Upgrading my Suspension!

[roadrunner1659]

As the title says...i want to upgrade my suspension!

I want to replace my springs and struts, strut tower bars, and my sway bars.

I know that HFP has a suspension kit including struts and springs...its around a 1 inch drop...i think a little less in actuality.

I'm having trouble finding sway bars and strut bars...i can find sway bars and/or strut bars but only for the front or rear...does anyone produce a front a rear sway and strut bar?

I'm sorry i'm a noob when it comes to aftermarket stuff...im just trying to do my suspension the right way.

I would love any suggestion and brands that produce these parts!

Thanks

[twistedframe]

Progress make an upgraded rear sway, but i don't think anyone makes a front. There is also a front tower brace but no rear. I think the reason there is no rear is because there is no conventional strut top on the rear struts since they are not a coil over set up. To make a functional bar back there would require welding and/or drilling into the trunk.

[blaznhot_23]

progress is going to release a front sway bar soon hopefully...

megan racing has front and rear lower tie braces as well as a underbrace...

tanabe and cusco have also a lower underbrace as well...

carbing (dist by tein) makes a front upper strut bar...

[roadrunner1659]

Originally Posted by blaznhot_23

progress is going to release a front sway bar soon hopefully...

megan racing has front and rear lower tie braces as well as a underbrace...

tanabe and cusco have also a lower underbrace as well...

carbing (dist by tanabe) makes a front upper strut bar...

ok sorry for the question but i need to know...what is the difference between the sway bars, strut bars, and an underbrace? and what do they do, differently from one another?

[blaznhot_23]

a sway bar will help you take body roll out of the car by keeping the car falltter in the corners when you turn.

a strut bar links your two front strut towers together making them less prone to flex...by the FG chassis is fairly stiff from the factory as is...though it doesn't hurt to put one on

a underbrace does the same as a strut bar but does it underneath the veh...it prevents torsional forces acting upon the car by stiffening up the bottom side

[roadrunner1659]

cool thanks!

ok lets start from the beginning then...shocks and struts!

HFP Suspension vs. any other shock and strut combination...

[Toxis]

what's your budget?

[roadrunner1659]

i dont want to worry about the budget right now...i would just like to see my options.

...b/c the budget will be what i make it and if i think i need something of a better quality that cost more then it means i have to save a little more!

[civsnake]

One big consideration is adjustability at this point. You choice for shocks/struts and springs will be dictated by the level of adjustability you want. HFP kit is pretty much the least expensive option and will offer OEM level quality (very good thing), but is not adjustable in any way. A coilover set, on the other hand, will allow for varying levels of tuning.

So what level of adjustability are you looking for? Doesn't Matter? A little? A bunch? Full?

[roadrunner1659]

Originally Posted by civsnake

One big consideration is adjustability at this point. You choice for shocks/struts and springs will be dictated by the level of adjustability you want. HFP kit is pretty much the least expensive option and will offer OEM level quality (very good thing), but is not adjustable in any way. A coilover set, on the other hand, will allow for varying levels of tuning.

So what level of adjustability are you looking for? Doesn't Matter? A little? A bunch? Full?

again im a noob so let me think...adjustability...if i'm thinking about this the right way then the HFP kit with no adjustment means that when then springs come to rest that will always be the level that my car sits...

on the other hand if i got an adjustable coilover set then depending apon the setting, i can change the ride hieght for different circumstances...

if im thinking about this the right way then i would honestly have to say that i dont really need something that is adjustable...although at the same time i still might look at an adjustable coilover set b/c i may want my car to be lower then what i can get out of the HFP kit.

am i on the right track?

[civsnake]

Originally Posted by roadrunner1659

again im a noob so let me think...adjustability...if i'm thinking about this the right way then the HFP kit with no adjustment means that when then springs come to rest that will always be the level that my car sits...

on the other hand if i got an adjustable coilover set then depending apon the setting, i can change the ride hieght for different circumstances...

if im thinking about this the right way then i would honestly have to say that i dont really need something that is adjustable...although at the same time i still might look at an adjustable coilover set b/c i may want my car to be lower then what i can get out of the HFP kit.

am i on the right track?

Height adjustability is the most basic setting for coilovers. Better setups will allow for adjusting the bound and rebound rates of the shock absorber (independantly on higher end components) and well as spring preloading. There is also the option of getting Koni yellows which will allow for damper adjustment but use a fixed spring for a fixed height.

If you go with HFP you're going to get a slight drop, stiffer springs and harder dampers (shocks/struts). If you want to drop more than that you will either want something with adjustable height or get some lowering springs.

[roadrunner1659]

the HFP kit will give me a little under an inch of drop...

what over companies have coilover kits? tein...others...

the only thing i need to make sure of is that the car isn't to low b/c it is my daily driver and i need to have the confidence that i can ride right over anything that may present itself in the road.

[civsnake]

Originally Posted by roadrunner1659

the HFP kit will give me a little under an inch of drop...

what over companies have coilover kits? tein...others...

the only thing i need to make sure of is that the car isn't to low b/c it is my daily driver and i need to have the confidence that i can ride right over anything that may present itself in the road.

Tein makes various sets, B&G has a setup, Megan has a setup, and I believe H&R has a setup. Buddy Club should have their's out soon as well. There may be more that I've forgotten.

Most of the adjustable height coilovers have a range between -1.5 and -3 inches or so. I know the Tein Flex series (their highest end model for the civic) has a range with a minimum of less than an inch down, so if you're concerned about making sure your car doesn't have to be too low they might be the way to go.

[Juve_2006]

i'm a noob too and was wondering, what if i get the HFP suspesnsion, and use the struts, but change to a set of lowering spring that drop the car more like Tein's? is this pointless?

[P4rD0nM3]

Juve_2006, it's pointless for me.

[Juve_2006]

ya i was reading in some other thread, that its better to just wait for some aftermarket struts to come out, then just get those and some springs. i want a low ride, but i dont' want to blow my struts, so i guess i'll just wait

[P4rD0nM3]

Coil overs or air bags. That's the only way to go really low.

[CorSport]

Check out B&G!

Your Exclusive 8thCivic B&G Suspension Source

[chullen]

Originally Posted by blaznhot_23

progress is going to release a front sway bar soon hopefully...

megan racing has front and rear lower tie braces as well as a underbrace...

tanabe and cusco have also a lower underbrace as well...

carbing (dist by tanabe) makes a front upper strut bar...

just to let you know carbing is dist. by Tein not Tanabe

[blaznhot_23]

Originally Posted by chullen

just to let you know carbing is dist. by Tein not Tanabe

edited post especially for you BUD!!!