Soldato
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- 11 Dec 2005
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Just drive the car for longer to decide what you want, you haven't had it all that long really.
Geometry Options. Suspension set-up and opinions required.
- Thread starter rjk
- Start date
Just drive the car for longer to decide what you want, you haven't had it all that long really.
Soldato
- Joined
- 27 Aug 2003
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- West Midlands
I'd get the alignment done first.
This, enjoy the car!
Still unhappy then look at a proper suspension setup for the car, just doing springs is kind of a half job and in the end you will either cause premature wear/failure on the stock shocks/dampers or still be unhappy and end up buying the koni's or a coilover setup of somekind.
I loved how mine drove after getting the alignment done, was so much nicer and felt a lot more stable.
Shame that just before I sold it went down a horrible road in it which whacked one of the rear wheels out, it felt awful like it was trying to kill me after that
Shame that just before I sold it went down a horrible road in it which whacked one of the rear wheels out, it felt awful like it was trying to kill me after that
If I had more time to reply, I'd do a proper one.
I haven't had an S2000 since 2010, but I think this is all relevant. I used by CoG and WIM and my wallet still hurts from the £Thousands I spent on suspension stuff for my S2000.
First things first, you want to focus on just getting what you have right now working correctly. Don't throw parts on expecting results as, how you want a car to handle isn't how I want it, or anyone else. The response a car gives will be different to everyone who drives it. Someone might want something more responsive and 'tetchy' on the limit so he can do lots of control inputs, but other people will want something calmer. Neither is wrong, we aren't talking about a car you are striving for tenths of a second off on a qualifying lap. We're talking about a fast road and odd open pit track day car.
I spent my first money on getting the suspension set up right. I'd got seized bushes all over the place, and my castor bushes at the front and toe bushes at the rear had split. I replaced the rear toe bushes with power flex polybushes - this removed some rear wheel steer - and Mugen bushes in the castor. You can't buy separate replacement bushes from Honda, you have to buy whole new arms, so this was the best option for me. I had a 'standard' setup put on by Chris at CoG after he'd done that work, and just made sure everything pointed the right way, with tight left to right tolerances.
Once I'd done that, got used to it, and done some track days, I decided to firm things up a bit. I went for a full poly bush, Cusco Front and Rear lower braces, Cusco front upper brace, and Cusco Front (32mm) and Rear (30mm) ARBs. The difference was incredible. I had a go kart.
I decided I didn't like the high ride height after a while, and went for Tein replacement springs with the standard Showa dampers. This made things a bit harder day to day over bumps, but otherwise, it was great.
All through this, I had various return visits to WIM where I explained how i felt the car handled, and said how I wanted it to behave differently, and they made the changes. It used to be you paid for an alignment and then got several return visits included for adjustment included.
I would strongly urge you against doing anything other than 'making good' what you have to start with. A properly aligned S2000 is unrecognisable from one that is poor. The change in performance and confidence is phenomenal.
Sorry for the blah blah post with poor layout, brain dump whilst I have 5 mins.
I haven't had an S2000 since 2010, but I think this is all relevant. I used by CoG and WIM and my wallet still hurts from the £Thousands I spent on suspension stuff for my S2000.
First things first, you want to focus on just getting what you have right now working correctly. Don't throw parts on expecting results as, how you want a car to handle isn't how I want it, or anyone else. The response a car gives will be different to everyone who drives it. Someone might want something more responsive and 'tetchy' on the limit so he can do lots of control inputs, but other people will want something calmer. Neither is wrong, we aren't talking about a car you are striving for tenths of a second off on a qualifying lap. We're talking about a fast road and odd open pit track day car.
I spent my first money on getting the suspension set up right. I'd got seized bushes all over the place, and my castor bushes at the front and toe bushes at the rear had split. I replaced the rear toe bushes with power flex polybushes - this removed some rear wheel steer - and Mugen bushes in the castor. You can't buy separate replacement bushes from Honda, you have to buy whole new arms, so this was the best option for me. I had a 'standard' setup put on by Chris at CoG after he'd done that work, and just made sure everything pointed the right way, with tight left to right tolerances.
Once I'd done that, got used to it, and done some track days, I decided to firm things up a bit. I went for a full poly bush, Cusco Front and Rear lower braces, Cusco front upper brace, and Cusco Front (32mm) and Rear (30mm) ARBs. The difference was incredible. I had a go kart.
I decided I didn't like the high ride height after a while, and went for Tein replacement springs with the standard Showa dampers. This made things a bit harder day to day over bumps, but otherwise, it was great.
All through this, I had various return visits to WIM where I explained how i felt the car handled, and said how I wanted it to behave differently, and they made the changes. It used to be you paid for an alignment and then got several return visits included for adjustment included.
