how to adjust ride height/cornerweights?

[stevenlee]

I recently purchased a '94 and the front springs are very short. The front tires rub the top of the wheel wells even at low speeds on minor bumps and corners. Also the passenger side seems to be closer to the top of the wheel well than the driver side. Is there any way to adjust the ride height and corner weights? How can I tell what springs, and shocks, and sway bars are in my car? I want to raise the ride height of the front only. Is there any to add a "spacer" of some kind?

Thanks in advance for your imput!

 

[supercharged]

Doesn't sound like you have OEM springs/shocks/wheels/tires/

If you can provide more info I'm sure you'll get some good input back. Please provide descriptions and measurements where possible; don't dispare it should be fixable.

Oh yea, one more idea - describe the car also and where you got it - likely someone here knows some history that would be helpful.

 

[NSXDreamer2]

I hope you don't have "cut springs" on your car, but based on the desription you gave us, you either have wrong spec of the wheels and tires, or you have some wrong spings/shocks combo that no supposed to be on the car.

I suggest you find a reputable shop and lift up the car and inspect it asap. If you find anything that's not supposed to be on the car, change em..

 

[nsxtasy]

I agree with everything that everyone has said above.

Let's start with what is easiest to find out. What size are your tires, and what kind of wheels do you have?

 

[stevenlee]

More details on my car

Here are more details on my car:

My tires are Pirelli P7000's: 215/40-17's fronts, and 265/35-18's in the rear. My rims are probablly 17x8 in the front and 18x10 in the rear. The front tires rub the inside rear of the wheel wells when turned to full lock. The outer edge of the tires cut into the plastic liner when I first ran the car at high speed (120 mph). The plastic wheel well liners were probablly missing some fasteners and the wind pushed them into the tires. There is approximately 1 inch of space between the top of the front tire and the fender on the front and about 2-1/4 inches on the rear. Ground clearnace at the middle of the front spoiler is about 5 inches and about 10 inches to the bottom center of the rear valance.

I just came from the Acura dealer: They determined: Shocks are original, front springs are probablly shorter than stock, and rear springs are probablly stock length. They weren't sure on the spring heights because there aren't many NSX's in Hawaii and even the techs weren't sure by looking at my car without having a stock car to compare it to.

The front tires hit the top center of the wheel wells on bumpy turns taken at 30 mph. The front spoiler hits when going in and out of parking lots and driveways.

I would like to raise the front ride height. I am considering lowering the rear ride height to reduce the rake and lift the front spoiler. (I also wouldn't mind reducing the 2-1/4 inch gap above the rear tires.)

What options do I have to raise the fronts?
Are the ride heights "adjustable"?
How are the corner weights adjusted on the NSX?
Should I replace the springs and shocks?
If so, What do you guys recommend for street/sport use?
What do you think about running the car without any wheel well plastic liners?

Thanks in advance for your help!

Aloha,
Steve

 

[Veleno]

I would suggest taking a picture of one side and posting it for us to determine what kind of spring you have on there. I'm guessing that it's not a coilover system as the dealer tech didn't mention anything about the fronts being adjustable. Another possibility is that it could be cut OEM springs.

Could it be that the shocks are worn out? Does the front bounce a lot when you push down on the fender? Any banging sounds when you go over bumps or hit the road reflectors?

The ride height is only adjustable if your shock/spring is adjustable.

If you want to replace your spring/shock setup, decide first how low you want to go, how much you want to spend, and what type of adjustments your looking for.

As for running the car without the fender liner, it should be ok IF you don't mind rocks and other debris hitting the metal and possibly scratching it to bare aluminum, and/or puting small dings in it. You are probably rubbing because the offset of the wheels are not correct for the NSX.


Did you ask the person you bought it from about these issues?

Good Luck and keep us posted.

 

[NSXDreamer2]

I'm by no means showing off my new rims, but go to the bottom of my post here: http://www.nsxprime.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=22339
I have Stock Suspension with 17*8 with 215/40/17 et35 and 17*9.5 with 255/40/17 et44.

Since your tire spec is similar at front with mine, you may compare your ride height to mine. Mine looks very lifted without any lowering (since now the tires is a little "thinner" and the offset push the wheels a little outwards.) So far I have yet have any rubbing on my normal driving.

hope this'll help.

