what type of suspension replacement do i want for best mpg

[WarChildsCRX]

hello
i am buying a 1990 used honda crx hf with 300kmiles.
it skeaks and drop qucik and jerky when going over bumps
im guessing it needs to "struts" the things thatlook like springs.
-i know very little about suspension...i am about to research but since questions and answers take time... i thoguht i would ask here and give time.
- i know that dropping the car lower is better for aero dynamics when it comes to better mpg
some questions i had was:
#1. is it better for firm or floating suspension feel?
#2. how low should the car be lowerd form stock?
#3. are coilovers better than oem struts?
#4 what rim size is good?
#5 that upgrade in the engine bay that apear to be a bar going from left to right that i am guessing is for tightening suspension feed back from right to left or its for increasing the structural integrity incase the car gets hit.... is that an advised suspension upgrade for better mpg or erelivant?

Whats the best advise to give me in upgrading...
also i know blocking the raditor grill by 75% is good idea for mpg
no cold air intake is a good idea for mpg
new tires and inflated is good for mpg

thansk for answering my questions i have in advance... i know i did not prep these questions as well as i have read others

- ima newb to forums
thanks

[GasSavers_BEEF]

usually when you talk of MPG you usually don't talk suspension. I will say that lower is usually better but there is a tradeoff there. Lower ground clearance runs into other issues such as speed bumps and country roads being issues. There is also the issue of cost. I know for my yaris, a good coilover setup will run you $600+ and you can get stocks struts relatively cheap.

I think it depends on your motivation. Are you trying to get better gas mileage to save money or just to prove a point? Maybe save the environment? if it is to save money, don't spend large sums of money to save a few pennies at the pump.

I would say to be cautious with the grill block. You don't want to overheat your engine so do it in a way that is reversable. Cold air intakes are money out of your pocket. I would recommend getting a new filter as per routine maintenace (amazing how many people neglect that). The tires, I would replace them if they need replacing and go to the sidewall max pressure.

My motivation is to save money with my better fuel economy so modifications are usually cheap or have a relatively large payoff over time. One good investment is a scangauge or ultragauge to show real time MPG. I have had my scangauge for around 5 years now.

Good luck.

[Jay2TheRescue]

I think if you're looking for mileage, you probably need to return the car to the stock configuration.

[theholycow]

NONE of these upgrades will ever pay for themselves in saved fuel money. They probably won't even make a measurable difference. Generally, the limit to how fast you can take a turn is likely to be visibility, not handling...though when it is handling, upgrades can help you carry more momentum through a turn. Do them for other reasons but keep fuel economy in mind.

#2. Keep it high enough that you don't have to brake for bumps and then re-accelerate after. If all of your driving is smooth high speed freeway driving then lowering will help more than if not.

#4 Upsized rims/low profile tires have more rolling resistance (and a WHOLE lot more expense). Stay with stock.

#5 If I'm reading that right, you're talking about a structural member that reduces body flex to help with handling so you can take turns faster.

Inflation good is good for fuel economy, but new tires are not. Worn tires have less rolling resistance. That's NOT a good reason to drive on worn tires though. Safety first. No tire is more expensive, less efficient, or worse for the environment than crashing your car.

[trollbait]

#1 Most of the lowering kits are for performance, and are firmer. Keep in mind that running the tire pressure at sidewall will make the ride firmer than factory.

Stock parts are going to be a lot cheaper than performance upgrades. A CRX or Honda forum should able to point in the direction of which brand of stock struts and shocks are firmer and softer, but the differences will be small.

An air dam under the front will give much of the same benefits as lowering for less cost. I built one out of a strip of the black plastic garden edging. Mounting happened to be easy since there was already a plastic lip on the car that I screwed it right to. Never had a look at the front underside of a CRX. So I can't say if it will be that simple, or if it will require some inventiveness with various brackets and bolts.

#5 That's a strut brace. With hard cornering over time, the top mounting point of the structs will move apart from each other. That info came from an article talking about racing. So, it likely has little bearing on day to day road driving.However, it also mention regular up and down motion, such as from potholes, leads to the top points moving closer together.

Strut braces can be had cheap considering the cost of other performance upgrades. They were $30 for an HHR on Ebay. So, you might want consider it to help reinforce an older car's frontend, if you regular drive on rough roads. I wouldn't worry about it if you more important things to spend the money on though.

[WarChildsCRX]

Wow. I lik the feedback. Thanks.

I just baught the car.
So I would like to fix anything now while i still got the 'juice"
-After doing more research. I have realised its most likely the struts that need to be replaced... aka the hydralics in between the springs.
-after talking to some mechanics they told me the lower and upper arms need to be replaced to.
And if im down there and fixing the struts that cost 400 for all 4..... i am considering to buy a full coil over set for 600-700...to make it look cool and if its more aerodynamic on the freeway, then great.

but 400 for struts and 600 for coil overs to make look cooler is a factor to analyze

What is a good coilover brand to check out on ebay or online
What is a good brand for struts on ebay or online?...are they really only $30.00 each?

[trollbait]

The $30 was for a strut brace. It's just a metal bar that bolts to each strut mount and stretches across the engine bay.

Just found this at Amazon.
Amazon.com: 89-91 Honda Civic / CRX Tokico Shocks Struts + M2 Lowering Springs Combo: Automotive

I usually end up buying from Amazon. Stock struts, without coils, run $30 and $40. The rear shocks should be a little cheaper. Performance appear to be twice as much.

[GasSavers_BEEF]

Another good site to check is rockauto.com they have some cheap OEM replacement stuff. They don't do performance.

[theholycow]

Sometimes Rockauto has some performance stuff (especially for platforms like mine that were offered with OEM police package suspension ), but mostly it's just replacement parts. Be sure to look up a 5% off coupon code before ordering, they send one to everybody who orders and they encourage people to post them so they're all over the internet.