with a 2" drop , just get an alignment ?

 

Hi Linnboi,

I think it is best if you get the camber bolt too,
and install it together with the Bilstein.

If you check Honda Factory Service Manual,
Honda told us to CHANGE/REPLACE the lower 2 bolts that hold the Front Shocks, when you took it out.
and since you are going to took this 2 bolt out when you install your front shocks, this is a good time to replace this 2 bolts with the SPC/Eibach Camber bolt.

Beside, having a negative camber up front (around minus 1.25 to minus 2 for street use), should make your car respond even better at corner !

Plus you need to align the car, so might as well do it now,

Plus if you later change to wider wheel/tire, the negative camber also should help with rubbing issue...

Plus (uh so many pluses hahaha), the price of those camber bolt are really really cheap

oh, by the way,
Honda also told us to change the bolt that hold the rear shocks (lower bolts),
so you might want to buy this bolts from dealer,
I think some people change their suspension and do not change this bolts,
probably had to put some loctite on the used bolts...
but If I change my suspension,
I will just buy a new bolt to be safe, it is cheap anyway...

 

i didnt change the bolts when i did the swift springs. and i dont plan on changing bolts on the bilstein coilovers...is it required ?

 

The Honda factory manual require you to change bolts,
probably for safety because usually people change their shocks after 50 thousands miles or more and the bolt might be rusted or is not as strong as before or maybe
the honda bolts had loctite applied on it, you know many reason,

but since you are going to do alignment after you install the Bilstein,
then it is best if you buy the SPC or Eibach camber bolt and install them too.
I just reply this by PM to you...

Good Luck

 

I want to add my own review on Bilstein Coil Over.

I install them yesterday,
it took me 14 hours to do it myself but that is because I follow every instruction in the Honda Service Manual regarding every torque on every bolt, I also took my time when taking out the plastic cowl panel etc etc...
and I am extra careful when compressing the front spring cause I don't want any accident , but still the 14 hours install time most likely because I am not a professional mechanic...
hahaha

The Bilstein Rear Spring Perch came set up already in it's lowest position,
so I keep it that way.

The Bilstein Front Coil Over also came set up in it's lowest position,
but turn out this is too low for my car which had 18in wheel.

I finish around 11pm last night and immediately test drive it to the nearest Mc Donalds (my stomach need some service too since I had not eat my lunch and dinner yet hahaha)...
The car FRONT Wheel/Tire rub in every little dip and bump with 4 passenger on board !!!
although the rear do not rub at all though...
so I have to drive at around 30mph at it still rub a lot when I hit small bump/dip, which mean I can not really test the different between Bilstein and stock suspension.

I am too tired to raise the front and it is already 12 at night when I get back home so I wait until today to raise it...

This afternoon, I raise the Front Suspension.
The Front Left (Driver Side) 15mm from it's lowest position, and the Front Right (Passenger Side), I raise 10mm.
I do this because I measure the Left (Driver Side) somehow lower than the Right Side, after I raise it, it have same height (my own version of corner balancing hahaha, although it is not exactly a true corner balancing )

I also had put SPC camber bolt and I try to adjust it to negative camber,
but I don't think I had it adjusted right, so tomorrow I am going to align it and also install my Spoon Front Sway Bar at the same time.

so this review is BEFORE I add Spoon Front Sway Bar, and BEFORE any alignment !!!

Well now that I am able to drive at normal speed with the raise front suspension,
I must say that the Bilstein suspension for our Honda Fit is AMAZING !!!

The car still ride as comfortable as standard suspension,
actually it is even more comfortable yet more firm at the same time !!!
It hard to describe but all I can say is,
my cheap Honda Fit now ride similar to AMG Mercedes or BMW Alpina !!!
Yes, I am serious about this...

I also had 18in wheel with 40 profile tire, so perhaps the 18in wheel allow the car to "flow" over dips easier then standard factory wheel since my 18in wheel/tire combo is actually about 1inch larger in overall diameter than factory wheel/tire combo.
So this too might contribute to the AMG/Alpina like ride !!!

Ok, to make it simple, a big big dump truck tire would "flow" over bump without even feel the bump/dip it self, while a small scooter tire might get sunk/stuck into that dip or (unable to travel over big bump)...
so to a lesser extend, my larger 18in wheel/tire would be more comfortable over bump/dip than the smaller wheel/tire as long as I don't put ultra thin tire profile, and at 40 side profile, it is still quite thick.

on the other hand my 18in wheel and tire are heavier than the standard factory wheel/tire, so it easily overwhelm the standard factory suspension.
(and yes, I know 18in wheel make my car slower but I don't care about that, all I care is the looks and how the car feel/ride/handle with my hand).

With the stronger dampening force of Bilstein shocks and stronger spring rate, now the suspension is back in control and able to control the heavier unsprung weight of my 18in wheel/tire...