 

[stevenlee]

NSXDreamer2
Thanks for posting your photos. My front tires have only one half the space to the top of the fender as yours. My rears are comparable to yours. Does your car have lower springs or after market shocks?

My shocks are stock. I'm considering adjustable coil overs to avoid buying the wrong springs (too short or too long). Is there any way to add a spacer to raise the front ride height???

I don't know how to post photos of my car. I'll try to figure it out.

 

[ChrisK]

Steven,

You just have to live with it until you can buy replacement parts. If the spring shock combo is not an adjustable type, there really is no way to adjust it for now. You can't add any spacers to bring the height back up. Coil-over systems are pretty expensive. You may want to take a look at Comptech springs or Eibach, as they seem to lower but not go too low. Some of the local NSX guys are running Comptech. Get in touch with Kingston (Goes by Deuce here) and see if he can get you in touch with with the local Comptech spring NSXers. I don't have their emails so I can't give them to you. Sorry.

 

[docjohn]

The advice above is sound.To reiterate you should not drive too long with the current setup,ask the old owner what gives?You can't corner balance a car without height adjustibility,so unless you whant to fiddle with a coil-over susp. just get a good spring /shock combo like Eibach/bilstein or Koni.Don't mess with spacers for ride height,and don't remove fender liners.Regardless if the car pogos and they are original shocks they are probably wasted,already.

 

[stevenlee]

The shocks are doing a good job of controling the bounce...no pogo effect here. I suspect the front springs are just too short and may have been chopped. I am leaning toward going with coil overs so I can adjust ride height and cornerweights. Does anyone have experience or recommendations for coil overs???
I see Dali has many options. Area there any other sources I should be considering?

 

[NSXDreamer2]

my car is bone stock in suspension ...

So without really looking at the springs, I would be very careful driving them around...

I don't think you have any option other than changing the whole springs/shocks... I'll say if you will pay the labor to install springs, you might as well getting a new shocks, even the shocks you have right now is in good condition, the aftermarket springs would worn out the shocks in a pretty rapid rate.(of course, depends on driving condition and how low your springs are going to be.)

If you intend to bring the car to track often and also want to "play" with the ride height, you might want to go for those "coil over" system like tein, JIC...etc.

Do not buy those sleeve coil over which can be used with stock shocks, they will just wear out the shocks real fast, and before you know it, you have to pay labor again for installing new shocks.

 

[Juice]

Have you checked around for stock springs? Most guys here with aftermarket would probably be willing to part with their leftovers cheaply.

 

[stevenlee]

Thanks for the comments. I actually was leaning toward buying the sleeve type coil over shock adapters that Dali sells. I didn't know that it would wear out the shock. If I don't go that route, it will cost over $2,000 to go with coil overs. I may just buy some used stock shocks and springs.

Does anyone else have any experience about coilovers for the NSX? I'm going to do street driving (no serious racing)and prefer a lower ride height than stock.

 

[NSXDreamer2]

http://www.nsxprime.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=23343

this member is selling the whole thing, I think you should consider buying this and install em.

The Dali won't work for you, cuz I still think you might either have a non stock spring (not all 4) or a cut spring, either case the Dali "might" be able to get you your desired ride height at parked, but the different spring rate at diff. corners would give you problem. It's just not save to drive in this kind of condition.

I'm not kidding, I heard of horror stories about cut spring damaging the spring perch and shot thru the fender... that could lead to serious injuries and damages to your car.

 

[JetLagSD]

"Does anyone else have any experience about coilovers for the NSX? I'm going to do street driving (no serious racing)and prefer a lower ride height than stock."

I have fully adjustable Koni's that I bought the shock bodies and shafts from Koni, then cut them to length (needed them short to reduce "droop" to work w/ air jacks) then used several "models" from stock NSX and C.A.R.T. team for valving on shock dyno. Outcome is 3.3 inches lower than stock. of course fully adj ride height/ rake and corner weight, amongst other benefits and disadvantages for the street.

DAL guys have seen it, Private me if you intend to go this route. It's expensive yet just the cost of having your toys built correctly.

Just note, the lower you go, the more camber, unless your willing to do other mods. If tyre wear or life is improtant to you, then possibly one of these "kit's" could be better for you.

Take Care!!

david