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Originally Posted by yuning83
I'm seeking expert help on suspension.
You know I used to drive mid-size sedans all the time. The newer civic is actually my first compact. And I'm not into trying to be fast in straight line or turns. When I switched over to the Civic, I noticed a major shift in ride comfort. With my older cars, I could felt the bumps when I drive over then, but in a smooth fashion, not so much as getting shaked in the Civic over the same bump. I have read bouch of stuff about this, and I'm not really trying to get my civic into the same comfort zone as my mid-size. But I would really like someone who's an expert in this field explaining to me why such a differece, and what's causing the difference.
Thanks
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i'll try to take a stab at this one:
mid-size sedans are typically regarded more as a casual family car, and therefore the suspension is setup/tuned to provide a soft, "easy-going" kind of ride.
the civic, even the non-si, especially more recently, has been setup to provide a more "active" feel in the suspension, alongside the fact that it most likely weighs at least a few hundreds pounds less than the mid-size sedan you're used to. less weight is typically easier to "upset", and it will take less of a disturbance (bump in the road) to disrupt its balance/ride.
therefore: if you were to attempt to make your civic have a ride closer to that of a mid-size sedan, then you would need to get shocks/dampers that are valved even less "aggressively" than stock (softer or less reactive), and possibly get springs that have a lower spring rate.
that and the fact that the civic might be running lower profile tires than a mid-size sedan, which therefore will absorb less shocks and bumps from the road.