Which shocks are better Type-S or standard TL?
06-09-2005, 05:03 PM
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Which shocks are better Type-S or standard TL?
I have a 2000 TL and am planning on changing all 4 shocks next week. The Comptech sway bars keep the car flat on turns and the stock shocks were working well until one of the rears started to leak. My 225/55 tires are firm, so the ride is already better than stock. I considered the Tokico blues, but they are about 50% stiffer according to the Tokico sales guy. My wife doesn't want a stiffer ride, but I'd like it to be 20% stiffer than stock shocks, not 50%. Does anyone know if the Acura 2002 or 2003 Type-S shocks are stiffer than the 2000 standard TL? How much stiffer? My mechanic assumes that the 2002 shocks fit the 2000 TL, can anyone confirm this?
06-09-2005, 11:07 PM
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Boomer SOONER
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they will fit fine - Im sure they are quite a bit stiffer (probably like the blues you were talking about) because my friends 01 CLS has a much rougher ride than my car with the stock struts and the Comptech lowering springs.
If you want it slightly stiffer, get the Illuminas that are adjustable
If you want it slightly stiffer, get the Illuminas that are adjustable
06-10-2005, 01:50 AM
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The Tokico blues (Performance) are about 50% stiffer than the Acura stock strut shocks according to the Tokico sales guy. I compared the Tokico adjustable Illumina velocity curves off their web site and compared it to the Performance (blue) curves. It looks like the softest setting is still much stiffer than the Tokico blues and the hard setting is for racing. I'm sure the Illumina's stick to the road well and work great on the track. But I'm also not sure how easy they are to adjust the rear settings, since I think the top of the strut adjustments would be under the rear deck accessible from the trunk.
Unfortunate for me, the roads in Calif where I drive are filled with pot holes and I have to drive through streets with bumps and dips. So I didn't lower the car and I'm sensitive to how stiff I want to make the ride with all those pot holes. The sway bars and tires seem to give me a lot of grip for the fast freeway exits. Had anyone tried to replace the stock regular TL shocks with the TL-S shock? How is the ride and how is the handling? If I recall, I thought the TL-S got its better handling from stiffer springs, bigger sways and lower profile tires. Not sure how much stiffer the TL-S shocks are.
Unfortunate for me, the roads in Calif where I drive are filled with pot holes and I have to drive through streets with bumps and dips. So I didn't lower the car and I'm sensitive to how stiff I want to make the ride with all those pot holes. The sway bars and tires seem to give me a lot of grip for the fast freeway exits. Had anyone tried to replace the stock regular TL shocks with the TL-S shock? How is the ride and how is the handling? If I recall, I thought the TL-S got its better handling from stiffer springs, bigger sways and lower profile tires. Not sure how much stiffer the TL-S shocks are.
06-10-2005, 09:21 AM
#4
El Presidente
Illuminas! 
i had the type-s struts in my car before i switched to aftermarket, couldnt tell much difference from the tl-p struts, they were still pretty soft when dropped.
i had the type-s struts in my car before i switched to aftermarket, couldnt tell much difference from the tl-p struts, they were still pretty soft when dropped.
06-10-2005, 05:54 PM
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VTEClover,
You pose an interesting question as to whether stock TLS shocks stiffer or not compared to TL stock shocks. The ride on the stock TLS is certainly more bumpier and rough, which is definitely attributable to the firmer springs (firmer shocks too probably) and lower profile tires. As far as how much % firmer the stock TL shocks vs. stock TLS shocks, I am curious myself too.
Acura Parts number list:
Sunnyside Acura part list, click
Here we certainly see that the part numbers are different for a 02-03 TLS shock part number vs. 99-03 TL shock part number.Based on speculation VTEClover, I would have to say that the TLS's shock is quite a bit firmer based on the quite a bit firmer springs of the TLS, which are progressive springs in the front; We know the TLS has quite a bit of a bumpier ride and it would also require a firmer shock to match the combination for the springs to not bottom out. I don't know if "quite a bit firmer" would equate to the 20% you are looking at though. The bad thing about trying to take the TLS shocks and using them is non adjustability at all ,so if you don't like the firm feel you're out of luck ,besides the fact that your TL stock springs may not be "mated" for the firmer shocks.