I bought Michelin Pilot Super Sport as my tire because I was hoping it would help my car handle and ride like AMG/Alpina, Ok,
at least similar to those AMG/Alpina but I was disappointed because my car feel like someone using too big shoe,
but that is BEFORE I install this Bilstein Coil Over !!!

Now, (I personally feel) that it is really a Match Made in Heaven between My Suspension, My 18in Wheel and My 225/40ZR18 Tire !!!

I am NOT exaggerating this...
but oh man, the ride is much more stable,
the car track straight true, it does not tram line like before...
the steering response is much more instant,
I even flew over TRAIN TRACK without feeling much of the bump,
while before I easily bottom up the standard suspension !!!
the car dive and squat much less,
You also can feel the contour of the street, you know what the car is doing!

not to mention,
The car also looks so much better now...

Still
I want to remind you that
since this Bilstein use progressive spring,
there is still some body roll if you corner hard.

This is because initially the spring rate of a progressive spring is softer so you can have a comfortable ride but tighten up when you corner (lean) hard...
a stiff linear spring would have less body roll but then when you drive straight, it will always be firm.

To solve this small body roll problem,

I will put Spoon Front Sway Bar (and later Progressive Rear Sway Bar when I install my JDM Rear Axle with Disk Brake whenever that will be hahaha)...

The sway bar will surely make the car corner much more flat yet
when we drive at straight road,
the car will still be comfortable because of the progressive style spring.
Of course I will reserve my final verdict on the difference the sway bar will make until after I install it...

Please remember that this Bilstein is PERFECT for Road Use,
but for you who want to track your car,
I think the spring rate is still NOT firm enough.
I mean it is stiff for occasional week end track fun day,
but make no mistake, it is NOT race car stiff type !

This Bilstein is also NOT adjustable,
(meaning the shocks can not be made harder in damping and can not be made stronger in rebound)

but of course on the other hand,
I would not want to adjust this Bilstein any further for my street use application since this is already PERFECT for the street.

You know, for this price of $1,103 from TireRack
https://www.tirerack.com/suspension/...oModClar=Sport

I really think there will be no other suspension out there that can match the PERFECT balance between Ride and Performance for STREET use against this Bilstein for Honda Fit application !

From it's spec, the Mugen suspension might had an even more comfortable ride with softer spring rate compare to this Bilstein, but that also mean the Mugen suspension will have more body roll, (less control) than the Bilstein...

Bilstein might not be adjustable, it might not have the perfect linearity of a linear suspension, it is also not the cheapest for sure,
but
if you want your Honda to ride like a much more expensive car, like an AMG Mercedes or BMW Alpina,
then this is the suspension for you !

Perhaps since Bilstein is Made in Germany that is why the ride is typical of German Car.

Anyway, if you read every post/comment at this forum from every people who buy this Bilstein coil over, you (at least me) will not find a single owner of this Bilstein who was disappointed with their purchase,

Check other post about other brand of coil over and you will find both positive and negative comment from the ride too soft, too bouncy or to stiff,...
but check every Bilstein post, and so far I had not found anybody who is not satisfy with their Bilstein purchase.

so I guess I am NOT alone in feeling satisfy with this Bilstein coil over !

Here is several pictures of my car Before Bilstein,
After Bilstein but too low at the front,
and then Final Height with Bilstein after I raise the front a bit:

Ok here is BEFORE Bilstein (but already with Bilstein Sticker hahaha),
again this is BEFORE I install Bilstein, but I already install the sticker











Now this is AFTER Bilstein but the front is still too low and it rubs :























Last Set of Pictures is AFTER I RAISE the Front Suspension, now the car had almost the same gap to fender both front and rear, PERFECT for me :

 

Keeping a car that clean must be a full time job and thanks for your very informative posts.

 

Hi mkane,

Thanks for your kind words, but actually I have not wash my car for 3 weeks already, but then I don't use my car much and only put it in my garage,
still if you are directly in front of my car, you will see my car is covered with dust all over... it is just that the taffeta white color is so good at making the car looks clean

(when I install my Bilstein sticker, I wipe the surface with alcohol first to make sure the surface is clean and the sticker will stick forever, and when I wipe it, the tissue turn black (like brake dust black)...
so my car is NOT clean cause I have not wash it, it just the color help my car look clean

 

Finally got mine on!
Rear collars are set on the lowest setting. The front driver side is set about 25% from the HIGHEST setting, and the passenger side is set half way.

 

Has anyone tried cranking these up the whole way to get a bit of lift during say...winter months?

 

I run mine all the way upnin the front and then the rear set to match (not all the way up). It is just a tad lower than stock and perfect for a daily. I will see if I have any pictures around.

They do not go higher than stock though.

Found some.pictures on my phone.