Lifting a 90 accord

[Macha13]

Hello all.
I happen to live in a part of Ohio that the winters leave pot holes that could swallow a car whole. Since buying my Accord, which is set a stock height, I have had to deal with one shattered exhaust which has now been replaced with a full stainless setup, to now a smashed glass pack and constantly banging the radiator support. I have been looking over ways to raise the cars height with still having a good suspension. The process is not unusual to me because when I was younger I made and raced rally sport. Just hoping for input on others in the best ways to raise my cars ground clearance 2" to 4". I know this will seem sacrilegious to many, but I happen to love my car. I do not want to get a truck that just eats gas and rolls over in corners.

Thank you all for any input you have. This will be my nest step in a long line of modifications to my beloved car.

[jhoff]

[drew12000]

How much higher will F&F go?

What size tires are you currently using? You could get a taller sidewalled tire.

After searching for a few. Personally I wouldn't trust anything that says universal and suspension in the same sentence. But its an idea of what they used. http://universalcarlifts.com/product...products_id=65

[wed3k]

on my subaru, i just installed a set of lifted springs which raises it about 1.25" and my rear is coupled with a 1/2" strut spacer.

im also running an oversize tire but you have to becareful with cv angle and sway bar end links. those are the two things that im running into but the ground clearance is so nice. i can run over sidewalks and stuff and not have to worry about my oil pan.

[oni_cb7]

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but couldn't he use cd5 v6 springs; which would raise the front end up.

[RyanD]

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but couldn't he use cd5 v6 springs; which would raise the front end up.

cd5 springs will only raise it .5 inches

[illinois_erik]

most of your travel should come from tires along with spring height. stock height should be fine matched with the right tires with a taller sidewall as mentioned
http://pw1.netcom.com/~sgalaba/tiresize.htm#ustires

ie:


Geolandar A/T-S(On-/Off-Road All-Terrain)

Sidewall Style: Blackwall
Size: 205/70R15
Sidewall Style: Blackwall
Serv. Desc: 96S
UTQG: 500 A B

[deevergote]

I don't think ANY coilover system will raise the car higher than stock height. Most will likely be lower than stock even at their highest setting. That is TERRIBLE advice, unless you have evidence to show it will actually work. (imagine if this guy went out and spent $600 on coilovers, installed them, and found that they didn't help one bit!)


Lifting the car would actually be rather involved... to do it safely, anyway. The shocks weren't designed to be extended an extra 2", so without custom valving they would probably blow. That is, if they don't simply come apart.
Lowering our cars with our double wishbone front suspension results in negative camber. Essentially, this: /---\. SO, raising the car would do the opposite. Positive camber. You'd be riding on the outer edges of your tires: \---/. That's even more dangerous than the negative camber brought on by lowering! It could be corrected by moving the control arm or ball joint back toward the middle of the car, but there's only so far you can go before you start hitting things. It would also probably put significant stress on the ball joint (which, if it breaks, you crash.)

erik's suggestion of taller tires is the best possible solution. I don't know if you'll get 2", but you'll gain some height. Keep in mind that taller tires will cause your speedometer to be inaccurate. It will say you're going slower than you really are, so you'll want to be aware of that to avoid speeding tickets.

[Sordz]

Can you post a picture of your car? There is a good chance that your 20+ year old springs have sagged and even new stock height springs could raise it. Like others said I think you could get about 1" extra with some tall tires.

I have also seen lift springs for the honda cr-v, they could be adapted into the accord if you had the time and energy to research which struts and parts are needed. Coilovers should also give you some height, I know mine go higher than stock.

[SOHC-FTW]

I know a fella on 6GC has rally coilovers from Hot bits that can raise or lower his setup for any terrain think he paid almost $3k for his.

Heres a link to what they offer for accord's (Though not sure if i picked the right chassis, just seen cb and went with it). It's expensive just know options for such can cost even more.
http://www.hotbits.org/catalogues-de...=10&kitsid=112

Maybe look into springs from other heavier chassis, guy on a local honda forum jacked up his eh for off roading using tbird springs.

[cb7 calling]

I'm thinking v6 springs from like a 1996 and 70 series tires. You have to be carefull though a 255/70 /15 is probably too big. A 195/70/15 isn't much bigger. A 215/70/15 is what I would measure for. Tires alone can make a bigger difference than it seems. Even one inch of ride height is a big difference when you consider the geometry of hitting a pot hole. One inch at the tires can be three inches at the bumpers angled right.

[jhoff]

I don't think ANY coilover system will raise the car higher than stock height. Most will likely be lower than stock even at their highest setting. That is TERRIBLE advice, unless you have evidence to show it will actually work. (imagine if this guy went out and spent $600 on coilovers, installed them, and found that they didn't help one bit!)

Ill try it this weekend, and if I get two inches of lift over stock. Ill let you know.

Stock strut/spring was 18" long. I have mine set to 13 1/2 long up front.
Since its a pain in the ass to do the fronts and a I need to lower the back another inch any way, Ill pull the backs and measure it out.
With the F/Fs you have alot of room for adjustments.

You could also run 1" sandwhich spacers for your stock struts.
Something like this.

[g22paul1]

Function and form type 1s at the highest setting is still quite a bit lower than stock

[Fleetw00d]

Can you post a picture of your car? There is a good chance that your 20+ year old springs have sagged and even new stock height springs could raise it.

If it has the original springs as far as you know, it is more likely that the front springs have broken. Every one of mine (except the wagon) so far has had the front springs fail; the bottom coil breaks in the back (facing the engine) so it is tough to see. One I just parted out had the springs so badly broken that the lower end had dropped below the spring seat. Take a good look at the condition of yours. New stock springs may be the easiest solution. If you're near the Cincinnati area, I'd be willing to take a look at your car if you want a second opinion.