Need info on Returning a nsx to stock trim!

C

cheemooo

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25 August 2009
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I am thinking of purchasing a 94 nsx that has after market springs.

I am wondering if when changing springs back to stock if the suspension would need to under go other new parts such as bushings, wheel alignement, adjustments to camber castor and toe in.

If I need cambor castor and toe in adjustments then would the only place to go get this doen be a acura dealer? Or could I take it to any shop and have them set it back to stock?

I am wondering if this bringing back the stock suspension settings will be a minor job or a major one?

Has anyone changed the springs on a nsx from after market back to stock?

If someone has would someone please give me their input on what needs to be done and the simplest way to do it. I would greatly appreciate advice.
 
Hey Cheemoo,
I just did this myself. When I bought my 91 Sebring - it had 41k miles on it and it also had a few mods. I like the comptech headers and later model exhaust system - it has a Dali chip and air intake scoop (which probably does nothing) - but it also had Eibach progressive springs and although it handled really well and gave the car a more "aggressive" look being lowered a full 1 inch - which is a lot by the way for clearing bumps and driveways- it rode harshly!

Personally I couldn't take the hammering the springs gave me for the ride around town - and worse the lowered suspension was way too low for driveways like mine. Fortunately the owner kept the original stuff and I have all of it, including the stock springs. First thing I did when I took it to Barney (barn man - super mechanic - one of the best in the country for NSXs) was among a list of other things it needed was to change out the springs! That cost me around 250, to have the springs changed and then I had to have it aligned as well with all the things you mentioned reset! That was around 170 I believe because his alingment machine he had at home needed recalibration so he had to do it at the Acura dealer where he works his regular job. I had this done by him on the side - he does a lot of that. He put the settings not totally conservative for increased tire wear but most likely to the 94 settings which are the ones it's supposed to be set to at the dealer. Barney did the work so I know it was done well. It rides and handles great - and MAN am I glad I did that!!!!!

I'll tell you what the OEM springs are fine and they aren't soft by any means but I gained the much needed inch back and it's much more compliant for everyday street driving - which is what I wanted. Those Eibachs were hard - and hard on the suspension. I really believe that's one reason why I had to have my steering rack replaced and I also used SOS bushings. No biggy really couldn't tell the difference actually, except that it cost me around 1100 bucks - yeouch!

I put about 5k in it after purchasing it for 28.5k - so now I have 34k in the car and it has a new water expansion tank, all fluids, valve adjust, timing belt, water pump, all hoses, steering rack, new clutch and flywheel (2400), OEM springs back in place and the Eibachs in a box which is apparently where they will stay cause no one has answered my ad for them. I tried to sell em for 200 but no takers - crap.

Best thing you can do is go back to stock springs unless you are a track junky and that's all you use the car for. If you drive it on the street mostly and joy ride - it's a NO BRAINER! Hard ass springs are no way to enjoy the car - it looked a little better with the lowered stance to some but really I like it just as well with the raised look - looks more stock and I like that better really. You will loose nothing in performance you can feel as far as the superior handling characteristics it has stock! The car is amazing in stock form except that the exhaust headers on the early cars was crap - cast iron headers were heavy too and restrictive. I'm glad I have the Comptech headers! Something to think about for yourself.

By the way - there was nothing else needed in the way of bushings or other suspension parts on mine - just the OEM springs and alignment. Barney said everything else other than the rack was fine.

Hope this helps!

Tim
 
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Any shop with a good machine (and good mechanic) can do the alignment. When I bought my NSX 9 1/2 years ago, the dealer had just replaced the electric power steering under warranty. Well, in 3 months, the front tires were severely worn on the inside edges. I took the car to a local independent tire shop I had used for years on family sedans, etc. All they asked was I drive the car onto their machine because they worrried about the low clearance.

While under the car, the mechanic shook his head in disbelief, indicating the car had severe toe-in. He then reset alignment to the Acura spec.

9 years & 30k miles later, I've never had to re-do the alighnment, the car handles well, and all my front tires have worn virtually straight across.
 
To remove the springs you need a coil spring compressor tool which compresses the spring to allow dissassembly of the struts. I would suggest you take the car to a reputable technition with experience working on the NSX so they don't accidently tear your cv boots which can happen.

Anytime you change the springs, you want to adjust the alignment. Bushings are more of a wear item and only need to be replaced if they are worn or damaged.

