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    Novice needs advice on "My Decision"

    Dont read the rant just skip to the last paragraph unless you want alot of background.

    I've evaluated the cb7 chassis I know that every last bit of the car CAN BE UPGRADED or Changed. I see this. I know the car is very well known for being in the 300k reading. Hell even known for being 400k. The engine isnt the only thing that has seen those miles. I know this. I see the car is slowly needing to be pieced together. Where they begin and the sequence or order that the procedure develops it self keeps us guessing.

    In all practicality we could say our cb7 chassis is the same as a cd5. It shares components with preludes vigors CL acuras can be upgraded to accept very notable brake and wheel upgrades. Every one choses a path. They decide what the car will initially be made into.

    Are you really getting a car "built" to REALLY compete ? If you do compete is the car dedicated to the track? If the car sees street time and daily use are you happy with the decision to track whore your car?

    At some point the the maintenance required for owning the car as a daily driver, dedication to the track and money spent on the car reaches a breaking point. Does this $400 stretch out as long as a $600 purchase and which one would I really need to feel the adjustment from stock?

    We all know the drill. Suspension is where the driver meets his car. The car the wheels and tires need to respond to the road. If you are using a track car the $600 would probably help get every bit of performance out of the car.

    The car as we know it, is not a great performer. Sure its potential it has class, but it can only truly compete so much. In simple daily driving you could use stock springs and struts generic tires $10 brake pads. It serves its purpose it cost about 1/4 less than the track car but its reliable and doesn't get abuse.

    I'm not in my accord for the sport of my car. NO. I do love my accord.This is my second one. I now see it as a car. No longer a CB7. No longer a Tuner. Its just a Honda to me. Thats it. The fact that the aftermarket supports it doesnt mean I feel I should compete with a heavy car against Type-R's Type-S's. Honda was known to have good things cars needed back then. Good gas mileage All wheel disc brakes. Sunroofs. A/C. Power mirrors. Defrost. Power locks and windows. Cruise control. Things that are all standard in todays cars. Sure we can upgrade the Honda and in fact why not if we are planing on owning one for a long time. Its not a a bad decision. I drive mine daily.

    The more and more I think of the car the more I dont know where to go from here.

    It all started when I replaced my worn out struts with tokico springs and struts. the blue and red package.

    Im not sure if I should have spent the extra cash then and gotten a 500-600 racing suspension.

    I paid 350 ish for my kit brand new. It def works its not like riding on rails but I clear daily driving with flying colors. The only problem that I truly have is it not being low enough. If it was just 2 inches lower Id be happy.
    I say this knowing that I would need a camber kit, and tires would wear out sooner. Other things that accompany being lower. Scraping especially.

    See I dont see being dropped only one inch as a bad thing. I think the spring stiffness increased but the over all suspension travel of the car stayed the same. Camber doesnt bang. I dont bottom out even on tough pot holes.

    Ah yes the pot holes. I drive my car daily (did i mention that already?)
    I know from reading and not from experience that rims tend to bend or crack when going over pot holes. Its just something that can happen. But factors like suspension stiffness car weight speed angle tires all make a difference. The tires. Sure. You could find the perfect compound of tire. it should be practical for you. Snow tire, summer tire all season or R compound. Its true. Does side wall flex help protect the rim? can a slight tire stretch help your ride? What about cracking a rim? Only daily drivers and few racers actually worry about this. Atleast the racers dont endanger motorist going to their destination.

    I bought some skinny tires. its partly my fault for not thinking about the profile of the wheel combo and the fact that slightly wider tires protect the rim more. Not that I have expensive rims. They are OEM. Alloys. A step up from the 185-60 R14 The tires on now are 19550r15. Yes I know that wasnt the best decision to get. 6.5 width tire. I should have done a 205 50 r15.

    The thing is even IF i would have added just that slight more rubber for only 50 dollars more in TOTAL. the gap at the fenders would still bother me. Remember Im penny pinching. I didnt want to spend 300 on a new set of tires. I ended up spending about 400 in TOTAL. Well that isnt too bad since I got oem alloys out of the deal. I couldnt keep the steelies I think they were killing my gas mileage.

    SO now im rolling almost 4x4 status with what looks like low pros. I fucked up so bad. I should have gone 2 inch drop 205 50 r15. atleast it could still tackle the daily beat of the street but also be a good trade off to the cash spent on the performance out come.

