Heyzuez20

I got my tires rotated and suspension checked yesterday, and it turns out that my front struts are toast. I’ve been looking for the complete front strut assembly for my 04 Acura Tsx but i can’t find any besides the complete 4 set front and rear. So my question is are struts interchangeable between the Honda Accord and the Tsx? i’ve found quite a few complete assembly struts for the accord but just want to know if it would work for my tsx?

BROlando

I'm fairly sure Accord assemblies will not work as-is. Otherwise, they'd be the same part number. I'm guessing maybe tophat orientation or something is different. It could also be a different damping/spring rate.

Either way....I would highly recommend NOT going with the common aftermarket replacement assemblies from like...Monroe or similar. Unless you plan to sell the car in a fairly short period of time?

If you're still leaning towards those products, try rockauto.com. They may have a TSX variant.

I'd rather buy a used set of low mile Acura/Honda factory assemblies from eBay or something.

Or...have you considered an upgrade to a coilover? Tein Street Basis are just over $500. They ride better than stock and swapping your top hats onto them is easy. At max height, they set the car about 1" lower than stock...which is still easily streetable since the TSX comes from the factory at Baja offroad ride height.

ExcelerateRep

As Roland mentioned, our sale pricing on the Street Basis is only $531! That will include a full coilover system for all four corners. You'll just have to reuse your oem rubber upper mounts.

TEIN Dampers - Street Basis - Excelerate Performance - Japanese and European Performance Specialists!!

Boulder TSX

ExcelerateRep: A question... I'm considering replacing the shocks on my 2006 TSX (72K miles). It still rides and handles fine, but thought it might be beneficial. I have a family, take trips and appreciate a smooth ride...but still enjoy spirited driving on my own.

Is the Tein street Basis setup a good choice for both ride and handling, or would I be better off with Koni yellows? Thanks.

BROlando

The street basis would be perfect...and would likely ride better than Koni yellows with stock springs. The street advance is even more perfect-er lol. There's not much upcharge for adjustable damping. I think there's like a $50 difference between the two.

feuss2

iTrader: (1)

The best thing you can do is stay with components that were designed to work together.

There are OEM and aftermarket replacement dampers that were meant to work with the stock springs. Bilstein has dampers for the TSX. IMO, the monotube dampers are a very nice upgrade to the stock equipment.

If you find a dealer with an a-spec suspension kit still in stock, that is probably in the same price range. This is a very straightforward swap because it is fully assembled and includes upper mounts. It lowers slightly. I have driven 2 tsx's with the A-Spec kit and thought that the car should have been shipped that way from the factory.

Koni's would be a mismatch for the factory springs because they are designed to work with lowering springs. As much as you may be tempted to reason that a softer spring would still give you a softer ride, consider that the increase in travel of the suspension from the same input moves the damper at a higher velocity, and there will be more damping force applied! Yes, you can put stock springs on shocks designed for lowering springs (koni, tokico, etc) and it will make the ride rough as opposed to better!

Full suspension may have more lowering than you want and you will need to get aftermarket camber adjusters to get the car aligned properly. The result is a very nice handling ride when you are done, but you may get into a lot of labor it becomes necessary to cut/torch off bolts to get the kit installed, and the first rear alignment will definitely take more time.

ExcelerateRep

As the others mentioned above, springs and dampers are typically designed to work with eachother. Just slapping in some Koni Yellows won't provide the ride feel I think your looking for. I'd swap in the Street Basis for a great bump in performance while keeping a comfortable enough ride for the family! Not to mention the price difference is minimal so the full coilover setup is definitely worth it.

MrHeeltoe

iTrader: (1)

I believe the Koni Yellow are a fantastic choice if you are looking for
1) A high quality part that will last a long time.
2) Minimal or no lowering from the stock height.
3) Ability to use mild, stock-like or stock springs for a very compliant ride.
4) Better body control, which in turn helps the handling, and is adjustable to the handling balance/comfort you might be personally seeking.

I am all about the Tein Street Basis and Street Advance options. These are great kits are designed well, offer great materials, and are high quality. They are also quite competitive these days in terms of pricing. If you are ok lowering the car 1.5-2 inches, I highly recommend the Street Advance for it's adjustability on the ride. Someone concerned about ride quality may not be happy with a Street Basis all the time. Having those few clicks of adjustment can make all the difference to some drivers.

If you need some specific, personalized advice on anything I've mentioned, feel free to give me a ring! 949-295-1668

Marcus

MrHeeltoe

iTrader: (1)

I don't actually agree here. We have used Konis successfully in many different spring pairings. They have a dampening adjustment and stroke range that will handle nearly any stock-replacement or upgrade spring you want to toss ant them. The key is getting the dampening adjusted right.

BROlando

I would agree with this. The street advance is definitely worth the like $65 additonal cost over the street basis. I have street advance on my 1G. They definitely ride better than stock. The street basis rides very well too...but the damper is set a little on the stiff side.

The downside to the teins as compared to Konis is that they come with a 1year warranty vs a lifetime warranty. I have had mine on for about 40k miles and they have been through two winters with no signs of rust or wear. I have driven the car from the chicago burbs to Canada, NYC, and Detroit, to name a few places. I have never been uncomfortable, and the suspension has easily handled ridiculous bumps without any weird noises or motions. The damping curve is very impressive...and, I think, the matched spring/damper provides a better ride than Koni Yellows and stock springs.

Koni yellows are a good shock that prefers a relatively high ride position (closer to stock, the better). I think they will ride slightly better than stock.

Bilstein HD would be my choice over Koni Yellow. Bilsteins HD's are not damping adjustable, but typically, Bilstein does a better job at damping curve than most other manufacturers. These also have a lifetime warranty.

Other systems worth mentioning:
-KW V1. Lifetime warranty and stainless steel. Ride quality and handling mix are insanely good. Little on the pricey side because of the stainless construction...and no damper adjustments (only height).

-ST ST-X (by KW): Zinc plated and 5 year warranty versions of KW V1's. I have these on a 2G wagon. They're so good. But a little pricey considering that they're only height adjustable. You do get what you pay for....but the Tein SA does a great job at a lower price.

dmassott

I have been riding on the tein basis for about 2 years now and love it for everyday driving (I put on about 25k a year) a slight drop to eliminate wheel gap and still drives very nice. Although from what the prices are now, I may spend the extra couple bucks for the upgrade.