I don't think I would recommend the aftermarket shocks like Tokico blues in particular, due to previous people's complains of the harshness and nonadjustability(?),and your TL stock springs would not be "paired or mated" for each other to give you the quality of ride your wife is looking for. Even on other people's combinations of shocks/springs , such as Comptech Springs and Tokico blues shocks, they have found it to be quite a bit firmer than stock ride quality. So I am guessing that if you paired your stock TL springs with these aftermarket shocks, especially the Tokico blues, you will have a harsher than tolerable ride. Like Ou Sig said, you might be able to get away with the Tokico Illuminas though with the softest setting.
I really don't think the stock TLS shocks will be 50% firmer than stock TL shocks. I think at most it will be 25% firmer. If you are looking for firmer shocks, with some risk, the Tokico Illumina shocks might suffice on it's lowest setting paired with your stock TL springs and still meet your quota of 20% firmer.
There is also a shock made by Bilstein that fits Honda Accords which will fit on our TL/CL vehicles; it's another option for you. Here's the link from a DIY guide to read a little about Bilstein shocks which supposed to provide "stock" feel on a CLS.
Bilstein shocks
As far as the fitment of your TL springs on the TLS's shock spring perches, you should try to see if your springs are progressive or not, meaning that the springs have a wide diameter at the top and then spin downward to a smaller coil diameter. Because if they are not, they may not fit the spring perches on the stock TLS shock perch if you intend to change/use TLS shocks, where the spring is held within the shock body. You can just turn your wheels of your car to one side -outward- and try to see if it's progressive on your TL. There are pictures in that DIY link above to see what I mean about springs being progressive.
Hope that helps with your suspension decisions
You pose an interesting question as to whether stock TLS shocks stiffer or not compared to TL stock shocks. The ride on the stock TLS is certainly more bumpier and rough, which is definitely attributable to the firmer springs (firmer shocks too probably) and lower profile tires. As far as how much % firmer the stock TL shocks vs. stock TLS shocks, I am curious myself too.
Acura Parts number list:
Sunnyside Acura part list, click
Here we certainly see that the part numbers are different for a 02-03 TLS shock part number vs. 99-03 TL shock part number.Based on speculation VTEClover, I would have to say that the TLS's shock is quite a bit firmer based on the quite a bit firmer springs of the TLS, which are progressive springs in the front; We know the TLS has quite a bit of a bumpier ride and it would also require a firmer shock to match the combination for the springs to not bottom out. I don't know if "quite a bit firmer" would equate to the 20% you are looking at though. The bad thing about trying to take the TLS shocks and using them is non adjustability at all ,so if you don't like the firm feel you're out of luck ,besides the fact that your TL stock springs may not be "mated" for the firmer shocks.
I don't think I would recommend the aftermarket shocks like Tokico blues in particular, due to previous people's complains of the harshness and nonadjustability(?),and your TL stock springs would not be "paired or mated" for each other to give you the quality of ride your wife is looking for. Even on other people's combinations of shocks/springs , such as Comptech Springs and Tokico blues shocks, they have found it to be quite a bit firmer than stock ride quality. So I am guessing that if you paired your stock TL springs with these aftermarket shocks, especially the Tokico blues, you will have a harsher than tolerable ride. Like Ou Sig said, you might be able to get away with the Tokico Illuminas though with the softest setting.
I really don't think the stock TLS shocks will be 50% firmer than stock TL shocks. I think at most it will be 25% firmer. If you are looking for firmer shocks, with some risk, the Tokico Illumina shocks might suffice on it's lowest setting paired with your stock TL springs and still meet your quota of 20% firmer.
There is also a shock made by Bilstein that fits Honda Accords which will fit on our TL/CL vehicles; it's another option for you. Here's the link from a DIY guide to read a little about Bilstein shocks which supposed to provide "stock" feel on a CLS.
Bilstein shocks
As far as the fitment of your TL springs on the TLS's shock spring perches, you should try to see if your springs are progressive or not, meaning that the springs have a wide diameter at the top and then spin downward to a smaller coil diameter. Because if they are not, they may not fit the spring perches on the stock TLS shock perch if you intend to change/use TLS shocks, where the spring is held within the shock body. You can just turn your wheels of your car to one side -outward- and try to see if it's progressive on your TL. There are pictures in that DIY link above to see what I mean about springs being progressive.
Hope that helps with your suspension decisions
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