eibach springs, have some questions on my driving
06-24-2007 | 07:48 AM
#11
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Originally Posted by STC1709,Jun 23 2007, 03:44 PM
i have searched but i need answers to my specific questions as my driving is different that most people on here
I want to lower my s2k just 1 inch i have a set of eibachs but im a little uneasy installing them for a few reasons. My main concern is the stock shocks, my s2k isnt a daily driver, its a garage queen, driven when its nice outside. i dont track my car or auto-x, but at sometimes i have the urge to go fast around corners b/c its fun with the s2k.
My issues are how long do you think my stock shocks would last considering what ive stated above, and when i do twisties once and a while is there going to be a big difference in handling. I want the drop for looks, but i dont want to deal with all the problems that may come with it, b/c then i have to get the shit jacked up again then realigned thats more money spent. so whats your take on this?
*NOTE: i do not want coilovers i cant see spending over 1000 on a set of coilovers when A. i dont want an aggressive drop B. im not tracking the car. I also dont feel like spending 600 on koni yellows, as again im not tracking my car*
I want to lower my s2k just 1 inch i have a set of eibachs but im a little uneasy installing them for a few reasons. My main concern is the stock shocks, my s2k isnt a daily driver, its a garage queen, driven when its nice outside. i dont track my car or auto-x, but at sometimes i have the urge to go fast around corners b/c its fun with the s2k.
My issues are how long do you think my stock shocks would last considering what ive stated above, and when i do twisties once and a while is there going to be a big difference in handling. I want the drop for looks, but i dont want to deal with all the problems that may come with it, b/c then i have to get the shit jacked up again then realigned thats more money spent. so whats your take on this?
*NOTE: i do not want coilovers i cant see spending over 1000 on a set of coilovers when A. i dont want an aggressive drop B. im not tracking the car. I also dont feel like spending 600 on koni yellows, as again im not tracking my car*
06-24-2007 | 08:54 AM
#13
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From: SoCal
The reason why is because your AP2 handles much different than an 00. Honda changed the sway bar rates, shock valving, geometry, tire sizes, wheel sizes, ride height since the Eibach springs were designed. Eibach has not updated the kit since 01. What you'll have is a mix and match of parts that weren't designed to work together.
So, they would technically fit but your car is going to handle significantly different than what you are used to. More oversteer and less compliance over bumps is what you'll end up with. Even if you don't track the car or drive it hard, it lowers your cushion if you have bald tires, hit some dirt, drive in the rain etc.
Also, the Eibach kit is not going to lower your car by and inch because the AP2 springs are already about a half inch lower than the AP1 springs. There's no easy solution, I'd leave it stock or do it the right way and get coilovers.
So, they would technically fit but your car is going to handle significantly different than what you are used to. More oversteer and less compliance over bumps is what you'll end up with. Even if you don't track the car or drive it hard, it lowers your cushion if you have bald tires, hit some dirt, drive in the rain etc.
Also, the Eibach kit is not going to lower your car by and inch because the AP2 springs are already about a half inch lower than the AP1 springs. There's no easy solution, I'd leave it stock or do it the right way and get coilovers.
06-24-2007 | 08:57 AM
#14
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From: SoCal
Eibach Spring Rates:
Fr: 263 lb/in - Rr: 343 lb/in
OEM Spring Rates:
00-01 Fr: 218 lb/in - Rr: 291 lb/in
02-03 Fr: 240 lb/in - Rr: 230* lb/in
04-07 Fr: 256 lb/in - Rr: 207* lb/in
*Estimates based on published % changes from Honda.
Fr: 263 lb/in - Rr: 343 lb/in
OEM Spring Rates:
00-01 Fr: 218 lb/in - Rr: 291 lb/in
02-03 Fr: 240 lb/in - Rr: 230* lb/in
04-07 Fr: 256 lb/in - Rr: 207* lb/in
*Estimates based on published % changes from Honda.
06-24-2007 | 09:09 AM
#15
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From: Connecticut
Originally Posted by s2ka,Jun 24 2007, 12:54 PM
The reason why is because your AP2 handles much different than an 00. Honda changed the sway bar rates, shock valving, geometry, tire sizes, wheel sizes, ride height since the Eibach springs were designed. Eibach has not updated the kit since 01. What you'll have is a mix and match of parts that weren't designed to work together.
So, they would technically fit but your car is going to handle significantly different than what you are used to. More oversteer and less compliance over bumps is what you'll end up with. Even if you don't track the car or drive it hard, it lowers your cushion if you have bald tires, hit some dirt, drive in the rain etc.
Also, the Eibach kit is not going to lower your car by and inch because the AP2 springs are already about a half inch lower than the AP1 springs. There's no easy solution, I'd leave it stock or do it the right way and get coilovers.
