Wow, thanks for your feedback. I just saw the link to that other thread. This is the first time I saw those new sets of spring rate numbers. So basically, if your calculations are correct, every progressive change has been toward stiffer springs, both front and rear (except for rear 03 to rear 04). Not saying you're wrong, but then why does everyone say the early AP1s ride the hardest? Early AP1s should feel the softest. I've always thought the early AP1s had the hardest rears.

I love hard and firm suspensions. It's the reason why I was planning on installing CR front coilovers and 00-01 rear coilovers. But if your calculations are correct, I should just use CR coilovers all around.

 

Although the spring rate may be 291, its the compression damping (a little too much ) that Honda put into the shocks that make the 00-01 rear feel really solid with those loud solid thuds when going over rough pavements.

if I were you I would buy CR front shocks+springs, and a set of used 00-01 rears ( they are really cheap) and see how you feel, if you are happy then all good, if not you could just buy the CR rears, but get the fronts, the front end push/roll is almost gone ...

Also make sure to try out either the CR or the 00-01 front sway bars, or you keep your 03 OEMs, but I would get them to complement the other parts...

And most importantly to get the most of the CR suspension, get some sticky rubber which have super stiff sidewalls ( RE 070, Direzza star Specs, or the RE-O1Rs would be the only one's I would want to have on my S, period. )

 

In that SCC link a few posts above, the graph shows higher compression both front and rear for the CR than the AP1 or AP2 (unless I'm reading the graph wrong - sorry never seen one of these shock plots before hehe).

If I plan to use my MY03 stock 16 inch wheels, you don't think the S-02s would be up to the task? I won't go 10/10 driving and will probably never get to the track, just mainly spirited driving on normal roads. I'm upgrading to the CR setup, mainly for the stiffer feel and the razor sharp reflexes.

 

Yaa the compression damping that Honda put on the fronts on the CR is wayyy higher than the rest of the models, actually if you look at other graphs its almost close to or > than the top end shocks.

I have not seen a shock dyno for 00-01 rears, so thats the missing part of the puzzle, anyway you could just do CR all around or go with what I suggested.

IMO you should be fine with stock S-02s, I just mentioned tires because I realize how important they are for the S, and I really don't get how some people run some top end rims ($2500+) with Kumhos or Sumitomo's ...

Please also get the CR steering rack stiffeners ( they are made for the 13.8:1 rack in the AP1s and the CR ), they make a huge difference, you will see how responsive the car becomes , you could search for my review on them

 

Thanks kjalleda for your feedback.

For now, I'll probably go with CR coilovers all around, simply because the CR fronts and rears were meant to go together and because I like the stiff feel. I'll test it out and if I don't like it, will go with what you suggested.

Regarding the sway bars... the CR front is the stiffest of all the years and the 00-01 rear is the stiffest of all the years... is this correct? They probably made the rear bar less aggressive for the CR to minimize oversteer. I'll probably go with CR bars front and rear but if the understeer gets to be apparent, I'll try the 00-01 rear bar to make it less understeery.

About the CR steering rack stiffeners... although I have the AP1 rack which has the same ratio as the rack in the CR, the rack stiffeners in the CR are better than the ones on the MY2003? I tried searching all your posts, but couldn't find the review.

Thanks.

 

[QUOTE=jcbarnard,Aug 11 2008, 11:00 AM]

I'm no physicist lol but you can get a really rough idea (% based) if you just fill in the numbers for the Ip equation.

Front
Ip numbers
00-01 51314
02-03 39207
04-07 39207
08CR

 

So it seems that based on that calculator, the 00-01 front bar is the stiffest. So is the resulting IP number the be all and end all for sway bar stiffness? Is the 00-01 front bar stiffer than the CR front bar?

I bought the CR front bar from hardtopguy, wondering if I should just install the 00-01 front bar instead.

Also, if Honda wanted to tame the tailhappiness of 00-01 models, I wonder why the 02-03 front bars took a stiffness dive.

 

http://www.vtec.net/articles/view-ar...ticle_id=10564

Do you know where you obtained the front bar numbers for that AP1? The above link says otherwise. I wonder whose numbers are correct. If the one in the link is right, it would make the CR the stiffest front, not the 00-01.

 

I think the 02-03 is more tailhappy its just more manageable.

My old 99 hung on better at the rear but when it did let go you better be quick or you were going round. The 03 the backend starts to breakaway sooner soi you get more warning, its more forgiving and easier to sort out.

These are just my impressions between owning a JDM MY99 and a US 03, theres a lot of other variables, alignment etc.

Putting an 00 bar on the 03 helps the oversteer a bit and the CR bar does about the same.

 

I ended up going with the complete CR package - 4 coils and both bars. Car is not sitting even in the front though. Getting a new set of front coils for replacement. Ruled out bent sway bar, so the height anomaly must be in the coils.