OnlyDaanish

Hi All,

So my 06 TL now runs amazing but I need to figure out what to do about these shocks. I have Koni Yellows with Tein springs. I didn't realize my front springs had a 0.3" drop when I bought them. So my TL has oem springs in the back and 0.3 drop in the front. Regardless, my TL has always rode rough over bumps. With the Continental Tires and RSB, I barely feel the road. (Surprisingly even with the RSB its not so bad) but I think the drop might be messing up the amount I feel when hitting a bump even with the Koni's on soft. Anyone know if I can put the 07 TL springs on the shocks? The Shocks say they are for 04-08 TL's so I don't see why the spring wouldn't fit. And the longer spring might make it feel more comfortable? thoughts?

Also I wanted to put the 07 shocks and springs but they seem to be discontinued as an assembly. Unless you buy all the parts separate for like 500/shock

DMZ

Try FCS assemblies from rockauto. About $50 each. Best bang for the buck. I have the fronts for a few years now, and they're just fine.
https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo...sn=479&jsn=479
https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo...=15174&jsn=480
.

BROlando

Yes, softer and taller springs will make the ride more comfortable.

The Teins should be more like a 1 or 1.5" drop. That's way too low for a stock length shock (if you want it to ride well).

Also...setting the shock to full soft isn't going to help you. Especially since Konis ONLY adjust in rebound.

The adjustment will never make the shock harder/easier to compress. It will only make the shock harder/easier to expand.

Here is your current issue....
The springs are too low and too soft.
You're riding on the bumpstop.

You hit a bump and feel harshness as you go over it...because...you're on the bumpstop.

Think of the bumpstop as a very hard spring that is going to throw the car upward after it compresses.

Your shocks are set to full soft so they don't control the UPWARD motion of the car either.

Try stiffening the adjuster slightly (counter clockwise in this case). It may help with your issue slightly.

Also make sure the car is properly aligned/no torn bushings/tire pressure is correct.

But yes...ultimately, you need taller springs that give the suspension room to work.

OnlyDaanish

Wow thank you for that clear breakdown! So hear me out, What if I Just rip everything out and Sell the Koni's. And add on the FCS struts all around. I mean I hear they work just as well and soft, and honestly I just was this over with. I want a soft ride and that's it.

BROlando

I don't have experience with FCS.

But DMZ likes them, and I believe he lives near NYC (really bad road condition, by US standards).

I (me) would just buy a used or new factory set of springs and bolt them into the Koni's. You already have the rears done. Just need fronts.

Or...for 5 mins and $0, try the few things I suggested as a stop gap at least.

OnlyDaanish

So funny story, the rears are KYB with OEM Original springs with 190k on them. KYBs probably have like 50k on then by now.
Also funny story, the Koni Yellow came defective so I have the ability to only adjust one of them and the other one has to be replaced under warranty, Also the labor cost to swap springs is the same as to swap the shock sooooo idk what to do now.
Easy solutions is to get 4 FCS's and sell the Koni's with springs as is cause they only have about 8K miles on them.

Sooo Idk anymore, Koni vs FCS. I just want to be comfy.

csmeance

FCS are softer than OEM since they are also meant to fit accords. I have FCS front shocks on my 3G TL and they are pretty good for the price!

If you want to keep it easy, swap the fronts with FCS and sell the koni's once you get the one replaced under warranty.

DMZ

And you will be. The FCS's are, pretty much, OEM replacements as they're designed to simulate OE ride and feel ..... for around $50 each!
.

OnlyDaanish

hell I’m sold. So I should sell the koni I guess

OnlyDaanish

@BROlando btw these are my springs for the font it says only 0.3” drop. So would that difference be noticeable. I just wana make sure I’m not spending money to replace the konis for no reason

BROlando

The A-spec package provides a 0.7 to1.0" ish drop from stock.

That puts those Teins at a 1" to 1.3" drop for a non-A spec TL.

The description also states "they provide a 1.5" drop" lol.


The A spec is an agressive drop and comes with a pretty choppy ride. That tells you that even Acura put the most agressive possible drop on the car that would retain any civility.

So...even a 0.3" additon to that is like "hold my beer".

