20K Miles on factory struts after Prokit and Spoon springs. Worn struts?

02SilverSiHB

Senior Member
First Name
Mike
Joined
Jan 3, 2018
Threads
53
Messages
2,676
Reaction score
1,678
Location
Annapolis, MD
Vehicle(s)
2019 FK8
Vehicle Showcase
1
Country flag
I wish I had made a vid, but I was too tired after uninstalling my spoon springs...so I have a question

If you press down on a strut (the fronts) it should come back up immediately right...not slowly like a snail?

Both sides on the front were like that. I had probably run 18k miles with the prokit and 3k miles with the spoon springs. To be clear...I just went back to factory springs this past weekend.

I didn't see any oil anywhere to make me think it had blown...but I could have sworn struts like that should come right back up when you push down on them.

IMO, the prokits felt really harsh around this area where I live, Spoon was more comfortable. Both have about the same spring rate, but Spoon was designed slightly different
Sponsored

 
Last edited:

boosted180sx

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 27, 2017
Threads
25
Messages
5,038
Reaction score
5,087
Location
torrance, ca
Vehicle(s)
2017 CTR, 2016 ILX
Country flag
Not necessarily. They aren't suppose to rebound immediately like a spring does.

Most of the time, the rod wouldn't come back up at all if it is blown and have little to no resistance when pushing down on the rod.
 
OP
OP
02SilverSiHB

02SilverSiHB

Senior Member
First Name
Mike
Joined
Jan 3, 2018
Threads
53
Messages
2,676
Reaction score
1,678
Location
Annapolis, MD
Vehicle(s)
2019 FK8
Vehicle Showcase
1
Country flag
Not necessarily. They aren't suppose to rebound immediately like a spring does.

Most of the time, the rod wouldn't come back up at all if it is blown and have little to no resistance when pushing down on the rod.
okay, awesome, I was a little worried, lol. Good to hear
 

Type-JZ

Senior Member
Joined
May 1, 2017
Threads
10
Messages
583
Reaction score
303
Location
SoCal
Vehicle(s)
'13 Lexus GS350, B13 Sentra SE-R, '93 Camry, '07 TSX, '13 Odyssey
Country flag
you did lose an inch or so of travel and stiffer, so it would be quicker vs stock. Best is to ride in someone's lowered car to compare. Blown shocks have oil leak(which you said you did not find) or when you press on your car, it would float or like it was riding on springs only. But sometimes w/ stiffer suspension, might be hard to tell. If your handling and ride didn't noticeably suffer, then i say you're fine.
 


OP
OP
02SilverSiHB

02SilverSiHB

Senior Member
First Name
Mike
Joined
Jan 3, 2018
Threads
53
Messages
2,676
Reaction score
1,678
Location
Annapolis, MD
Vehicle(s)
2019 FK8
Vehicle Showcase
1
Country flag
you did lose an inch or so of travel and stiffer, so it would be quicker vs stock. Best is to ride in someone's lowered car to compare. Blown shocks have oil leak(which you said you did not find) or when you press on your car, it would float or like it was riding on springs only. But sometimes w/ stiffer suspension, might be hard to tell. If your handling and ride didn't noticeably suffer, then i say you're fine.
Nah sounds like every thing is okay with what was mention by the others above.

Not sure why I'd ride another person's lowered car lol...I'm on stock suspension
 

idragmazda

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 21, 2018
Threads
43
Messages
643
Reaction score
474
Location
CT
Vehicle(s)
Fk8
Country flag
Nah sounds like every thing is okay with what was mention by the others above.

Not sure why I'd ride another person's lowered car lol...I'm on stock suspension
Are you reverting back to stock springs? My wheels finally arrived after a 6 mo wait and now I’m trying to decide whether to

(1) Lower with sport line and go 265/35/18
Or
(2) stock springs with 265/40/18 or 270/40/18

Any thoughts on long term use of lowering springs?
 

jasonjm

Senior Member
First Name
Jason
Joined
Jul 29, 2018
Threads
33
Messages
932
Reaction score
481
Location
Pennsylvania
Vehicle(s)
Type-R
Country flag
Stock is best unless you pay up for quality coil overs. Everything in between is more for looks than performance, as you want some adjustability (coilovers and settings). Stock is pretty low (comparatively), and has adjustments and that can get you far depending on the track.

My only gripe is not being able to use comfort mode suspension but r mode everything else for a bumpy track or back road.
 

