GF210? Swift? Others? Just looking for a very mild drop to take up a bit of wheel gap, but looking for good quality ride in all seasons.

 

What year car do you have? What is your budget? For a 2009+ GE the Swift springs work well with the stock dampers and you should be fine to daily. On a 2007-2008 GD, Progress springs are still available and should work, but the Swift Sport Mach springs are better but will be hard to find as they were discontinued.

 

07 Fit Sport.

 

Progress then. they will drop maybe 1.2-1.5 and are progressive rate springs that will absorb bumps better. IF you can find a set of the Swift's those would be ideal, but they are out of production. Also, Tokico HTS dampers are $$$$ But being adjustable you can dial in the settings for even more comfort. They used to be on clearance at like $550 shipped direct from Tokico but I believe that sale ended

 

The advertised drop is 1.5" front and 1.3" rear on the Progress Sport springs. Tanabe GF210 are advertised at 1.5" front and .8" rear.

Bottom line, I'm looking for minimum drop . . . 1.0-1.5" front max and around an inch in the rear. The stock ride seems fairly stiff. Will any option actually ride better than the stock springs? Not interested in replacing the struts at this point. And yes, I've lowered many vehicles, the Fit is new to me though.

 

Did you check out the "Spring Comparison" sticky in the suspension subforum? Most everything available is on there I believe.

 

All the info is there and on the 2nd page.

Nothing will ride "better" than stock... Only thing that rode better than stock was when I was on stock springs with the Tokico HTS dampers.

 

I did, but it hasn't been updated in some time. Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't recall seeing pics comparing drops either . . . and ride quality is such a subjective thing. I thought maybe someone had some real insight there too.

 

What do you want pics of? The hard data is still good.

The Swift springs are the LEAST drop period. The rear ends up nearly at stock ride height.

 

Really, the ride is pure crap stock. Could have something to do with the uber firm seat too though. I swear i can feel everything in the road. Maybe I'm just old, but when I lowered my xB on Tein S-Tech springs the ride actually improved over stock.

 

See, this is where that whole subjective bit come in

Especially since I'm now on 8K F and 10K R and LOVE it

 

Oh, trust me, I'm familiar with daily driving on a race-tuned suspension. My EK hatch was gutted, caged, swapped and rode on race valved Konis and GC coilovers. I drove it to work daily 75 miles rountrip and beat it on the roadcourse on the regular.

The Fit and xB are just commuters, but me being a car guy, I can't leave anything alone . . . I want a mild drop and wheels, but I still want comfort. Call it a compromise . . . especially seeing as the Fit is the wife's.

 

How many miles on the GD Bull? Factory shocks still on? Are they still good?

 

40k miles. Factory shocks and struts. Still good.

 

Haha, gotcha.

Well, I really thing that the best "comfort" option will be the Progressive springs. Mostly BECAUSE they lower the rear so much. This will keep the nose up instead of adding a "rake" so that driveways and speed bump's aren't nearly a hassle.

I ran 15K + on the Swift springs before going to the coilovers and REALLY liked them, but they are firmer and linear. Also I had the Dampers and was able to soften up the ride in between AutoX romps.

And once you hit 60K, especially after adding lowering springs, the OE GD dampers will be toast.

 

Swift + Tokico HP?

Any lowering spring on stock shock is going to ride even worse. I've got about 65k on stock shocks and Teins on my GE and I can tell my shocks are starting to get a little wimpy, but they're still technically "good".

 

Tokico HP? Are those "blues?" If so they are just an OEM replacement... Decent quality to be sure but the reviews from back in the day on here when people got them was less then impressed. Then again, they had been bought with "sport use" in mind.

 

Yes blues, slightly stiffer than stock, or at least in the applications i've used them in previously. They can handle a mild drop just fine and as a matter of fact i've done some not so kosher lowering with them in the past and they've held up fine (I even sold them after, LOL)

For DD I think they'd be a good fit for Swifts and a better option than GR-2, don't need adjustables.

 

I'm sure they would be better than nothing! GR-2? Only the Excel G is available from KYB... and those are just OE replacements like the "Blues."

 

Oh GR-2 = Excel G, same exact shock with a different name. I always just say GR-2 because a lot of people know them by that name and ask me wtf an Excel G is

HP > at least from my experience