lowering ridge - bad experience

[MRFRIDAY]

i would also be interested in GB for the right price

[auditude]

Originally Posted by Lupo911

Hello Kenneth, welcome to the RL Forum...

yes its a really small World. For Pictures of the Kit just look at the whole tread, there can you see the Coil Over. Did you got the V3 for your Audi from Javad?


Carsten

Hi Carsten,

I actually got my KW V3 from a guy who bought it from a guy in Germany that had it on his S2. (I think my CQ hub carriers may need to be drilled out for the S2 14mm bolts from CQ 12mm holes.) If I bought them new or from Javad (he sells KW?), I would have had to send off my original parts to have them converted. I haven't put them on yet because I'm waiting for my S2 5x112mm hubs, coincidentally from the same guy I got the coilovers from, who organized a group buy for them. I bought an RS2 front sway bar and a Whiteline adjustable rear sway bar for it, and now that I have the Ridgeline to drive, I parked the Audi's and turned off the insurance since they need so much work. I have a lot of stuff from Javad tho', such as a 034 IIC (bought indirectly), fuel rail, aluminum radiator, fuel injectors, etc.

I had to shuffle the Audi's around yesterday to make room for the new-to-me car carrier. I tried to put them all in the back yard so I could park my new truck in the garage, and in a last act of defiance, my CQ's window rolled down and then broke and I couldn't roll it up! (that's par in my experience for older Audi's, no car payment, but regular payments for something) So, I had to park it in the garage and the Ridgeline is stuck outside for now. Two Audi's in the garage, two (one wrecked) "and a half" plus a stripped carcass in the back. When my hitch shows up then I'll dump the carcass and maybe go pick up a replacement for my 200q20v so I can strip down and part out my wrecked one and dump that too. Then an engine swap between two of the others and sell one, then just two more projects to go after that.

Or, maybe I'll just park them all and enjoy my truck!

Carsten, is it possible to actually raise the truck above stock height with the KW's? How does it effect the payload and towing abilities? Are the higher rate rear springs necessary? Are the parts modified Honda parts that have to be sent in to KW for machining, or brand new?

[George Power]

Thanks for news... I wish you had a better result.

I do believe that the companies that are selling you these lowing kit are installing sub-standard kit (not designed for this truck)

I have been looking for a lowering kit (either type) for the past several months and currently all Lowering kit manufacturing companies have yet to release a certified (Honda Approved) kit for the Ridgeline. As of last week Honda told me they still have no recommendation and do not expect something until next year.

Honda Engineering and aftermarket companies are working on this and they will give us a Honda certified kit some time in the future.

I'll continue to wait........

Thanks for the good and bad info.

[FL_Ridge]

Originally Posted by toolz_not_toyz

It really is a shame that practically no third-party products are available for the RL. And whatever is available isn't very high quality (for the most part). We're in the second model year now and we still can't build what's in the photo thanks to no skidplate, no lightbar, no dark-colored non-glossy flares, no dark-colored non-glossy side protectors, no bigger brakes (to go with those bigger tires). At least we can do the lift kit and install the plastic bumper guard...but we still can't recalibrate the speedo/odo. Geez.



PS: And I still think those original steps look better than the nerf bars that replaced them.

Aftermarket support may or may not come. I'm not that well versed on the production numbers of Ridgelines in comparison to say an F-150 or a Chevy pickup. I'm only to assume that we make up only a small percentage of the new annual truck market, aside from that is the existing market of used F-150 and Chevy and similar trucks on the road.

If I am an aftermarket parts manufacturer I'm going to ask a ton of questions before I start manufacturing parts for a new vehicle. If I were an aftermarket parts manufacturer I'd ask.

1) What is the size of my market? That will include subquestions regarding volume of cars on the road then using industry averages for people who modify their vehicles. You'll then drill down and come up with estimates of how many people will make the said modification regarding the part in question.

2) What are the R&D, marketing and distribution costs of either designing and testing a new part or even simply modifying an existing part for the Ridgeline.

3) What is the lifespan of this model of truck? Will it truly catch on and be a hot bed of customization in the next, 1, 2, 5 and ten years?

4) What will my ROI be in comparison to investing time and R&D money in building parts for a proven long-term truck leader.

That said, I'm sure that's why we're seeing little aftermarket support yet, and may not ever see it. What we do see are low volume, often adapted products for the Ridgeline from small companies who are taking a risk.

Frankly, I'm not one who is much for modification. I believe that maintaining the original performance and appearance of a vehicle is a virtue. I am an individual but I've never felt so strongly about my individuality that I'd want to harm the resale value of my vehicle through modification.

That said, I support people's right and option to modify their vehicles so long as they do it safely.

If these alignment issues cannot be resolved, the company supplying these aftermarket suspension kits obviously did not warn of all possible hazards or perhaps didn't do sufficient R&D to find them. At the same time, as others have said, if you deviate from the original engineering of the Ridgeline it's understandable that you're going to have to make tradeoffs.

Just don't make a tradeoff where safety is concerned.

[TeamRidgeline]

even though I have a longstanding relationship with Koni Motorsports I may have to look the other way and buy this setup

Originally Posted by Lupo911

the Suspension is a heigth adjustable stainless Steel Coil over, the Range is 1 up to 2,5" lowering on Front and Rear, it is also adjustable in Bump and Rebound... its Made by KW
http://www.kw-suspension.com/en/40_N..._lang=2&id=644

Its excaclty the same Setup like the IRL Safety Trucks.

[alexander]

No doubt the price of the kit is rediculous.

