vtr1000sp2

As in lowering springs. I've decided wheel gap is the devil and H&R will bring me salvation. Currently on A-Spec suspension, I'll just swap out the springs.

Was going to buy Greddy, 5-Zigen, or RSR but the first two have yet to get back to me and it's been a few weeks while the latter only drops a little, roughly the same as the A-Spec springs.

Spring rates between the Jap brands are similar but I can't seem to find any information the spring rates of the H&R's. No matter, I've ordered them and will soon be swinging low in a sweet chariot.

Happy Valentine's to you and yours!

tlmaster1

nice i will doing the same this spring. show me pix. i have a-spec susp. now .

vtr1000sp2

We've got the same exact car it seems. Except you've probably got A-Spec everything.

037

H&R's are great for lowering and ride quality, handling improvement is very easy to notice.

New Wheels might be in order.

vtr1000sp2

Actually in the midst of sorting this out. Awaiting confirmation from a shop about one set before making my decision. Not sure if you saw the thread but I had a set of Prodrive by Rays last summer. 19" Forged wheels that only weighed 20lbs each.. I sort of miss them but didn't love how they looked on the RL.

037

I think a dropped RL handles 18" wheels much better as you stand less of a chance of a bumpier ride as well as pothole damage.

The RJs I got are 22.5lb and cost me less than 1k while being built specifically to the Honda/Acura specs.

vtr1000sp2

I'm inclined to agree with you based on the experience gained with the a-spec + 19s last summer but vanity prevents me from going smaller than 19. I'm looking at 20s despite Blazing's experiences. I can only hope that the roads here in the Toronto area don't go the way of NYC. I've seen potholes big enough to hide a large waste bag.

037

roads got worse, a lot worse, after all the snow storms we've been having. Seems like every road has a big enough hole to swallow a tire in.

Zelaya

iTrader: (1)

I wonder if the highway administration are refunding the NYC citizens. My neighbor got his money after 6 month fight. He had to pulled teeth out.

vtr1000sp2

My sympathies. If it's any consolation, it's still one hell of a city.

037

I don't know about money...I've had an incident my car sank into such a huge hole that my stock tire got a buble on it, it sounded like I was going to lose the entire front axle.

I complained and the hole was fixed same week...no refund on the tire or anything.

EL19

iTrader: (4)

^Yea I dont even bother anymore after one of my vehicles had the front axle destroyed about 6 years ago from a hole the size of 3 large suitcases. Took them 8 months to refund me. So not unless its a situation like that again where the money spent was too much to part with, I'll just take the loss.

tnobori1

Any concern with having the car sit lower on the aspec struts than originally designed? I've hear this can be an issue on lowering a car on stock shocks. I wouldn't mind a lower look, but I don't want to sacrifice ride quality or the life of the struts.

23109VC

when you "dump" the RL on the H&Rs post up some pics of how it looks before you do the wheel upgrade. the other day I was parked on a hill and my rear end was compressed a lot...so that I had virtually no wheel gap in the back on my stock 17" wheels.. i had to admit..it looked bitchen. of course the front was all jacked up..but the rear looked good and got me thinking..

maybe i could just do H&Rs on stock wh eels? and then upgrade wheels later...????

i'm just thinkin.... the othe rnight I borrowed my dad's RL.... I was able to get a good feel for how his car, on 18s rides vs mine... both our cars have OEM suspension, only he has 18" aspecs... his car was not that bad, only a bit bumpier... i have to admit, on the freeway I like how my car is more plush.... but in the turns his was better...

not sure if H*Rs on 17s would be harsher or softer than stock suspension on 18s???

anyway, post up pics...

the other thing I've beenthining laterly is just truly "dump" the RL and get a 2012 TL SH-AWD!!! bitchen!!

vtr1000sp2

Not really. The H&R springs provide a sport drop (not race) and these are A-Spec struts which are valved differently than non A-Spec. I say not really but I'm hoping that I'll be one of the lucky ones.

I will definitely post some pics up.

The A-Spec front under spoiler hasn't been installed yet so these pics will be a completely stock looking RL lowered on H&R springs. Surprised there aren't already pics of the like. I am upgrading the wheels but not for a while, I've got plans to get another bike and that is my larger passion so the RL must wait for it's fashion upgrade.

tnobori1

Hmmmm... that was a less confident answer than I was hoping for!

poppintec

I've had the aspec h+r combo for probably about a year or so now. I had it dropped on stock wheels, aspecs, and now have 19's on it. The ride is not so much rough, but you can feel the imperfections in the road much more, but at highway speeds it is comfortable and not that bad on regular streets, but from my experience the most comfortable is with the 17's and a tire with a nice sidewall, but the it still rides fine with the bigger wheels......it really depends on the driver's expectations of the car as well as getting a good set of tires

vtr1000sp2

Have you any images of the car dropped on H&R springs with the OEM wheels?

poppintec

unfortunately no, just on aspecs, I only had the stockies on for a few months and I didn't snap many pics




and with the kit

vtr1000sp2

Springs arrived this week, had a chance to look at them today. First impressions? Coating is slightly thin so these may rust prematurely but that's just speculation. Quality otherwise seems to be as good as it can be for a set of lowering springs. As they're progressive, I could get away with removing a coil but will wait until after I install and wait for them to settle before making that decision.

