Stock damper life with stock springs?

[silver hatch]

I'm just curious if anyone here never changed the stock suspension at all and how many miles the struts/shocks have lasted them.

[bigo711]

under normal condition..
i'd say... at least, that is at least 100k

[MugsyTheGr8]

im at 60k and mines are still fine

[shadowmd]

i've been lowered on progress now for about 70k and before that the pro-kit for about 30k and my struts and finally starting to show a LIL wear. mainly the rears.

[silver hatch]

i've been lowered on progress now for about 70k and before that the pro-kit for about 30k and my struts and finally starting to show a LIL wear. mainly the rears.

Now this is what throws me off when people say that lowering springs with stock shocks should only last about a year. And look at all the miles you got! I'm just debating because I have some tein s techs sitting in a box in the garage, I just bought some tires last week and I'm loving how smooth the car feels with my stock suspension on still. I was hoping my dampers would last until about 80-100k with these springs if I put them in now at 50k? Could that even be possible?

[MugsyTheGr8]

Now this is what throws me off when people say that lowering springs with stock shocks should only last about a year. And look at all the miles you got! I'm just debating because I have some tein s techs sitting in a box in the garage, I just bought some tires last week and I'm loving how smooth the car feels with my stock suspension on still. I was hoping my dampers would last until about 80-100k with these springs if I put them in now at 50k? Could that even be possible?

dont do it, just wait till you have dampers too.

[ep_hatcher_510]

dont do it, just wait till you have dampers too.

yep don't do it, save up and do it right, stock dampers life will vary between each driver and conditions, one person might say their shocks lasted 50K but it don't mean that yours will, it might even just last only 1000 miles, you never know. I had S techs on stock dampers before and i hated it lol.

[LvisDin]

My tokico blues and H&R were a smoother ride than my Tien S Techs and stock shocks. Ima upgrade to Dspecs soon

[humpmasterflex]

I had Tein S techs laying around for a month now, and I need a drop badly... Fuck it i'm still putting them on stock shocks!

[silver hatch]

I had Tein S techs laying around for a month now, and I need a drop badly... Fuck it i'm still putting them on stock shocks!

I know how you feel man. I've been at stock height for about two yrs. now and I feel embarrassed already. I think I'm going to do it too.

[LvisDin]

I know how you feel man. I've been at stock height for about two yrs. now and I feel embarrassed already. I think I'm going to do it too.

Stock 02-03 height looks bigger than stock 04-05 height...is that just me? Maybe its the rims

[humpmasterflex]

Stock 02-03 height looks bigger than stock 04-05 height...is that just me? Maybe its the rims

Yea dude... fo realz. I went down to the Atlantic city meet on April 20th, and james asked me if I raised my car... ROFL! Now when someone asks you that, YOU KNOW YOU NEED A DROP BADLY!!! I mean just look at how bad it is:
http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r198/humpmasterflex/sideheight.jpg

I just put the front springs on yesterday, I didn't put the rear ones on yet, I kinda like how it looks like that. Low front end, high back end.

[silver hatch]

Yea dude... fo realz. I went down to the Atlantic city meet on April 20th, and james asked me if I raised my car... ROFL! Now when someone asks you that, YOU KNOW YOU NEED A DROP BADLY!!!

I just put the front springs on yesterday, I didn't put the rear ones on yet, I kinda like how it looks like that. Low front end, high back end.

LOL...so I see you've already beat me to it.
I'm not a big fan of "raked" suspensions, but I'm curious how your ep looks like that. Can you post a pic?

[silver hatch]

Stock 02-03 height looks bigger than stock 04-05 height...is that just me? Maybe its the rims

The rims might have a little to do with it, but I think the sideskirts help out the most.

[humpmasterflex]

LOL...so I see you've already beat me to it.
I'm not a big fan of "raked" suspensions, but I'm curious how your ep looks like that. Can you post a pic?

Here's the side pic... I just took it right now, so it's all sh1tty sorry, don't feel like running back down there again:

http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r198/humpmasterflex/side.jpg

Here is front before drop:
http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r198/humpmasterflex/Frontheight.jpg

and here is after:
http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r198/humpmasterflex/after.jpg

[player757]

i was in my friends 92 ex and it had stock struts with 170k on it felt fine to me

[silver hatch]

Here's the side pic... I just took it right now, so it's all sh1tty sorry, don't feel like running back down there again:

http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r198/humpmasterflex/side.jpg

Here is front before drop:
http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r198/humpmasterflex/Frontheight.jpg

and here is after:
http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r198/humpmasterflex/after.jpg

Now I'm itching to put my tein's in now. I didn't realize how big a difference it makes. But yeah, put the rear springs in too, it will look a lot better. I think my 05 will have even less wheel gap because I think the outer diameter of the stock 16" rims with 55 series tire is a little bigger.

