[SHINCHU]

the rear naturally sits higher from the factory, and even with that 0.1" difference in the H&R springs, the rear will most likely still be SLIGHTLY higher than the front (to compensate for rear passengers, trunk loads, etc.)

im crossing my fingers for a set of coilovers. as springs dont quite go low enough for me (want the fenders to JUST barely cover the tread of the tires) so these 1" drops just wont cut it. i need about 2" or 2.5".
it also gives me the choice of custom spring rates to fine-tune the ride so its not very harsh. i expect near-factory ride, plus adjustability. coilovers are pure win.

and by swapping out the entire shock/spring assemblies, the OEM stuff will be like new if/when i ever sell it or give it back at the end of my lease.

when i had my 2012 civic, it took companies the better part of 8 months to actually get product out there for suspension. i would expect a good selection to be available (maybe 6-10 brands?) by this time next year.

patience! dont jump on the first thing that comes out. a rushed product is just that. wait for stuff to get reviewed, take your time.

 

[SHINCHU]

its mcphearson fronts so it will need adjustable top hats much like nissan 240sx, etc...
older hondas had dual A-arm, so they had either shims for the upper A-arms to push the out, or for extreme camber adjustments, the entire upper A-arm was replaced for maximum adjustment.

and as far as coilovers, i mean true threaded body shocks.
ground control is just an adjustable height spring sliding over whatever shocks (oem, aftermarket), that if improperly adjusted (lower than 1.75") will still put the shock in a non-operational area of stroke, no matter what brand they are.

true coilovers (BC, Megan, Skunk2, etc.) have a threaded body, so you actually change the entire ride hieght, not just the spring.

*edit*
pic of "ground control" adjustable springs vs. K-sport coilovers (not the best brand, but they make my point)

ground control

K-Sport coilovers

now you still have spring height adjustability on the coils, that is your pre-load and you generally want to leave that as is.
for ride height you adjust the perch at the bottom, effectively moving the entire assembly down, not just the spring.

:thmsup:

 

[SHINCHU]

waiting for megan coils...springs blow stock shocks - no thanks

right you are sir!

as for true coilovers being overkill? dude. read that quote up there. how about replacing shocks every year? THAT is overkill.
coilovers can last up to 6 years if you take care of them.
and like i said, you can get custom rates if the company is good enough to care. i was going to get rates on my civic only SLIGHTLY stiffer than stock so as not to bottom out yet still be soft enough to drive my 4 y/o twins around. (used to drive them around in a fully drift prepped s14 with 8/6kg springs and full spherical rod end links! ****ed but now everything else is cake lol)

seriously, coilovers are worth EVERY PENNY. :thmsup:

 

[SHINCHU]

platinum, i agree with your post at the top of this page. but like most things, your milage may vary.

i had a 1986 corolla GT-S (AE86) with tokico HP (blues) shocks and B+G drop springs (2" drop, progressive rate) and the HP's blew out in about a year. i built some custom coilovers using a trick many in the ae86 community call "short stroke" by ordering camaro rears, and MR2 (SW20) rear inserts for the front of the corolla (KYB AGX for both front and rear). these shocks already had a lower hieght range of operation, so it was okay to use with the coilovers (okay, adjustable springs) i built using circle track parts. rates were 6kg front, 4.8kg rear. much stiffer than the B+G "lowering springs".

i sold the car shortly after, so i cant report on the longevity of that system but i imagine it lasted longer than the B+G/HP setup.

so yes, with proper springs adjusted correctly, aftermarket shocks will last longer due to more aggressive valving and higher quality and intended design of higher stress. but what MOST people will do just to be lower, is toss on the lowest spring they can find on thier OEM shocks.
this is why i recommend a FULL coilover setup. glen e nailed it, for adjustability and nearly bullet-proof operation, not to mention the ability to go lower than ordinary springs. add to that you can order custom rates to fine-tune even further.

i dont see any other option besides true threaded body coilovers to get your money's worth and do it right the first time. but like everything, this is my opinion and you take take it for what it is, and use it as advice if it applies to you. if not, just keep in mind.

