Mugen Sports Suspension on '06 FG2 (Review + Lots of pics 56k = dead)

[SiliconX]

Pictures included at bottom.

Well I finally got it on, went out for a spin, and uploaded the pics! Also big thanks to King Motorsports. My order shipped out the same day I placed it. Phenomenal Pics are a bit shitty, my camera is old and i'm terrible at taking pictures :P

The Kit:

Everything you need for installation is supplied. Kit comes in two packages, one with all the necessary hardware, front assemblies, and rear shocks, second package has the rear springs. Kit includes replacement bolts and nuts for everything. Not sure if they're the exact same as the stock ones, maybe stronger? I dunno, either way I used all the bolts+nuts included, just in case. You will end up with 4 bolts included in the kit that you won't use (difference in rear suspension).

The shocks are gorgeous, too bad you can't really see them once you get the wheels back on the car


The Install:

Install went smooth as silk. Instructions were in Japanese, but the pictures were excellent, and the torque specs were readable (N/m though lol). Fronts are direct replacements. That took all of about 30 minutes total. Rears were a bit trickier, as it's obvious the JDM rear suspension is a bit different from the FG2's, but nothing too difficult to figure out. Get a ratcheting box wrench for taking the bolt off the top of the rear shocks in the trunk, doing it without is long and tedious

NOTE: The cable bracket for the speedo (at least I think that's what it is, it's the small wire on the front assembly) on the Mugen is slightly farther back on the assembly than the stock. So in order to have some slack, you'll have to tie-wrap the rubber mount. If you snap it back into the bracket, it's extremely taut.

The Drop:

I'm sure this is what most people want to know. I'll tell you right now, it's not much. Lowered approx 0.625" in the front, and 0.685" in the rear, similar to the HFP. It's noticeable, but not alot. The rear springs and shocks are actually exactly the same size as the stock ones. The Mugen front assembly measured 0.9" lower before install, but the springs are stiffer so that value didn't translate as much to the car. I don't have any before/after side shots of the car in a similar spot, since I had to go buy batteries for the camera. I do have measuring tape+finger shots though. I'm hoping it'll settle a bit. If it settled another 0.2", i'd be happy. I may end up getting new springs, if once I get my new wheels, I decide I want a bit more. But the wheelwells will fill up a bit when I move to 18" wheels and 215/40 tires.

The Testdrive:

Holy sweet jesus. I burnt around my usual route where I am familiar with corners and bumps. It is noticably stiffer, I noticed some bumps where I didn't before, but it definitely isn't bouncy.

But the corners, holy shit. I took an off-ramp from a major freeway onto another freeway that i'm very familiar with. I like this corner because it's slightly angled, and the asphalt is very smooth. I have taken it as fast as 80km/h, but that felt pretty sketchy. Now? 80km/h felt like nothing. Went around for another pass, this time at 90km/h, planted right to the ground. It felt like she could do at least another 20km/h, but on stock all-seasons, I didn't feel comfortable doing that.

All in all, really impressive. No noises either that i've heard of people with springs reporting. Full package ftw.

The Verdict:

Is it worth it? For me it was. Without ever riding in an Si with the HFP, i'm not sure how much better the Mugen is, if at all. It is certainly expensive. In the end, with brokerage costs (across the US/Canada border), total bill was nearly $1600. But it is Mugen, so you're going to pay a premium price. Plus I got a license plate frame and a wicked Mugen Ninja T-Shirt.

It certainly feels like it's a new level of handling, and I definately can't wait to drive out to Fairmont Hot Springs and throw it around the corners coming down into Radium. It's like the Alberta version of Mt. Akina

Any other questions, anything you want to know, any other pics, please feel free to ask and i'll do what I can. And now...THE PICS!

The Kit



Instructions



Jacked up, ready for install!



Front Assembly Comparisons





Rear Spring Comparison (sorry, forgot to get one of the shocks. But they're identically sized as the stock ones)



Front Installed



Rear Installed



Finger+Measuring Tape Comparisons









Back Down



Parked at Home





Extra Stuves!





Well that's it! Going to take some more pics tomorrow out in the open, maybe it'll have settled a bit and might be a bit lower. I was just too damn tired by the time I got the car down >.<

[SiliconX]

Scary part was when I got the rear wheels on and lowered it back down. The rear was HIGH. For a second, I thouhgt maybe they had sent me a CRV suspension instead

But once the front came down it leveled out just fine. Day was off to a shitty start as an ENTIRE bottle of degreaser leaked into my Autogeek.net duffel bag and all over the trunk carpet

Cleaned it as best I could, vaccuumed it out but I have a feeling i'll be replacing that in the near future. Trunk smells whack now.

[Sirbelch]

Good work. DIY is always the best no matter how hard or how much you bleed. You will also notice, there is a little more traction of the line because the stiffer rear suspesion resists more weight transfer which keeps more weight on the front wheels which helps traction.

sorry about the trunk.

[SiliconX]

Originally Posted by Sirbelch

Good work. DIY is always the best no matter how hard or how much you bleed. You will also notice, there is a little more traction of the line because the stiffer rear suspesion resists more weight transfer which keeps more weight on the front wheels which helps traction.

Yeah, pickup felt a bit better. I really didn't do a full WOT take-off from a dead stop, i'll try that tomorrow.

And I didn't take pics for a full DIY. But I can certainly jack it up and do that if people want. I imagine it would be identical to the HFP.

[SiRyan]

It should settle a little more give it a month.

[strCIVIC]

seems like its the same height as the HFP suspension

[FA5SI]

wow MUGEN ftw!

[bluetroll]

Originally Posted by strCIVIC

seems like its the same height as the HFP suspension

that's what it seems like.

[Nomar06]

crazy price! You could get Tein Flex for a little more. Lots of adjustments there.

[Swank]

Nice job, I didn't know you knew how to use tools...I knew you were a bit of a tool but that's it j/k. I'm sure it will drop more as it settles, and by then you'll be <3'n it.

[hoanger]

sexy!
so your box is the one I saw at the entrance of the UPS place when I went to pick up my amp. I was actually gonna take a pic of it cause i saw a Mugen box!
hahaha
but yeah dude, thats wicked.. +rep!

[mrJLIEU]

Nice. Thanks for the review.

[pure2.0]

Looks good. Nice write-up.

[SiliconX]

Originally Posted by hoanger

sexy!
so your box is the one I saw at the entrance of the UPS place when I went to pick up my amp. I was actually gonna take a pic of it cause i saw a Mugen box!
hahaha
but yeah dude, thats wicked.. +rep!

Yeah that was probably mine

What time did you go get your amp? I hit there really early so I must have just missed you.

And today, went down to the parkade to look on it with a rested set of eyes. Looks awesome. Noticably lower, more aggressive looking, but not scraping the ground. Really happy with it, looks great. And of course, handles like a dream

[hoanger]

Originally Posted by SiliconX

Yeah that was probably mine

What time did you go get your amp? I hit there really early so I must have just missed you.

And today, went down to the parkade to look on it with a rested set of eyes. Looks awesome. Noticably lower, more aggressive looking, but not scraping the ground. Really happy with it, looks great. And of course, handles like a dream

Hmm.. I went there at around 10:15ish, I saw it and I wanted to steal it and run away LOL, but it never came to mind that it could have been your suspension
darn... LOL

thats awesome, congratulations again dude

[Civic_Sista]

Mugen Suspension is the best! Nice write up!