Honda CRX Si STS Suspension Recommendations

[Don Green]

If someone wanted to build a competative '88 CRX Si for STS, what would you Civic Si ST guys recommend for shocks and springs? Bilsteins, Konis, Motons, Penskes, Monroe Loadlevelers, etc.? Thanks

[Jeff Wong]

If someone wanted to build a competative '88 CRX Si for STS, what would you Civic Si ST guys recommend for shocks and springs? Bilsteins, Konis, Motons, Penskes, Monroe Loadlevelers, etc.? Thanks

I would think majority of the 2.5" and 2.25" springs are pretty much similar, if you started from scratch and were going to spend money on springs, I would suggest Hypercoils, they are all tested and paired , so if you ordered a 500lbs spring, will be typically marked within +/- 5lbs (instead of your standard painted spring rate). As far as spring rates, it really depends, having a ball park of 400-500lbs would be a great choice for the front, and with the rears, depending on your rear swaybar, I would think a good ball park range would be of 500-700lbs.

On my personal cars, I've only used the Koni twin tube shocks (8041 and 8611 series) A lot of people are using the standard off the shelf Koni 8041 Race Shocks. They are preshortened and revalved from the original Koni sport shocks and are specifically for higher spring rates and lowered cars. They are rebound adjustable only and are a twin tube shock. I would say this is a low maintenance shock with high durability, just make sure you run a bumpstop.

The Koni 2812 shock is mono tube designed (doesn't have an external cansiter), typically long body for street car applications. They are both rebound and bump adjustable, the adjustments are primarily lowspeed which makes each click of adjustment a noticeable change. These are all custom built to your specs and nothing is "off the shelf" except for drawings and valving specs. I would consider this a low maintenance shock that should be used minimally on the street and atleast dyno tested every year to make sure they are in good working order.

For more informatino on the CRX's, I know Jaime Medonza from Northern California has built a STS CRX that is currently equipped Penskes. He recently won the 2009 SD National Tour and probably started building his CRX around the same time frame as my Civic (Very Late 2008). Or maybe talking to Mike King which is your STS2 National Champion.

For more technical information on the Penskes, I would recommend talking with Guy Ankeney (Ankeney Racing Enterprises).

Hope this helps.

[Sebastian Rios]

Konis from Jeff...Super easy, you can't go wrong.

[Jason Isley BS RX8]

Mike King and his fanbois are sporting Moton race shocks - not to be confused with the Club Sports which are "affordable" - one of these shocks cost more than the car. :unimpressed:

[Steve Ekstrand]

Mike King and his fanbois are sporting Moton race shocks - not to be confused with the Club Sports which are "affordable" - one of these shocks cost more than the car. :unimpressed:

And King still can't seem to beat the top ST Civics and their junk Koni's despite the weight savings and shorter wheelbase.

Tim Smith put triple adjustable race Motons in his ride and slipped to what? 5th in ST?

[Jason Isley BS RX8]

Mike King and his fanbois are sporting Moton race shocks - not to be confused with the Club Sports which are "affordable" - one of these shocks cost more than the car. :unimpressed:

And King still can't seem to beat the top ST Civics and their junk Koni's despite the weight savings and shorter wheelbase.

Tim Smith put triple adjustable race Motons in his ride and slipped to what? 5th in ST?

Give a guy three knobs and he has three more chances to screw something up.

[Lily Liu]

If someone wanted to build a competative '88 CRX Si for STS, what would you Civic Si ST guys recommend for shocks and springs? Bilsteins, Konis, Motons, Penskes, Monroe Loadlevelers, etc.? Thanks

Get rid of your front sway bar too

We're testing out our car this Sunday without the front sway bar. We're running JIC coilovers but the spring set up we chose was with a big rear sway bar in mind (which we don't have yet, only the stock one is there). So we'll see, it'll be interesting.

[Don Green]

Hey gang,

Yes, I was hoping to get maximum bang for my bucks without spending more on the shocks than the whole car will be worth. And I agree with the more knobs, the more things to screw up theory, too.

Thanks for all the discussion so far, and I'm sure there's more to come.

Don