 

[SHINCHU]

dubstepslap415, donthold your breath for anything made by koni. the shocks are great alone, but they do not make a full threaded coilover.
see the pics above that i posted. the orange K-Sport coilovers are the design to look for, no matter what brand. BUT dont just get any brand with that design. even K-Sport is a so-so brand.
go with a dependable brand that has seen racing duty (BC, Tein, Megan, Skunk2, Tanabe, etc.) sure they are more expensive, but you get what you pay for.

between glen e and myself, watch for more on suspension as i think the two of us are up to be good examples of how to do it right. ; )

 

[SHINCHU]

no.

as i explained earlier in this thread...
a full threaded body coilover lets you adjust the hieght of the ENTIRE assembly, keeping the damper at the same operational area.

adjustable spring sleeves (Ground control) only lowers the spring, and by over-lowering puts the damper in a NON-operational area because the spring will compress the damper.

fully adjustable coilovers adjusts them BOTH (spring and damper) and lowers everything, not just the spring. they will not compress the damper by doing so.

thus, you have better ride quality, a longer lasting product, and a better handling vehicle as it will not be bottoming out the shock as quickly as a sleeve setup would.

(keep in mind this is for people wanting to lower 2" or more)

additionally, if you WELD ANYTHING on a fully assembled damper with oils/gas in place, might as well write that thing off as the heat from the welding just destroyed it.

*EDIT*
watch this vid, explains exactly what i mean!

fast forward to 5:00 and thats when it gets into the advantages of coilovers, and why.

 

[SHINCHU]

yeah i agree that a PROPER combo of a good shock with correctly adjusted spring sleeves will perform ok. but most kids these days get the cheapest adjustable spring sleeves and toss them on stock shocks, slam them all the way down, and ride on thier bumpstops and bottom the shocks on ever pebble, blowing them in months.

i know thats extreme case, but it happens. i just prefer the fully threaded bodies for ultimate adjustability without worrying about any of the possibilites of incorrect shock stroke.

and yes, i know a good factory paired setup like KW will out perform a chinese fully threaded coilover. thats why in the pic of the K-Sport coilovers i said they arent the best brand ; )

i dont disagree with you at all. i just think fully adjustable is the best bang for most people's buck. if a modest 2" or less drop is all you want, just about any other decent brand adjustable spring/shock or basic coilover will do fine, as long as its not adjusted too low. and i know there are problems with going to low with fully threaded coilovers too. alignment, etc. i even saw pics of a subaru that was so low the driveshafts were grinding into the frame so bad, it had cut a notch!

so yeah im not opposed, just preffer the whole shabang when it comes to suspension. once you've been spoiled by a good set of fully adjustable coilovers, its hard to go back ; )

 

[SHINCHU]

*PERK*

uhhh i live about 1 hour from there. just went there last month with my bro in law to buy a used 240sx.

hmmm...

*shifty eyes*

:naughty:

also helps i know a pro drifter with ties to megan... :thmsup:
maybe i'll see what i can do?
kinda need my car for work. but... xmas vacation coming up.

 

[SHINCHU]

hey man to each his own!
i know im waiting for coils. i hope to not need a camber kit, as i dont want to go as extreme as that pic. just want to get it flush.

but yeah... dont hate!

hardhotel, any pics of those nokya fogs? i heard they are pretty nice yellow.

 

[SHINCHU]

they may have done the same thing as the rear differences on the 8th and 9th gen civic.

different part numbers but the only physical difference on the civic was the springs being wound opposite directions between left and right. (right clockwise wind, left counter-clockwise, or vice-versa, but you get the point)

civic guys were using 8th gen rears on 9th gen.
might work but unless you know a shop that can test fit with no cost, i dont recommend.

i would agree and say just wait for a set to come out for the 9th accord.

 

[SHINCHU]

NICE!
and welcome to the forums, Dreamkiller!

i would also expect something soon from Megan and BC. i dont have details but BC was pretty quick to get a great set developed for the 9th civic.
and somebody here has heard whispers from Megan.

personally i am waiting for BC. thier quality and custom spring rates are a great deal.
(plus i have a slight hookup )

 

[SHINCHU]

im still waiting for BC coilovers...

 

[SHINCHU]

nice! i have been waiting for BC with custom rates.
i was literally moments from pulling the trigger on a set for my 2012 civic sedan, then i saw the 2013 accord on the showroom floor and... well you know what happened next