[dubstepslap415]

not racing, but commuting.So it's up to you.I'm am not some boy racer that want to slam the car, I am 62 but wanted a drop more than a spring, what looks right. Here's my drop on megans for the car I just traded in. It is the perfect height in my eyes: Look at all three - stock, springs and megans:

I am waiting for a matched coil and spring from megan or Tein. Also, a spring is one drop avail - with a coil, they are threaded and you can CHANGE your drop as you move to new areas, raise them for snow, etc. In owning megans for 2 years I adjusted 3 times....to get it perfect for me....

I really like the look of the Megan's. Thanks for explaining that a bit, I think I'm going to wait until Megan comes out with a coil for the 4DR EX-L V6 or possibly wait for the HFP coil. I don't want to blow out my stock shocks.

 

[glen e]

you may or may not blow your shocks, but many do...wait for Tein, Koni, or Megan to do this right....

 

[dubstepslap415]

yeah I don't want to take the chance, I will using the car for daily commuting but at the same time, might take the car to the drag strip with my friends on the weekly race night. I will wait it out for Tein, Koni, and Megan to see options. I've got tints, exhaust [mufflers & tips] and my rear deck lid to worry about first. Any suggestions on exhaust for the throaty sound? Many have recommended Magnaflow mufflers and tips to avoid that typical Honda sound

 

[glen e]

can't help you...don't do perf mods on a commuter car...but I know many do, not passing judgement.

 

[dubstepslap415]

can totally respect that, thanks for your tips
I might come back to you with more coil questions when those companies have released theirs

 

[glen e]

10 4

 

[platinum]

yeah, stock shocks not recommended with any spring setup. Pairing a good aftermarket shock (Koni, potentially KYB, etc..) with a set of lower springs is fine.

 

[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.

 

[dubstepslap415]

thanks for the tips Shinchu and Platinum,
I'll be waiting for Megan, Koni, etc. to release their coil over kits for the 2013 Honda Accord Sedan V6
I'm liking that EZ Street Series, any suggestions? will be a daily driver but also will be used at the track occasionally...

 

[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. ; )

 

[dubstepslap415]

Shinchu, definitely man!
I will constantly look back to you and Glen E for that knowledge and advice. Thank you for explaining it more. I am going to be looking at the different kits once they start becoming available. I've been told by a few companies that it'll be around Feb/Mar that the new kits start to release, but I'm hoping for sooner.

now I've got my eyes set on the Diamond Cut 19" Alloy's from HFP

 

[denniswolf]

SHINCHU: whats wrong with Koni and Ground Control? Y do you insist only threaded body coilovers? Just weld the GC sleeve to the shock body and you have the same thing, no?

 

[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.

 

[trantv]

Shinchu, definitely man!
I will constantly look back to you and Glen E for that knowledge and advice. Thank you for explaining it more. I am going to be looking at the different kits once they start becoming available. I've been told by a few companies that it'll be around Feb/Mar that the new kits start to release, but I'm hoping for sooner.

now I've got my eyes set on the Diamond Cut 19" Alloy's from HFP

Small world. I follow you on youtube.

 

[denniswolf]

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!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=biOLaKSC0sM
fast forward to 5:00 and thats when it gets into the advantages of coilovers, and why.

The welding comment was just in jest. Basically meant that if you permanently attach the collar to the shock, you have a unit like KW V1, H & R Street Performance, Tein Basic, etc that are only adjustable in height by preload. So the above aren't real coil overs either?

I see what you are saying and I agree, but I think there is some confusion. I never suggested to use stock shocks with Ground Control. That would be awful. The Konis are designed and valved to handle up to a 2" drop and probably more. If wanting to drop further, you can always get shortened Koni (or other) shock inserts , extended top hats, or both to restore the optimal shock range. In both cases, this is a proven setup and highly regarded and would realistically outperform the dual adjustable chinese kits 10 times out of 10.

The video you linked is comparing springs only on stock shocks with a coilover. Thats not what I was mentioning at all. Check out 3m57 on the video..what he says is exactly what I am talking about.

 

[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 ; )

 

[dubstepslap415]

Small world. I follow you on youtube.

that's whats up man, appreciate it lol

 

[chr0me94]

Same with Eibach Pro-Kit and Tein S-tech.

Tein's also looking for '13 Accord sedan and coupe owners in SoCal to help with testing and fitting.

I might consider lending my vehicle to tein for springs, coil-overs preferably. My last car 03 Corolla was a prototype for Tein S-Tech springs, been riding on those for about 10yrs! Good product.

 

[on2]

I would prefer fully adjustable coilovers as well.

Since aftermarket springs will eventually destroy the factory shocks.

And they usually settle more than their advertised drop rates, so who knows how low you'll be once they settle.

But with adjustables, that will never be an issue.

Hopefully TEIN brings something from their Street Comfort line of coilovers.

 

[platinum]

Just get after market shocks too if you don't have the coin for coils.