The only benefits of coilovers over standard lowering springs is matching valving with the shocks but those front spring rates are very high and the ability to corner weight the truck (not many people gonna do that)

Also representives for KW told me directly they were not deisgned to tow with, while they may work I would expect life expectancy on them goes way down and at 3inches drop I bet the axles arent opperating in a healthy range especially towing

Voightland is releasing a new spring kit in late January that will be very high quality.

The rear camber correction is cool seeing as none is availiable but the high price deffinately limits my enthusiasm.

personally I think 99% of people should stick with lowering springs and the ones that arent are going to have a very rough ride.

[Lupo911]

No doubt the price of the kit is rediculous. You get what you Pay for... (Stainless Steel, Adjustable in Compression and Rebound and heigth)

The only benefits of coilovers over standard lowering springs is matching valving with the shocks but those front spring rates are very high and the ability to corner weight the truck (not many people gonna do that) what about the Hight Adjustability? I think thats the Main Benefit on a Coilover for Street use...

Also representives for KW told me directly they were not deisgned to tow with, while they may work I would expect life expectancy on them goes way down and at 3inches drop I bet the axles arent opperating in a healthy range especially towing thats Bullsh**

Voightland is releasing a new spring kit in late January that will be very high quality. Good for Voightland

The rear camber correction is cool seeing as none is availiable but the high price deffinately limits my enthusiasm. still... u get what you pay for... maybe its cheaper to change the Tires every 5-10k Miles...

personally I think 99% of people should stick with lowering springs and the ones that arent are going to have a very rough ride. just your 2cents, i know, but who told you about the rougth Ride? Thats new to me...

[RACER-X]

Originally Posted by Lupo911

No doubt the price of the kit is rediculous. You get what you Pay for... (Stainless Steel, Adjustable in Compression and Rebound and heigth)

The only benefits of coilovers over standard lowering springs is matching valving with the shocks but those front spring rates are very high and the ability to corner weight the truck (not many people gonna do that) what about the Hight Adjustability? I think thats the Main Benefit on a Coilover for Street use...

Also representives for KW told me directly they were not deisgned to tow with, while they may work I would expect life expectancy on them goes way down and at 3inches drop I bet the axles arent opperating in a healthy range especially towing thats Bullsh**

Voightland is releasing a new spring kit in late January that will be very high quality. Good for Voightland

The rear camber correction is cool seeing as none is availiable but the high price deffinately limits my enthusiasm. still... u get what you pay for... maybe its cheaper to change the Tires every 5-10k Miles...

personally I think 99% of people should stick with lowering springs and the ones that arent are going to have a very rough ride. just your 2cents, i know, but who told you about the rougth Ride? Thats new to me...

Sounds good to me Lupo

[alexander]

No doubt the price of the kit is rediculous. You get what you Pay for... (Stainless Steel, Adjustable in Compression and Rebound and heigth)

and a price equal to custom built vehicle specific racing suspension. There as much as there road stuff for the s2000

The only benefits of coilovers over standard lowering springs is matching valving with the shocks but those front spring rates are very high and the ability to corner weight the truck (not many people gonna do that) [color="red"]what about the Hight Adjustability? I think thats the Main Benefit on a Coilover for Street use...

Hmmm for 600 bux one could simply buy height adjustable sleeves and whatever spring rate from eibach they wanted through ground control. And use the left over cash to have the truck realigned every time they wanted to raise the vehicle

Also representives for KW told me directly they were not deisgned to tow with, while they may work I would expect life expectancy on them goes way down and at 3inches drop I bet the axles arent opperating in a healthy range especially towing thats Bullsh**

Are you calling the people at there booth at SEMA liars ? And have you even looked at the rear axles yet ? This is exactly why Honda has not released a sport suspension at there is only 1 inch less

Voightland is releasing a new spring kit in late January that will be very high quality. Good for Voightland

The rear camber correction is cool seeing as none is availiable but the high price deffinately limits my enthusiasm. still... u get what you pay for... maybe its cheaper to change the Tires every 5-10k Miles...

I've had my tires now for 8,000 miles now and there still 75% tread left and I drive hard on them - it takes 20 minutes to rotate them. With tax installation these are over 400 bux

personally I think 99% of people should stick with lowering springs and the ones that arent are going to have a very rough ride. just your 2cents, i know, but who told you about the rougth Ride? Thats new to me...[/quote]

Tripling the front spring rate will do that which is why I have 2 sets of springs from my street car



oh and there also stainless steel fully adjustable except there inverted struts to keep the unsprung weight down and even with a second set of eibach ers springs they were still under 1400 bux

And on a 4 door street car I ran a 1.213 on California Speedway's GT course which is .1 off what the fastest FWD race car made that day so I know a few things about setting up street driven vehicles



unless you have a personal interest I suggest you consider what your saying here, I know well of KW the fastest car in Honda Cup uses there coilovers and I'm building an s2000 for a friend using them as well.

but that doesnt mean there a great choice for a truck

[Lupo911]

Alexander,

please take the Time and read the Whole Thread. Maybe this will explain a little bit to you.

dont get me wrong, but how can you compare a Groundcontrol Sleve with somthing like the KW Coilover?

Again, if you would read this hread, you will see that i am towing with my Truck... without Problems, and if somebody will tell you, that the Kit is not Designed for towing, he is just wrong. And yes, ive been looking a couple Times underneath my Honda...

About the rough ride... maybe you should ride my Truck and meet me in Person and i can explain a little bit to you.

but, hey if you dont want a coilover for the RL, u dont have to buy one...
I just tried to explain the Difference and benefits between a Spring and a Coilover Solution. Just Springs doenst work on this Truck, thats a fakt.