    Needless to say Im keeping my current set up. It aches me that I fucked myself. For just those extra 200 bucks I could have had my cake and eat it too. And I mean spending 200 bucks ontop of the 400 for tires and 350 for springs with struts. But would the almost 1grand in parts last me in longevity ? I mean the tires wont wear out any time soon. I got 65k warranty on those bad boys. can the 250 in cash saved be used in a proper mod? You bet it will. Until I get the Cash for a 5 lug with 17's Ill have to ride like this. And even with the 17's I think i wont be happy. Since I dont know if the fender gap will change. I do want to drop low but that could ruin my camber as it is.

    I dont want a show car, or a car that is more track than street but sees 90% street use. A car that has so much performance that longevity is compromised. I need a daily driver car. One that isnt boring. One that doesnt make me up set. cause it has no radio, no cruise control a/c power locks windows and mirrors a car that doesn't rattle or squeak and shake or cause me to be a slow poke.


    What do you guys think about this. ? Im sure youve taken your own route and have some new view on your car. What you wish you would have done different or how you are going to adapt the changes youve made to the car.

    Im keeping my set up. I need opinions on this or advice on where to go next?

    Heres the issues finally. 1 inch drop on tokico kit. 195/50r15. Too much fender gap. Ride is good however with wheel and suspension combo. Could mudflaps a different gen accord side skirts front lip and rear lip help my situation any? You guys think a Vigor rear sway bar is a good investment with the Tokico kit? Its not like i have the potential to use a progress bar or suspension technique since I dont have VERY STIFF springs.

    #2
    Originally posted by 8ball View Post
    Heres the issues finally. 1 inch drop on tokico kit. 195/50r15. Too much fender gap. Ride is good however with wheel and suspension combo. Could mudflaps a different gen accord side skirts front lip and rear lip help my situation any? You guys think a Vigor rear sway bar is a good investment with the Tokico kit? Its not like i have the potential to use a progress bar or suspension technique since I dont have VERY STIFF springs.
    First off, stock tire size is 195/60R15. That right there is why you have "so much" fender gap (i'm still running stock height, i know what gap is )

    Also for a rear sway bar. Yes, the vigor bar is thicker. You don't need very stiff springs to use a progress or ST sway bar. I am still on original Honda OEM springs and love my progress rear sway bar.

    About modding cars. My car is a daily driver. I too am on my second CB. But being that my car is a DD that is where my focus is. I'd love to swap an h22 into my wagon someday. Do I need one? No. As long as my f22 is running fine I don't think I will swap. I'd love to put some stiffer springs on to enjoy these curvy roads in WNC, but then I think about all of the long trips I do in my car (drove about 3k miles in the last month). My stock springs are comfortable. I do run Bilstein HDs to help the wagon carry a load and be a bit stiffer in the bends but without compromising DD duty. And as I mentioned, the Progress rear bar is the icing on the cake. I have given up very little comfort for DD duty (slightly more head toss) for a much more neutral feeling car in the corners.

    anyways.

    -2 cents.
    Originally posted by deevergote
    These cars will never be the best at anything, but they're pretty damn good at everything.

    92ex CB7<-SOLD 93ex CB9shiftingshift73C10

    Comment


      #3
      ^ see thats some good stuff right there. You could always get some springs that dont slam your wagon. Were did you get the bilstiens? Iknow the stock tire is 195/60r15 but that wasnt a size I could order in a performance tire. Well not one with logical amount of cash spend.

      So you are saying that the rear progress bar actually improved the handling on your car or is it just a mind thing? Im gussing me next suspension mod will be a sway bar. Probably will start thinking about a lip and side skirts soon how ever. I cant believe I fucked up this bad. I have to roll like this another 65k. Hope the struts and springs tires and brakes and all the other timing valve adjustment and clutch and brake jobs about to do are real happy about this. :/

      Comment


        #4
        the way I see it is I may or may not improve MPG. I got alloys on now and the tire is lighter because its smaller, but now more air can cause turbulence or resistance. Pisses me off that I didnt think about this, but I wont be spending cash twice on the same mod. Im adding a front lip to see of that helps me out some. :/

        Comment


          #5
          I looked for a long time at the spring available for the CB chassis and I didn't like the spring rates. Most often the rear rates were "too soft." And to to get stiff enough rear springs would require ungodly high spring rates in the front. I think the only way to get the spring rate I want is to go with Ground Control coil overs. But I'd rather spend that money on other things. So, stock springs will stay, and that is ok!

