Hey All,

FIRST - I am NOT asking where to buy this, please read below!

First time poster, long time reader.

I have been scorching the internet to find the A-Spec Suspension Part Number 08W60-SEP-201B. This is for the manual transmission. Some exciting news, I found a possible way to get them. It might be a pain to do though. The distributor is in another country, and shipping times are months to get here. But, for a new in the box set, I think it will be worth it. I am going to try to buy this. I am in talks with the distributor right now. He is contacting his warehouse for verification of parts, but he thinks there may be several available.

Why do I bring this up? I was thinking that if anyone else was interested in getting one, it might be worth it to order a bunch to save on shipping costs. The kit itself is around $1,000, and I have NO IDEA how much shipping will be. Just a thought to maybe help some of you on here.

Again, this is still in the early stages of seeing if they are available and if they can ship them to the US. I just wanted to get a feel if anyone else would be interested.

Thanks!

 

Count me in

 

If you find out the general shipping costs I'll be interested. Was just about to order BC coils

 

Maybe they have ASPEC steering wheels too?

 

@Acura TL Builder Oddly enough, when a google search is performed on 08W60-SEP-201B one comes up on a Ukraine website?

08W60SEP201B Honda - Автозапчасть 08W60-SEP-201B - купить, цена | EXIST.UA

 

Why the heck would these parts be available in Ukraine?!

 

I want the OEM CF pieces surrounding the cupholder.

 

I also want the suspension.

 

That is the site I am talking to. They are somehow associated with a company in New York.

The parts aren't actually in Ukraine, at least not right now. They are in a warehouse in another country. So they will be shipped from the warehouse to this distributor company in the Ukraine, then shipped to the US. Its a weird process.

I haven't heard anything back today. Being time difference from there to here, I didn't expect to until later tonight at the earliest.

 

From the looks of that extraordinary 'shipping' protocol, hopefully they have no near affiliation with a 'Darkside' type of organization.

 

Yea, I don't know yet. I'm being super cautious though. Not trying to loose any money. I plan to try to do some more research into the company. I have neighbors that are actually from Ukraine, so if I can catch them when they are home I wanted to ask to see if they knew anything about it. They've been in the US for years, so I don't know if they will know or not. They still have family over there, so maybe that'd be an option to have them shipped to their family, then here? Like I said, not sure yet how its going to go.

 

Do you have a part number? I'd want that too. I can ask him.

 

Didn't know there was an A-Spec steering wheel.

 

Yes silver leather grips with blue stitching only for 04-05 models, will fit 06 TL.

Be careful as they may be fake shocks/springs. Tons of makers of fake parts out there.

 

It definitely looks Sierra-Hotel!
No joy on the part number though.

 

Im from Ukraine, perhaps I can speak with them.

 

That website looks legit. The equivalent of RockAuto for Ukraine.

The site was created in 2017, so it may not be a discontinued item that has just not been removed.

They have 10 sets available and will be in june 25 9:00

Who wants to make a group buy?


I will attempt to live chat them before I go to bed, Otherwise Ill call them directly late friday night.

One reason these may be available as left overs is because Acura was in Ukraine until 2018!

"Acura is the luxury vehicle division of Japanese automaker Honda.[1] The brand was launched in the United States and Canada on 27 March 1986, marketing luxury, performance, and high-performancevehicles. It was introduced to Hong Kong in 1991 (lasting until 2009), Mexico in 2004,[2] China in 2006, Russia in 2014 (no longer available in Russia) and Kuwait in 2015, and was also sold in Ukraine (until 2018).[3] Honda's plan to introduce Acura to the Japanese domestic market (JDM) in 2008 was delayed, due to economic reasons,[4] and later withheld as a result of the financial crisis of 2007–2008.[5]"

-Wikipedia

 

If there are in fact some A-Spec kits available, I think there is a very high risk of them being fake. The TL wasn't sold outside North America,
so there would be no reason for any genuine Acura kits to be in any other countries other than the US or Canada.

If anyone wants to build their own A-Spec kit, I have spring rate data and shock damping rate data from the original A-Spec kit.

 

Could you please provide that data?

TL was sold in China..

 

Shock dyno measurements were done by Bilstein. I sent them a brand new set of A-Spec dampers to measure so that they could duplicate the rate with a set of Bilstein dampers for my TSX.
The Showa dampers are the A-Spec dampers, manufactured by Showa of Japan. The Bilstein dampers for TSX will work on a TL, but you will need some shims or washers on the rear lower bushings
as the TSX damper are a little narrower than TL. Other than that, the same. For the springs, you can use the second gen TSX springs, but it won't be as low unless you have grooves added on
the dampers for the spring perches. But don't go lower than 1/2" or you will run out of pre-load in the rear. The Bilstein dampers listed have a fixed damping rate. They need to be modified by
Bilstein or a specialist that can modify them. Not inexpensive, but Bilstein dampers are very high quality. Much higher quality than the original Showa dampers.

 

I appreciate the help. Although I think you should wait until I at least hear back if they have them available. I don't want to flood them with the same inquiries. He is checking with his warehouse to see if they are indeed available.

Like I said earlier, the point of this post is to do a group buy, hopefully.

Are you still located in Ukraine?

 

I also agree that the site looks legit. I did a bunch of research last night and like you said, it looks like a Rock Auto style site.

 

Okay let’s wait. No, I have been in the states for 30 years. I lived there “Back in the USSR!”

 

Just heard back. The warehouse information was wrong, and they do not have any. Guess I jumped the gun there, sorry. I got so hopeful lol. Are there individual part numbers for the shocks / springs?

<quote>
If anyone wants to build their own A-Spec kit, I have spring rate data and shock damping rate data from the original A-Spec kit.
</quote>

Thanks for this info! Might be trying this now. Im a sucker for OEM, so Im not sure if I want to go this route, since it is technically different. I know, Im weird lol.

 

Well at least we have valuable data thanks to the “legendary forum user” Euro-R! I will build a set of these in the future!

 

Indeed!

 

I forgot to mention that the spring perches on the Bilstein dampers are about 0.2" lower than the Showa dampers.
So, if used with the 2nd gen TSX springs, the total lowering will be about 3/8" to 1/2". If additional grooves are added
to the dampers that are 3/8" lower, then a total lowering of about 3/4" will be achieved, and I think this is close to
the A-Spec kit.

The A-Spec kit is well engineered and balanced. Probably why everyone loves it. I had it on my TL and it seemed perfect.
I like OEM parts too, but the Bilstein dampers are far superior to the Showa dampers and will outlast them by at least 3x.
The first image below shows what the groove and snap ring looks like that supports the spring perch. The second image
shows the super long bump stop on the rear A-Spec damper and will have to be duplicated.

 

Coincidentally, blue/yellow are Ukraine’s national colors.

 

Thank you Euro-R! You ROCK MR BROCK!!!!!

 

Quick update:

The 2nd gen TSX front springs (51401-TL2-A01) are slightly larger diameter and won't fit the stock TL top hats, so it looks like this is not an option.
The 2nd gen TSX rear springs, however are the same diameter as the TL springs, so good to go on those.