digizure

Hello, I just bought a Prelude SH (1998) and the previous owner had aftermarket lowering springs, struts and sway bar installed. The car now has blown struts and I thought it'd be an easy replace. It turns out that no one makes struts (other than OEM) for the SH type.

I took the car to two shops and they both confirmed that the car needs to be raised back to stock height. In order to do that, the struts, springs and sway bar needs to be replaced. They also said that the sway bar is pulling the rear shocks down causing it to break. I'm now looking at $1,000 - $1,500 worth of repair, labor included.

Are there any suggestions on what I should do? If there's nothing else I could do then I will sell it. The Prelude only has 84,500 miles and runs great. PM me if you want to buy it or if you have suggestions. Thank you.

M

lilredlude

just buy base struts to go with the base springs the previous owner had on there. really not that hard at all. find oem sway bar in classifieds? sh sway can work with base springs. i never changed that when i put the new suspension in my sh.

__________________
If you don't know what you want, you end up with a lot you don't.

digizure

The guys at the shop said that if I put in struts with the same springs and sway bar, I will wear out the struts a lot quicker.

Rycon

You do not need to replace the sway bar, the only time the sway bar pulls on the body is in cornering, and even then it wont be causing damage to anything.

If you want it back to stock height, I suggest you try and find someone selling them used and do it yourself for cheap. It is true that the struts will wear out quicker if you put OEM struts with aftermarket lowering springs, however, it depends on how low the springs are. I had OEM struts with 1.5 inch drop springs and they were fine for years.

You should see what kind of springs and struts are already on the car.

digizure

The sway bar is an aftermarket part (there's no label so I have no idea what kind) and the Prelude came with Excel struts and Espelir springs. I believe the springs has 1.5 inch drop but I am not 100% sure.

Another issue is, I do not know if the Espelir springs are base or SH springs. This is becoming a major headache. Ha.

lilredlude

so just buy new shocks and springs. or get some used base springs off the classifieds

BB6 Neuspeed Race Springs and new struts
H&R sport springs "NEW"
F/S: 4g 5g Ground Control + KYB AGX Twin Tube Adjustable Dampening w/ extras !!@@@@@@@@ - Honda Prelude Forum : Honda Prelude Forums <springs and shocks good option i'd get these if i were in the market
F/S 4th Gen: H&R Stage 3 Racing Springs - Honda Prelude Forum : Honda Prelude Forums
F/S: 5th and 4th Gen Tein Flex with EDFC controller - Honda Prelude Forum : Honda Prelude Forums
T/W...Ground Control (Custom rate springs) with Koni Yellows - Honda Prelude Forum : Honda Prelude Forums

or buy new
Springs

your setup is probably all base though. does excel make sh struts? if not then the whole setup has to be base.

__________________
If you don't know what you want, you end up with a lot you don't.

lilredlude

and install your own springs/shocks
NTPOG 5th Gen Spring Installation

__________________
If you don't know what you want, you end up with a lot you don't.

digizure

Will the springs and struts from a 1997 SH fit a 1998 SH? I found a set for $30 on craigslist but I am not sure if they will fit since the '97 is 4th gen and the 98 is 5th gen.

lilredlude

97-01 is 5th gen. and 4th gen will also fit a 5th gen anyways.

__________________
If you don't know what you want, you end up with a lot you don't.

digizure

Oh, my bad. I thought 98-01 is 5th gen.

I guess I have two options... I could buy the used OEM struts and springs and save a whole bunch of money or keep the Espelir springs and get KYB AGX as well as the camber kit. Hmm.

Rycon

You don't NEED a camber kit if its only 1.5 or less.

Nothing wrong with getting one though.

digizure

Really? I thought the camber kit would preserve tire life and help with the alignment?

Rycon

No, you DO NOT need camber kits!!!!!!!! - Honda-Tech

With a small drop and proper toe in alignment you shouldn't have any issues. I ran a 1.5 tein drop with no camber kit and the worst I ever saw was a little more tire wear on the inside of the tire, but by that time the tire needed replacement anyway.

bennettman2002

Please help!!!!!!

i just bought a 1998 prelude with all kind of mods but doesnt run well!!!!!!

here is a list of mods
Eibach pro kit lowered 1" rear 1 1/2" front
DC sports strut bar (rear only)
DC sports 4-2-1 headers
High flow Cat
Tanabe cat back with low pro/high flow muffler
I.T.B.'s 50mm per cylinder (individual throttle bodies)
original intake manifold and AEM cold air intake included
fuel rail with adjustable fuel regulator
RC engineering 440cc fuel injectors
Walbro 650lph fuel pump
high output ignition coil
high output plug wires
NGK 4 prong spark plugs

Engine:
less than 1500 miles since rebuild
Brian Crower stroker kit: from 2.2L to 2.49L
-CP pistons high compression (11.5 : 1)
-89mm bore x 100mm stroke (darton sleeves) 55mm mains
-ACL race bearings
-billet crank
- H-beam BC625+ rods
Head ported and polished for best performance with natural aspiration by Abacus Racing
Race Engineering valves with 3 angle machining
titanium springs and retainers
Skunk2 stage 2 pro series cams
AEM adjustable cam gears
Kevlar reinforced timing belt
hardened oil pump gears
H23 manual timing belt tensioner

Hondata s300 piggy back ECU


it wont idel and im not sure if all the vac lines are hooked up right
can some one please help!!!

need a map or something i dont want to pay $1000's to fix


thanks and god bless

Nighthawk01

^^^ yO man, Make a new thread in regards to that lol


title it proper "built 98 with idle issues" something like that