Suspension Question - "Perch" What is it?

[SupraTT]

I have a 95 on H&R springs and stock dampners. I feel this current setup is too low for me and I would like it to be a tad higher.

I have read numerous posts that talk about "higher" and "lower perch" settings. Not really sure what this means. I looked in the shop manual, but didn't see any reference to hieght adjustments. Is there an suspension adjustment with my current setup that would help raise the ride hieght approx. 1/2 - 3/4"?

 

[shawn110975]

I just did one last night for a customer he had H&R with stock shocks car looked great was very low though like your talking about

so he got some brand new Blistiens from SOS he told me to put them on the first perch ( default/factory ) I said OK. installed all 4

lowered car to sit on the ground and we now have a 4X4 truck have do it all over again but put it on the lowest perch to try and get close to factory

you problem is the springs H&R are low sitting brand



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there are 2 setting on most aftermarket shocks I will find a pic for you

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factory OEM Honda shocks do not have adjustable perches they are welded on and can not be changed

 

[JoseJA1979]

this doesnt answer his question shawn... There are two grooves on the bilstein shocks. If you use the upper one on OEM springs you'll be at stock ride height, if you move the spring circlip to the lower groove you'll be at a 7/8" drop. With H&R springs you wont raise the car any if you were to go with Bilsteins on the upper perch as this would be the equivalent of running stock dampers with H&R springs. You'll need to go with a less aggressive spring like Tein or Eibach or get coilovers. Hope this helps...

 

[shawn110975]

that what I was saying the very top perch with H&R will give you the pic I posted you can put your hand vertical between the fender and the tire and not touch and that's on the top perch.

if I use the lower perch it will prob even out to almost factory height.

I currently run Ebachs with stock shocks. now I have a coupe and used 2005 targa shocks and got the car to look exactly how I want it height wise

and the OP wanted to know what a perch was and I was tring to explain with some pics. but he cant move to another perch if he has stock shocks
if he got some aftermarket then he could have some adjustments he could play with.

but if he goes to high it will look like the pic I posted Way to high/4X4

 

[SupraTT]

I just did one last night for a customer he had H&R with stock shocks car looked great was very low though like your talking about

so he got some brand new Blistiens from SOS he told me to put them on the first perch ( default/factory ) I said OK. installed all 4

lowered car to sit on the ground and we now have a 4X4 truck have do it all over again but put it on the lowest perch to try and get close to factory

you problem is the springs H&R are low sitting brand

there are 2 setting on most aftermarket shocks I will find a pic for you

factory OEM Honda shocks do not have adjustable perches they are welded on and can not be changed

this doesnt answer his question shawn... There are two grooves on the bilstein shocks. If you use the upper one on OEM springs you'll be at stock ride height, if you move the spring circlip to the lower groove you'll be at a 7/8" drop. With H&R springs you wont raise the car any if you were to go with Bilsteins on the upper perch as this would be the equivalent of running stock dampers with H&R springs. You'll need to go with a less aggressive spring like Tein or Eibach or get coilovers. Hope this helps...

You guys both answered my question; The stock dampners have no perch.

Thanks for pics and info, totally clear now.

 

[JoseJA1979]

(thumbs up)

 

[shawn110975]

yeah but who had the picture with the arrows haha :smile:

 

[TrustJDM]

Correct me if I am wrong, but isn't H&R + stock shocks = 1.5" drop

with Bilstein, the drop should be:

(top perch) = 1.5" drop (similar to stock)
(bottom perch) = 2.375' drop (1.5" + 7/8" Bilstein)

unless you installed the Bilstein's wrong, 1.5" should be the minimum drop with H&R springs. i hope you installed the Bilstein's properly & not what you provided as a photo.

View attachment 122600

 

[dablackgoku1234]

Being a 1995, T's are a bit heavier than coupes. When I was stock on Eibach springs, the ride height was good. Then the mod bug came and I started to change out parts for lighter parts. This eventually rose the car up. Not sure how modded your car is, but if you have any plans on modding/lightening the car, do it first. It might not seem like a lot, but 10lbs here and there adds up.

Stock with Eibachs

Modded - same suspension but now lightened with Comptech headers, Comptech Exhaust, 02+ front conversion, lightweight front and rear bumper beams

 

[JoseJA1979]

Correct me if I am wrong, but isn't H&R + stock shocks = 1.5" drop

Correct

 

[Hapa88]

I'm going to try to clarify what shawn posted because it's a mixture of truth.

I just did one last night for a customer he had H&R with stock shocks car looked great was very low though like your talking about

so he got some brand new Blistiens from SOS he told me to put them on the first perch ( default/factory ) I said OK. installed all 4

lowered car to sit on the ground and we now have a 4X4 truck have do it all over again but put it on the lowest perch to try and get close to factory
View attachment 122576

View attachment 122577

When installing the Bilstein struts, the single biggest mistake on the install is installing the perch upside down. The picture of the strut Shawn posted shows the perched installed incorrectly because it is upside down. Shawn, make sure you installed the perch in the correct orientation.

Here is what the difference looks like:

More info here: http://daliracing.com/V666-5/catalog/suspension/bilstein_install_properly/index.cfm

you problem is the springs H&R are low sitting brand

This is true. H&R have a pretty aggressive drop on the NSX.

there are 2 setting on most aftermarket shocks I will find a pic for you

This is generally NOT true. Only the Bilstein has two perch settings and only on the NSX application. I have yet to see another car application that has two perch setting by Bilstein or any other manufacturer.

factory OEM Honda shocks do not have adjustable perches they are welded on and can not be changed

This is true.

 

[shawn110975]

the pic I posted was a 2001 with H&R springs sitting on the top perch per the request of the customer. it was installed correctly as this was not my first rodeo ride.

after the car looked like a 4X4 we moved the perch down to the second perch and it now looks normal.

I remember seeing a shock with 4 perch settings but I don't remember what brand they were but they were not for the nsx I wanna say it was for another Honda model

 

[TrustJDM]

[/QUOTE]
I remember seeing a shock with 4 perch settings but I don't remember what brand they were but they were not for the nsx I wanna say it was for another Honda model[/QUOTE]

I know for the Honda Prelude 4th Gen, the Neuspeed Koni's offered multiple settings for height adjustment. As Shawn mentioned, just not for the NSX.

 

[tof]

^
Higher perch, sitting.

Lower perch, sitting.
V

 

[WhiteGhost]

^^^ lol ^^^