Hello, I have a stock 97 civic ex coupe and need to replace my struts...leaking. Anyway, I have been reading around and would like to replace the factory units with something better-of course! I have read a lot about Koni's and was thinking of getting the str.t oranges for my car front and rear. I am planning on using the factory springs as I really don't want to lower my car, I would go 1" max drop, but I live in an area with lots of snow so I don't want to be plowing the roads during the winter if you know what I mean. My question is can I reuse the factory strut mounting plates on the top or do I have to replace them? I would think this setup would provide a better ride/handling than stock, am I correct? Thanks.

 

The Koni STR.T shocks are great. They work real well with most lower springs.

To answer your question, yes, you can reuse your original top mounts. Everyone does unless they get aftermarket extended top mounts. It's just a big chunk of metal. The only thing that may need to be replaced are the bushings within the top mount. Though that is unusual so I wouldn't worry about it.

The Koni STR.T matched with stock springs will work fine. As far as ride quality, it may be a little more "stiff" when hitting pot holes and/or bumps along the road. Simply because the shock would be over-dampened for the stock springs. It'll work fine, just may not be as buttery smooth/soft as a completely OE suspension. Handling won't really get much better. Shocks don't directly make your car handle better, their job is to control the movement of the suspension. Springs, swaybars, bushings, etc.. all directly make your car handle better.

 

Thanks for the reply. I got a call from the place that I ordered the struts from and found out that the str.t's for the front were on back order from the factory and he had no idea when they would be getting in. I did a little research and ended up getting the eiback pro-dampers instead, they were in stock. I realize that the struts won't make a world of difference, but was hoping to get a little less body roll on corners. Do you guys think it would be worth it to get their pro springs? I would only want a 1.5" max drop since I live in Fargo, ND and winters are a bugger around here. Would those springs really make a noticable difference in the way the car handles or not? Forgive the questions, I am new at suspension meddling.

 

The Eibach Pro-Kit springs are a good setup for a mild drop and daily driving. They will make the car handle a little better but nothing very significant. They are a little stiffer than stock but not so much that it'll still provide a decent ride.

 

hey guys sorry to butt in, but im in the middle of getting shocks and i am debating between the koni str.t or the tokico blues, my car is a 97 lowered on stock springs and shock, any help would be highly apreciated.

 

Your car is lowered on STOCK springs?? Did you cut them??

 

I was running brand new Tokico Blue set with Tokico lower springs for few years on my old Civic.
My car felt much stable on high speed and in corners. I don't know for some might not be a big difference, but for it was.
The only bad thing I noticed after 2-3 winters in Chicagoland was that both the shocks and the springs got really rusty and the paint on both peeled away.
The car was dropped about 1.5-2" which is the maximum if you don't wanna use camber plates. But the guys in the alignment shop always had problems with keeping my alignmnet close to specs. They had said I always had negative camber in the back, but that was fine for me.