Without all the feedback i've recieved from all of you i would not have known which mods to do first,so i'll post my thoughts and hopefully it will help others.

Headers:I agree with the majority,they don't knock you back in your seat but after 5k or so they definitely let you know they're around,nicer growl.One chance i had to open it up and i thought "not bad" looked at the speedo and saw 95,i was surprised.I need to play around more with them but initial impression is "go get em",money well spent.

Sways:Rock solid is the term that comes to mind.Way better all around feel.I agree with someone else who posted earlier tonight that the steering wheel felt way tighter.I still need to fly into some sweepers,but my initial impression is"go get em"

One last thing,neither the headers or sways changed the comfort of the car.When i started it up ,zero difference in sound.Only when you get up in the revs do you hear the difference,and it's SWEET.As for the sways i know alot of people are concerned about giving up any ride comfort,i know i was.For get about that worry,i noticed no trade off.
Hope this helps someone decide,it's nice to give back some info after taking so much!

One last thing,when i got home i put on my"Powered by Comptech" stickers,felt good.

 

Counter point; If you are thinking of getting sways and that it will not affect ride quality, I suggest you catch a ride with someone who has them to see for yourself. Ride quality is a very subjective matter! My wife absolutely hated what the sways did to the ride. I loved what they did for the handling, but did not like the trade off in the smoothness of the ride. At higher speeds they were not objectionable, but in 5-10 mph rush hour traffic over pavement breaks, it felt like there was no suspension movement at all. Like I said it is very subjective and all I can say is I tried them and now the stock ones are back on. By the way my last car was a MR-2 with Koni's, sways & springs, but maybe because of the fabulous ride of a stock CL-S the modified suspension was more noticeable.

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You can never have too much horsepower!

 

Oh damn, Glenn. I didn't put on my Comptech stickers yet. So with that additional 10 HP they provide, now all that I will get to see of your car is it's big red "spoiled" ass!

Shit, I better get to work on my stickers.

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Mike
2001 Satin Silver CL-S
Comptech headers, sways, PIAA 19169

"Never underestimate the power of a dark CLown!" - Darph Bobo

 

Dan,
Thanks for the counterpoint of view. I was one who was considering the sways (only) but worried about the ride quality. I have gotten very accustomed to the nice ride afforded by our CLs. I don't do as much "twistie" driving but more freeway commute stuff. I think you opinion has saved me $300. Thanks!!



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Rex -
'01 CL Type S - Satin Silver, Navi, BBS RK
Lic: THX CBOE
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?...770&p=36712116

 

Counter-Counterpoint: whether or not you would like the new sways depends a lot on your definition of a firm or soft ride, and what you're used to driving.

Before I got the CL-S I drove a '93 Ford Probe GT for 7 years...never modded it. The steering effort was perfectly assisted, with good feel. But it had a very harsh, noisy ride over anything but the smoothest of road surfaces, and it leaned like a sombitch in any kind of turn.

When I bought the CLS last December I decided I was ready for a softer and quieter ride, and I was not disappointed in that aspect of the CL-S. What I didn't like was the heavier, numb steering feel and body roll in turns at any speed. I too, drive a modest commute (50 mile round trip) every day on a combination of smooth and less than ideal road surfaces. I'm pretty sensitive to ride harshness, and I truly believe the addition of the Comptech sways has not made the ride any more firm while driving straight, but has definitely improved the steering feel and removed a lot of the body roll in turns.

Lead_Sled_Dog: definitely do as Dan suggests and catch a ride or take a drive in a CL-S that has the sways. Betchya dollar you'd go for them.

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Mike
2001 Satin Silver CL-S
Comptech headers, sways, PIAA 19169

"Never underestimate the power of a dark CLown!" - Darph Bobo

[This message has been edited by H4mm3rm4n (edited 03-31-2001).]

 

i need to get my setup....but first i need to get my tax refund.......DAMN!!!

 

My wife has a '00 TL Navi- factory body kit and spoiler- no suspension mods. I have an '02 TL-S, Comptech springs, headers, exhaust, factory kit and spoiler. Driving the wifes car is classy luxury- sweet ride, decent performance, nice leather and wood.

Driving mine is sport- luxury- nice mean growl (not loud- just enough), slightly stiffer ride (mostly on washboard type roads), much better turn in, cornering, less squat and dive and kickass performance.

