Dr.Ruz

I actually had the Comptech springs on my car for about 4 days. Unfortunately, I had them taken off b/c there was a defect in the springs...the driver's side of the car was 0.5" lower than the passenger side. Well, I think I'm ready to get them again. BUT, there was one thing I noticed about them: the car had a SLIGHTLY BOUNCY ride when going over bumps, etc. I'm not sure if it was b/c the springs still had to be broken in or not. At the time, they were still very stiff. Plus, my car shocks only had 1000 miles on them too, so maybe they also had to be broken in.
So, what i'm wondering is: does the bouncy ride go away once the springs become fully broken-in??

Thanks y'all!

EricL

I'm not answering, but commenting *and* hoping the responses you will get will be "honest"...

1. If springs (in general) get stiffer, you need a "tighter" shock setting. (I did this on a previous car and found that I would always have to get the right shock for a given lowering spring.) THE SPRINGS should be stiffest when new. Ever seen an old car with worn-out springs; it bobs up-and-down, like a boat in choppy seas!

2. I missed test ride number three today -- Oh well (no comment).

3. Did they install the springs correctly -- there are different weights on each wheel (with a corresponding spring) (yes/no)?


You ask a really good question about "does the bouncy ride go away..." I have now seen a few of the Comptech lowered cars, and they all seem to be sitting at different heights (my opinion by having viewed various pictures [and I don't know if the gas tank was full or not]).



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Silver 2001 CL-S with NAVI

• Mud guards
• Wheel locks
• Toyo T1S 235/45ZR17-97W* Proxies on 17x8" SSR Competition wheels (48lbs less than stock)
• Kevlar/SS Brake lines ordered
• Comptech headers & sways ready
• Silver AEM CAI ready
• 8 coats of Zaino magic

JZ

Yeah--the ride is bouncy. That's why I got the Konis shortly thereafter. It's especially bouncy if you have it packed up to go on vacation.

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Black/black CLS
Comptech headers, springs, swaybars
Koni yellows
Polarg M6 road lamps
Solaris Hi beams
Potenza RE730 225/45/17
Red AEM CAI
Denso Iridium plugs
35% metallic tint

e harmon

I installed Comptech springs on my car at about 3500 miles and have driven on them for about 2000 more. In normal driving, including speed bumps and road irregularities, I do not notice any abnormal bouncing.

However, I do feel a slight wallowing (I think this may also be referred to as "porpoising") when doing the following at (illegally) high speeds:

- changing lanes aggressively, esp if braking or accelerating
- hitting small dips or swells (I'm referring to ones that you may not even notice when driving sanely)

It's not a confidence-inspiring feeling. I'm not sure that we currently have any choices of shocks that would address this without comprimising around-the-town comfort; it's my understanding that even the Koni adjustables on their softest setting are harsher than stock, but I cannot attest to this. So, I'm waiting and hoping for more aftermarket choices .

One other disclaimer: I cannot comment on how the car felt with the stock springs at high speed, having never experienced that either. For all I know, other contributing factors may be tires or aerodynamics

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Silver 2001 CL-S, Comptech Springs, M-6 and other superwhite bulbs here and there

[This message has been edited by e harmon (edited 04-21-2001).]

EricL

You comments are very interesting. I had Konis on my Bimmer and they were great with a 2.5-3" lower job. It was a super handler, but it was nuts driving over potholes and crummy roads.

A change to 1.5" lowering springs was much more tolerable for comfort and handling, but the Koni's at the lowest setting just felt to "harsh". I also noticed that they "got soft" after a hard drive (no Koni gas shocks at the time). So, I went with the Bilstein Sport Shocks, and they road so sweet! They damped the ride out perfectly, were really soft over the small stuff, but it was very hard to bottom the car out.

BTW -- I wonder if the porpoising you're describing matches up with the description I got of the car with the sways (that I am about to install)?

I wonder if there are some comparable gas shocks for the CL-S?




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Silver 2001 CL-S with NAVI

• Mud guards
• Wheel locks
• Toyo T1S 235/45ZR17-97W* Proxies on 17x8" SSR Competition wheels (48lbs less than stock)
• Kevlar/SS Brake lines ordered
• Comptech headers & sways ready
• Silver AEM CAI ready
• 8 coats of Zaino magic

Dr.Ruz

My guess would be that the Koni shocks would eliminate the bouncy ride AND improve the comfort.

On my previous car (Honda Prelude) I initally installed some Neuspeed springs which greatly improved the handling but made the ride harsh. I later installed some Koni shocks and not only did the handling impove, but at the lowest setting the ride was just like stock!

If this is the case with the CL-S I'll have to wait to get the springs with the Koni's.

One thing I especially loved about the shocks was that I able to tune them to my mood. If I was in the mood to take some crazy-ass turns, i just stiffened them up. If I was going to go on a long trip, I softened them up for comfort. Most of the time they were at the middle setting for a combo of comfort and handling. I really recommend these shocks to anyone!


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-Comptech headers
-Comptech sways
-14% tint all around
-Viper alarm with Car Starter

Check out my old Prelude:
http://www.hondaprelude.com/setups/setupsdsply.asp?id=5644&gen=5&orderby=

e harmon

EricL:

The sways may well help with stabilizing lane changes, but I'm not sure how much difference they would make with the dips and swells, which induce porpoising along a single (fore-aft) axis. I mention the shocks, tires, and aerodynamics for reasons of high-speed (ergo vibration) damping, deformation, and turbulence respectively .