[Godhand]

Now I'm itching to put my tein's in now. I didn't realize how big a difference it makes. But yeah, put the rear springs in too, it will look a lot better. I think my 05 will have even less wheel gap because I think the outer diameter of the stock 16" rims with 55 series tire is a little bigger.

Yeah, just snagged some Tein S-Techs from TunerzImage this morning. They had them for $165 w/free shipping. Hope they work well with 215/45/17s. Thanks for the pics hump.

[humpmasterflex]

No problem man!

I think I'll put the rears on either today or tomorrow, and as far as tires go (rears are balding), what is the widest series tire I can fit on stock wheels?

215 or 205? Or am I stuck with 195?

[MugsyTheGr8]

205/55/15 fits fine. i cant find many tires in 215/55

[silver hatch]

I think I'll put the rears on either today or tomorrow

So how did the front install go? Any issues? I was thinking about doing it myself too and was wondering if you used a spring compressor and if you had any problems getting the tie rod ends out.

[humpmasterflex]

So how did the front install go? Any issues? I was thinking about doing it myself too and was wondering if you used a spring compressor and if you had any problems getting the tie rod ends out.

Everything went A-ok, excpet when the damn axle popped out!

http://www.ephatch.com/forum/showthread.php?t=46059

I actually didn't even know it was the axle that popped out until I made that desperate cry for help on this site. So I ended up trying to pop the axle back in for a good hour and a half or so! Other than that.... it was a-ok.

Especially considering I never did such a thing before, I'm a complete noob to any kind of installs. Doing my own Oil and changing my own brakes was about it when it come to my DIY abilities.... but I finally lost my suspension virginity!:mangel:

[silver hatch]

Everything went A-ok, excpet when the damn axle popped out!

http://www.ephatch.com/forum/showthread.php?t=46059

I actually didn't even know it was the axle that popped out until I made that desperate cry for help on this site. So I ended up trying to pop the axle back in for a good hour and a half or so! Other than that.... it was a-ok.

Especially considering I never did such a thing before, I'm a complete noob to any kind of installs. Doing my own Oil and changing my own brakes was about it when it come to my DIY abilities.... but I finally lost my suspension virginity!:mangel:

That's one reason why I'm hesitant to try it myself. My luck, I'll probably forget to support the disk and the axle will pop out on me too lol. Glad to hear that you got the worst part done first. I hear the rear should be easy.

[trickkykidd.02]

LOL...so I see you've already beat me to it.
I'm not a big fan of "raked" suspensions, but I'm curious how your ep looks like that. Can you post a pic?


I am running 1" drop in fron w/UKDM spring and stock in back on 225/45/17.

It is 2 fingers in front and 3 in back. Hardly noticeable IMO except when really looking close. Seems the ep body lines blend in nicely at the slight angle. I will try to borrow a camera and get some pics posted soon.

[silver hatch]

I am running 1" drop in fron w/UKDM spring and stock in back on 225/45/17.

It is 2 fingers in front and 3 in back. Hardly noticeable IMO except when really looking close. Seems the ep body lines blend in nicely at the slight angle. I will try to borrow a camera and get some pics posted soon.

Ok, cool man. I think ctr springs lower our cars like .6" lower than our stock springs. Don't quote me on that though. So I guess you'd be about a 1/2" lower in the front if my calculations are correct.

[humpmasterflex]

I am running 1" drop in fron w/UKDM spring and stock in back on 225/45/17.

It is 2 fingers in front and 3 in back. Hardly noticeable IMO except when really looking close. Seems the ep body lines blend in nicely at the slight angle. I will try to borrow a camera and get some pics posted soon.

Well on my 02 EP it's more like 2 fingers in the front after the drop
http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r198/humpmasterflex/2fingaz.jpg

and a full hand (5 fingers) stock in the back!
http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r198/humpmasterflex/5fingaz.jpg

[silver hatch]

Well on my 02 EP it's more like 2 fingers in the front after the drop
http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r198/humpmasterflex/2fingaz.jpg

and a full hand (5 fingers) stock in the back!
http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r198/humpmasterflex/5fingaz.jpg

stock height ftl!