The alignment can be done either at a reputable dealer (particularly with NSX experience) or at a good alignment shop. Be sure to request the '94 specs as tire wear will be improved.
 
i am glad you are. come down to phoenix and we'll see how long your plastic hangs on vs. the drainage throughs etc. at least i drive it every day- do you?
 
Last edited by a moderator:
swerve said:
i am glad you are. come down to phoenix and we'll see how long your plastic hangs on vs. the drainage throughs etc. at least i drive it every day- do you?
Click to expand...


I bought my NSX with 35k miles in Feb '07.

It now has 88k miles.

Think it's a daily beater, I cross many continents with it at sub sonic speeds or what?
 
Serge is right and looks/stealth/ralley or no - is all in the eye of the beholder. Not everyone thinks the NSX looks like a ralley car with OEM spring height. Matter of fact I've got a good friend that just bought a 95 993 cabrio that had Eibachs on it and he got em off and returned to stock - ummmm the 993 looks great as it comes from the factory - and now my buddy loves the ride. We do not ride on newly asphalted roads all the time and stiff springs - lowering effect/and looks not withstanding as that is a personal view- are harsh and hard on a cars suspension - plain and simple. You can take that to the bank - any really good mechanic will tell you that. Some like the aggressive look, some want ultimate performance, but for all that there is a sacrifice to everyday rideability - and I can't imagine anyone really arguing that point. Some of the young guys may not mind making that sacrifice, but it is still a sacrifice and to me and many I'd think it's a sacrifice they are not prepared to make since we live in varying conditions of road "perfection". Honda thought the car was a sports car when it rolled off the line - anyone arguing that it's not a sports car?????, is a bit off! Anyone thinking that with a lack of modding that a person is not deserving of an NSX is kind of OFF. Everyone is not the same - what a boring place we'd live in if that was the case!

Depends on how long you want suspension parts and racks to last! Not to mention your own ride comfort - the OEM springs are not soft and cushy by any means they are just, in my opinion, "right". It's all personal to each driver what makes em happy. I drove 800 miles on those Eibachs and I am really glad to have em off the car.

Anybody wants my Eibachs I'll just about give em away! 75 bucks and shipping charges and they are yours! So you can have that aggressive look/stance and performance for around 100 bucks - you won't find a better deal on springs that were only on the car for about 7k miles. (please someone buy my Eibachs!):smile:
 
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Prime has a new fender gap nazi:confused:
 
tbromley said:
Serge is right and looks/stealth/ralley or no - is all in the eye of the beholder. Not everyone thinks the NSX looks like a ralley car with OEM spring height. Matter of fact I've got a good friend that just bought a 95 993 cabrio that had Eibachs on it and he got em off and returned to stock - ummmm the 993 looks great as it comes from the factory - and now my buddy loves the ride. We do not ride on newly asphalted roads all the time and stiff springs - lowering effect/and looks not withstanding as that is a personal view- are harsh and hard on a cars suspension - plain and simple. You can take that to the bank - any really good mechanic will tell you that. Some like the aggressive look, some want ultimate performance, but for all that there is a sacrifice to everyday rideability - and I can't imagine anyone really arguing that point. Some of the young guys may not mind making that sacrifice, but it is still a sacrifice and to me and many I'd think it's a sacrifice they are not prepared to make since we live in varying conditions of road "perfection". Honda thought the car was a sports car when it rolled off the line - anyone arguing that it's not a sports car?????, is a bit off! Anyone thinking that with a lack of modding that a person is not deserving of an NSX is kind of OFF. Everyone is not the same - what a boring place we'd live in if that was the case!

Depends on how long you want suspension parts and racks to last! Not to mention your own ride comfort - the OEM springs are not soft and cushy by any means they are just, in my opinion, "right". It's all personal to each driver what makes em happy. I drove 800 miles on those Eibachs and I am really glad to have em off the car.

Anybody wants my Eibachs I'll just about give em away! 75 bucks and shipping charges and they are yours! So you can have that aggressive look/stance and performance for around 100 bucks - you won't find a better deal on springs that were only on the car for about 7k miles. (please someone buy my Eibachs!):smile:
Click to expand...


Yup you're sure right there Tim, it's all in the eye of the beholder. There's a lot to be said for keeping the car the way Honda made it. There's also a lot of poor suspension setups out there - it's a wee bit more complicated than just saying lower is harsher. A quality and *well set up* coilover suspension can ride as good, possibly better than stock, while retaining a lower ride height than stock (and better handling to boot).

