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what's the stiffest suspesion avail for eg civic on a budget?


alex37211

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I'm building a dedicated autocross civic. Car needs to handle as well as I can get it to. I am planning to completely gut/strip the thing and put as many sway bars as will fit.

I'm not looking to be extremely competitive in my class. I just want to build a fun autocrosser. I don't really wanna spend more than around $500ish on suspension. Used is fine.

I want to be three-wheeling these courses. Open to all suggestions.

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i can pull a 3 wheel, but I have around $1250 or so in mine.

 

once you crack a g you start getting into gear that can actually hold up to that sort of handling. spend $500 on a cheap ebay set or on street quality parts and you will be broken in one day.

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I have seen used tein superstreet coilovers for $500. Hell, I sold some a wile back for that much (kicking myself now).

I'm not going to be using r-compound tires or anything so I don't think I will break stuff.

Let me rephrase.

What is the stiffest suspension I could maybe find used in the $500 range?

I don't need it to ride nice or negotiate bumps well. Just to stay planted through slaloms and such.

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i can pull a 3 wheel, but I have around $1250 or so in mine.

 

once you crack a g you start getting into gear that can actually hold up to that sort of handling. spend $500 on a cheap ebay set or on street quality parts and you will be broken in one day.

x10.

 

if youre gonna have a dedicated autocross car, why in the hell would you go cheap on the suspension?

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x10.

 

if youre gonna have a dedicated autocross car, why in the hell would you go cheap on the suspension?

 

Because I'm not really serious about it. I took my stock M roadster a couple times and then a stock G35 sedan. There are people out there with stock suspension eg civics. There was even a dodge ram last event! I bought the car for like $600. It's just a little weekend project.

Can we get off the "why are you going cheap"?

I think I've made it clear.

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i autox my sol occasionally, running the skunk2 spring / shock combo, was 499 new. Its a bit stiff for most people for DD use, but i use it on and off track and have no problems with it.

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and to clarify - stock parts are much higher build quality then most budget suspension parts and kits. obviously stock is softer and will be higher COG but the parts themselves are quite strong. i would have no concern driving stock, but would be uncomfortable on anything ebay brand or the like.

 

my setup, which I am very pleased with:

 

Function & Form Type I coilovers: $700

Carbing front and rear frame braces: $175

Skunk2 adjustable camber UCA's front and rear: $150

Cheapo Blox rear LCA: $100 (which I have already had bushing problems with after a couple thousand miles and need to replace)

Energy Suspension master kit: $125

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the blox were purchased in my days of being flat broke and needing to replace my rlca stock bushings anyway. in a moment of regretful ebayness i cheaped out and now pay for it. I am still broke but I make sure to save up and buy quality parts or properly research to make sure the 'cheaper' part i am buying has a solid history.

 

keep in mind, the blox rlca's have actually been on the car for around three years now. my best guess is they have covered no more then 3000 miles or so in that time. sadly, no track days for me. always wanted to autox but really lack the personality to want to show up by myself for the first time. just not an outgoing person i guess.

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the blox were purchased in my days of being flat broke and needing to replace my rlca stock bushings anyway. in a moment of regretful ebayness i cheaped out and now pay for it. I am still broke but I make sure to save up and buy quality parts or properly research to make sure the 'cheaper' part i am buying has a solid history.

 

keep in mind, the blox rlca's have actually been on the car for around three years now. my best guess is they have covered no more then 3000 miles or so in that time. sadly, no track days for me. always wanted to autox but really lack the personality to want to show up by myself for the first time. just not an outgoing person i guess.

I drive on mine daily... about 15k a year... bute im the same as you, i hate people.

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yea, i reserve the work commuting for the car that gets good fuel mileage and just drive the civic as a weekend/fair weather beater.

 

raley, how far from toledo are you?

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Okay so I'm on a local forum and here is what this guy had to say in response to the same question:

 

"You really should not be asking what is the stiffest...but rather the best. I have no idea what is best for that car as far as spring rates but the Bilstein Shock + Ebay Coilover Sleeve + 2.5" QA1 coil over springs.....it has worked for TOO many people. All the Japanese coil overs are GARBAGE every SINGLE set. Find out what other people are using for spring rates and lengths on that car(you can find this information at www.sccafoums.com), get the above suggested shock and coil over combo and be happy. Or buy the Jap crap and be worse off than you were with the stock stuff."

 

 

Now I have driven on tein super-street coilovers on a civic and I was very impressed and pleased with how well it handled. So I'm just curious as to how much better (if any) the bilstein combo would be.

 

Does anyone have an opinion on his suggestions?

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yea, i reserve the work commuting for the car that gets good fuel mileage and just drive the civic as a weekend/fair weather beater.

 

raley, how far from toledo are you?

 

my civic gets better mileage then anything ive ever owned :p but im about 3 to 3:30 hours from toledo.

 

Now I have driven on tein super-street coilovers on a civic and I was very impressed and pleased with how well it handled. So I'm just curious as to how much better (if any) the bilstein combo would be.

 

Does anyone have an opinion on his suggestions?

well, hes right, but your question was stiffest, so i answered correctly with steel bars. bilstein makes some damn good crap, never ran it on a honda but loved it on my beetle (1966 baja) and they were great off road. the hardest part about your question is that since suspension is expensive and hard to change (in respects) that most people can't compare 2 types... also the more worn in they get, the different they feel... so you have to compare new to new and so on... which is way to expensive for most people, and you cant just try 2 different cars because tires, rims, bushing condition (ES or stock), and many other things have changes... crap from having rear seats to not will change slightly... my favorite "Cheap" set up for shocks was my Tokeco springs on KYB AGXs... comfortable, slower ride height and still grabbed around corners... but ive been running my skunk2 full bodies (the Pro's not Pro S)

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yup he's right.

 

That's essentially what I've been telling people on honda forums for years...Everyone RAVES about koni yellows and Ground controls...

 

Koni yellows yes great damper.

 

Ground controls are only a threaded sleeve and collars..This part has zero effect on suspension.

 

The aspect of the GC that makes them good is the spring. They utilize an Eibach ERS spring..Which if you buy just the spring from eibach they are guaranteed for life against sagging, rust, etc.

 

So why get charged out the ass for GC's when you can get yourself either Koni yellow's or KYB AGX's for a damper. Buy a set of ebay coilovers for practically nothing..Throw away the springs the perches/sleeves come with..

 

Then source some used 2.5" Eibach ERS springs in your desired spring rate for aprx $25 each on a racing forum.

 

That combo right there gives you identical suspension as the koni/gc combo for half the price..

 

Honda people just buy for a name even if the part's junk. Tein's are sure decent but you can have mark my words The BEST full coilover for less than the Tein SS.

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the vw gets 45-50 and I flog the hell out of it. stiffest suspension is indeed a misnomer. the vw handles nearly as well as my civic yet it is stock, has higher cog then the civic and rides on soft stock sized rubber.

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