I would strongly urge you against doing anything other than 'making good' what you have to start with. A properly aligned S2000 is unrecognisable from one that is poor. The change in performance and confidence is phenomenal.
Sorry for the blah blah post with poor layout, brain dump whilst I have 5 mins.
Just re-read this.
My car when sorted by CoG felt incredible on the roads, and never, ever felt unsettled... unless I tried to hoon with cold tyres on wet roads.
I aint a genius with this stuff but I'd say no to polybushing on a road car and a big yes to brand new OEM bushes all round. Perhaps look into the cost of brand new OEM suspension rather than lowering?
It may be worth having a word with Brosport in Cheadle, they've got a good rep and set various Honda's up day by day doing loads of suspension work, can supply any parts you need etc. They're knowledgable guys who will have lots of info for you on various set ups for your motor.
It may be worth having a word with Brosport in Cheadle, they've got a good rep and set various Honda's up day by day doing loads of suspension work, can supply any parts you need etc. They're knowledgable guys who will have lots of info for you on various set ups for your motor.
after hearing about the shambolic mess they made of Andrew Moores supercharger install, I will be staying well away from them.
not at all, very insightful. certainly food for thought.
to clarify, were your springs on the oem showa dampers that come on the car or did you opt for the Spoon ones?
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With reference to the polybush thing, I'd join the other in saying not to fit them on a road car unless you can be sure it wont ruin the ride. When I had the fiesta polybushed it did help steering feel and turn in but it absolutely ruined the ride. Some of the available polybush products are not all that well engineered either - nobody seems to fit them much to mx5s, they can cause stiction in the suspension which makes the handling unpredictable. Superpro are apparently the best but I'd be cautious about polybushing the car unless you know the nvh will be tolerable (passenger ride or drive in a similar car).
Soldato
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- 11 Dec 2005
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Yeah I remember your ST will, I probably wouldnt polybush a road car either
after some consideration, I am just going to install the springs on the OEM shocks and have the garage check each adjuster and ensure everything is free and bushes are not worn, then get it to honda spec.
the plan is to replace as many of the bushes as reasonably possible and ensure that everything is unseized and geometry work can be carried out easily with no remedial work required before adjustments.
essentially, assess the state of the adjusters before considering anything further.
if the ride is crap on just the springs then I will consider uprated shocks.
the plan is to replace as many of the bushes as reasonably possible and ensure that everything is unseized and geometry work can be carried out easily with no remedial work required before adjustments.
essentially, assess the state of the adjusters before considering anything further.
if the ride is crap on just the springs then I will consider uprated shocks.
Replace the shocks too or don't bother IMO. You say the car feels unsettled at speed, a vague description but to me that's says it loses stability easily over bumps etc.. To me that is the behaviour of a knackered shock over anything else. Alignment being imperfect simply means that car turns too much or not enough.
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The shocks won't be knackered at 50k
It's likely the wheels are pointing in the wrong directions making it feel the way it does. Hence the lack of high speed stability.
Sticking springs on won't help mind you as it will only make it lower, compromising the geometry.
Just get the alignment checked to start with. It's probably all over the place and putting springs on is like putting a plaster on a broken leg
If it is able to adjust go for some of the s2ki settings. You don't need Honda settings and if it's adjustable due to no seizing then go for something which makes it feel like a limpet (lots of camber and less toe). The Honda settings on the 2004 are a bit soft.
It's likely the wheels are pointing in the wrong directions making it feel the way it does. Hence the lack of high speed stability.
Sticking springs on won't help mind you as it will only make it lower, compromising the geometry.
Just get the alignment checked to start with. It's probably all over the place and putting springs on is like putting a plaster on a broken leg
If it is able to adjust go for some of the s2ki settings. You don't need Honda settings and if it's adjustable due to no seizing then go for something which makes it feel like a limpet (lots of camber and less toe). The Honda settings on the 2004 are a bit soft.
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Soldato
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- 19 Oct 2002
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You need a baseline. Is the car even running straight?!
Sorry, reading it back it is a little vague. Apologies.
The best way I can describe is that it isn't confidence inspiring when pressing on. I don't feel like I can push the car really hard. Im sure there is a lot of it to do with the cars reputation and that it has caught me out once or twice. I know that sudden snaps have more to do suspension setup than tyre choice. I have only pushed hard in dry conditions. My EP3 was able to push hard and when on track it communicated movement really well. I'm guessing the harder sidewalls of the bridgestones play a part in the way that the S2000 feels at speed, but it doesn't have that same feeling of planted/predictable movement that I had from my previous car or other RWD cars I have driven.
The thread you linked before had a lit of different settings advice in there. Could you highlight the settings you mean so I have some guidelines to work off?
That's sort of why I was suggesting Honda spec first. Just as a starting point once all the bolts and adjusters have been checked and if necessary, freed up/replaced