Coilovers, Brakes, and wheels for your 96-04 RL!

3g Legend · 05-02-05, 02:38 PM

Ok, so I have some pictures of good stuff you want for your RL. They arent the best pictures, but better than just a thread with a bunch of words right? Feel free to ask question and I will try to answer them.

I just installed TEIN BASIC shocks and springs on my 1996 RL this past weekend. I had already installed a front STOPTECH brake kit a while back. This is a 14" rotor kit with a 4 piston caliper.

The wheels I am rolling on are 18x8 VOLK GTU, high type caliper to spoke clearance.

and now for the pix....

the car is actually about an inch lower than this old picture (no TEIN in this pic)

front pix:

this is the rear shock:

opinions are welcome!

by the way, you cannot just call up TEIN USA and say "I want the BAISC kit for an Acura RL" they wont have a listing. Although I knows the guys there and they will probably figure out that I recomended you to them, Its better you have me help you purchase an coilovers for you car. I had to do a little retrofitting of another kit to fit the RL.

legendoflegends · 05-10-05, 02:00 AM

looks great

Vinomack · 09-07-05, 01:22 AM

How much for the spring/shock package? How has the cars handling been affected? I'd like to make my 98 RL handle a little less floaty.

3g Legend · 09-07-05, 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vinomack

How much for the spring/shock package? How has the cars handling been affected? I'd like to make my 98 RL handle a little less floaty.

That is exactly what I was going for. The coilover kit runs $750 retail, probably can get a discount somewhere.

I didn't like when I hit a bump on the freeway and the car oscillated up and down for a while. I wanted the car to hit the bump and come right back to stability without loosing the comfy luxury ride. The TEIN kit did the trick. Its still a little too soft to do too much "spirited driving" (I am a road racer) but I can already tell you I smoked my friend on a windy on-ramp with my car and him in his 96 Civic hatch with a B16a motor swap in it.

Right now my RL has about 3-3.5 degs of negative camber in the front and about -1 deg in the rear, which is perfect for handling in a FWD car; however, the tire wear sucks up front. I'll have to get camber adjusters for the front soon to bring it back to at most -1 so that I dont have to keep putting out for tires. Gas is expensive enough!

Vinomack · 10-02-05, 06:31 PM

Thanks for the info. Your exactly right when you describe how the car handles on the freeway. Do I purchase this setup from Tein directly or can you recommend a distributor?

3g Legend · 10-13-05, 11:27 AM

if you call TEIN, they will give you your local distributor as they do not sell direct.

Lowsinthe20s · 03-24-06, 01:59 PM

Do you have any part numbers off of the TEIN product? OR can you tell me what the struts and coilover where suppost to fit. Thanks

3g Legend · 03-27-06, 08:57 PM

Tein part number: DSA64-LUSS2

Tein Basic for Acura TSX

Dv8 · 04-06-06, 03:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3g Legend

Tein part number: DSA64-LUSS2

Tein Basic for Acura TSX

Theres another member that did the TSX tein coilover install but on a legend. He said that there were modifications involed with the install, to what level? Did you have to mod it or did it fit right in? what prompted you to try the TSX teins? Teins for the TL or CL or any other acura model suspension work?

Thanks

~TRu Hybrid

Alperovich · 04-06-06, 03:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dv8

Theres another member that did the TSX tein coilover install but on a legend. He said that there were modifications involed with the install, to what level? Did you have to mod it or did it fit right in? what prompted you to try the TSX teins? Teins for the TL or CL or any other acura model suspension work?

Thanks

~TRu Hybrid

and if you have to mod it, do you also ways have to upgrade with the tein for the TSX or, aany kit for the TSX work? will the a legend designed suspention fit back in?

Thanx,
Alex

misdeismo · 04-06-06, 04:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dv8

Theres another member that did the TSX tein coilover install but on a legend. He said that there were modifications involed with the install, to what level? Did you have to mod it or did it fit right in? what prompted you to try the TSX teins? Teins for the TL or CL or any other acura model suspension work?

Thanks

~TRu Hybrid

thats me. i chose them based on 3glegend's recommendation but I ran into a slight issue that I'm not sure he may have had. The fork that supports the shock on the legend is larger in diameter than the one for the tsx so when you use the tein setup, the shock will move around within the fork ONLY when you jack the car enough to remove the load for the shock. I didn't think it was a saftey hazard, but I dont want a mechanic to say he wont work on my car because he thinks my setup its dangerous. To remedy this I bought the shock forks for a 98-02 Accord (they are cheaper than the tsx ones) and now they fit perfect (they are bolt on). Another issue is the brake line is not secured to anything since the brackets are attached to the oem shocks. I haven't experienced any problems with this setup but for piece of mind I would like to fix this. I put them on last october/november and they seem to be holding up well. I'm testing them on NYC roads which are one of the worst in America so thats a good indication of their reliability. The basics are good for a sporty upgrade, its different from oem on bumpy roads but it is definitely bearable, I have no problems with them. I would suggest that you get the ss for damping adjustment, and I would increase the spring rate to 600-650 up front and 400-450 in the rear. I thought about the flexes but you have to pay for the pillowball mounts which wont fit (you could always sell them). Thats probably what I will do for my next set. Obviously this opens the door to using any tsx setup but I cant say for certain. Does that help?

Dv8 · 04-06-06, 06:03 PM

so its highly likley that the accord,cl and tl all share close to the same suspension? and since they are bigger cars than the tsx their shocks housing might actually be bigger in diameter.

I'm dying to get fully adjustable suspension and wouldnt hesitate getting the tein flex with a edfc if I knew they would fit in and work with little hassle.

~TRu Hybrid

misdeismo · 04-06-06, 06:08 PM

i think its the rears that are the issue. I believe of the models you mentioned bolt up slightly differently than the tsx or legend. The tsx rear shock mounting is slightly smaller in width and needs a couple of spacers to fill out the space, other than that it is bolt on. I think an ideal setup would be tein flex+ jic pillow ball+ edfc.

3g Legend · 04-06-06, 08:04 PM

The USDM Accord Basic shocks were longer than the TSX shocks. That was TEIN's recomendation to me when I went there to look at a few shocks. I chose the TSX ones over the Accords because the shock length was perfect.

Unfortunately with the 2nd Gen Legends, it sounds like the front shock fork diameter doesnt match the RLs...which is weird because most Hondas with front shock forks minus some Civics have the same diameter.

Anyway, anything is possible with modification to the upper mount or a custom upper mount. If you have access to a lathe and mill you're set!

btw misdeismo, you have any pix to post? I'd like to see, especially with the Accord forks. How much were they?

DV8: I happen to be working on a TSX one day and decided to take some measurements on the shocks and it so happened to have been really close to the RL.

misdeismo · 04-06-06, 08:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3g Legend

The USDM Accord Basic shocks were longer than the TSX shocks. That was TEIN's recomendation to me when I went there to look at a few shocks. I chose the TSX ones over the Accords because the shock length was perfect.

Unfortunately with the 2nd Gen Legends, it sounds like the front shock fork diameter doesnt match the RLs...which is weird because most Hondas with front shock forks minus some Civics have the same diameter.

Anyway, anything is possible with modification to the upper mount or a custom upper mount. If you have access to a lathe and mill you're set!

btw misdeismo, you have any pix to post? I'd like to see, especially with the Accord forks. How much were they?

DV8: I happen to be working on a TSX one day and decided to take some measurements on the shocks and it so happened to have been really close to the RL.

they were about 35 a piece from majesty honda. i will post some pics on the weekend when I change my diff and tranny fluids.