tnobori1

Well I just got my suspension installed today! I will post pics as soon as the car settles on the springs, but I wanted to post my initial thoughts. The ride is noticeably rougher. I don't hate it, but I did feel some regret when I first started hitting bumps. However, taking a few turns really made me smile! I feel like engaging in more spirited driving now. Before this suspension I did feel like I was driving an old man's car. Overall I am happy and I look forward to breaking it in all over again!

ichi d

nice cant wait to see some pics and it wont take long to settle.... i think the car shouldve came stock with apec.

tnobori1

I can see why it didn't. It definitely makes the ride less luxurious.

23109VC

THAT is exactly why I opted NOT to put a-spec onto my RL....

yes it makes it handle better...but at the expense of the luxury ride... which is what the RL really has going for it...

keep us posted on how you like it!

tnobori1

Actually I took the RL out again today as both a driver and a passenger. Not sure why, but the ride is smoother than it felt last night. The car is much more responsive and it handles amazingly! I can't wait to hit some country roads very soon. I'm completely happy with my decision!

sleepinxlionhart

I agree. I mean, if the road isn't like all pitted and patched up, it feels totally fine.

23109VC

you think maybe you are just getting used to it?

i'ts like when you are at Best Buy looking at TVs and you can see that the one that costs $2000 is better than the one that costs $1500... but when you get home.. the $1500 one looks awesome... because you aren't sitting there staring at it right next to the more expensive one... everythign is relative...

so the longe rtyou have it in the car, the less you remember what it was like before...

just a thought..

tnobori1

I see what you're saying but I drove the car home from the shop last night (about 20 minute drive). I took the car out for a while today and I really liked the ride. It was great!! You certainly feel small road changes, like dips, more dramatically and I can feel things like speed bumps a bit more, but there is virtually no change in the ride on smooth roads. The cornering, lack of body roll, and the feeling of wanting to push the car to its limits make the car way more enjoyable than it was before. You might want to drive another aspec setup before deciding to do your drop on stock springs. Just a suggestion before you spend the money or time on the install.

Chas2

I had this same sort of experience, and I either got used to it, or the springs and shocks took some time to settle in. I feel the ride is much better now with A-Specs. Before I had attributed it to lowering the tire pressures, but the temps have been yo yo-ing here, from the mid 20's to sometimes in the 50's. My winter tire pressures sets in the low 30's have my TPMS showing 38-35 on warm days, and the ride is fine, except on very patchy roads. The test is my wife, and she does not complain any more. The ride with A-Spec suspension is nothing like the ride in a stock Civic Si, which I am very familiar with...

yue3759

Nice tnobori1. Now we should really meet up so I can check out your new setup. How is the iPod setup working out?

tnobori1

I think it is just a matter of letting things settle. Even compared to my CL Type S, both the comfort and handling are better in the RL.

For sure! I haven't had the iPod adapter setup yet because it's technically a Christmas present, but I will let you know when I get it in.

23109VC

i'd say "hey tnobori1" let me go for a ride in your car, ,but you're 8 hours north of me.

if you are down in so cal - PM me!!

after test driving a TSX V6, I honestly started to really like the ride/handling of that thing. I got back in my RL and liked it, but missed the responsiveness and the crisp handling.

the TSX handled much better at low speeds... if you were taking slow speed tunrs... not pushing it, just enjoying the drive around turns at "posted" speeds the TSX felt better... but at higher speeds in turns the TSX understeered and would lose traction.... too much power through the front wheels.... that little TSX with a tad more power and AWD would be GREAT...

the steering was really nice on the TSX..whichon the RL is something I think we are just stuck with. the steering in my RL feels way too light and disconnected vs the TSX....

if I keep the RL... i'm going to reconsider aspec... i like it but i'm unenthused with the RL as it is now... it's a great car but it's a boring car.

the TSX was not as NICE of a car, but a more fun car..

TL SH-AWD???

keep us posted on how you like aspec on the RL!!!

037

I got H&Rs on my RL and I can't say it's a boring car. It really holds it's own at speed jumping between cars and staying flat the whole time. Can't wait to put some summer tires on it

tnobori1

I just posted pics if you guys want to see it...

https://acurazine.com/forums/showthr...7#post12571237

andrewmr

I come from a sportscar background so I like a firmer suspension.

I went with the A-spec suspension but left the 17 inch wheels and tires as it's been my experience that most of the harshness comes from the shorter sidewalls of the 18 inchers.

Ballinger

Coming back from a week in Los Angeles that involved rolling all over the earthquake-buckled freeways, I have a few refresher-observations on the ride in an A-Spec'ed RL:

--I feel the buckles and ripples more than in a similar Lexus and more than I did before I swapped in the springs and dampers. However, the car stabilizes and smooths much more quickly.

--The car gets better as it gets faster and handles buckles and dips with much less movement than other cars around me.

--The car is very steady and stable at high speeds. 80-90 on cruise control, including interchanges, for 2.5 hours... (drive late, skip traffic).

tnobori1

Very well said. And IMO, I am very content with trading off some of the soft suspension and comfort at low speeds for the way I can take corners now.

tnobori1

Deal! And as for the boring statement, I understand. However, I'd have to say the boredom comes from the virtual lack problems, the floating feeling while driving, and lack of acceleration from a stop. I think each of these things are by design and the aspec helps bring back the feeling into the car (at least on turns and straight-aways). I'd be lying if I said I didn't miss the smoother and more refined ride of the stock shocks, but the trade-off was well worth it, and there is nothing boring about the car now. I drove my dad's '08 323 this weekend and I am more impressed than ever with my RL.

jeffjvalley

i have the stock set up and want the a spec suspension asap...

