... personally i've driven in two cars both lowered 2"+ on stock shock with good rides.... like if the struts were like blown and then i can understand people frowning.... but like myself a lot of people can't stand 3" of wheel gap in the rear and just want it to go away

 

That's why I suggest going no lower than 2". It looks nice and you still get a decent ride, when the coilovers ARE INSTALLED PROPERLY, and when the stock struts are in GOOD WORKING ORDER.

My offer still stands.

 

One more little thing.......one of the cars has 16's with 40 series tires......the other has 14 or 15 stockies with all seasons. You'll be surprised at how closely they alike are to ride quality.

I won't say which one has what.

JSK can be first to go for a ride in each car.

 

I'm not sure if PULOVR is talking about me but, sounds like it. I'm the owner of the sedan...I actually went 1.5 before darknights and lowered it a bit more after...now I'm close to 2 inches and the ride is great on stock shocks. It's only bouncy if you fit like a recessed man hole or something of that nature but, my car only bounces once and goes to rest possition...I mean, I a big boy...I'm nearing 300 pounds...most of the bouncing I do is in my seat being they are stock seats...lol....but, JSK, honestly dude, my ride is comparable to your ride with your Speedlines...when I was in your car...I was bounced around hard and I told you too...but, try a spin in my car and see how the ride is like...it's not too bad. And that noise you hear everytime you hit a bump is normal...the springs your bought are a lil noisey like mine but, even the Ground Effects are noisier...heh...and they are much more that what I paid for mine...if you feel they are just too loud, go look at a suspension bushing kit...those will help solve your problem.

But, by all means, if anyone wants to go for a spin in my car and feel how they are, just come up to me on wednesday and well go for a ride.


Cheers,
Buddah.

 

I didn't want to say who it was Buddah. Just in case you wanted it to be kept

Like I said before......the offer still stands.

Buddah, you can get all of this for being right----->

I don't want any of it.

 

nonono...I wouldn't want to take the glory from you...you can have it...just stating my views...and I wanted to go even lower...LOL...oh well, the back is starting to settle nicely tho...the fronts were already settled since before DKN...but, the back was still a lil high then...now, it's just right....dropped a few salt bags in the trunk to help it settle...hahahhahaha.

 

At least you understand it when I say the coilovers have to be installed correctly.


I guess we'll have to wait until wed night to show them.

(I better call my friend to make sure he comes out on wed)


For $110 coilovers, they are a steal....especially if you can get a friend that KNOWS what they are doing, to help you install them.

 

First of all, thanks for all the support! I have a few concerns now. When I parked my car, and walked back a bit, I see that the rear wheels have turned at a very very slight angle; like they aren't perfectly straight anymore. It's only been two days with these coilovers, and I sure hope I didn't ruin my stock shocks. What could i have ruined, and about how much am I looking to spend to get the setup back like stock again at a WORST-CASE scenario, i.e, ruined my suspension, shocks, etc. The front seems to be allright, I'm concerned about the rear. Also, do you think I would be able to return the coilovers in Pacific Mall? I don't even have a receipt; it was a cash deal. But the guy said I can lower 1.75 without a problem, and I only lowered 1.5! Help would be appreciated again thanks!

 

It is understandable that you may be experiencing some rear negative camber. My car also is experiencing that too. Don't worry, it happens to all cars who are lowered no matter what they use. People use "camber kits" to adjust the camber as they please. You can probably get one for cheap at AW...all you need is a rear camber kit from the sound of it. Try and look into that as an opinion. Basically, as soon as you go lower than 1 inch, you will have to deal with certain problems arising. It's all in the territory. If you really feel that uncomfortable, go to a near by speedy or midas and do a four wheel alignment...they will tell you if your camber is mild or serious.

Cheers,
Buddah.

 

You can do the washer trick for the rear camber.

For the front you can get a set of these:




or if you want a really good kit look into the Leitner Performance camber kit

You'll need to get an alignment. it'll tell you how off the camber is.. and whether or not you'll even need to correct the camber. a little negative is good for daily driving.

 

Basically my point exactly. Go get a four wheel alignment and ask them how "off" is your camber...it should read on the monitor depending on the model of the unit. They will tell you if you should get a kit for it...if it is really necessary.

Jugglez, what's this about the washer trick??? I'd like more info on that if you could please...PM me the info...I'd like to look into that for my application. And thanks for the pics...I wasn't sure if he knew what I meant.

 

don't woory soo much..worst case scenerio...jack up your car, and turn the sleeve adn raise that son of a bitch...rasie it to normal height...go to the place, of the install and say that they did a focked up install, and say u want em to fix it....or ,you can say, you keep the coils and put my stock springs back...adn we re even...that way you don;'t spend any more money on those coils...adn next time don't lower your car.....

 

No prob. actually it's been posted on these forums many times.

here's a link: http://www.geocities.com/lx98civic/rearcamber.html

there are probbaly a hundred similar how-to's on the net. dudes have been doing this trick for years.

good luck