Suspension questions

"Katsumoto" (katsumoto) 04/12/2016 at 20:13 • Filed to: None

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Alright, I’ve decided AGAINST modding my new 16 Ecoboost Stang. (I know, but its the first NEW car, and I’d like to keep it nice for as long as possible.)

Anyway. I have decided to use my old beater Fit as a platform for heavy modifications. I’d like to start at the ground and go up. Meaning, I’d do better wheels/tires, suspension components, bushings, sway bars, strut bars, control arms and that kinda stuff.

My Fit is a 2008 base. Meaning, no rear spoiler, no foglights, no cruise all from the factory. The way the suspension is set up, a coilover can be used only for the front, then the back is basically a spring and strut that are separate. So coilover kits are basically the front coilover, and rear spring and strut.

I’m content going the spring and strut route, because I have another car. Also, I’ve had plenty of time behind the wheel in a lowered car. I’m used to it, to the point now, I just avoid potholes even with the Fit, not because I’m worried about possible damage just out of habit.

What companies are reliable, high quality suspension manufacturers? My plan would be to, lower it, install better bushings, sway bar, strut bar, and whatever else is available to the chassis. I haven’t bought import suspension parts in a while, and I’m not looking for ebay quality, nor am I looking for parts that are just ridiculously priced because, for example, H&R is race car quality, and Megan Racing is ebay quality. I’m just looking for a happy medium.

Something that’s affordable, but not to one end of the extreme or other.

So what companies make decent and affordable Honda suspension parts? What companies are ones to avoid and why. I have a B Spec Honda racing suspension kit, but it’s “off road use” only. I came across a stupid good deal on it, and it was 3k in parts for 750 bucks. I have a buyer thats interested from a honda fit forum.

My eventual goal is to do a K24/K20 Hybrid with a supercharger. So I plan on buying a slightly heavier duty spring and strut combo to deal with the hard suspension now, but with the additional weight from going from SOHC 1.5 to DOHC 2.4. I’ve already got the K24 longblock, K20 head, and internal S/C ready components. I’ve also got the HASport motor mounts, axles, and swap header. I also have a 2nd factory hood to cut apart to make the swap work.

TL:DR - What companies make good quality and decently priced Honda suspension? Who should I look for and who should I avoid and why should I avoid that company. Personal experiences are fine, but keep it there. I’d rather not hear about Jim Bob from the forums that had a problem.

Also eventually installing a K24/k20 S/C into a tiny hatchback, because I want to screw with people.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > Katsumoto 04/12/2016 at 20:17

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Mid engined or gtfo.

Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras > Katsumoto 04/12/2016 at 20:19

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Tein or D2 are always recommended. I’ve heard questionable results from anything regarding Function & Form .

K Sport is always a name that pops up regarding coils and Honda’s

-Oppo’s resident Honda modifying fan

Katsumoto > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie 04/12/2016 at 20:24

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I prefer cars like my hair is cut. Business(Motor) in the front, Party(drive axle) in the back.

Although, the Fit started as a little cheap DD, and now it’s just beater status.

d15b > Katsumoto 04/12/2016 at 20:28

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Bilstein!

Katsumoto > Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras 04/12/2016 at 23:12

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Yea I want a good reputable brand, but at the same time I don’t want to pay brand tax because such and such brand is overpriced for its products. Just trying to find a good brand who doesn’t overprice their stuff so bad.

I mean my Fit has 175k on it. It’s far from perfect but it’ll be touched up in the spots it needs too. I plan on getting a new front bumper, repainting the front once all the work is done. Just trying to clean it up and make the 175k miles dissappear from its body.

Plus I’m debating on doing this K24 swap or paying someone else to do it. I mean I have all the parts. Other than wiring, A/C, cooling, gas pedal, throttle body, and whatever else. It’s ready to go in.

Sorry, I’m keeping my AC! I don’t care what has to be done, it’s keeping AC and PS. I don’t want a halfass K swap. I want a factory ish type job. I want the motor to look like it was in there it’s whole life. Plus when it comes out, it gives me a chance to paint my engine bay black.

Now I just gotta look and see what brands carry parts for my car. Since I know the GD3 Fit isn’t the most popular aftermarket car. Worst comes to worse, I’ll ditch it and pick up an EP3 Civic Si and get the factory K20, with a 2dr hatchback body. At least K24 swapping a K20'd car to begin with will be easier.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > Katsumoto 04/13/2016 at 07:18

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Why not make it business in the front (looks like a Fit) and party in the back (put the K engine where the rear seats would be with a FWD independent suspension welded in place). 2400lb mid-engined super hatch? 2400 lb mid-engined super hatch!

Katsumoto > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie 04/13/2016 at 07:27

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It would be fun, but if i went midengine id rather go with a v8 based motor. Since the weight would be centered.

I couldnt cut a car apart like that. I lack fabrication skills to do so. Plus ive owned this little Fit since new and its been a great little car. Id rather just put a 220hp motor in it then add supercharger to it to get in the almost 300 hp area.

Id be tripling the horsepower the car left the factorywith. Just a k20 is enough to make a Fit outrun a Stang. Add a slightly bigger motor and supercharger and ill mess with peoplr at the track.

Plus i want to do it because 300hp in a roughly 2400lb car is enough to almost bring it to Ariel Atom levels.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > Katsumoto 04/13/2016 at 07:30

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I don’t know. Seems like too much for the front to handle and be streetable on a car like that.

Katsumoto > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie 04/13/2016 at 09:26

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I would be far from the first to K20 a Fit. Theres a few videos of them on YouTube.

Itll be a handful to say the least. The biggest issue is yhe aadditional weight. I think it boils down to about an extra 100 or 150 lbs between my motor and the k series.

On stocksuspension, the k series effectively does the same as lowering the car just with the motor weight. It drops the front end about 3/4 of an inch.

The stuff needed to make the motor work is wiring, mounts, bigger radiator, aftermarket ecu, stiffer suspension, gas pedal, a few ccustom bent brake lines, a few weird cooling hoses, and thats all i cancthink of.

Theres a spot on a firewall that needs beat with a hammer to add a little clearance. The hood needs a few small reliefs cut in the support for the serpentine system.

Thats it. To quote the fast and furious, “10 grand under the hood and itll decimate all”. Its basically what a swap like this is going cost.

Betweenn the parts, custom stuff, and motor. Its a 10000 job in a basically 14k car.

Its a street legal go kart on crack.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > Katsumoto 04/13/2016 at 10:45

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Blacktop swapped street legal(ish) go-kart really on crack. Fewer monies. Less weight. Less power too, but going to the correct wheels from the correct place and I wanted to leave it 4AGE and wanted it reliable while I rebuild my old one into a SC and/or turbo beast putting down 300ish. ;)

Katsumoto > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie 04/13/2016 at 13:39

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I never really cared for the mr 2s. Never really appealed to me.

If it came down to it, id rather mod my beater honda and enjoy it.

But i am saving for a JZX90 Mark 2. If i go that route, the k24 Fit is not happening. Although im the kinda guy thatdoes stuff to cars enjoys them for a while and find a new project. Always something cooking in my garage of projects.

Ive imported 2 Skylines and sold one. The other was an import for a friend. The k20 Fit is something im on the fence about. Do i really want to put 10k into an old wore out Fit. Or just bank it and import a good Jzx90.

I got the parts for another project that i got too busy to deal with. Luckily for me, HASpprt was cool about it and let me swap mounts for the Fit ones.

Just gotta make my mind up on the Fit motor, but i want to do suspension because it needs new, and id rather go aftermarket.