I need help with my susp.

I was looking for some affordable adjustable coilovers and shocks for my 95 civ dx. I came across Arospeed and Dropzone for the adj. coilovers. Are these companies any good, because I hear people sat they suck, but most of them only got the coilovers and not the shocks also. I plan on spending $250-300 for my coilovers and the same for my shocks. Between arospeed and dropzone which is easier to adjust? Which one performs better? Can I use any adjustable shocks with either of these coilovers? Does it matter which brand strut bars I go with? Do floor bars really make a difference?

[AzCivic]

The more you spend on struts the better. Koni's are about the best.

You know anything else about the adjustable shocks/coilovers or floor bars?

Originally posted by goatnipples2002
Do floor bars really make a difference?

i dont think so.. i have a full cage and it barely makes a differance

[ebpda9]

i don't think the floor bats make a difference because most of the chassis flex comes from the trunk or the engine parts, not the body of the car. i hope you understand me.

I underdig perfectly, good lookin out! You saved me $150. Now, about the adjustable coilovers and shocks. I've seen some bomb ass regular shocks and coilovers, but adjustables allow you to ride how you want. I was told you "can't" ride on adjustable coilovers and regular shocks, it either has to be all reg. or all adj. is this true for performance reasons or for ride quality? Can I use any adj. shock/coilover combo? Do you have any knowledge of how to raise or lower the dropzone or arospeed coilovers, because I would naturally want the easiest? Have any suggestions on some affordable adjustable shocks?

[AzCivic]

I've heard enough crap about coilovers to not use them.

adjustable struts wont help anything out with coilovers, you'll just have the option to make your ride even stiffer, or you can set them up for different styles of racing.

If you want the flexibility of a coilover AND a good suspension setup then get real coilovers. the ones that are a strut/spring combo like... http://www.overboost.com/obs/product...id=23&sc_name=

theres cheaper ones out there, i just found these first.

I believe 95 civic dx's have shocks all the way around or am I wrong? I thought you had to have coilovers and shocks. I want the adjustable ones so I can adjust my ride height at will. Explain some thing to me whats the difference between struts, shocks, coilovers and springs? I just want to be able to take street turns at 70mph like my friend. I know everything he has, but he paid way too much ("mommy & daddy" really).

[AzCivic]

Originally posted by goatnipples2002
I believe 95 civic dx's have shocks all the way around or am I wrong? I thought you had to have coilovers and shocks. I want the adjustable ones so I can adjust my ride height at will. Explain some thing to me whats the difference between struts, shocks, coilovers and springs? I just want to be able to take street turns at 70mph like my friend. I know everything he has, but he paid way too much ("mommy & daddy" really).

if you got the same suspension i do, I'm sure you do. then its struts all the way around. struts/shocks are basically the same thing, the terms get interchanged alot. i believe there are some design differences between the two though. i got struts and thats all i've dealt with. springs are springs they replace the ones on you car with shorter stiffer ones, coilovers do the same thing but have a sleeve the spring can be raised or lowered on. then theres what i showed you in the link, the best for adjustability.

Just to make sure I'm soaking this up right. So you have the option of either shocks or struts? And you say strut/spring combos are best and if I want adjustability get some adjustable strut/spring? I thought I knew something now I'm all confused.

[ebpda9]

all the civics from 92 to 01 have shocks on all 4 corners. pm me about some prices. i sell suspension pats and more stuff

[AzCivic]

no they have STRUTS!

[AzCivic]

Originally posted by goatnipples2002
Just to make sure I'm soaking this up right. So you have the option of either shocks or struts? And you say strut/spring combos are best and if I want adjustability get some adjustable strut/spring? I thought I knew something now I'm all confused.

no your car came with struts so you gotta use struts. ever see a lifted truck and noticed those shocks?? did you notice they didnt have a spring around them(like struts do).

[AzCivic]

http://doityourself.com/images/shoc-8.gif

thing on the right is a strut(what most honda's have)
on the left is a shock.

Now I'm hearing two different things. I looked in my chilton's manual for 84-95 civic/crx/del sol and survey says..........4 struts! I believe that is for 88-95, but I know for a fact 92-95.


After seeing that picture of a shock and a strut, I sure my honda has struts, because of the spring on it.

Now what's the difference between a spring and a coilover? That link you had earlier is that a coilover or a strut? or both? or a spring and a strut?

I know I ask the gang of Q's, but I do it with nuthin, but good intentions not to be annoying just because this is my first honda. I used to drive an 80 monte carlo, a 79 cutlass, and an 87 regal. So I'm used to small block 350 and 400. Just to explain alot of the Q's I ask.

[AzCivic]

Originally posted by goatnipples2002
Now I'm hearing two different things. I looked in my chilton's manual for 84-95 civic/crx/del sol and survey says..........4 struts! I believe that is for 88-95, but I know for a fact 92-95.

After seeing that picture of a shock and a strut, I sure my honda has struts, because of the spring on it.

Now what's the difference between a spring and a coilover? That link you had earlier is that a coilover or a strut? or both? or a spring and a strut?

