I plan on lowering my G and with all the search I've done, everyone is saying that lowering the G with just springs will damage the shocks, etc.

Has anyone personally experienced shock premature damage with lowering their ride?

I'm not sure if we're a bunch of chicken ***** or if any of the info. on this forum is backed up with actaul facts and personal experience.

Here's my take (IMO only). I used to race and fixed my Civic. I was on the cover of Super Street mag. and do all the work on the car by myself (engine sway, suspension swap, basically stripped the car down and replaced everything. So I know a little about cars ). Throughout the 7 years that I was doing this, I never had problems with so much of the stuff that I've read on this site. I know a G is completely differnent from a Honda, but the mechanical concept for engines and suspensions are relatively the same for all cars. G will always have better stock performing parts than Hondas. Why are we so worried about every mod we do? I guess the $30K+ price tag is the main issue.

Example: Most fixed up S2000s I see in S.Cal are lowered and most just have springs. I haven't read on their site about pre-mature damaged shocks. I also haven't read anywhere that someone complained to a company about their springs ruining the shocks of their cars. No disclaimer from the manufacture on this topic either.

So to sum it up, ARE WE CHICKEN *****? Does anyone have any horror stories to share? Not what you've heard but what actually happened to you. This goes more all other bolt-ons and not just lowering your G.

 

Do you have an example thread that says lowering springs will damage shocks? I've been on these forums for a few months now and I've never seen anyone say lowering springs will damage shocks.

Anyways, I can understand why people here would be more concerned with their ride than a civic. Most here own their own car and tend to take better care of it, so mods are of a bigger concern whereas most hondas are cheaper so quirks from mods aren't that big of a concern. Probably half of honda drivers were given their cars by their parents and so they don't even care if they screw it up.

Personally, I agree with being picky G35 owner. It would drive me nuts and make me look pathetic if I owned a nice ride but had the suspension squeak, a hunting idle, tires rubbing on the fender, etc.

 

i want to know too. i want to lower my car just with springs and i didnt cuz eveyone told me it would mess up the shocks. i have seen dealer cars that have some mods on them being sold with just shocks no coilovers.

 

I have no intentions of lowering the G, but speaking from experience with previous cars, using only lowering springs had a tendency to wear the OEM shocks/struts prematurely. But then again, who's to say they would have lasted longer? Still, I'm pretty confident it was the lower springs. In addition to the potential for accelerated wear, the operational range of the OEM shocks/struts is decreased.

You could always go with just the springs and then address the shocks if/when they wear out.

 

There was a member with an 05 sedan. He had the factory sport suspension with the 05 19" coupe wheels. Lowered with sprint springs and said that after 3 months the ride quality went to **** all of the sudden (premature wear of the struts/shocks)
-GP-

 

As long as you're under there doing springs, you might as well install some shocks intended for lowered applications.

 

+1
I agree that you might as well just replace the shocks at the same time. But you have to remember some people dont have $800 to get springs and shocks at the same time. Plus the cost of installation if you cant do it yourself.
-GP-

 

+2

That's the way I'm going

 

Here's one of the post concerning damaged shocks.
https://g35driver.com/forums/showthr...ering+your+car

 

Yeah, $800 for shocks and springs still don't solve all the issues with possible pre-mature aftermarket shocks or ride quality, (read all the post here https://g35driver.com/forums/showthr...ering+your+car)

So then you might as well add more $$ to get a tuned coilover set. Now you're looking at $1400. ****!, who can drop that on a dime? I know I can't.

But on the bright side. The stock shocks have a plenty of travel. If you lower you car by 1", that travel distance difference shouldn't change the shock performance much. Unless your hopping curbs or taking speed bumps at a fast speed (which I'm sure non of us are doing).

I personally feel its okay to us Tein or any of the higher end brands for springs to lower your car and it should be fine. If not, what's $150 compared to $800 and still you're not sure if it'll make that much of a difference. Now this is purely for daily driving. If you're gonna weekend race, that's different story.

 

$800 for shocks and springs DOES solve the issues with pre-mature aftermarket shocks/struts. You can get Tokico D-spec shocks with after market shocks such as Tein S-tech or H-techs for $700 plus shipping. I personally am going with Tokico D-Spec 16way adjustable shocks with OEM 05 Zsprings. It's a good alternative to coilovers if you dont have 1500 to spend.
-GP-

 

As you must know from your Honda days, you gotta pay to play.

But not ALL springs will hurt your factory shocks. ie... Z springs

 

I've got Tein basic coilovers and without any basis of comparison I have to say it's the best street drop for $800. Your stock shocks will be over compressed with lowered springs and ride hard. Components operating outside their normal range will fail quicker. Adjustables are great if you like dialing in street/race profiles...

Bottom line, I have a comfortable firm ride in a "plug and play" drop with a nice low wheel line.

 

It was basically answered already but from my experience (Honda days - Acura), I went down 1.4 with the stock struts and kept that setup for at least a year before i was basically riding on springs. I think the shorter springs definitely hindered the life of the stock struts but it also added a year on the life of the new ones!

Either both or coilovers will be my move but if you drop it with the stock struts and they go quicker, so what... You had some time to save for them. My 02.

 

i have a friend with a m3, and he dropped his car with just springs. After about 9 months, his car was bouncing up and down. His stock struts/shocks gave out prematurely. You really might as well get the shocks with the springs. I recommend the Tokico's for the G coupes, very nice shocks :P If you want to do just springs, go for it, but JUST IN CASE, be ready to buy shocks when needed/if needed.