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New (Old) Fit owner with suspension questions (not lowering)
Hi all,
I purchased a used '08 Fit Sport (Manual) from a friend for daily/winter duties, and I am really enjoying the car so far.
My main quibble (aside from the lack of dead pedal, and vague clutch feel) is that the OEM suspension feels a bit too soft (particularly in the rear, I do get a bit of rub, although I have aftermarket wheels).
Looking for advice/experiences from GD3 owners who have replaced worn-out OEM suspension bits with new OEM suspension bits (i.e. not going aftermarket/coilover/lowering springs etc.).
Specifically, does going to refreshed/new OEM bits stiffen things up?
I have no baseline to work from (I got the car with 184k km, and it doesn't look like the suspension bits were ever replaced), so I don't want to go for a more aggressive option if the OEMs will do.
I would like to avoid lowering springs as Toronto's roads are an absolute nightmare/minefield of potholes, bumps, asphalt heaves, poorly-designed driveway/curb angles, etc. (and I already occasionally scrape the front lip at stock height). Would like to avoid coilovers as well, since I don't plan to track this car, and want to keep it my fun-and-frugal runabout (although if the feedback is strongly-positive, something like the Swift springs might be worthwhile).
I think my aftermarket wheels are fairly conservative: Enkei RPF1 +41ET shod in 205/50R15 Continental Extreme Contact Sport tires.
I do have the Progress RSB, and I really only noticed the rear rub while traveling over rougher pavement on a shakedown run after installing the RSB.
My OEM suspension bits don't *seem* worn out (no creaking, no sagging, and no bouncing when the car is on level ground)
Would love to hear any thoughts or experience!
Thanks!
Springs fatigue and shocks/struts wear over time/mileage, so if all you do is replace the suspension parts with new OEM, it will ride better adn likely more firm than it does now. I just went through this with our 2011 with 94k miles. Refreshed with new OEM (albeit from 2018) springs and struts, waiting on an order for the shocks, and the car rides so much better. Ride is more stable, firm, yet supple over bumps and bad pavement.
I'm not throwing any stones as we have 16x7's with a +40 offset and they rub also. If you look in the rear, you'll see a screw that holds the rear bumper cover to the inner fender. That is where contact happens first.
New bushings, shocks, springs, etc will not help the situation as ours rubbed when brand new with the +40 wheels. To solve the rubbing you will either need to clearance the area or get wheels with more positive offset.
I chose to clearance the area by bending that tab and "massaging" the whole inner fender. Still rubs on big dips, but that's just the way it's going to be with that offset wheel.
Springs fatigue and shocks/struts wear over time/mileage, so if all you do is replace the suspension parts with new OEM, it will ride better adn likely more firm than it does now. I just went through this with our 2011 with 94k miles. Refreshed with new OEM (albeit from 2018) springs and struts, waiting on an order for the shocks, and the car rides so much better. Ride is more stable, firm, yet supple over bumps and bad pavement.
I'm not throwing any stones as we have 16x7's with a +40 offset and they rub also. If you look in the rear, you'll see a screw that holds the rear bumper cover to the inner fender. That is where contact happens first.
New bushings, shocks, springs, etc will not help the situation as our rubbed when brand new. To solve the rubbing you will either need to clearance the area or get wheels with more positive offset.
I chose to clearance the area by bending that tab and "massaging" the whole inner fender. Still rubs on big dips, but that's just the way it's going to be with that offset wheel.
No worries! Did not perceive that as offensive at all.
I've read a few threads about taking a Dremel to the bumper/fender mounting points and using zipties instead.
I think I will leave things as-is for now (I don't get rub except over bigger bumps/dips in the pavement, which are very rare). I think I'm in the same situation as you, where the rubbing isn't frequent enough to warrant extensive work.
The more dips you hit at speed, the quicker the problem may "solve" itself.
I keep looking at wheels with more + offset (maybe even the same ones you have, but in 16x7 since those get a +43 offset), but so far I've been too cheap to want to switch.
The more dips you hit at speed, the quicker the problem may "solve" itself.
I keep looking at wheels with more + offset (maybe even the same ones you have, but in 16x7 since those get a +43 offset), but so far I've been too cheap to want to switch.
A bit of rubbing just adds character...right?
Yeah, I don't think I'll be buying another set of expensive wheels for the Fit - ideally I can make these last as long as the Fit does.
Maybe rubbing will give us street cred?
The +41 offset isn't too bad though - it's not like I'm rubbing regularly. Just thought I'd see if there's a way to kill 2 birds with one stone (I expect I'll have to replace the OEM struts/shocks/springs eventually anyway due to wear and tear).
07-17-2018, 01:06 PM