My personal opinion is the lowered cars look better as long as they're not slammed. The stock car doesn't look bad, but lowering it an inch or so really improved the look of the car. 993 too ;)
 
tbromley said:
Anybody wants my Eibachs I'll just about give em away! 75 bucks and shipping charges and they are yours! So you can have that aggressive look/stance and performance for around 100 bucks - you won't find a better deal on springs that were only on the car for about 7k miles. (please someone buy my Eibachs!):smile:
Click to expand...

I guess I won't bother trying to sell mine, if you're giving yours away :-)

I put on a set of Eibachs a few years back because I thought it looked better. I still do, but I grew tired of all the scraping and harshness and put the stock springs back on. I found it was much better that way. Cosmetic reasons aside, I don't think there's much reason to lower a street car.
 
Hey Guys,

Hope you don't think I'm the gap nazi. I could care less and I even said that it looks more aggressive but scraping the front valance all the time is not acceptable to me.

Now BFrank is right too, it is a lot more complicated and if you want to go for all that stuff at a major expense I'd think, could be wrong, then by all means go for it but in the end you still have a car that is 1" lower and that adds to the scrapping aspect. For me as well the PO did a lower black plastic thingy that is later model - which by the way is deeper than original to my car too - couple that with 1" lower and effectively made mine 1 1/2" lower and that's a lot from the scraping aspect. So pick your poison.

Remember however that even the NSX-R springs and Znardi spings only lowered the car .39" - lower at your own risk. With that said I would love to ride in someones car that had lowered it and put in the coil overs and got a great compliant comfy ride that made the car handle better - one day maybe I'll get that chance. But all you mod dudes got to have money to burn - I don't unfortunately. Cause for those contemplating things like that - you'll never get your money out of the mods and almost all folks looking want a car that is stock. Many take off their mods when comes time to sell and then "try" and sell them on Prime Market like me and my springs and I offered em for 200 and got one bite and he bailed out on me. So what does that tell you about mods and selling parts. Mods are cool but don't make much sense for resale values.

As BJMills said doesn't make much sense for a street car - show car maybe - but not one that gets a lot of everyday street use - well I predicate all my comments with - IMHO, cause everyone has an opinion. I'm just another jug head with my share. :smile:
 
tbromley said:
Hey Guys,

Hope you don't think I'm the gap nazi. I could care less and I even said that it looks more aggressive but scraping the front valance all the time is not acceptable to me.

Now BFrank is right too, it is a lot more complicated and if you want to go for all that stuff at a major expense I'd think, could be wrong, then by all means go for it but in the end you still have a car that is 1" lower and that adds to the scrapping aspect. For me as well the PO did a lower black plastic thingy that is later model - which by the way is deeper than original to my car too - couple that with 1" lower and effectively made mine 1 1/2" lower and that's a lot from the scraping aspect. So pick your poison.

Remember however that even the NSX-R springs and Znardi spings only lowered the car .39" - lower at your own risk. With that said I would love to ride in someones car that had lowered it and put in the coil overs and got a great compliant comfy ride that made the car handle better - one day maybe I'll get that chance. But all you mod dudes got to have money to burn - I don't unfortunately. Cause for those contemplating things like that - you'll never get your money out of the mods and almost all folks looking want a car that is stock. Many take off their mods when comes time to sell and then "try" and sell them on Prime Market like me and my springs and I offered em for 200 and got one bite and he bailed out on me. So what does that tell you about mods and selling parts. Mods are cool but don't make much sense for resale values.

As BJMills said doesn't make much sense for a street car - show car maybe - but not one that gets a lot of everyday street use - well I predicate all my comments with - IMHO, cause everyone has an opinion. I'm just another jug head with my share. :smile:
Click to expand...

My humor was weakly describing Our beloved Batmans,but I can see now that the term nazi could be as easily ascribed to someone demanding stock ride height but I meant the opposite,but of course once I have to explain myself like this I have FAILED:redface:
 
docjohn said:
My humor was weakly describing Our beloved Batmans,but I can see now that the term nazi could be as easily ascribed to someone demanding stock ride height but I meant the opposite,but of course once I have to explain myself like this I have FAILED:redface:
Click to expand...

I knew what you mean't Doc :smile:
 
I actually thougt that was what you meant too, but being just a bit gun shy I wasn't sure. I feel much better now......:biggrin:
 

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