Funny thing, when the wife drives my car, she smiles a lot and says it feels "lighter". I think its just the kick of driving the "baddest" car around

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Wayne Gruen
Service Manager
Park Ave Acura

[This message has been edited by wayneg (edited 03-31-2001).]

 

Mike,i got an extra Comptech sticker for ya,now we both have 300 H.P
How was the movie?

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San Marino Red
Spoiler
Comptech Headers
Comptech Sways

 

It was that new Ashley Judd movie...my wife LOVED it...I...well...plead the 5th.

I do have my stickers, I just didn't get a chance to put 'em on. I'm heading outside to wash it now, will do the sticker HP upgrade immediately thereafter.

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Mike
2001 Satin Silver CL-S
Comptech headers, sways, PIAA 19169

"Never underestimate the power of a dark CLown!" - Darph Bobo

 

Ya no shit. I'm waiting on mine too.

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Silver CL-S w/ Navi, Spoiler, Wheel Locks, Trunk Tray, 19169, 9005
Toyo 235/45ZR17-97W* T1-S Proxes on 17X8 SSR Competition Wheels (47.2 lbs lighter than stock wheel+tire setup)
G-Tech (Full tank of gas, 60F, VSA off, SS) - 5.94 seconds
V-1 Hardwired, Comptech Sways on order

 

red rider, if you had the chouce to pick only one of these mods to have on your car, the sways or the headers, which one would it be, and why?

 

I will try to do that. I see your point though ... I just like the smooth ride now but agree that better steering feel along with a little less roll might be a nice addition to an otherwise fine car.



------------------
Rex -
'01 CL Type S - Satin Silver, Navi, BBS RK
Lic: THX CBOE
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?...770&p=36712116

 

Thats a tough one.If cost is a factor,you probably go sways cause they cost about a third what the headers run.If cost is not an issue i go headers cause i'll always want more horsepower.
Not to confuse the issue but another option that equals the cost of headers is sways and tires and that could also be the way to go.

------------------
San Marino Red
Spoiler
Comptech Headers
Comptech Sways

 

The sway bars WILL change the ride on potholes.

They don't change the ride over speed bumps with each wheel going up-and-down and the same time.

The sways will help around corners, but in the pothole and bump-per-one-side department, then are just like adding stiffer springs. They do make the car ride harsher.

 

Trust me, they DO make the car stiffer over speed bumps!

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You can never have too much horsepower!

 

If that is the case, there is something wrong with the design of the sway bars. They work by "differential" operation. The produce a resistance from left-to-right and right-to-left.

Are you telling the Dr. that when you go over a speed bump with both wheels going up and down at the same time, that you can feel a difference?

Something is very funny. I could see this if the bushings were "binding" or if makers of the bars needed brain surgery.



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Dr's car's is stealthy -- able to sneak up on unsuspecting victims

 

Doc,

On the surface, I would tend to agree about this "speed bump" thing but ...

I agree the sways work "differentially" as you say but the overall increase in stiffness would seem to work to make the move over the bump feel harsher. Since both wheels will cause the sways to flex, wouldn't the added stiffness be felt somewhat as opposed to the OEM sways?

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Rex -
'01 CL Type S - Satin Silver, Navi, BBS RK
Lic: THX CBOE
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?...770&p=36712116

 

If both wheels move 1" upward, then tension applied to bar is 1 - 1 = 0 lbs of force.

If 0 lbs of force is applied to spring, spring doesn't move.

So, if spring had a spring rate twice as high as another spring, but isn't compressed, nothing happens.


On the other hand, if a speed bump is not made "perfectly", or driver approaches speed bump and slight angle, then a left wheel could see a zero deflection while right wheel was seeing a 1/2" deflection. This 1/2" differential deflection multiplies by the increased torsional resistance would give the feeling of a bit more harshness.

Perhaps, the speed bump is not a good example or perhaps it is. If someone is saying that they approach a speed bump dead on and they feel the difference, then they are a lot stiffer, and I probably won't be getting them.

....

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Dr's car's is stealthy -- able to sneak up on unsuspecting victims

[This message has been edited by DrJeckle and Hyde (edited 04-01-2001).]

 

I see your point. I "forgot" that the sway bar is not rigidly attached to the car and the entire bar would move if both sides were deflected simultaneously in the same direction.

My bad.

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Rex -
'01 CL Type S - Satin Silver, Navi, BBS RK
Lic: THX CBOE
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?...770&p=36712116