So, they would technically fit but your car is going to handle significantly different than what you are used to. More oversteer and less compliance over bumps is what you'll end up with. Even if you don't track the car or drive it hard, it lowers your cushion if you have bald tires, hit some dirt, drive in the rain etc.
Also, the Eibach kit is not going to lower your car by and inch because the AP2 springs are already about a half inch lower than the AP1 springs. There's no easy solution, I'd leave it stock or do it the right way and get coilovers.
06-24-2007 | 10:44 AM
#16
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From: Dry Branch
Originally Posted by STC1709,Jun 24 2007, 10:05 AM
RED MX5 great write up some tihngs i did not know in there, so obivously they will work well on an ap1, but you say to be particularly careful with an ap2., what would be the reason for this?
i may just end up keeping it stock height and just add a lip kit, the s2k is low as it is stock, and i have scraped be4 at stock height, its just that were all used to seeing t s2k at stocke height and we think its high.
stock height there is a 2inch wheel gap around on my car which is not bad compared to alot of cars out there, the rsx being one of them..
METATRON im not sure i think it is, i got the picture a while back from a friend
i may just end up keeping it stock height and just add a lip kit, the s2k is low as it is stock, and i have scraped be4 at stock height, its just that were all used to seeing t s2k at stocke height and we think its high.
stock height there is a 2inch wheel gap around on my car which is not bad compared to alot of cars out there, the rsx being one of them..
METATRON im not sure i think it is, i got the picture a while back from a friend
The best advice is the old adage, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." I lowered my car because we wanted to show it along with the other CCR cars, to promote the business, and if it weren't for that, I'd still be running the stock springs. The car is, just as you said, already VERY low, and dropping it more only takes away from the already limited ground clearance. My front strakes get replaced regularly, because they get scraped up quickly, and you can really bang the underside of the car hard on speed bumps and driveways if you're not careful. If you like the look enough to put up with that kind of thing then dropping the car a little with a good spring kit (that is matched to the car) isn't going to hurt the car or the handling, but it isn't really going to improve anything either, so if you do it, just remember that it's just for bling.
I really don't recommend changing ANYTHING on the S2000 without having very good reasons and specific goals.
06-24-2007 | 11:06 AM
#18
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From: Dry Branch
Originally Posted by s2ka,Jun 24 2007, 11:54 AM
The reason why is because your AP2 handles much different than an 00. Honda changed the sway bar rates, shock valving, geometry, tire sizes, wheel sizes, ride height since the Eibach springs were designed. Eibach has not updated the kit since 01. What you'll have is a mix and match of parts that weren't designed to work together.
So, they would technically fit but your car is going to handle significantly different than what you are used to. More oversteer and less compliance over bumps is what you'll end up with. Even if you don't track the car or drive it hard, it lowers your cushion if you have bald tires, hit some dirt, drive in the rain etc.
Also, the Eibach kit is not going to lower your car by and inch because the AP2 springs are already about a half inch lower than the AP1 springs. There's no easy solution, I'd leave it stock or do it the right way and get coilovers.
So, they would technically fit but your car is going to handle significantly different than what you are used to. More oversteer and less compliance over bumps is what you'll end up with. Even if you don't track the car or drive it hard, it lowers your cushion if you have bald tires, hit some dirt, drive in the rain etc.
Also, the Eibach kit is not going to lower your car by and inch because the AP2 springs are already about a half inch lower than the AP1 springs. There's no easy solution, I'd leave it stock or do it the right way and get coilovers.
Well said. I'd be leery of putting a Pro Kit on anything other than an MY00-01 car, and I suspect if more S2000 owners understood what was involved in suspension tuning, Eibach would be offering a different set of springs for each S2000 variant. They'd have no choice. However, many of the aftermarket people seem to have identified the S2000 community as easy marks, beucase they push a lot of snake oil and half fast "engineering" off on our community that is oddly "S2000 specific." 
06-24-2007 | 03:33 PM
#20
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From: Dry Branch
Originally Posted by terahertz,Jun 24 2007, 04:28 PM
so what does one recommend for an ap2 driver ^^?
I wish I could be more helpful, but I just don't have the experience with the AP2 to be able to help.
S2ka says the Pro Kit is not as progressive as I think, and though I'm not quite sure how he knows exactly what I think, he may well be right. However, regardless of the rate at which the spring-rate increases with compression, the springs have worked out perfectly on my early AP1. Since this was NOT the expected result I'm certianly willing to entertain alternate theories that might explain it, but since it's just springs (and alignment) it seems to me that the progressive rate has to be a key factor. This is consistent with what Eibach has told me, but that doesn't necessarily mean that it's correct. It just makes sense, based on the results I've seen. If there is something else involved, I'm all ears.