TLtrigirl

iTrader: (1)

question:

in the newest kits, the front dampers have designations of 08W60-SEP-...E1 for the Rt. and F1 for the Lt..

are these dampers interchangeable from Lt. to Rt. and Rt. to Lt. if you have two "E1" parts or two "F1" parts???

my kit has two E1 "Rt. front damper" parts. is there a difference and is this a problem????

Turbonut

iTrader: (1)

F1 has been discontinued. Acura lists two different part numbers for front L/R shock on each model year, base or TL-S, but aftermarket has the same listing either side, but I believe the springs are different. Although no left or right spring listed, but doing a little research came up with the following:
front right 51401-SEP-A22
front left 51401-SEP-A31

I have found that shocks/struts are normally the same either side from the factory, but the springs could be different to compensate for the weight differential side to side.

Having said all this jabber, I'd check with the supplier and pose the question with the above information supplied.

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

Good luck Jamie.

Turbonut

iTrader: (1)

Thinking about the same parts left and right, don't know how much of a difference there might be after installation as one must remember, aftermarket shocks and springs do not differentiate from side to side. If I were doing the install, I'd measure the distance from middle of wheel well to ground all four corners, install, then take another measurement at the exact same spot on the driveway, roadway etc. to see if any difference, pre and post.

thughunter1961

I just installed the A-Spec suspension on my Type-S. The fronts were marked left and right and had two different part numbers. The rears were not marked and the part numbers were the same.

TLtrigirl

iTrader: (1)

spoke to the vendor (an acura dealer), they said it shouldn't be a problem. they checked their current kits in stock and found that one kit had two Rts and the other kit had two Lts. they compared the two and said they look the same. i was the first one that ever called and asked about this. they've sold many an aspec kit and had no problems from anyone else.

spoke to my dealer, they said there are definitely two part numbers, but thinking about it further, one of the reasons why acura has separate part numbers is mostly for tracking the parts Lt./Rt. they said there shouldn't be a difference between the two, ie they should essentially be the same. then again i asked why the rear has the same number??? hmmm. they didn't have any in stock to compare. i even mentioned to them that even the stock suspension in the front has two different part numbers. again they didn't have any in stock to compare. they agreed (parts and service guys) that it should be ok and it should fit. there is no reason to have a completely different part for something that is suppose to be symmetrical in nature in terms of balancing the car's weight. unless maybe you acct for the wt of the driver on the Lt.

eh???

so anyone who still has their stock parts, do your Lt. and Rt. front damper look the same???

thughunter1961

I checked, they look the same but have different part numbers and are marked right and left. I wonder if the springs are just a tad different to compensate for some balance issue.

Turbonut

iTrader: (1)

Looks like they tangled with somebody that did their homework, so when they come up with no other answer, they say they will fit. I have no doubt that they will fit and look the same as one couldn't detect a slight difference in the spring rate, but do the install and check the height before and after. I'd venture to say you'll be fine, but would like to know the before and after particulars when you do the install.

Also,if one kit had two lefts and another two rights, why don't they switch them around and have the correct items in each kit? Looks as though somebody didn't do their job. Probably didn't realize two different part numbers.

TLtrigirl

iTrader: (1)

ya think? its discouraging to talk to the vendor's parts guys b/c you realize the level of competency (low). esp when the first guy you talk to has no clue what you are talking about. they said that the kits come with two Rts or two Lts sometimes. how much you wanna bet they are going to actually match up a Lt. and a Rt. now??

when i received my kit the boxes containing the parts had already been unsealed (after the guy said they should be sealed). well they weren't. i figured, oh they checked to make sure everything is right. bad assumption. being anal i checked myself after reading about parts numbers on here and sure enough...i have two Rts.

even my dealer guy said we don't get paid to think, we just sell and install the parts. if it sayd Lt. we put it on the Lt. if it says Rt. we put it on the Rt. scary. he even asked oneof the techs, the tech said the above (if its Lt. put on Lt. etc.).

but in thinking even back to your aftermarket parts thinking, they don't have a Lt. and Rt. my brother thought that was weird (the Lt. Rt. designations). he said it shouldn't matter. it sounds like the Lt. and Rt. part numbers are for acura corporate tracking for parts breakage/wear not so much they are different that's what my dealer guy explained to me, which makes sense esp for warranty work. corporate would want to know if there is something wrong with the vehicle if it was side specific. my dealer guy wouldn't BS me, but they admitted they weren't 100% certain.

we'll find out in a few hours. damn it its freakin' cold here.

