honda civic suspension - Team-BHP

ancer · 14th September 2007, 11:39

hi guys i have recently bought a honda civic and no i still have my lancer, the civic is a dream to drive aceept one problem, i find that the rear stock suspension is not as good as i thought it would be , every time i drive over a "water pipe cut"(small pipes that cross the road) or what we now call mumbai roads the rear suspension makes a huge thud sound , a typical sound of a weak suspension system bottoming out, the company claims that's the suspension is perfect but i think other wise need help:

if i change suspension which one? and how much? will it affect warrenty?
daily driving route is 28 kms back and forth

srishiva · 14th September 2007, 11:42

you are thinking about changing the dampers ?

anandpadhye · 14th September 2007, 13:11

Ancer,

Hats off to you.

You bought 12 lakh Rs. car, not happy with the suspension and instead of getting pissed off with the company/dealer, you want to go ahead and fix the problem on your own!

Why not try other Civics to see if all have the problem. If not, then the dealer/Honda will be forced to acknowledge the problem and fix it. If you find that all the Civics feel the same then you can probably do whatever you feel like with the suspension setup.

My 2 cents.

shailu · 14th September 2007, 13:40

Install a Koni FSD(frequency selective dampers) for you civic . it makes a huge diffrence .

srishiva · 14th September 2007, 13:53

The damping might not be as soft as you want. Try other cars and see if its a problem with your car.

viper · 14th September 2007, 18:22

Hi,

I would suggest you install TEIIN's. They simply rock and you also have the advantage of installing a EDFC controller on dash.

See this link for TEIN. PRODUCTS and this for the EDFC
TEIN EDFC.

Have just got the same for a 2005 Accord.

Viper

Ford Rocam · 14th September 2007, 18:42

What Tyre Pressure you running on rear wheels?

jeetu4444 · 14th September 2007, 21:03

iam sure u have high tyre pressure.... i own a civic for few months now have changed the it to 17 inc alloys with 225 tyres goodyear f1 and my suspension is perfect get your car checked or check tyre pressure

nitrous · 14th September 2007, 21:09

Viper, I've studied that Tein suspension system.
And wow! Its such a Godsend to tune the suspension in real-time from the cockpit ,on a race track.Aaah! What pleasure!
For the road driver, U can play with soft/hard setting depending on the road u're gonna use.

Infact,I think this is better than the Koni FSD system which has a mind of its own.

Mpower · 14th September 2007, 23:25

Do you want a suspension that is stiffer or softer than the stock one? How can you bottom out by driving over a water pipe? do you have like 8 people in the car?

kumar2007 · 14th September 2007, 23:45

Bit off the topic here but a couple of friends said that they have a problem with their Civics touching bumps and speed breakers. Is this true? If so, why? The Accord has lower GC and longer WB and does not face this problem?

ancer · 15th September 2007, 11:19

well on monday i have asked for a test drive of another civic, will take the car down the same route and see if i get the same effect, as for tire's they are stocks, haven't modded anything. will also be requesting the company to ajust the suspension set maybe its to hard! i am a person who belives that if you buy a glove it should fit you well because if it doesn't it will always bother you all theway! hence the suspension thud may not be such a huge problem it will always play on the back of my mind, you'll know how it is when you hear the litle sound coming and you just want to get rid of it!

zenx · 15th September 2007, 12:09

Is it just a perception issue ? Hondas typically do offer more road "feedback" than many other brands - and people actually appreciate this cause this makes for surer driving. Even a tiny pebble on the road is communicated back through a tiny thud - though not usually accompanied with any jolt etc. Its not so much a "bad" suspension as its an audible one, imo.

More technically capable folks may comment on this more technically

ancer · 17th September 2007, 12:52

no man. it's like a huge *BANG*. feels like the suspension bottoming out.
but thanks - i will screw the dealer as my 3rd service is coming up.

and now with this recall abroad maybe they'll take it more seriously.

joethomasv · 20th September 2007, 20:53

Hi Ancer,
Even I have the same problem with my 10 month/20k km Civic. Its a problem with all the civics. The rear suspension bottoms out way too easily even with moderate loads. Its a great car otherwise. Even I'm looking for a solution and thats how I ended up inthis thread.

Joe.

14th September 2007, 11:39	#1 (permalink)
ancer BHPian Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: mumbai Posts: 101	honda civic suspension hi guys i have recently bought a honda civic and no i still have my lancer, the civic is a dream to drive aceept one problem, i find that the rear stock suspension is not as good as i thought it would be , every time i drive over a "water pipe cut"(small pipes that cross the road) or what we now call mumbai roads the rear suspension makes a huge thud sound , a typical sound of a weak suspension system bottoming out, the company claims that's the suspension is perfect but i think other wise need help: if i change suspension which one? and how much? will it affect warrenty? daily driving route is 28 kms back and forth

14th September 2007, 13:11	#3 (permalink)
anandpadhye BHPian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Pune Posts: 629	Ancer, Hats off to you. You bought 12 lakh Rs. car, not happy with the suspension and instead of getting pissed off with the company/dealer, you want to go ahead and fix the problem on your own! Why not try other Civics to see if all have the problem. If not, then the dealer/Honda will be forced to acknowledge the problem and fix it. If you find that all the Civics feel the same then you can probably do whatever you feel like with the suspension setup. My 2 cents. __________________ Aerodynamically speaking, a bumble bee should not be able to fly, but it does not know this, so it flies.

