Tokico D-Spec lowering suspension review - Suspension and Brake Forum

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Tokico D-Spec lowering suspension review
Friday, July 22, 2005 3:55 PM
I just recently bought the new Tokico D-Spec lowering suspension system here:

Tokico D-Spec

I just finished installing them and dialing in the ride. I must say that I am very impressed with tthe ride quality and adjustability of the system. The 1.6 inch drop is perfect for the look of my car. Its not too low, and got rid of the 4x4 look of the stock suspension. I would take a few pics of my car with the new drop, but I don't have a digital camera.



Re: Tokico D-Spec lowering suspension review
Friday, July 22, 2005 3:58 PM
Nice, I'm def gonna start saving up for those!





Re: Tokico D-Spec lowering suspension review
Friday, July 22, 2005 10:35 PM
great mine are on the way but i hope you didnt pay that much for them cuz gravana has them for 520 shipped




Re: Tokico D-Spec lowering suspension review
Saturday, July 23, 2005 9:24 AM
That 520 shipped doesn't include the springs.


Re: Tokico D-Spec lowering suspension review
Saturday, July 23, 2005 11:42 PM
ohh you got the springs w/ them, got ya, my bad when i bought mine i just got the shocks and struts cuz im going with the tein s techs



Re: Tokico D-Spec lowering suspension review
Wednesday, July 27, 2005 4:55 PM
I thought that I should add that you will need to cut or gring the stock top shaft nuts on the front struts (you''l know what i'm talking about once you get the top nut off) and use the non-threaded part of the nut as a spacer between the nut they supply you with and the strut mount. Otherwise there will be about a 1/8 to 3/16 space between the bottom of the nut and the top of the mount, so basically you wouldn't be able to torque it down properly and the front would be loose and bang around on every bump you hit. It probably wouldn't be safe either. I already contacted Tokico about the problem and they said they would look into supplying spacers with the struts from now on.


Re: Tokico D-Spec lowering suspension review
Thursday, July 28, 2005 7:14 AM
I have had the D-Specs for about 2 months now, and love the ride. I had a few problems with the springs in that it is either the sturts or the Springs, but with the Tein S. techs I only got abut .75 inches of drop, ended up with sportlines and they gave me about 1.5" in the back (front was right where it was supposed to be).

And yes you will need to buy a space of some sort for the front strut, I went out and got hardened washers and used those, no worries.

I love the ride, and have gotten many compliments, and converts from yellows as well. This is a next generation strut in my opinion and does an amazing job of helping the car handle like it should.



Re: Tokico D-Spec lowering suspension review
Thursday, July 28, 2005 7:24 AM
i agree. i got mine when they first came out. ive been riding on them for about 4 months now, and i must say, they are an amazing ride. i had to get a few washers to fix the gap in the fronts, but other than that, i have no complaints. i agree this is the next generation of struts for all. i personally like them alot better than yellows. really no modification needed to make them work unlike the yellows, and they are cheaper





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Fred Ohlson "The people that devised this cruel attempt at
acceptance and fame burn in there honda civics
Re: Tokico D-Spec lowering suspension review
Thursday, July 28, 2005 8:22 AM
What gap do you guys keep on talking about? Can anyone get an actual picture of this gap? Im a little on the confused side.....







Re: Tokico D-Spec lowering suspension review
Thursday, July 28, 2005 8:24 AM
there was no spacer issue with mine





Re: Tokico D-Spec lowering suspension review
Thursday, July 28, 2005 10:18 AM
I too would like to know what you're talking about since I was planning on buying them. Is it spring related or strut related? You can buy the kit with everything or the struts alone. Please clarify.


"If you aren't shifting, then you certainly aren't driving!"

Re: Tokico D-Spec lowering suspension review
Thursday, July 28, 2005 12:30 PM
Its related to the strut and the strut mount. When I torqued down the nut that they supplied me with, I ws able to push down on the strut mount and create about a 1/8 inch gap between the mount and the bottom of the nut, which isn't good and shouldn't happen. But like I said, it is a simple fix with a spacer.


