Anybody out there can tell me if a 2007 suspension can be calibrated to be softer (2008 model or softer) and what the work will consist of? Yes, I'm aware of the trade offs but before the enthusiasts bite my head off...I use it only for City Driving and I live on an island which is 100 by 30 ( so nowhere to really enjoy it) and the roads here really suck. FYI the tires are at 32 psi allready.

2007 Tech, 3900 miles
Carbon Gray, Taupe
Purchased April 2007
Paid $47,995 (10k import tax) Although receive free 4 year service program..Yay!!
Neo Ipod connector sucks


Help much obliged

 

and where the heck are you??

 

The territory of Puerto Rico. Ole

 

if the roads suck and its pretty much a no win situation...even tho the 08 is softer, i dont think it will matter much...just my 2

 

Check the part numbers from 07-08 bewteen the springs and struts. I'm guessing they changed one or both (likely the struts).

 

I know this doesn't directly answer your question, but have you investigated the possibility to switch to smaller wheels with higher-profile tires? The RDX brakes don't exactly fill-up the 18" stock wheels, so I'm guessing that you could fit a smaller wheel on there. It would be a lot easier to experiment with new wheels than to start tearing apart your suspension. Plus, you could probably do it at a low net cost by selling your existing RDX wheels to somebody looking for a winter setup (or just a spare set of wheels).

- DDB

 

I don't think that there is much that you can do en la isla del encanto roads. you may want to check the local shops for a set of "softer" aftermarket shocks and see if that helps in any way. Also, partially agreeing with DDB, a new set of tires might help, something softer with more rubber.

 

By smaller do you mean going to a 17". Would that also improve turning ratio? Would it reduce stopping power?

 

Other threads have mentioned that the oem Michelins are a little on the rough side and road noise pronounced. Not to mention I only have about 4k miles on the car. Probably the best bet is just to add a few more miles and switch to a more passenger friendly tire as the MX's wear out.

As for isla del encanto...just like anywhere else it's a great place to visit but to live here is a different story.

Thanks for the advice everybody.

 

Yeah, or maybe even 16". Again, I don't know if these would actually fit, but looking at the brakes, I think they would.

I cannot comment on the differences in turning ratio or stopping power.

- DDB

 

Wheel size won't affect turning radius and shouldn't effect braking much or at all (depends on tire compound/size more than diameter).

 

You're probably given the most practical way of taming the suspension. I remember that someone said they had Honda Element 16's with snow tires as their winter setup, and that it worked well.

 

tirerack.com will at least let you know what sizes will fit

 

Just checked with Tirerack and they also recommend the 245/45/ 19's which I dont think will solve the problem. The dont mention the 17" or 16" or the 60's

 

Tirerack typically won't let you pick smaller-than-stock wheels for any given car. You'd have to do some experimenting on your own, perhaps with the guidance of a local wheel/tire shop.

- DDB

 

The element 16 inch wheels worked out for me, but you need to put low profile weight to balance the wheel for clearing the brake caliper. As for the suspension, after 33K kilometer, it is softer, even with the stock wheel which I use for summer.

 

Great info, thanks for sharing. I may actually consider doing the same thing as a winter wheel/tire setup. There are a lot of great winter tire options in 16" diameter as opposed to the limited selection for 18" diameter.

I wonder how much it would cost to pick up a set of Element wheels? Better yet, I wonder if the aftermarket 16" Element wheels listed at Tirerack would work on the RDX. Looks like you can get the MSW Type 15 (pictured below) in 16" diameter for just $86.00 each.



- DDB

 

Just checked the manufacture date. December 2006. I suppose it still has the 2007 front struts and calibration.

 

how about a first try and free of just lowering the air pressure in the tires a small bit?