mod progression for suspension/chassis?

[xdmitrix]

Hi guys - I bought a crz about 6 months ago and I love the car but the body roll has got to go.... I've been browsing on here for a long time and it seems like there's about 20 different parts you can buy for chassis/suspension. Can someone make a list of mods starting from most effective to least effective?

Basically, I'd like to start with things that are more effective so i'm not wasting my time or $$.

[InsightRacer]

I've got harder springs on mine (HKS Hipermax III coilovers) and it made a big difference in body roll. However, it also makes it ride stiffer (but I prefer it that way).

The Hipermax's are nice but they are expensive. There are a number of others available for around $1000 with spring rates of around 5/5 kg/mm (I wouldn't go higher) that would be just as good. Check out Coilover Comparison.

[Varmint]

Well, there's a big difference between biggest impact and getting it right. I'll let others who know more about the subject chime in with the details, but these are the basics.

Step 1: Wheels and tires. The easiest and biggest gains come from increased grip.

Step 2: Chassis bracing. Your suspension and tires won't work their best without a sturdy chassis to support them.

Step 3: Suspension. Springs or coilovers for a daily driver. Sway bars for a track/autocross car. This is where you address body roll issues.

[xdmitrix]

i'm on step 2, i already have rpf1s with some nice tires. so what chassis parts should i be looking at?

[human668]

The CR-Z chassis is stiff already. Honda just let the suspension to provide a comfort ride. You shoukd be lookign at coilovers.

[xdmitrix]

what sway bars should i look at? rear, or front as well? for coilovers, anything you recommend for a daily driver? i'm looking for something that just has more confidence in the corners. i looked at the comparison guide but i'm not sure what the numbers really mean.

[human668]

I don't recommend changing sway bar before you've done coilover. It's for fine tuning a car's characteristics.
Tein makes a coil over set for about USD$1000. It should be fine for daily driver. But for myself, I would spend $200 more to get Spoon springs+damper.

[Varmint]

Originally Posted by xdmitrix

i'm on step 2, i already have rpf1s with some nice tires. so what chassis parts should i be looking at?

Depends on your budget.

Based on what I've learned from others here, the Spoon motor rib/brace provides the greatest bang for the buck up front. I recently installed one of these myself. In the back, a strut tower brace seems like the clear winner. There are several manufacturers out there... Cusco and Kansai are two that come to mind.

i looked at the comparison guide but i'm not sure what the numbers really mean.

I assume you mean the spring rates? If so, the higher the number; the stiffer the spring. Think of it as a measure of how much force is needed to compress the suspension. Some springs will list a range rather than a number. That means the "top" of the spring is less stiff than the bottom. They'll ride nice and easy, but get stiffer the harder you push it. Try Googling progressive spring rates. (Pardon the sarcastic link.)

[JCRZ]

The guys seemed to have covered the basics. I'd say your next step would be springs or coilovers. I myself just got a spoon front sway bar I think it'll really help the car I'll post a review once it's installed. After that I plan on the spoon rigid collar and go from there.

[gsilvers]

It depends on your budget and goals. If you drive on the street every day, chances are you won't want to go as stiff as some coilover sets will go (Tein SS). Sway bars let you ditch some more roll if you find your springs do not enough without making the car any rougher on the road. The only catch there is sways will change how your car handles at the limit a bit.