It's funny that you mention Bilstein and gas shocks, since they are among those I am trying to vibe as I cross my fingers.

Dr. Ruz:

If what you say is true, I'm in for Konis as well. Please keep us up to date and don't be afraid to make a few of us jealous .

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Silver 2001 CL-S, Comptech Springs, M-6 and other superwhite bulbs here and there

Dr.Ruz

e harmon:
man, i would love to get the koni's/springs. but i need to get money $ first.
just wondering, are those M-6 bulbs any good in the road lamps? how much $? i need to get some bulbs that will match the headlamps, and supposedly the PIAA 19169's aren't that good of a match? thanks!

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-Silver CL-S, non-navi (shoulda got it!)
-Comptech headers
-Comptech sways
-14% tint all around
-Viper alarm with Car Starter

Check out my old Prelude:
http://www.hondaprelude.com/setups/setupsdsply.asp?id=5644&gen=5&orderby=

WebToker

I have the Comptechs, and yes they are a little bouncy. I figure for now its fine because I don't notice it unless I think about it. At some point when I have gotten good use out of the stock shocks I will get konis.

e harmon

The popular opinion is that the M-6 bulbs are a closer match for the HIDs. It's not perfect, but it gets pretty darn close when the HIDs have warmed up a bit. For what it's worth, I did swap out the 19169s for them. Some folks are concerned about the additional heat (they are 18w compared to the stock 5w) but I have not had any problems in 4 months or so. One possible drawback is how visible they are when turned off, since they are tinted blue and are much larger than the stock or 19169 bulbs.

Oh, and I think the M6s are around $12 from eautoworks.com.

Good luck getting the shocks and springs bro, looking forward to your findings.

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Silver 2001 CL-S, Comptech Springs, M-6 and other superwhite bulbs here and there

[This message has been edited by e harmon (edited 04-22-2001).]

blazerbob1

Just had my CL-S shipped to my house on a flat bed truck last Tuesday 4/17. First driving impression: Good solid power,competent handler,however could use some better sway bars or at least poly-urethane bushings. When replacing only springs with stiffer ones they will cause the
bouncey feel, so shocks,and swaybars with poly-urethane bushings should be installed as a total upgrade of your suspension. Had adjustable Konis on my BMW and they were great. Ive heard great things of Tokicos and would consider them! We have started a groupbuy for Comptech Headers as prices are
ridiculous! Anybody interested please email.
Happy new CL-S owner! BlazerBob

Wyle E. Coyote

Same here.



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2001 Acura 3.2CL Type-S
Satin Silver/Ebony
No Navi/No Spoiler
Competch springs
35% tint
PIAA 19169 bulbs
K&N 33-2178 air filter

The Aviation Zone

EricL

That's the clarification I was looking for regarding the "porpoising". There have been "reports" that certain "stepped"/alternating ripples/bumps in the road, create a similar effect by setting up a front (left-to-right) sway coupled against the rear (right-to-rear) sway, giving a sort of "porpoising" effect (NOT as you have described).

The combination of tires (spring system #1) with the wheels (mass #1) and the spring, shocks, sways (system #2) make for a rather "interesting" control system diagram.

I mentioned the control system above, since putting on the Toyo's has dramatically increased the stability of the "car" in transients and other unexpected ways.



------------------
Silver 2001 CL-S with NAVI

• Mud guards
• Wheel locks
• Toyo T1S 235/45ZR17-97W* Proxies on 17x8" SSR Competition wheels (48lbs less than stock)
• Kevlar/SS Brake lines ordered
• Comptech headers & sways ready
• Silver AEM CAI ready
• 8 coats of Zaino magic

spiroh

This is why I wont go lower then an inch. I remember my integra w/ the Neuspeed spings. I cant stand the bouncy rides.

Spiro

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Black/Black 2001 CL-S
RED AEM CAI
Polarg M6 Roadlamps

Al Uminum

Just a question or two for the respondents to this thread who are experiencing the bouncies?

What size tires are you on and what is the air pressure?

Do you have sways?

Do the bouncies occur at normal driving speeds?

In my case on totally flat pavement the car sits dead even (except for the Comptech rake which I prefer). I've had the springs for almost 6000 miles and while I've noticed a slight porpoising on highways when driving over dips I've not noticed any bounciness in day to day driving.

Thank you



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"01" CL Type-S
White\Black
Comptech Springs
Comptech Sways
Navigation System
Burlwood Shifter
Guards+Fenderwell Trim
PIAA16969
Smokers Package
My Car

Dr.Ruz

what exactly is "porpoising"?

------------------
-Silver CL-S, non-navi (shoulda got it!)
-Comptech headers
-Comptech sways
-K&N drop-in filter
-Polarg M6 road lamps
-14% tint all around
-Viper alarm with Car Starter

Check out my old Prelude:
http://www.hondaprelude.com/setups/setupsdsply.asp?id=5644&gen=5&orderby=

Wyle E. Coyote

Did you contact Comptech? How do you know the springs were defective? Which spring had a problem? Did you send them back to Comptech?


------------------
2001 Acura 3.2CL Type-S
Satin Silver/Ebony
No Navi/No Spoiler
Competch springs
35% tint
PIAA 19169 bulbs
K&N 33-2178 air filter

The Aviation Zone

[This message has been edited by MikeN (edited 04-25-2001).]