Well, first up, I am feeling better than the install day. I was out of town for a month and all of the goodies were collected in my garage waiting for me. The parts I installed were the following:

Tanabe front strut bar
Tanabe rear strut bar
Tanabe underbrace
Tanabe GF210 springs

I guess I can go down the list in some sort of order. I don't have an install guide for these as they are straight forward. Tanabe's is a little vague with "refer to your shop manual" for a lot of their stuff. There are a couple of pictures so that helps.

Front Strut Bar--
Nice piece. The hardware looks better than some other's out there. In my opinion, it is connecting the metal, and not actually the struts, but it looks good and possibly has some performance value. The bar is coated in a raspberry like anodizing. The brackets are black and be relatively careful because if you take a wrench to it, it could mar the finish a little bit. It would be easier to do this with the car completely in the air because it is a tight fit to put the nuts on the bolt especially if your hands are bigger than my daughters.

Rear strut Bar--
Again, nice piece. I have seen other installs and they leave the strut covers off. This makes for kind of a gross install. If you have a dremel, take it to the plastic covers and cut some squares in them to fit the brackets. You will thank yourself as it looks nice and clean. It is a pain to take the nut off the strut as you stuff an alan key in the top and use a crescent to break the nut off. The new nuts are supplied and are just as good if not better quality than factory.

Underbrace--Nice piece, lightweight, and a little different finish. The finish is orange. So I am a seeing a rainbow of colors. The bars are like a raspberry anodizing and the underbrace is orange paint or powdercoat. This is a simple install with taking the two plastic retainers out underneat the car, and unbolting a bolt from each A-arm. That simple. It really is a nice piece. Not too much else about this.

GF210's--Nice springs. Now, these are not anodized or orange. These are RED! It would be nice to have consisten colors but what are you going to do? I had the GF's on my Evo and I was reluctant because they were noisy. These came with little plastic wrap for the last coil. USE IT. Obvious install. Popping the top nut off the top of the strut. Pulling the ABS sensor off the strut, unbolting the two bolts in the bottom of the strut and pull out the strut. From there rip off the top top nut creatively. It is nerveracking without airtools. NOTE: Prop the brake rotor with a jack or something so it doesn't fall. The passenger side axle popped out and irritated me. Someone made a comment in another thread because I took the boot and slid it down and put new straps on. Well, I muffed with the axle to push it back in for an hour and they are little baby axles...I didn't want to break it. I am a large framed individual so I didn't want to chance it. Anyway, the springs are an easy install. The rears are even easier. Pull the bolt off from the lower strut mounting point and the suspension drops and you can pull out the stock spring. If you have some tail behind you, you can push it back up and toss the bolt in. If you want to be more pro...jack up the suspension. If you want to be goofy, lower the car some and slide the bolt it! I chose the latter!

Driving impressions--The wife wanted to beat me for testing out the car with the family in it! Just a turn here and there! But I went out today and it was a hoot. It is VERY TIGHT. The body roll, what little there was in the first place is gone period! Coming into the turn's such as an on-ramp or off-ramp and smooth. A nice Integra was on my tail and I guess freaked out when I rode the ramp like a madman! There is NO NOISE form the springs. Very different from the Evo. There is NO NOISE. The ride seems even smoother than stock and there isn't any road noise from what I can tell.

Overall impressions--As always, Tanabe products have been good. I spent $400 and some change on everything and installed it myself so saved the install fees. To me, as a total package, it is well worth the price. When coilovers come out, I will most likely pick them up. The design is nice, the finish is great, hardware is super, and the price is right. If you are looking for something that will spice up the handling in the Fit, by all means, this whole package is ideal. If you are looking for JDM, well, it is made in Japan. If you want to spend double for other parts, by all means, go for it but it fits every category nicely.

For me, I would rather have everything from the same company. If they made an intake, I may consider an intake and exhaust setup. However, I am not sure I want to get loud yet.

By the way, Tanabe isn't giving me a dime for saying this. I have had sponsors before and always did this for them. But I also do this for quality parts. I won't however slap a sticker for free on my car! Sorry guys.

Good luck to anyone going this route as it is a good way to go.

Kris

Pictures can be found here: 2007 MR Honda Fit

 

Thanks for posting this as this is going to help me alot with my decision. I was planing on running this whole setup but was skeptical about how it would look with the GF210's. I have a base fit and plan on putting some 15's on it and was worried if it would lower it enough to provide a nice stance. But, from your pics the springs seem to lower it just enough. I know I could go with the DF's, but I don't want to sacrifice performance for lowering. I'll be getting this setup within the next couple of weeks and will post my review as well. Thanks!

 

Yeah nice setup! I to had the GF210 on my Fit and it rode good.
I to perfer to stick with 1 company for everything.
Nice Fit and great write up!

 

hey fit4kris, i know you wrote GF210 but as im seeing a big drop, are you really sure theyre GF and not the DF210's? this kinda stoped my horse in order to get them, if they're really GF210 I didnt thought ''1.5 would drop the front that much. Thnx

 

The drop is actually lower than what I thought. I wish I would have taken a picture of the springs before they went in. They had "GF210" painted from the factory on them and the box said "GF210" so I can only go off of that. But yes, IT IS lower than what I thought.

Kris

 

thanks for the awesome write up. This will probably help me in my decision in suspension

 

My parts just came in so I will be installing them today and let you guys what I think. I've got the GF210 springs, front and rear strut bars, the Medallion touring exhoust, and I've got the underbrace on order as they had to special order it.

Also, I will be setting up a Group Buy here shortly offering all these products if your guys are looking to buy. Be on the lookout.

