Hello everyone,

Can anyone tell me the normal, uncompressed length of the stock springs (for the front and rear) on the 1999 tl? Thanks!

 

but why?

what are you trying to figure out?
here's the thing, if you tell us why you want to know this information, maybe some one will already have the answer and you can bypass the measuring question....

ask what you really want to ask.

 

I'm refreshing the suspension all around. It's currently in crap shape. I'm changing bushings, ball joints, UCA, shocks, outer tie rods (in the steering category of course) etc. I want to see if my springs have sagged to decide on changing them. So i need to know the length of brand new, uncompressed stock springs, if anyone has the info.

The vehicle rolled off the assembly in october/november of 1998, so i imagine there is some sag/weakened compression. I just need to decide if it's worth the hit on the wallet as im unemployed, and plan on keeping the car at least 3 more years. 129,800 miles on the odometer, most other critical maintenence, including tb service were completed at ~120k. This is another stepping stone to keeping it reliable and safe.

The info doesn't seem to be readily available in the fsm, or online. I may have to resort to calling some dealerships, or aftermarket retailer who won't simply guess and throw measurements of aftermarket lowering springs etc at me.

Thanks.

 

It's recommended you change your springs at 75k.

 

Let me pick your brain a bit, to bring me to the same page.

Is that figure recommended by Honda/Acura? I looked through the maintenence checklists and didn't spot it; just a general "check suspension for worn bushings" etc.

Is it a general rule/guide in automotive according to average lifespan (time/mileage vs materials/design)?

Is it from your personal experience, observation from others, or a mix?

The only other thread i found (and i should have originally posted in there, sorry) on the 2nd gen forum seems to be, https://acurazine.com/forums/tires-w...prings-803465/

 

^^ I have a set of stock springs at home which were taken off my car in 2009 at 70 thousand miles or so, I can measure those with a tape measure if you would like and tell you to see if there is any difference at all. If you do need to change your springs I suggest changing to something more durable and changing the struts as well after coilovers my car rides like a different vehicle.

 

^OooOoOOo get that measurement for him!!

 

Haha, I will after work around 5pm EST.

 

Absolutely, take some measurements for me if you can. Thanks! I haven't seen yet if the very ends of both ends of the springs are lined up where you can take a tape measure from one end straight down and be at the other end, or if two measurements have to be taken, but i'll take what you can give me.

I'm 90% confident my shocks are bad or on it's way (as the ride is really bouncy compared to when i first got the vehicle), which is another reason for the refresh. There's no other signs of wear though. As far as i know, they're the stock struts from ~16 years ago. If they are, i'm surprised they lasted on these streets. They certainly are factory brand as they have the honda/acura part sticker on them.

It may just be paranoia, but i was doubting the integrity of the springs because i can swear the car is sitting lower than it did when i first got it (looking at wheel gap). Again though, i may have not been so critical of it before i started looking into changing the struts.

If they are bad, i'll change just the struts (to the KYB GR-2's i bought) for now, and definitely research the spring options. FYI, dropping the height isn't of interest to me. I believe it would be better not to do so actually, not with these craters in the roads. Hell, in some places the asphalt has been pushed up higher than the sidewalk to the point where people actually use it as a step to get on/off the bus! It was hilarious when i also used it for the same a few times.

I'll go and start pulling parts of the car in the driveway now

 

Any performance spring that's non-OEM WILL lower the height, it just will. But are your KYB's adjustable because you can counter act the lowering a tad. Perform a bounce test push down on the car on a shock mounting area i.e. above each wheel and if the car goes down and immediately comes back up to rest your struts are good if you can literally bounce the car they're done and if you've had ruined struts that means most of the load has been placed on the spring for however long they've been bad so they're probably hurting. I cracked a Comptech lowering spring so I'd suggest Eibach maybe or Tien..?

 

I'll have to shell out the cash for oem to stay at stock height while maintaining smoothness then, if it comes to that.

My KYB's are definitely not adjustable. I'm working on the front of the vehicle this week, so i only ordered the front ones, KYB Excel GR-2 (part no. 341257). I'm doing the work for the rear next week.

Stupid me, didn't do the bounce test before. Having just done it, it seems like the front struts are just fine. They actually aren't bouncy, and return smoothly without any noise at a proper rate (when pushing on the strut tower area under the hood). The test seems to give the resistance/feedback that's in line with the new KYB's on my work table.

I'll still dismount, and disassemble the damper assembly to be sure since i'm probably not putting enough of a load during that test (fat as i am ). I'll be pulling out just about everything except the axle anyway, so it won't be too much more effort.

 

If you want to PM me I'll sell you mine I have no use for them.

Check the attachments for this post, hope it helps.

 

Problem with measuring them is you still wouldnt get an accurate measurement as they may have a different measurement with weight on them. As the coil is wound it has different tension/force. While it may have the same measurement off the vehicle it may not have the same one compressed.

If your car isnt sitting goofy just leave them and change the shock.

 

Thanks for the pics KatabaticSaint! It looks like mine are at 14.75" long (from the top of the spring being laid flat on a table, to the end of the last coil on the bottom of the spring. It seems to be about the same of what your pics show. I took pics but can't upload them right now. I'll re-install these for now as i don't have the right equipment, purchased or self made, to test loaded compression. Thanks again!

 

Yeah, i figured it wouldn't be that easy . They look to be in decent shape, so they're going back on the car as you suggested.

There's some rust on a ~2" length on the bottom that sits in the strut spring seat, and another ~2" area towards the top that goes into the top hat, both of which have caused the baked paint to peel. No visible cracks/fractures though from what i can see. Maybe sometime down the road i'll put together something to test loaded compression. It will come in handy for the three aged cars in the family that i have to do upkeep on.

Another question though, is that glued on rubber sleeve towards the top of the spring critical? After all these years it's cracking, breaking, and falling off.

Thanks!

 

Rust is fine, glued rubber sleeve? You mean the rubber bumper that sits below the top hat? Yeah it prevents the contact of metal on metal between the spring and top hat, it's pretty essential.

 

I think he's referring to the "tubing" that goes around the actual coil. (you can see it in one of your pictures.) It's not critical. as most aftermarket springs don't even have it. It might prevent some noise if the coil is ever completely compressed over a bump. Third picture from left, lower right area.

 

Nope, not the one I was referring to. Like you said, that's the upper spring seat (seen below). That's gotta be in for sure.









TLer's got it. The rubber half tube that's glued on the upper part. The crumbling part seen below.





Springs sitting upside down on my table.

 

Damn, those pics are kinda oversized, sorry.

Is it me or does the rear transmission mount have to be removed in order to slide out the driver side (front) lower arm's "arm to frame" bolt?

 

Oh I see, yeah it's not important. It's probably there to prevent contact with the coils themselves or the body.

 

Just checking, is there somewhere i can get a fresh drop in replacement without purchasing new springs?

I'd prefer to put it, even though it's minor. (I'm anal. No, not that kind, the kind that makes life complicated with details whenever i can .) It's not a listed part on oem parts sites and I highly doubt dealers will have it when i call.

Worst case, i'll reassemble everything without it as you guys suggested and find an equivalent diameter and wall thickness tube (that won't cause operation interference) of vulcanized rubber later.

 

Rule 1: Everything has a part number. I just don't know it :/

 

That's in line with my general experience too. Here are the only markings i found on it. I couldn't find anything about it on google. SOL for now i guess. I'll call a dealer tomorrow, and i'm sure other springs on some other vehicle has it. I'll find something, make my own, or give up :P.