HFP Suspension Question...

[tomasro]

I've got a 2006 Sedan, and I have a trunk monster aka one of my DJ speakers takes residence in the boot of my car. Along with some of the other misc. stuff in my trunk, I've noticed that the rear of my car rides much lower than without the speaker in the trunk. I understand that characteristic of simple physics (pivot and folcrum), but my question is: is it normal?

I'll get a picture of the wheel well to wheel height difference later, but I can describe it to you just fine as well. The height gap for the front tire is normal (about 1") on stock suspension. But there is almost no gap at all for the rear tires on stock suspension.

I was curious if there was a fix such that I could continue to use my car as a DJ's transport vehicle and eliminate the problem of the lowered rear of my car. My thoughts were stiffer suspension, but all the kits out there lower the car by 1" already (HFP ones at least). Would adding HFP suspension to the car help to eliminate the sagging issue that I'm having, or actually make it worse?

Thanks for your help guys and gals!

[taffysi]

I'm thinking stiffer suspension like the hfp kit would help with the load a bit. Sagging when putting weight in the trunk is much less than stock suspension, but at the same time the hfp kit is lowered a little under an inch. I'm guessing it would be about even..but if you go through bumps or corners, the ride will be a bit harshier with stiffer suspension. Maybe replacing just the shocks may do the trick. That way, you'll get the stock ride height, yet stronger/stiffer shocks to take care of the load. Koni shocks are coming out soon, but not sure about tokico's. You can check tokico's website. They have alot of info on cars and trucks that carry loads.

[TampaSi07]

Originally Posted by taffysi

I'm thinking stiffer suspension like the hfp kit would help with the load a bit. Sagging when putting weight in the trunk is much less than stock suspension, but at the same time the hfp kit is lowered a little under an inch. I'm guessing it would be about even..but if you go through bumps or corners, the ride will be a bit harshier with stiffer suspension. Maybe replacing just the shocks may do the trick. That way, you'll get the stock ride height, yet stronger/stiffer shocks to take care of the load. Koni shocks are coming out soon, but not sure about tokico's. You can check tokico's website. They have alot of info on cars and trucks that carry loads.

Shocks have nothing to do with ride height at all, only the springs. You could remove the rear shocks and the ride height wouldn't change at all.

[CUPRA]

You will have a stiffer rear end with the HFP suspension, meaning when you have your speaker in there, you won't notice it drop so much.

I have noticed that my car doesn't seem to look much different at all when I have 4 people in it to when it's only me... the suspension is that stiff!

Also, you will not have much 'rear end sag' when you accelerate either... stays pretty constantly level.

[tomasro]

So, consensus is to get the HFP rear end shocks to solve my problem?

Thanks for the help everyone!

[Jay Kincannon]

Good luck finding just the rear shocks and springs. HFP Sport Suspension Kit is a package. It is not sold like oem Honda parts. You should just get the kit because it is designed to improve handling of your car meaning the front struts w/ springs and rear shocks and springs are tuned to work together as one unit.

[CUPRA]

^^^

Agreed, if you are changing something, then it should be everything... you need to replace the whole kit. It totally makes sense.

What you want to do (replacing just the rears) is like having 2 x 15" steelies with wheel covers up front and a bad ass set of 18" rims with low pro's on the back!

Get the whole kit, do it once, do it right.

[CUPRA]

Damn slowinterwebbindoublepostinpieceo'crap...

[taffysi]

Originally Posted by taffysi

I'm thinking stiffer suspension like the hfp kit would help with the load a bit. Sagging when putting weight in the trunk is much less than stock suspension, but at the same time the hfp kit is lowered a little under an inch. I'm guessing it would be about even..but if you go through bumps or corners, the ride will be a bit harshier with stiffer suspension. Maybe replacing just the shocks may do the trick. That way, you'll get the stock ride height, yet stronger/stiffer shocks to take care of the load. Koni shocks are coming out soon, but not sure about tokico's. You can check tokico's website. They have alot of info on cars and trucks that carry loads.

Originally Posted by TampaSi07

Shocks have nothing to do with ride height at all, only the springs. You could remove the rear shocks and the ride height wouldn't change at all.

Where did I say that shocks have something to do with ride height???

[TampaSi07]

Originally Posted by taffysi

Where did I say that shocks have something to do with ride height???

You suggested shocks to fix a ride height issue. The shocks could not even be there and the ride height would be the same because ride height is determined by the springs. Your suggestion made no sense.

It doesn't sound like you understand what a shock does.

[taffysi]

Maybe I should rephrase my paragraph. I meant using stock springs to maintain stock height and stiffer shocks to keep it from rebounding and sagging. Does that make sense or no?

[TampaSi07]

Originally Posted by taffysi

Maybe I should rephrase my paragraph. I meant using stock springs and stiffer shocks. Thanks.

Stiffer shocks will not help!! Stiffer springs would help.

Have you ever just held a shock by intself in your hand? You can compress it by hand. The springs are what actually support the weight of the car. The shocks just control the motion of the spring.

[taffysi]

Originally Posted by TampaSi07

Stiffer shocks will not help!! Stiffer springs would help.

Have you ever just held a shock by intself in your hand? You can compress it by hand. The springs are what actually support the weight of the car. The shocks just control the motion of the spring.

Yes I have. Tokico Hp's. I tried pushing them down..its very very hard compared to the stock ones. But you're right, I keep thinking that the shock carries the load and helps rebound and bring the spring's up to its normal height, since the shock is stiffer, but its the stiffer spring that helps with the height.

[TampaSi07]

Originally Posted by taffysi

Yes I have. Tokico Hp's. I tried pushing them down..its very very hard compared to the stock ones. But you're right, I keep thinking that the shock carries the load and helps rebound and bring the spring's up to its normal height, since the shock is stiffer, but its the stiffer spring that helps with the height.

No worries, sometimes I have to hear things five times for it to click. At 35 I'm already turning into my dad!!

[taffysi]

Originally Posted by TampaSi07

No worries, sometimes I have to hear things five times for it to click. At 35 I'm already turning into my dad!!

lol..my dad's always like that with me. It's all good!

[tomasro]

So I need to replace the springs then with something stiffer...but what would do that? I don't want anything that will lower the car, and then again, when I remove the stuff from the boot I don't want the car to look like an offroader...

Oh the dilemma

[Jay Kincannon]

The stock Si rear springs should be stiffer. I'm sure that someone knows the answer. Plus, there must be a pair that are just laying around in a garage somewhere.

[TampaSi07]

Originally Posted by Jay Kincannon

The stock Si rear springs should be stiffer. I'm sure that someone knows the answer. Plus, there must be a pair that are just laying around in a garage somewhere.

That's a great idea. The ride height for an Si is identical to the LX and EX (just looked it up) so he could just go to an Si spring which would be stiffer yet the same height.