Turbonut

iTrader: (1)

Too bad you started the job as you could have sent one back, and as they have the left, sent that one out and everybody would be happy.

Just checked, our 2008 knock around car has a left and right strut designation, but the springs are the same, go figure.
Daughter's Maxima, struts are the same, but springs are different.

TLtrigirl

iTrader: (1)

what a real PITA install.

took 3 hours with two people (me and my mechanically incline brother) and air tools (thank goodness for air tools). the back seat was nothing. just trying to pull the old parts out was the pure pain and add to the fact the car is nearly 6 yrs old and comes with the rust of 6 winters. i'm sure having a lift would have been handy but two floor jacks would have to do.

compared the Lt. and Rt. stocks. they looked the same; springs and everything. even the rear stock had the "E" for the Lt. and the "F" for the Rt. on the part number. even though stock has same part numbers (in the "book").

strange thing...before the iinstall, the car always sat higher up front (still does after install). when i measured it seemed the car was slightly higher on the Lt. than the Rt. we did this in the garage. so far it only seems like a 1/2" drop right after install and short drive (<5 mi). drove the 100 miles back home...night and day difference. no more floatiness over dips, very little body roll in turns ( more confidence in hitting turns at higher speeds), much more sports car feel with overall driving. there is more road feel (like a sports car) and less plushy feel (like a cushy "luxury" vehicle).

was it worth it??? yeah. the car handles way better than stock. i wasn't getting this suspension for a massive drop, i was going more for the performance and i definitely got that. so if the car handles better, then any more drop than what i've got is a bonus.

as for the Lt. and Rt. debate...if i would have waited and gotten the "Lt" part, it would have been on monday...and then my install would have been....much later. but from what i can tell from the stock parts...it looks the same. the car actually sits even in the front. i'd have to check my numbers.

until monday, in for the alignment and replacing the Lt. rear sway bar end link...the bolt stripped out and froze in place. thank the rust for that one. ugh. will see if the car settles out a bit more and i'll re measure in a week or two. thanks for your input turbo and thughunter. i'm sure we're all still wondering if there is a difference. i am.

Turbonut

iTrader: (1)

Glad it worked out for you, but just curious as to the tires and size that are presently on the TL?

TLtrigirl

iTrader: (1)

i'm running 18x8 enkei GTC01's wrapped in 235/40/18 conti DWS. i went plus 3 on the air pressure (35/32 stock for me which is now 38/35psi).

the flatspotting is now alittle more subtle unless we have a huge temp drop.

thughunter1961

Took me about the same time and I almost knocked my teeth out with a crowbar. Did you remove your rear trim, per the instructions, or just the seat? I found I could weasel my wrench on to the rear upper nuts, without removing the trim, but my hands got scraped a little getting the wrench on them. My car has settled to about a 3/4 drop after a couple of days. I'm off for an alignment next week as well.

If anyone is interested. I'm running XXR502 18x8.5 35 offset rims front, with 245/40-18 Continental DWS tires. The rears I had to do some work. I wanted a staggered set up and the only XXR502 18", besides the 8.5, was a 18x9.5 35 offset. I went with a 255/40-18 tire to keep close to stock diameter and for rim protection. However, the fat 255's rubbed, just slightly. I didn't want to roll the fenders and risk paint damage so I took the rears to a machine shop and had 5mm machined off the mounting surface. Some might say this is a little risky but I did some research and I have plenty of metal left, on the rim. Now no rub even lowered on A-Spec.

Turbonut

iTrader: (1)

Thanks for the reply-PM

TLtrigirl

iTrader: (1)

we left the rear deck alone. we managed to get into the little hole with the wrench. we were in the mindset of the less we remove the less things have a chance to break.

yea the instructions look so easy with plug in play. then you get to encounter 6 winters of rust and a maze of other suspension parts to try and pull the stock parts out.

once my brother figured out how to do the one front side the other side was done in like 20 minutes. then the back was the real PITA. so i'm really curious to see how off my alignment is now. he had to remove one of the links just to get the stock parts out. oh well, its in.

my brother says the acura is an official PITA to work on, much more so than his wife's infiniti G35. ha the fun thing i learned...i now know where the oil filter is (i don't do the changes, no time, no resources otherwise i'd probably do them). he also said had he have to do it all over again...it would take him a couple of hours instead of 3.

94eg!

