If you have these springs please confirm the manufacturer spec.

H&R Front -1" Rear -.75"
Alta Front -.95" Rear -.75"

I was interested in these spring because when I measured my stock mcs, the wheelgap between the Tire and Fender, the front is 1/4" taller. So by getting a spring that is 1/4" higher in the rear, I was hoping to even out the front/rear gap.

I searched the forum and most that have H&R springs seem to be lower more in the rear than the front (cotradicts the specs). I know every car is different, please post measurements of you wheelgap if you have either the H&R or the Alta spring. Lastly, is it true that Alta is made by H&R and the Alta is more comfortable that the H&R.

 

With either spring set are rear control arms and a front camber kit required to keep the tires from wearing prematurely?

 

Not too sure about the specs, but I met some guy the other day when I was getting my M7s installed that the H&Rs are horrible. You feel every bump in the road...From research, I've found this:

Comfort
--M7s
---H-sports
----H&Rs

Drop height(Actually it's hard to say between the H&Rs and M7s. The M7s just about clear the gap.
--H&Rs
---M7s
----H-Sports

Even though, I didn't mention Alta, hope this helps.

 

nice ranking

do you have the ranking of handling improvements (even if it's just a bit) for all the springs above? i've also been looking at some tein coils... anyone with experience with those?

 

I was looking at the M-7 springs as well but then I read about the lower control arms, etc. and then I changed my focus to wheels/tires and a rear swaybar instead. And driving school.:smile:

 

As far as handling, I'm not too sure. Anyone else know the specs in that area???

Meanboy, look into those M7s next. I'm loving them. I think a sway bar may be next with control arms.

 

Thanks for the info. I am undecided on what mods yet because I might autocross the car occasionally and might want to run in the G class. But first, driving school.

 

Wasabi guys, I'm liking the M7's alot too. I've been on ol 84 and Woodside road already to test them out and there great. I've been checking tire wear and so far have not noticed any. I've put about 600 miles since the install. take care

 

sfjames2,
Do you think I can see your car. I'm also in the bay area. Did Woodside last week.

All,
Thanks for the input. Didn't think about going w/ the m7 but you guys are convincing me to go for them. I too would like to go towards the comfortable ride. H&R or Alta might be too harsh.

 

badassmini, check pm.

 

Dont you guys dare leave me out of this If you are meeting to do a run, I damn well better know about it!

I'm gonna go with the Alta springs and I will let you know about tire wear without the control arms. If its bad I will add them later.... SeeYa has told me that they are necessary, but hes an insanely fast driver and my skills are nothing compared to his so I am guessing my tire wear would be a bit less than his.

 

Hey Jason, let's hook up for a drive then. I think we'll let both those guys take the front.
I just put a UUC sway bar on the rear, its a 19mm one I got for almost nothing, you guys know anything about it, are they good. I'm a little intimidated, so I'm starting off on the softer setting. We're heading up to 84 later on today to try the bar out. Wutcha guys upto?

 

Im up for it today... got nothing better to do... any one else in the area up for it??

 

Tire wear with 6200 miles on a set of Yoko ES 100's. H-Sport springs, stock lower arms.The ones on the right were on the front for +or- 3000 miles then put on the back for the rest of their life. Their last few miles were an Evolution AutoX school. That got the edges real good.
The wear is basically as even as it gets. A little more on the inside maybe but not enough to affect the overall life of the tire IMO.
Side shot with H-Sports.

 

So the Alta and H sports drop the car about the same so the negative camber is about the same?

 

hey, right on for the pics. The wear is not bad with the h-sports. I'm thinking there will be more wear with the m7's, we'll see.


Jason and anyone else........what time?

 

Jason, were you thinking of coming out this way or you got a route planned out there? We are down for whatever.

 

Either way. I can leave whenever, doesnt matter to me. I know a good place in the south bay where you can test out that sway bar and springs, but the road is very narrow and rough... not a problem for me but Im not sure if you care.... We could meet literally anywhere in the bay area and head out... It starts in Los Gatos and Drops you off onto the backside of highway 9... from there you can either head out to santa cruz or back up to 35.

But if you wanna destroy those roads on 84 again Im down for that also.... Obviously, you are gonna be able to outhandle be so Ill take it a bit easier since I am still not the most experienced driver.... Just give me a call and we can figure out where/when to meet. Ill send you a PM with my number in case you lost it.

 

Alright cool, let's do 84. I at least know that one, so I'll feel safer about testing the bar out. I'll give you a hollar in about 20minutes.... tyring out a new DVD recorder.

 

Hey Badassmini...I just posted a pic with the M7 springs on just in case your thinking about getting them. The pic is in the M7 thread.

 

btw, if you are worried about the inter tread wearing out more than your
outer tread on the tire, check your toe. Aggressive toe settings is what
really does it.

 

I've read that negative camber wears out the inside of the tires as well. Excessive negative toe will do the same but I don't see how the toe can get that out of spec with spring changes..but I can see negative camber coming from lowered springs. My old mustang was lowered and had zero toe but had some negative camber and it wore the inside of the tires.

 

Neg camber does wear the inside of the tires if you do long distance
straight driving like hwy, interstate.

The H-sport springs have yet to show any inter-tire wear on my
GS-D3's as well. The rear camber setting (if i ever change it)
would be to rotate the rear of the car better, rather than just for
wear characteristics. It's at a neutral feel right now so do not
want to have any less camber which would induce rear turnability.
For my street driving in forests, etc. too much debris on the
roads sometimes and just safer to have that extra margin + DSC.

I had a 98 prelude back in the days and it was setup to carve canyons..
on that car I had about -2.5 neg camber on front with aggreesive toe-out
for fast turn-in response...ran TEIN HA coilover kits with upper pillow
mounts, even so, the tire wore flat since she was tossed left/right and
very little straight line. Tires (SP8000Sports) wore out in 3k miles.
My WRX is also powering on TEIN HA's with -2.2 neg camber front with
slight toe-out, -2 neg camber rear (zero toe) and S03's are
wearing completely flat on all 4 corners.

 

I believe my mustang had -2 negative camber and it did wear out the tires pretty fast but with the second round of tires the wear got better. Don't know if that was the result of a change in driving habits or just a different tire..stock gatorbacks versus comp tas.

What does your rear measure now that you have H-Sports? I am not too concerned with the front as much as I am with the rear.

 

Yes, it could be how you drive the car, road temperature and conditions, etc.
etc.

I have not physically measured the rear camber at an alignment shop since
I am not encounting any negative response from the current setup in
regards to alignment and turnability. (I have not gotten an alignment
after the H-sport install, and currently have no plans to do so. I am not
one of those that get alignment to convince my head. I feel for the
car's feedback and if it tells me that I need to change the setting, I will).

I suspect close to -2.4 neg on the rear with me in the car.:smile: