Just bought a cheap project car and just wondering if any one has any ideas on how to add more lift on the front struts on their honda fit. Ive already installed the tema4x4 30mm spacer which adds about 1 and a half inches. For the rear I added a coil spring from a 2010 honda insight as well as a spacer. I'm happy with the current height of the rear but now I want to level the front and so far Ive come up with nothing to help lift the front some more.

 

Not good at all. The more you lift the car the closer the solid rear axle sits to the front of the wheel well. Not only does it look bad but your suspension is maxed out with no room for movement front and back. You want to lift something? Buy a 4wd. But you are not doing that car any justice driving it around that way. And you not going anywhere offroad more than the average Fit can do to start with. You just killed off any handling that car had from the start. All around just a very bad idea.

 

To each his own but thank you for the input, I find that it drives fairly decent and been testing it out or gravel roads and my main idea is to clear snow banks since my last car have been stuck multiple time (not the cars fault, just really bad road maintenance where I live lol) and canadian winter can be a hassle, and overall I'm happy with how it looks and how it drives all I'm needing now is to level the front and after that some tlc on the body and it'll be a good commuter and winter ready

 

You obviously don't have a clue on how suspension components works. At your current setting the struts are stretched past their working point. And will go bad extremely fast when used like that. The components are not moving like they need to. You want soft and long compression for lifted vehicles. Not short and stiff. Which is how it's set up when you lift a car without customizing the rest of it properly. It's for sure not right. Nor will the car last long set up like that. smh

 

Not sure why you would think the struts are passed their working limit when the actual front coil spring and shocks have not changed, only a spacer is added on the front the same as you would as any other levelling kit. Nothing is stretched beside the lower control arm but even then it isn't stretched much. Also CV axles working angles have not drastically changed, As for the rear, different coil spring and shock extenders were added for the lift to accommodate travel and since its a torsion beam axle theres really not much to stretch there besides the two front bushings on that torsion beam axles and to prevent the bushings from wearing out faster I loosened the bolts and let it settle to its normal ride height before tightening and finally setting it up on the alignment machine. Something I learned awhile back when aligning customer vehicles that do their own lift/levelling kit. Like I mentioned I'm happy with the way it rides, but thank you for your opinion though and listing your fleet

 

The fleet is an automatic default. Take a look around here. You must be really be new.

And you really don't get it. Yes when you suspension is maxed out like that there is no movement for the shock/spring to move freely. And stiff with no movement is the opposite of how a good lifted suspension is supposed to work. Your excuses for doing it really doesn't make any sense here.

Same goes for lifted trucks. They sell cheap strut lift inserts (hockey puck style spacers) to get some height out of your suspension when you use stock parts. But they don't actually do anything except make the truck ride extremely hard with little suspension movement. And are not recommended by anyone in the 4wd field that is has any brains in their head. The correct way to lift any vehicle is to install longer shocks and springs. Aka adding more suspension movement. Not less. Like what you are doing here. Your factory struts are made to work well as they sit. When you lift them you stretch the out they have much less movement. And they do less work in general. The higher you max them out. The stiffer the struts are. And all of that equals a lesser ride quality and leads to other premature worn out parts. Including your axles, tires, bushings, and more.

Now good luck with your "off road build". I don't see that thing making it very far off any concrete. lol

 

How’s the lifted fit working out

Been planning to do a similar lift on mine for the same reason, winter commute.

ignore the suspension experts that can’t see the fun in modifying beater cars to do things they were never meant to do

 

Upgraded to a newer Honda Fit 2015 and I just moved everything to the new one and most parts are interchangeable. Been about a year now driving the new one and about 2 years driving the old one, never has a problem with the lift and actually helped a lot during winter time since back roads aren't always plowed. Only downside would be the lower gas mileage but it isnt too bad of a difference. Its definitely fun flooring it in the backroads full of snow lol

 

That’s awesome and basically what I’m interested in.

what parts and tires do you have at this time ?

Im thinking of going cheap and simple with the Tema spacers front and rear

may also add Honda Insight springs to the rear and possibly to the front as well.

thanks for the input

 

what parts did you use? Do you have a link by chance? Looks awesome!!

 

I'm trying this out too, I got some insight front coilovers, rear struts, and 30mm spacers for both sides. Really happy with the height. Only downside is it looks like I gained a few degrees of positive camber.

Are there ways I can correct that? I've tried the camber bolts that add 1 3/4 degrees, and that helped a touch.
I've also looked at lower control arms from an insight, but the bushing ends are different compared to the gd3. (maybe i could swap them? Idk)

Sick lift BTW. I love when little econoboxes go where they shouldnt