suspension opinions and advice needed...

[mrhonda]

OK, I'm looking for ways to tighten up the suspension a little for better handling. My only restriction is to do this WITHOUT altering the stock apearance, this means no lowering springs, other than that I'm completely open to suggestions. Maybe somthing along the lines of upgraded bushings, front and rear sway bars, etc. All I've done up to this point is new struts and a Nuespeed 4-point upper strut tower bar. So, what else can I really do? I've built and upgraded suspensions on American cars, mainly F-bodies, but I've never done anything aftermarket to any of my Hondas so I have absolutely no idea what is possible and what is available for CB7s. Anyone have any ideas or opinions?

[d21x]

Neuspeed Version of the Koni Yellow with the C-clip to it's highestpoint, and some skunk2 coilovers 560lb/in at it's highest height! Suspension techniques front/rear sway bar.

[uncle_el]

you could drop the car a little bit without the slammed appearance. but you asked to keep the stock appearance.

h&r oe sport, and neuspeed softsport both have a drop rated well less than 1 inch. if memory serves me correctly, both drop the car three quarters of an inch (0.75). using neuspeed koni yellows at the heighest c clip would be, at the lowest, a 0.75 inch drop. but i don't think it would even come close to that at the lowest c clip, and it would be stock height, if not a tad higher actually.

not sure of the cost comparison of the skunk2coilovers compared to the neuspeed sofsports, or the h&r oe sport.

[starchland]

pump up your tires!

[evol90accord]

Add some Energy Suspension urethane bushings, that'll help considerably. Add a sway bar in the front and back and you'll reduce body roll almost completely. I believe on EX models (not sure about the rest), the car comes with a rear lower sway bar, so all you should need is the upper one.

[evol90accord]

Err, strut tower bar. Sorry. Hey I think fast, I type fast, but that doesn't mean I'm always accurate!

[mrhonda]

Actually, I'm not completely against springs, if it drops a little that would be OK, I just don't want it to be obvious. Being as mine is a LX, I don't have a factory sway bar yet, but its on the list. Thanks for the feedback, and if anyone thinks of any other suspension "must-haves" let me know.

[accrdpower]

upgrade bushings, lower tie bar and upper strut bar. new strut mounts...yes these do help!

[HondaFan81]

Keep front sway bar, upgrade to polyurethane bushings on them (PST, Energy Suspension or Prothane).

Progress rear sway bar, comes with polyurethane bushings.

Buy a polyurethane front-end kit from www.p-s-t.com or Energy Suspension or Prothane.

Performance tires

Better shocks with dampening adjustability...will allow you to customize your handling (I'd go with better springs that would not drop you as low).

I have a DC sports rear upper chassis brace, but I honestly don't know if it would be a noticeable difference in handling for that part alone. I think the parts I mentioned above will make more of a difference.

[alb_accord]

the most u can do to the cb7 withoug messing with the suspension are the sway bar and the straut tower bars front and end. i put poly bushings in the front sway bar and i don't feel any difference.

[HondaFan81]

the most u can do to the cb7 withoug messing with the suspension are the sway bar and the straut tower bars front and end. i put poly bushings in the front sway bar and i don't feel any difference.

replacing the rear sway bar with something better would make more of a difference

[accordztech]

i was in the same boat as you. i bought a set of eibach pro kits...haha the car still looks stock to me but it rides much better! its a 3 finger gap all the way around.

a week or so later i upgraded the front sway bar end links and the ones that hold the sways in place wiht poly bushings from energy...those helped even more.

i didnt wnat to go all out on poly bushings cuase i know ill feel the road, the turning stuff i think is most important for polys.

but people still think my car isnt dropped...but it isnt waht it was before 5 to 6 finger gap!!! check out my members ride page.

and if you know me, i always want to be an OEM appearance person to not be attracted by cops or by people who steal shit.

oh i also got a upper strut and a rear lower tie bar which helped as well.

[aero]

Keep front sway bar, upgrade to polyurethane bushings on them (PST, Energy Suspension or Prothane).

Progress rear sway bar, comes with polyurethane bushings.

Buy a polyurethane front-end kit from www.p-s-t.com or Energy Suspension or Prothane.

Performance tires

Better shocks with dampening adjustability...will allow you to customize your handling (I'd go with better springs that would not drop you as low).

I have a DC sports rear upper chassis brace, but I honestly don't know if it would be a noticeable difference in handling for that part alone. I think the parts I mentioned above will make more of a difference.

Word UP..

biggest piece of advise is to leave the stock front swaybar, just upgrade the endlinks.. or get new ones. Upgrading the front to be stiffer and have less sway will feel better during simple turns, but in the end produces more understeer which we have too much of in the first place. Upgrade the rear though since it will induce more oversteer and give the car a more neutral feel. Tires do make a world of difference, they are one thing I never go cheap on.

The upper and lower(i think they make one) strut bars are pretty much worthless. maybe a tiny bit of worth, but if you want one, just get a cheap ebay one since there is no point in spending a lot of money on something that doesnt work.

Upper front strut bar makes a world of difference. This past autocross, my front strut bar came loose so it pretty much didnt do anything.. just flexed like stock. In the past 8 events, I have only hit 1 cone. With the strut tower bar off, I hit 6 cones in 3 runs... there are marks all over my newly painted lip that arent coming off. I tightened the bar down, and voila, no more cones since then...(well i did just clip one w/my tire the following day, but the bar definately made more difference than i would have ever thought. And mine is just a cheap ebay one until I can weld up a custom one.

[uncle_el]

Word UP..

biggest piece of advise is to leave the stock front swaybar, just upgrade the endlinks.. or get new ones. Upgrading the front to be stiffer and have less sway will feel better during simple turns, but in the end produces more understeer which we have too much of in the first place. Upgrade the rear though since it will induce more oversteer and give the car a more neutral feel. Tires do make a world of difference, they are one thing I never go cheap on.

The upper and lower(i think they make one) strut bars are pretty much worthless. maybe a tiny bit of worth, but if you want one, just get a cheap ebay one since there is no point in spending a lot of money on something that doesnt work.

Upper front strut bar makes a world of difference. This past autocross, my front strut bar came loose so it pretty much didnt do anything.. just flexed like stock. In the past 8 events, I have only hit 1 cone. With the strut tower bar off, I hit 6 cones in 3 runs... there are marks all over my newly painted lip that arent coming off. I tightened the bar down, and voila, no more cones since then...(well i did just clip one w/my tire the following day, but the bar definately made more difference than i would have ever thought. And mine is just a cheap ebay one until I can weld up a custom one.

please listen to this man!
and accordztech had good advice too... his car looks really stock, but it's not.

btw, aero, have you tried a mild polish to get the marks off the lip?

[accrdpower]

new bushings, swaybars, strut bars front and rear, correct tire pressure is always good...