Type-JZ

Senior Member
Joined
May 1, 2017
Threads
10
Messages
583
Reaction score
303
Location
SoCal
Vehicle(s)
'13 Lexus GS350, B13 Sentra SE-R, '93 Camry, '07 TSX, '13 Odyssey
Country flag
Nah sounds like every thing is okay with what was mention by the others above.

Not sure why I'd ride another person's lowered car lol...I'm on stock suspension
O, from the title it sounded like your lowered so I said to compare in someone’s lowered car.
 

RacingManiac

Senior Member
First Name
Jen
Joined
Jul 29, 2018
Threads
5
Messages
552
Reaction score
302
Location
Detroit, Michigan
Vehicle(s)
2016 VW GTI, 2018 ABM CTR R-17001
Vehicle Showcase
1
Country flag
It also highly depends on how much gas charge there is in the shock to start and what kind of tuning the shock has. The factory adaptive shocks are designed to fail somewhere in the middle of the damping range and for a performance car that is usually pretty stiff. Failsafe meaning there is a mechanical(controlled) valve in the system that is designed to be the main source of damping where there is no current supplied to the shock(which for a removed strut that is the state it will be in). Also for these tri-tubes(yes that is a thing) they don't need a lot of gas charge.
 


OP
OP
02SilverSiHB

02SilverSiHB

Senior Member
First Name
Mike
Joined
Jan 3, 2018
Threads
53
Messages
2,676
Reaction score
1,678
Location
Annapolis, MD
Vehicle(s)
2019 FK8
Vehicle Showcase
1
Country flag
Are you reverting back to stock springs? My wheels finally arrived after a 6 mo wait and now I’m trying to decide whether to

(1) Lower with sport line and go 265/35/18
Or
(2) stock springs with 265/40/18 or 270/40/18

Any thoughts on long term use of lowering springs?
maybe go with 255/40 and stay on factory springs...that should fill in the gap a tad and look fine

O, from the title it sounded like your lowered so I said to compare in someone’s lowered car.
Oh, lol, I see
Stock is best unless you pay up for quality coil overs. Everything in between is more for looks than performance, as you want some adjustability (coilovers and settings). Stock is pretty low (comparatively), and has adjustments and that can get you far depending on the track.

My only gripe is not being able to use comfort mode suspension but r mode everything else for a bumpy track or back road.
yeah, I feel the same. I don't want to lose the choice between modes by going with coilovers...guess I'll be on factory springs from now on
 

RacingManiac

Senior Member
First Name
Jen
Joined
Jul 29, 2018
Threads
5
Messages
552
Reaction score
302
Location
Detroit, Michigan
Vehicle(s)
2016 VW GTI, 2018 ABM CTR R-17001
Vehicle Showcase
1
Country flag
Also FWIW blown shocks don't always leak, if you have a disc cracked or something it would be fine outside but makes no damping force, if its actually slow in extending it actually probably is making damping force unless you actually lost gas pressure. Which actually would have a leak.

Adaptive shocks like these actually won't be as bad for lowering because its probably compensating for the lowered ride height actively, the normal cars lowered on conventional shocks will likely run into issue of either under damped so it rides poorly or bottoming/ topping and that might mechanically accelerate wear. Adaptive shocks will see the car being closer to end stop and increase damping to try to stop the movement. The failure mode would be more likely seal related as the shock might be running more pressure than what normally would have vs the standard duty cycle.
 

SHIFTT_IX_MR

Senior Member
First Name
John
Joined
Feb 18, 2019
Threads
4
Messages
142
Reaction score
57
Location
Naples, FL
Vehicle(s)
2006 WW EVO 9 MR 548AWHP @ 30psi w/ E85; 2018 CBP Civic Type R #21151 - DD
Country flag
Stock is best unless you pay up for quality coil overs. Everything in between is more for looks than performance, as you want some adjustability (coilovers and settings). Stock is pretty low (comparatively), and has adjustments and that can get you far depending on the track.

My only gripe is not being able to use comfort mode suspension but r mode everything else for a bumpy track or back road.

AGREED. The stock is very good, but if you want it lower, I wouldn't run anything less than a good quality coilover setup like Zeal, Forture, etc. NO TEIN! Steel + plus welds = crap. Sorry Tein.


D2's are actually very good for their price. CNC all aluminum, no welds, at least that's how they were on my 350Z at that time.
 

orlandocivicX

Member
First Name
orlando
Joined
Oct 5, 2022
Threads
1
Messages
21
Reaction score
4
Location
panama
Vehicle(s)
civicX
Country flag
hello !! Does anyone know what voltage is applied to the shock absorber of the fk8 to change to stiffer or softer, I would appreciate that information, if you know it Thank you!!
Sponsored

 


 


Top