Goal is no wheel gap. Based on poppintec's pics (thanks by the way), wheel gap may still be a reality.

ichi d

Does anyone know the springs rates of the H&R's springs and the A-SPEC springs?

ParaSurfer1979

That would be interesting....

037

before you start removing coils, think twice.

On my car with H&R on stock setup, rear wheels were rubbing the liner with aftermarket wheels.

The front has less than 1" of clearance and I'd hate to see what happens when that is gone.

On 18"s it seems as if there is no serious wheel gap, but you be the judge.

vtr1000sp2

I've looked into it briefly and can't find any info for either of those but the basic setup from Mugen to the cheapest springs from 5Zigen are around F: 6-7kg/mm and R: 8-9kg/mm.

vtr1000sp2

037, looks like you don't have any negative camber in the rear, can't really tell if the front does or doesn't from the pictures you've shown.

037

I'm sorry, you just said something in foreign language.

vtr1000sp2

No soy el dueño de este burro, lo rente.

037

didn't say anything a donkey, but thanks for asking.

csmeance

funny. Consider this your first warning.

vtr1000sp2

I should correct what I said, from the 1st and 3rd pic you posted, it does look like you have negative camber in the rear.. so.. when do you experience rubbing issues (ie; what type of corners or on straights too)?

037

there are no more rubing issues. It used to rub in the back on bumps or humps, or whatever you want to call them. It stopped rubing as it destroyed whatever was in the way

front never rubed but one giant pothole and my tire liner was chewed up and spit out on passenger side.

23109VC

When are youminstalling the springs and front lip? Id love to see it and see what you think of the change in the ride!

vtr1000sp2

The springs will get installed first along with the 09+ swaybar, new rear pads, diff/tranny/transfer case flush. That's a day's worth of work and I don't have a heated garage so will wait til it warms up a bit more. April-May?

Won't install the A-Spec front until the springs settle and I'm sure I won't scrape at my usual destinations.

ichi d

how much did u get your front lip for and where did u get it?

rtr

yea no kidding.. i have H&R's and i put the sides and rear A-Spec on and there is no way i could put the front on with out making a total mess of it?
The car still looks great!

vtr1000sp2

ichi d: front lip was purchased from Curry Acura in NY for $400.

23109VC: Put the springs on yesterday. Immediate difference - it does sit a little lower, but should settle more soon. Driving differences are very obvious. The H&R is a "bouncier" ride and the higher spring rate makes bigger bumps feel like wheel bounce rather than suspension absorption.

I wanted the RL to sit lower so I'm going to keep them but I prefer the ride of the linear rate A-Spec springs I had previously. Shameless plug: I would consider selling the A-Spec springs if anyone is interested. PM me a reasonable offer, had them on for less than a year.

23109VC

So you think it rides better or worse with h&r springs? Maybe the problem is that you have aspec struts on it? Someone on here claimed that the h&r springs were intended to go onto stock struts...

Since your struts are stiffer maybe it's mismatched?

I test drove an rl with 18" wheels and full aspec suspension and I felt the ride was very bumpy over poor pavement...not plush at all.. It handled great...but the harsher ride was something I didn't want to libe with for the better cornering.

The problem with comparing rides..is there are endless variables and it's hugely subjective. What size wheels are on the car? What type of tires? What kind of a ride will the person like or accept? It becomes an apples to oranges comparo....

I think poppintec had the same setup you do... Aspec struts with h&r springs..he had 19's.... And from reading his threads, he ended up selling his wheels and is tryingbto sell the car. Blazin put his 17's back on andcsaid no more big wheels!

But others run huge wheels pon H&R springs and love it!

I'm thinking about the springs on 17's..... Maybe bigger wheels later... Too bad stores don't ave wheel setups you can try before you buy!

vtr1000sp2

Yes it is the valving of the A-Spec struts that's the problem but I'm not about to go back to the OEM shocks so I'll live with the "harsh" conditions. When I got the A-Spec's last year, it was to improve cornering, now, with the H&R's it's to improve the stance. I have what I want so I'm happy and I will accept the negative aspects.

We are asking the RL to do something Honda never intended. The invention of "A-Spec" was to appease the performance oriented buyer who'd otherwise look to a BMW or something similar were it not available. Some say the A-Spec suspension is tuned, but I have my doubts as to the extent of it's tuning. As you were eluding to, variables exist that would make it difficult to please everyone. If only Honda could take a chapter from BMW's book and engineer a better handling car that not only knows how to compose itself around a bend but over the bumpy road ahead.

If you're not sure what I mean, jump in a 335i coupe with the optional 19" wheels (tires are 30 and 35 profiles) and drive down a road you're familiar with (preferably bumpy).

When he had his A-Spec wheels, yes, as that's what I've got at the moment. Regarding the choice to go away from 19's - perhaps living in NY/NJ had something to do with it.

That's what friends are for - beg, borrow, or steal.

poppintec

Yea man NJ roads suck and after the snow storm it's like driving across mountain terrain.... The ride is definitely more bouncy but that's the price you pay for the improved look