Civic FD stiff ride quality?

**szekan** · August 5th, 2018 06:31 AM

Hi guys,
Just went to banawe and on my way back, the roads almost banged the crap out of my civic fd.
I have stock suspension and stock Dunlop 205/55/16 tires and the ride is just too hard.
Do you guys have any tips to soften the ride? Some rough roads bang so hard that it looks as if something smashed my interior console.
Otherwise there is no suspension sound or knocks.

I have heard some lowering springs actually soften the ride of civic fd.. Is this true?

**shadow** · August 5th, 2018 06:56 AM

Eh di hinde ka na nakadaan sa mga lubak na yan pag nag lowering Spring ka.

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**oj88** · August 5th, 2018 07:50 AM

The FD has a stiff suspension from the factory. Yan din complaint ko when I first got it. It’s no Toyota. In fact, the 1st Gen Jazz had softer suspension than the FD. Love it or hate it, the stiffness helps quite a bit at highway speeds as steering is more responsive and it has less body roll. But on Metro Manila roads, passenger comfort suffers a bit and NVH becomes more pronounced.

Lowering the suspension will actually make it more stiff. By lowering it, you’re reducing suspension play. The springs have to be desgned to cope with that so the car won’t bottom out.

**SpinCycle** · August 5th, 2018 07:58 AM

Maybe your shocks are bottoming out causing the harsh ride. Have you checked them for any leaks?

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**Dragoon119** · August 5th, 2018 08:10 AM

If the ride is harsh then check to make sure that the dampers are good. If they are then focus on the shocks. However if you could post a picture of the road condition I might be able to directly you to the first area of modification. Of course airbags would solve any problem if you are okay with losing the sporting ride and adding weight.

**szekan** · August 5th, 2018 12:44 PM

Originally Posted by Dragoon119

If the ride is harsh then check to make sure that the dampers are good. If they are then focus on the shocks. However if you could post a picture of the road condition I might be able to directly you to the first area of modification. Of course airbags would solve any problem if you are okay with losing the sporting ride and adding weight.

Thanks for the reply guys, yes everything has been checked and replaced and like I said the car rides without any noise or unusual behavior. I also suspected the shockers at first but many workshops in banawe have approved that my shockers are good.
No specific road, but just normal pot holes or dips on the road will sound harsh and makes my center console sound horrible. Like I said earlier, the suspension itself makes no noise etc, just the Impact is really felt inside the car, mostly centre console panal where it makes a huge thud sound.

**StockEngine** · August 5th, 2018 01:07 PM

Originally Posted by szekan

Thanks for the reply guys, yes everything has been checked and replaced and like I said the car rides without any noise or unusual behavior. I also suspected the shockers at first but many workshops in banawe have approved that my shockers are good.
No specific road, but just normal pot holes or dips on the road will sound harsh and makes my center console sound horrible. Like I said earlier, the suspension itself makes no noise etc, just the Impact is really felt inside the car, mostly centre console panal where it makes a huge thud sound.

how did they check the shocks?

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**Woof** · August 5th, 2018 02:40 PM

Originally Posted by szekan

… No specific road, but just normal pot holes or dips on the road will sound harsh and makes my center console sound horrible. Like I said earlier, the suspension itself makes no noise etc, just the Impact is really felt inside the car, mostly centre console panal where it makes a huge thud sound.

If you have properly checked your suspension components like you say and they don't make unusual noises under normal driving conditions, then I think you are likely misdiagnosing the problem. The banging noise you are hearing when going through ruts or potholes is likely caused by the worn upper engine support that bottoms out when you go over a particularly nasty pothole or hump without slowing down. That metallic thudding sound made by worn upper engine mounts always seem to emanate from the front right hand side of the dashboard. Did you have this checked?

**baludoy** · August 5th, 2018 03:44 PM

^ that's what i'm thinking too.

i remember i already suggested to check the engine supports and the tranny support before in another thread that's why i was hesitant to bring it up again. baka makulitan lang sa akin.

**szekan** · August 5th, 2018 08:01 PM

Originally Posted by baludoy

^ that's what i'm thinking too.

i remember i already suggested to check the engine supports and the tranny support before in another thread that's why i was hesitant to bring it up again. baka makulitan lang sa akin.

Yes guys, each and every component of the car has been checked. If I am to compare, the vios, old altis and my civic fd almost ride similar. But it is stiff and harsh and on rough roads it does feel harsh. Even some fd owners in my area test drove it and said the car is fine, this is how fd is... But lately I saw some fb post claiming that this specific brand of lowering springs is actually better than stock springs and makes the car more comfortable. That's why I came here for more info...

P. S:- the upper engine mount was changed some while ago and there is a big gap between then metal piece and rubber of the mount (I was told when the rubber and metal piece meet together, then it's time to fix it). As for tranny, there is no jerk or any vibration of the engine in the cabin..
Last week I had my rack and pinion seal changed so they had open the whole front, that's how they had checked all the components of the suspension and other parts.