I know I ask the gang of Q's, but I do it with nuthin, but good intentions not to be annoying just because this is my first honda. I used to drive an 80 monte carlo, a 79 cutlass, and an 87 regal. So I'm used to small block 350 and 400. Just to explain alot of the Q's I ask.

Good Job!!! you actually did research of you own and didnt just take my word for it. For that you get kudos.

ok a spring is just that a spring http://www.overboost.com/obs/product/eibach_prokit.jpg . you put it on the strut, aftermarket springs are shorter which lower the level of the car cause thats what the car is sitting on.

with that spring you'll want a better strut http://www.overboost.com/obs/product/tokicohp.jpg cause the stock ones will wear out fast

a coilover is a spring with an adjustable sleeve incorporated into it http://www.overboost.com/obs/product/gc_4.jpg you can lower/raise the spring on the sleeve which lowers/raises the vehicle.

now there is another coilover a REAL coilover which is a threaded strut with a matched spring http://www.overboost.com/obs/product/jic_flt-2.jpg
you adjust the height on the strut instead of on some cheap sleeve.

did that clear things up?

Good lookin out on the info and the pictures, I picked the suspension thing up kinda slow, but now that I got it I'll keep it.

Now that I think about it I don't need to have adjustable struts because it's not like I'll be changing rims so I guess I won't need to change ride height.

Now I see not all struts have springs on them. And coilovers do look unsafe because of the that sleeve bullshit. So all REAL coilovers are adjustable?

[AzCivic]

yes the real coilovers are adjustable as well.

I left out one other thing. adjustable struts change in thier firmness and have nothing to to with ride height. like these which i have on my car: http://www.overboost.com/obs/product...id=24&sc_name=

I found this performance package and I wanted to know if you think this is a good deal. I'm not familiar with the companies so I wanted a 2nd opinion.

It's the performance package#1 @ www.TheCivicStore.com

[AzCivic]

Those name brands arent very good. So I'd say no. Its cheap, but your getting cheap parts.

Do you have a goal in mind for your car?

I need a new exhaust system because my catalytic converter is rusted out and has a hole in it. It sounds like shit. I will cost me like $250 for the stock shit from the cat back. The high flow catalytic converter would cost $100. I figure I might as well get that package because I need an aftermarket header.

My car is stock except for a deck, subs and AEM short ram.

I planned on getting......... camshaft, cam gear, header, intake manifold, cold air extention tube, z rated tires, F&R sway bars, F&R strut bars, struts, springs, a tornado, short shifter, tachometer, high performance brake pads, cross drilled rators, quick clutch adjuster kit, projector head lights, clearback tail lights, and that power package. Oh yeah a body kit, unsure which one yet. I have a long ways before the body kit, engine 1st.

Until I found out my d15b7 ain't shit, so I'm gonna save all summer and get enough for a dohc vtec. Unsure which one I wonder........Can you smoosh a 3.0 vtec into a 95 civic? I also found some dual halo lights, but there for a 96-00 civ would they fit my car?

[AzCivic]

Originally posted by goatnipples2002
I need a new exhaust system because my catalytic converter is rusted out and has a hole in it. It sounds like shit. I will cost me like $250 for the stock shit from the cat back. The high flow catalytic converter would cost $100. I figure I might as well get that package because I need an aftermarket header.

My car is stock except for a deck, subs and AEM short ram.

I planned on getting......... camshaft, cam gear, header, intake manifold, cold air extention tube, z rated tires, F&R sway bars, F&R strut bars, struts, springs, a tornado, short shifter, tachometer, quick clutch adjuster kit, projector head lights, clearback tail lights, and that power package. Oh yeah a body kit, unsure which one yet. I have a long ways before the body kit, engine 1st.

Until I found out my d15b7 ain't shit, so I'm gonna save all summer and get enough for a dohc vtec. Unsure which one I wonder........Can you smoosh a 3.0 vtec into a 95 civic? I also found some dual halo lights, but there for a 96-00 civ would they fit my car?

It'll probably cost too much for the 3ltr vtec engine, a good swap for a civic is either the integra or civic si engine, theyre the easiest.
Head lights for a 96-00 will not fit the 92-95's.

Thanks for the info, I'm tired as hell I got up too early. Hola at cha tomorrow.

[TeriyakiBroccoli]

I've gotta give you mad props for your name, and the fact that you do some research/searching on the forums b4 you ask a question.

What you planning to do with your civic?

My REAL name is Goatman, but as I've gotten older it's changed to G.o.a.t. and a couple of my close friends call me goatnipples to make fun of me and it's the only name yahoo would except so I use it on all my forums, because it makes it easier on my memory ("420" hurts the memory) .

Just because it didn't seem clear earlier in the thread:

Strut = Damper ("Shock") + Spring

If you don't need adjustability, don't worry about coilovers, just get a good quality shock and a good quality spring.

My civic has 4 struts not shocks.

then what do you call a strut that has a coil spring connected to it? It seems that all the struts I see have no springs connected, having it all in one unit has to installation a lot easier.