          I bought my rear Bilsteins used here on the forum. They are really for a CE1.

          The fronts I bought at Tire Rack. They had the best price that I could find. My fronts actually have a sticker on them that say CB9 Accord wagon..

          The Progress rear sway bar definitely changed my car. The first off ramp I took with the new bar it surprised me! I took it at a normal speed and took note of what the car was doing. There was a LOT less body roll (wagons like to leaaan ), and it felt a lot more planted to the road, more neutral.

          And as for your smaller tire size and fuel economy. Your speedometer/odometer will be off so it'll be more difficult to actually calculate your fuel economy... although you can do the math!

          You could try and sell your smaller tires to a civic owner if you really dislike the tire size.
          Originally posted by deevergote
          These cars will never be the best at anything, but they're pretty damn good at everything.

          92ex CB7<-SOLD 93ex CB9shiftingshift73C10

          Comment


            #6
            The tires arent that bad really. Its not the tires and the way the combo of suspension and wheels feels. Its just the fender gap. It looks SOO ricer. Its not even funny. The Tokico was supposed to drop the car .75-1.25 inch. I think it did about one inch. Taking meat from the rubber leaves it looking stock 4x4. I failed . LOL.

            Its ok I mean, its not like its distasteful or nonfunctional. It should last about 50-65k by which point I plan to have a new brake and wheel set up along with warranting out the struts and springs. Why not? You think the tires pose a threat to my wheels?

            Comment


              #7
              Originally posted by 8ball View Post
              You think the tires pose a threat to my wheels?
              Naw, they'll be fine. Just don't go off-loading!

              EDIT: which wheels do you have? did you get the prelude fan blades? if so, they'll be fine.
              Originally posted by deevergote
              These cars will never be the best at anything, but they're pretty damn good at everything.

              92ex CB7<-SOLD 93ex CB9shiftingshift73C10

              Comment


                #8
                At 50-65k I plan to be just about done with the life of the timing belt any way. So I might was well have an engine swap on the way. Considering 12k miles per year minimum and 36k miles per year maximum, that leaves about 2 years minimum and 3.5 maximum before a major over haul comes. which I think will cost about 2-3k total. Not bad. Not doing an all out build or nothing like that. Just my daily driver.

                I plan on spending about 100 monthly on small maintenance and upgrades. And about 200 on gas (thats a very large figure but I do drive alot 2.5gallons a day and I do think gas will be 5 dollars a gallon.)

                Comment


                  #9
                  yeah the SI stars. 55 offset and 6.5 width. Im sure itll be fine, guess I could spend the cash on a progress rear bar, but Id rather save up and buy an esp strut piece for the front and have a vigor on the rear with a megan rear bar unless the esp is really worth every penny.

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Originally posted by 8ball View Post
                    yeah the SI stars. 55 offset and 6.5 width. Im sure itll be fine, guess I could spend the cash on a progress rear bar, but Id rather save up and buy an esp strut piece for the front and have a vigor on the rear with a megan rear bar unless the esp is really worth every penny.
                    Adding a progress RARB will help out the car much more than the vigor RARB and an strut tower bar combined. Trust me.
                    There are no black and white suspension answers!!!!!!!!!!!

                    Comment


                      #11
                      So when they shipped my tires the UPS invoive accounted for a total of 42lbs for two tires. That makes them weight in at 21 pounds right? 195/50r15

                      The steelies I took off I just weight them in and they are at 36-37lbs give or take. Thats with air and rim. 185/70r14

                      I went from 24.1 inches to 22.7 inches. losing exactly 1.5 inch.

                      So im guess either my reading (weight watcher scale ) or ups might be wrong because at 21 per tire plus the 17 that the rims weight http://www.superhonda.com/tech/wheel_weights.html I lost absolutely no weight. **EDIT** amazon says they are 16.6 lbs

                      SHIT! took one whole step backwards I think.

                      *edit* http://www.carid.com/falken-tires/si...14-475265.html

                      previous tires weight "19lbs" so that would mean that uhm the steelies "weigh" 17-18 pounds. LOL yeah right really steelies weighing less than 20.6 ounces?

                      How much does the steelie for the honda 4x114.3 14inch radius weigh?
                      Last edited by 8ball; 06-19-2012, 08:24 PM.

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