I know when you get the A-Spec suspension system you get the shock and spring/strut. Now if I was just going to get the springs and use the stock strut/shock would that be ok.

Are there any advantages/disadvantages of going with just springs and not the spring strut/shock combo?

Also I have seen a couple of threads talking about the front of our car being higher than the front. Will the A-spec or after market springs solve this problem?

 

The problem with just changing the springs is that you reduce the amount of travel the stock shock has to work with in order to do its job. Ie, as you lower the car with the new springs, you are removing travel or length the stock shock had to soften the blow of bumps in the road. Shocks are tuned to certain settings, if you will. If ride quality is important to you, consider getting the shocks changed also. If you just want looks, get the springs and forget the rest.

It is true that the rear appears lower than the front. I say appears as its probably wheel well gap that you may be noticing, and not the actual height of the chasis at the rear vs the front. The Aspec is the same with regards to wheel well gap, as both front and rear are dropped about the same.

You may consider Toico coil overs which would allow you to tune all of these out as you please, ie ride height and dampening at all four corners. Takes time and tweeking and more money.

 

So would I need the new shocks or new struts? Or are those the same thing?

 

dont the ASPEC springs/struts come pre-loaded, in one piece?

 

Yes

 

The TL has shocks not struts. (I might be overreaching here, because its been a while since I've differentiated between shocks and struts, but here goes).

Struts and shocks are very similar because they both try to absorb and smooth out the harsh motions of the wheel in response to bumps and other road conditions. However a strut is a more integrated part of the actual suspension (it is structurally part of the framework that is attached to the spindle or axle), while the shock is just a dampener.

For example, most low-end cars (plus some high-end manufacturers such as BMW) use a strut-type suspension, while most Hondas & Acuras (excluding the current Civic & RSX), use a double-wishbone type suspension.

Anyone with more experience please correct me, or add to what I just stated. Thanks.

 

TL has classic A-arm up front. the fronts are coilovers (spring over shock).
rear looks like partial A-arm with lateral stabilizers with coilovers.