23109VC

you guys are making me want to put aspec on my car again...

Chas2

Drive one again. Based on the angst in your previous messages, you may find it too stiff. You definitely will lose your soft luxury ride, especially on rough roads, but it really is not bad...quite acceptable to me and my wife, who is picky about this stuff.

andrewmr

Don't know any of the details.....

Try one with 17 inch wheels instead of the 18's and see if you don't like it.....

tnobori1

I wish I would have kept my oem rims and tires long enough to swap them on with the suspension prior to selling them. Unfortunately I sold them to pay for the suspension...

I tend to agree with the sentiment that you may not like it based on your prior driving experience. I can certainly feel the road more, especially on back roads, but on a nice freeway it is virtually imperceivable. Maybe you can come up here and test drive mine . I rarely go to LA and we would likely fly down and rent a car anyway because we fly for free on Southwest (my wife works there).

Ballinger

That's how I've got mine, but there's a weird side effect. European underwear models are always hanging around my car and trying to get me. Never happened before ASPEC. Must be the kit.

plastics

Here is some other options.

Has anyone done A-Spec struts & Shocks with stock springs?
Reason is that I have a steep driveway, more like a ramp, so the front lip of the car sometime scraps the driveway now (with the stock setup).

Look forward to all comments.

Plastics
05 Acura RL silver

Chas2

So short of regrading, what do you have to do now, back up the driveway?

thephantom

Where are the pics of this A-Spec setup? ;-)

Also, where can I get the A-Spec suspensions? Anyone in MA have them already installed on their RL? I'd love to ride in them before I get them.

tnobori1

Follow the link in post #14. I also need to wash my car again and I'll post one or two more pics in here. Just washed on Thursday and it literally started raining the second I put the chamois down.

thephantom

Looks great! Can't wait for more pics! Also, did the front wheel gap settled in?

bluesxtreme

Drove a 2010 TSX loaner today and compared to my A-spec it is a smidge smoother but similar stiffness.

23109VC

i had a TSX loaner recently also..and in my opinion, the TSX was not as firm as the aspec RL I drove. the TSX loaner I had, was a V6 with 18" wheels...

it's weird...i had the TSX loaner for a good 4 days or so... i got to really liike it BUT did not like the torque steer and lack of AWD..but the rest of the car was a blast. at lower speeds, i really enjoyed driving it, in some ways, more so than my RL.

when I got back into my RL as i drove way from the deslership, my RL felt like a floaty boat iwth little road feel..

now that I've been back in my RL for a month, I think it feels great..it feels solid, tight...and handles great.. you really do get used to what you have... when you go back to back you notice things more..

when I first put on my Pilot Sport A/S+ I felt they wer e abit firmer/stiffer than teh stock tires..now I can't detect any difference and think it's fine...

it's like when you are the store looking to buy a new TV and they are side by side and you think one looks better than the other.. but if you took eithe rhome...and owned it for a month, you'd enjoy either one... once you have ONE in isolation, you aren't making minute comparisons..

so as to my thinking aspec was too stiff... maybe if I had an aspec RL for a month, I'd get totally used to it and like it..but b/c i drove my car to the stest drive, then drov emine home..i had a "back to back" comparison..literally...and the differences seemed more extreme due to the contast/comparison... if i just put it on my car na dhlived wiht it for a month, i'd probably like it..

it was odd to drive off in my RL after having that TSX loaner and thinking how floaty the RL felt...butn ow that I'm back in my RL full time.. I think it feels nice and solid...

i do remember really liking the TSX though..while it had torque steer and no AWD..at very low speeds, as I zipped arond turns, it was much more tossable and felt like it had a better handling chassis... but if you really pushed it, it woudl plow/slide... the RL actually handled better..but the TSX swas more fun to zig zag around in at lower speeds whre it didn't need AWD....

anyway... bottom line... ill bet aspec is something that "grows on you"..

thephantom

I am contemplating getting ASPEC suspension, but I don't care of the 1 inch drop. My RL has a higher ground clearance than my 02 TL-S, and I don't want to lose that. I understand the lower center gravity will help with cornering, but getting out of the car shouldn't be a challenge. Not that I'm grossly overweight or old, just don't care for the "pulling" myself out of the car exercise.

ichi d

The A-SPEC suspension is the best mod i have done so far to this car and I love it. It gives the car some character and soul and makes it more fun to drive. You get a luxury ride with a sporty feel to it, the best of both worlds. I will be doing the 09 swaybar mod in spring to make things even better.

Don't hesitate get it now!!!!

tnobori1

Phantom, one inch won't change things much at all. Honestly, I have yet to scrape anything since it's been lowered. As for getting in and out, I personally don't notice a difference.

thephantom

Is there a sway bar mod for a 07 RL?

tnobori1

It's for '05-'08 RLs, but it's using the sway bar from an '09.

https://acurazine.com/forums/2g-rl-tires-wheels-suspension-92/d-006-2009-sway-bar-update-05-08-parts-list-prices-715573/

thephantom

Thank you!!

tnobori1

But of course!

tnobori1

Here are a few. Judge for yourself about the wheel gap. To me, I still notice that the front is a bit higher, but it is harder to tell now.

ichi d

very clean. mines is just like that too, the front is slightly higher then the rear.