 

So I got the parts in today and all i can say is WOW. Awesome quality products and everything fits perfect. As fit4kris stated, the strut tower bars are very durable and look great. Install is straight forward for everything. Just be careful and try and support your front hub when you take the struts off the car. Mine popped out as fit4kris' did but I was able to pop them back in with some force(pain in my assholes).

So got everything back together and let the lift down. The car sits MUCH LOWER than I thought it would. My stock base tires are nicely tucked! I can't wait to see what it will look like with some better wheels and tires.

Driving Impressions:
Even on my suck ass stockers the fit is so much more responsive and agile. Corner turn in has greatly improved and all body roll is gone. I felt very connected with the road while taking corners at speeds varying from 40mph to 60mph. It stays flat, even with the stockers!

I highly recommend this setup for the budget minded enthusiast as it provides so much for so little money. Best bang for your buck in the suspension department. Now, I wasn't able to get the under brace installed as my Tanabe distributor had to special order them but it should be here within the week and I expect to get even better results.

Exhaust Impressions:
I also installed the Medallion Touring axle back on the Fit. This thing is QUIET. I gets louder at all the right times; idling and when you mash the gas down around 3500-4000 when VTEC engages. Any other time you would think you have stock exhaust. This might not be everyones cup of tea but I would prefer not to have everyone staring at me when I drive by, but I do want you to hear me if I drop a gear and pass you. Like I said, it gets louder(deep, deep tone) at all the right times. Definitely a great piece.

Overall Impressions:
I'm VERY happy with these products and will continue to purchase from Tanabe. As a business it's great to deal with companies like these because it's just nice to offer products that you know are top notch.

 

one thing has me scared bout these springs. Are they hard enough so they do not make the car lower when loaded? With the stock suspension springs, when at least two people are inside the car, the car looks lowered like if it were. I really cant deal with an street sweeper for a front bumper. Can anybody with the GF210 post pictures of the lower part of the front bumper to see the distance between it and the floor?

 

Nice writeup! I'll be ordering mine maybe tomorrow or next week.

So lemme get this straight! You guys are poppin off the top strut bolt on the front struts while it is still mounted to the car right? After poppin off the bolt, you unbolt the two bolts on the bottom of the strut and pull the thing out right?

I remember using two hand tools on a spring compressor for my CRX struts. Boy that was a pain in the ass to do.

And the rear, we dont' have to unbolt the strut do we?? Can we just slide in the lowering springs after the stock springs are removed?

-Tomi

 

fits_all: These springs are VERY stiff. While they actually lowered the car more than I thought they would, extra weight in the car doesn't lower it that drastically simply because of how stiff they are. You should have PLENTY of clearance with these springs. Just don't get the DF's as it's a lower drop and the springs arn't as stiff.

Tomigunz: Yes, you take the single nut off the top of the strut BEFORE you raise the car up. You'll need an allen wrench to hold the strut shaft so it doesn't turn. As for the bottom you just remove your abs wire clips and unbolt the two lower strut bolts and it should slide right out.

For the rears you'll have to unbolts the lower shock bolt while supporting the trailing arm with a jack. Unbolt and lower one side at a time but make sure not to lower too much as the trailing arm WILL hit your fuel neck. Just lower it enough where it's just barely touching it, some flex is ok. After that it's just a matter of pulling down on the springs to get them out. This honeslty took me like 10mins to do lol, It's so easy.

 

Yeah...What he said!

The rears are really easy. You just have to make sure, if you are ghetto fab like me and don't use a jack under the trailing arm, to not A. let it pop you in the face and B. hit the fuel neck. Other than that, it is straight forward. I didn't even use a spring compressor on the fronts. They just tightened with the tension of the top nut.

Good luck.

Kris

 

Man too bad there wasn't any photos. I need to get under the car and see what the Trailing Arm is that you guys are talking about. I only have one hydraulic jack.

The fronts sounds easy!

Thanks for the info!

 

It is easy to spot. It is the bottom where the rear shock attaches. There is one 17mm (i believe) bolt that holds that critter on. Once the bolt is removed, it simply drops. You pop the old spring out...use jackstands and the hydraulic jack is free to lift the arm. IF *NOT RECOMMENDED* you are for some odd reason working on the car without jackstands, lower the car slowly and the arm will slide in place with the shock then you can align the shock and slide the bolt in.

Kris

 

I kinda see what you're talking about. Basically drop the axle when you unbolt the bottom of the shock from the axle. Then pop the spring out. Replace the spring with the GF210. Using a jack, you prop up the axle to line up the bolt holes to the shock. Am I correct? I guess using a jack would be easier than trying to pull the axle up while inserting the bolt into the shock.

I might have to go buy me a set of jack stands. I never used them before. I guess it's time to get a set. I assume you use 2 at the same time to get the rear end standing up. Or else it would be 2 wheelin..

-Tomi

 

You basically have the right idea Tomi, if my car was drivable I would throw it up on the rack and take some pics.

A good set of jack stands and a floor jack is a great investment if you plan on working on your car yourself. Not to mention the safety factor .

 

Funny, out of all these years I have been working on my car, I never invested jack stands. doesn't hurt to ask and borrow a set though!!! hehe.

Since no one has pics, I will take pics while I work on mine. Hopefully I do it right.

Thanks for your help guys. didn't mean to hijack your thread Kris,,,

-Tomi

 

wells guess he made me feel like tanabe is a way to go choice. but I plan on putting on a body kit. if lip I would go kenstyle the big one not the small one. but anyways body kit as we all know is bigger then the oem stock. but tanabe is 1.8 1.3 the 1.8 on a fiberglass bodykit I don't know makes me kinda iffy. skunk2s are 1.5 1.0 which is okay ... not to low but good for a fiberglass kit. but like the review he wrote on tanabe.