Looking at the diagram of the stock shock absorber units, you can see all the individual parts are interchangeable left to right (#1 and #4-17). But when it comes to the complete assemblies, there is a different part number left and right (#2 & 3). This makes no sense.

TLtrigirl

iTrader: (1)

^^ this diagram is probably the only thing that says the parts are exactly identical except that a full assembly has different part numbers for Lt. and Rt. so bottom line it looks like they are interchangeable despite the part numbers.

i like the theory of parts replacement tracking for acura. its the one reason i can accept unless there is another reason or two.

it is confusing as hell though. when you have two part numbers one would think there is something specific to that one part. in this case...the front dampers are the same and interchangeable. not that it matters now since i already did the install yesterday, so far no issues.

friesm2000

iTrader: (4)

and normally it is for the weight unbalance of the transmission vs engine, but also to help compensate for the driver also (since the majority of the time, is the only person in the car)


also as far as aftermarket going with different spring rates for each side, they normally do not go to the engineering extent, because it can be more cost prohibitive for a smaller quantity of springs





also for shocks having different part number for each side, that is normally due to mounting brackets on the shock itself, such as for brakelines, the abs wire, or a swaybar attachment point, which make the shocks side specific at times

Turbonut

iTrader: (1)

Side specific may be correct on some, but if the shocks are purchased without the springs, the numbers for L/R are the same for the TL, but when purchased as an assembly they become side specific. Only difference is the springs, and in certain years they are different part numbers for L and R, and also a different cost for L and R assemblies.

TLtrigirl

iTrader: (1)

my other guess would be the driver's weight. then again i don't weigh all that much compared to the avg american. i should just throw all my gear on the passanger side while i sit in the driver's seat. how's that for balancing?

so if you think that the spring on the Lt. suppose to acct for the driver's weight, then having two Rts isn't a bad thing for me.

you know there is some acura engineer somewhere that knows the answer other than that's just the way it is.

friesm2000

iTrader: (4)

only other thing i can think of, is how the spring/shock is rotated when assembled together along with the top hats rotation

ie: tophat boltholes have to line up in the strut tower, AND the pinch in the shock for the wishbone's bolt also has to be pointing inwards , which in the shop/diy world won't matter too much, but in the manufacturing/assembly world will make all the difference (how many shocks would they have to rotate on a given day)

so OP, did you have to "rotate" the left side, so everything lined up?

TLtrigirl

iTrader: (1)

hmmm...no rotating from what i remember. just lined up the tab and bolt in place. though i wasn't constantly at the front of the car...ended up in the back takiing the back seat out.

TLtrigirl

iTrader: (1)

BEFORE



AFTER



the drop is pretty subtle (maybe 3/4" to an 1" the pics really dont' do it justice, it looks better in person) like everyone else with ASPEC suspension. the ride on the other hand, is better...cornering, twisties, and cloverleafs couldn't be more fun now! woo hoo!!

Klutch

i pulled my tire off today to see the part number on the suspension, i bought the car with the full aspec package. the part number i see on the front right one is 08w60-sep-2m02-a1. is this the stock suspension part number (i tried searching but couldnt find it). it doesnt look like the aspec part number? i really hope acura never screwed me over or else im going back there to bitch even though my car is a 2005.

TLtrigirl

iTrader: (1)

for the older kits the the Lt and Rt designations were A1 and B1 (i believe from my previous research). since you have one of the original, older kits from early on...you have the A1 and B1. the newer kits have the E1 and F1 Lt/Rt.

if you go to a acura OEM parts website and look up the kit part number, and then look at the actual individual part numbers within the kit...you wil know what i am talking about. i think you're ok.

astl04

hello , i bought an aspec suspension for my 04 acura tl MT from curry and half way into the install i noticed that they sent two front shock absorbers marked "R " .Are those two parts interchengable or i need to contact them so they can send me one for the left side?
p/n: on the box is 08w60-sep-202a

p/n: on the strut is 08w60-sep-2m10-e1

TLtrigirl

iTrader: (1)

you'll be fine. you have the same issue i had. no worries. everything fits and no post install problems. the parts are essentially interchangeable.

did you not read the entire thread? just wondering. i'ver had mine on for 2 1/2 months now...loving every moment except for a rattle...loose end link...make sure those buggers are tight when all is said and done. no rattles fromt eh suspension...all is well.

astl04

Thanks for letting me know I was trying to see if anybody else had the similar situation so I skipped thru important parts of this thread.I'm just glad that I don't have to mess with it again.