Its too low, bruv. The front shocks on these cars have almost no travel even in stock form. They bumpstop early to keep the car cornering flat. So lowering this car beyond the A spec height is going to be problematic.

The A spec is the ragged edge of decent ride. It also came with its own shocks, with bumpstops and shocks tuned to that height.

Your shocks and bushings and bumpstops could also be worn out/hardened up over time.

OnlyDaanish

hmm okay but before these I had a set of KYB GR2s with oem springs. They also rode like garbage. And blew in under 50k. Why were they also so bad? I mean I’ll probably get the shocks from rcs anyone cause now I’m too deep. But just curious.

BROlando

OEM or A spec springs?

OnlyDaanish

idk what this car came with. The stock oem springs when u buy it new

BROlando

Well, some cars came with the A spec package.

Not sure why your GR2's with stock springs didn't work.

Did the car ride well with the stock shocks?

Alignment, tyres, bushings, etc, all play a big role in ride quality.

And rattles. If you have stuff clanging around in the interior (loose objects or loose change, etc) or if the interior itself has rattles, the noises and small vibrations will translate as harshness. If you wore earmuffs....would the ride be better? serious question.

OnlyDaanish

I mean I can say this. Today I was driving and this car has its days when it’s smoother than others. And NYC roads are bad but I am by long island and I drove in a good road today. I felt amazing. It was as smooth as butter. Even bumps felt pretty minor. Some days though the car feels clangy. But you know what I’m gonna get the shocks. Cause these Probably have a drop and the old springs probably were dropped too. I mean it was always so stiff. And the konis feel the same as the gr2. Clearly the springs were short on both.

OnlyDaanish

Well not that anyone asked but here's an update.

I got the FCS Shocks put on the front and the rear.

1) The car is significantly higher now. I definitely had a 1" drop because I mean wow is higher and I can feel the handling suffered a bit from the high increase but not badly since I have a 24MM RSB

2) The ride still sucks. I mean literally no difference. Still as stiff as a MFer on pot holes. Oh well, I think the TL is always a stiff ride. I thought maybe the RSB made it stiff but that's not possible since it was just as bad with the OEM RSB on the Koni's and these literally feel like the Koni's with Tein springs.

csmeance

what tire pressure are you running? get the alignment?

OnlyDaanish

Yup my alignment is fine but I did get it before this shock swap. I doubt the alignment would affect ride quality?

I have Continental DWS06. I ride 34 in the front 33 in the back.

BROlando

You need to realign the car. You just raised it 1", remember?

Yes, alignment affects ride quality. Toe in/out means you're hitting bumps with the tyres turned in or out.

As mentioned before, check tyre pressures, tyre age/type, bushing condition, ball joint/tie rod condition, and whether things in your car are rattling.

OnlyDaanish

Blah fine, Ill get a wheel alignment but if it doesn't WOW me u owe me $100.

So all my bushings are new and good, but my car definitely has been taken abuse when it comes to vibration over a period of 70k miles since I owned it. The interior does have alot of rattle now, from the doors rattling when closed to the dash rattling on bumps. I think its just normal age wear, things are getting loose. Nothing I can really do about that I guess so hopefully the wheel alignment does the trick.

csmeance

any time you mess with the suspension such as new shock, tie rod, ball joint, etc, you always need to do an alignment as the parts are not going to go back into the same exact position they were in beforehand.

Find a cheaper place that doesn't charge $100, lots of good independent shops that are close to half that.

BROlando

Ha!

Hey I never said it would be miraculous. But it will make the car ride better.

The rattles (if excessive) are likely what you're perceiving. Try going for a ride with ear plugs or some noise cancelation. If the harshness is gone, at least you found the issue.

OnlyDaanish

None that are in the Long Island Area, maybe in the boroughs for sure but the wait time are not worth it lol.

OnlyDaanish

I tried the headphone method and maybe ear plugs will be better but no I still feel the bump itself pretty harshly with Noise Cancellation over ear headphones ha! My brothers accord handles all the bumps and pot holes better than mine. His car its a slight thump feeling on original shocks with 120k, this car I feel everything lmao unless im at speed. 50 mph is pretty quiet. I think its just the nature of the car.