Re: Tokico D-Spec lowering suspension review
Thursday, July 28, 2005 1:48 PM
ya, you just need to put a washer or 2 in between the top of the strut rod, and the mount. heres a crappy drawing to give you an idea.




hope that helps a little bit




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Fred Ohlson "The people that devised this cruel attempt at
acceptance and fame burn in there honda civics
Re: Tokico D-Spec lowering suspension review
Thursday, July 28, 2005 2:16 PM
Eazy716 wrote:ya, you just need to put a washer or 2 in between the top of the strut rod, and the mount. heres a crappy drawing to give you an idea.




hope that helps a little bit


question....

since all struts are machined with step ups...

the shaft is the fattest area, then it is machined down smaller a slight bit to where the threaded area is...

shouldnt the washer if anything go on top?

reason being, unless the strut is gonna go THROUGH the mount, why put a washer underneath.

the fatter part of the strut should rest on the underside of the mount....





also when torquing the strut mount down, the final torque down should be done when its on the car and the suspension is sitting on it....


it would seem once you have 1/4 of 2600lbs, which roughly is 650lbs but closer to 800lbs due to FWD and the majority of the weight being up front...., the gap would disappear, and you would be able to tighten the nut down even more and no need for any spacer....


thats whats been confusing on every post saying you need a spacer in that location.... you shouldnt cause the weight of the car will eliminate that gap and give you more threaded area to cinch the nut down on... the fattest part of the shaft will be what stops the shaft from going through the strut mount.



Re: Tokico D-Spec lowering suspension review
Thursday, July 28, 2005 4:50 PM
Event, I did the final torque down when the suspension was on the car, but I still had the gap. The problem was when I tightened down the nut to secure the mount while the suspension was off the car, I noticed that I had run out of threads, but still had a strong 1/8 gap. That left me a little confused and frustrated, until I realized aal I needed was a spacer. I put the spacer between the mount and the nut, and not between the shaft and the mount. That got rid of the gap and solved the problem.


Re: Tokico D-Spec lowering suspension review
Thursday, July 28, 2005 7:06 PM
I also think it is relatred to the different strut mounts as well. I am running an 04 and had it. I also put mine between the nut and mount, just as GM did with that goofy nut they made.....

Would like to know what others had. I also had one of the first sets out out. I ordered mine back at the end of February, and put them on in mid March.....

Looky looky

If you look closely the 3/5 is with the Teins and not the Sportlines, the back was WAY up in the air!

Overall I love mine, and once again the ride is AMAZING!!! Who wants a ride, come to Michigan!!!



Re: Tokico D-Spec lowering suspension review
Friday, July 29, 2005 1:01 AM
i just installed my dspecs a few weeks ago and noticed no space there. anyways, i like the drop with the H&R springs, although it can be rough, it corners like a lambroghini.


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Re: Tokico D-Spec lowering suspension review
Friday, July 29, 2005 4:19 AM
ya event, when i did the drawing, i showed the wrong area. my bad. you do actually drop the car, and the washers go inside the strut mount then bolton top of it, not washers under the mount. my bad, i was trying to do it real quick.




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Fred Ohlson "The people that devised this cruel attempt at
acceptance and fame burn in there honda civics
Re: Tokico D-Spec lowering suspension review
Friday, July 29, 2005 4:29 AM
I installed the D-Spec 3 weeks ago and I must say I am extremely impressed, I never noticed any space, I have a hunch this may have to with the type of strut mount used. When I installed the D-Spec's I replaced everything (Bumpers, Insulators, Mounts Front and Rear) When I attempted to install the new strut mount in the front I noticed that the Monroe strut mounts do not have a proper seating place for that plastic angled piece under the mount. On my stock mount there was a slot so it couldn't turn, on the Monroe mount - nothing but free turning. When pressure is applied it may not move, but with hard corner I didn't trust it. I returned mine and I highly recommend not using the front strut mounts. The Rear ones were fine.

P.S. I didn't have the money for the KYB ones and the GM one was $186 Canadian (With employee discount) I later found out that there is also a AC Delco one available through GM that was only around $90 Canadian, however I'm not sure if that includes the bearing. Hope this helps!
Re: Tokico D-Spec lowering suspension review
Friday, July 29, 2005 4:41 PM
Yeah, Monroe mounts are crap. I just used my stock mounts because I only had 30k miles on them, and they were in excellent condition when I took them off and inspected them.


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