14th September 2007, 13:40	#4 (permalink)
shailu BHPian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: coimbatore Posts: 101	Install a Koni FSD(frequency selective dampers) for you civic . it makes a huge diffrence . __________________ "Dream as if you'll live forever,live as if you'll die today"

14th September 2007, 18:22	#6 (permalink)
viper Senior - BHPian Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Back in Mumbai Posts: 2,002 View My Garage	Hi, I would suggest you install TEIIN's. They simply rock and you also have the advantage of installing a EDFC controller on dash. See this link for TEIN. PRODUCTS and this for the EDFC TEIN EDFC. Have just got the same for a 2005 Accord. Viper __________________ *NO ONE DARES COME CLOSE*

14th September 2007, 18:42	#7 (permalink)
Ford Rocam Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Mumbai-India Posts: 905 View My Garage	What Tyre Pressure you running on rear wheels? __________________ Cheap and reliable wont be fast, cheap and fast wont be reliable, reliable and fast wont be cheap.

14th September 2007, 11:42	#2 (permalink)
srishiva BHPian Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 648	you are thinking about changing the dampers ?

14th September 2007, 13:53	#5 (permalink)
srishiva BHPian Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 648	The damping might not be as soft as you want. Try other cars and see if its a problem with your car.

14th September 2007, 21:03	#8 (permalink)
jeetu4444 BHPian Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: mumbai Posts: 284 View My Garage Infractions: 0/2 (8)	iam sure u have high tyre pressure.... i own a civic for few months now have changed the it to 17 inc alloys with 225 tyres goodyear f1 and my suspension is perfect get your car checked or check tyre pressure

14th September 2007, 21:09	#9 (permalink)
nitrous Senior - BHPian Join Date: May 2004 Location: Motorcity Madras Posts: 4,043 View My Garage	Viper, I've studied that Tein suspension system. And wow! Its such a Godsend to tune the suspension in real-time from the cockpit ,on a race track.Aaah! What pleasure! For the road driver, U can play with soft/hard setting depending on the road u're gonna use. Infact,I think this is better than the Koni FSD system which has a mind of its own. __________________ Maruti - Everyone comes home with rattles!

14th September 2007, 23:25	#10 (permalink)
Mpower Team-BHP Moderator Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Chicago/B'lore Posts: 3,639 View My Garage	Do you want a suspension that is stiffer or softer than the stock one? How can you bottom out by driving over a water pipe? do you have like 8 people in the car? __________________ The difference between the men and the boys....................is the speed of their toys. Last edited by Mpower : 14th September 2007 at 23:27.

14th September 2007, 23:45	#11 (permalink)
kumar2007 BHPian Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 73	Bit off the topic here but a couple of friends said that they have a problem with their Civics touching bumps and speed breakers. Is this true? If so, why? The Accord has lower GC and longer WB and does not face this problem? __________________ Thanks, Kumar

15th September 2007, 11:19	#12 (permalink)
ancer BHPian Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: mumbai Posts: 101	well on monday i have asked for a test drive of another civic, will take the car down the same route and see if i get the same effect, as for tire's they are stocks, haven't modded anything. will also be requesting the company to ajust the suspension set maybe its to hard! i am a person who belives that if you buy a glove it should fit you well because if it doesn't it will always bother you all theway! hence the suspension thud may not be such a huge problem it will always play on the back of my mind, you'll know how it is when you hear the litle sound coming and you just want to get rid of it!

15th September 2007, 12:09	#13 (permalink)
zenx BHPian Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Bangalore Posts: 647 View My Garage	Is it just a perception issue ? Hondas typically do offer more road "feedback" than many other brands - and people actually appreciate this cause this makes for surer driving. Even a tiny pebble on the road is communicated back through a tiny thud - though not usually accompanied with any jolt etc. Its not so much a "bad" suspension as its an audible one, imo. More technically capable folks may comment on this more technically __________________ Sameer, Bangalore

17th September 2007, 12:52	#14 (permalink)
ancer BHPian Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: mumbai Posts: 101	no man. it's like a huge BANG. feels like the suspension bottoming out. but thanks - i will screw the dealer as my 3rd service is coming up. and now with this recall abroad maybe they'll take it more seriously.

20th September 2007, 20:53	#15 (permalink)
joethomasv Newbie Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Cochin Posts: 2	Hi Ancer, Even I have the same problem with my 10 month/20k km Civic. Its a problem with all the civics. The rear suspension bottoms out way too easily even with moderate loads. Its a great car otherwise. Even I'm looking for a solution and thats how I ended up inthis thread. Joe.

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