Honda Car Forum

can you use stock shock absorbers with lowering springs?

no it will give you a very rough ride and will be very bad for youre shock and youre car

No because you are changing the shock travel length and they will rupture very easily.

I'd say it depends on how much you lower the car. I have a 1996 Mazda Astina (323F/Lantis). I fitted -40mm AVO springs about 2 years ago and it's been fine ever since with standard shocks. I take my car to open track day sessions once a month or so, and the handling is vastly improved, yet the ride comfort is still very acceptable. General opinion in my car club (www.club323f.com) is that if you go lower than 40mm, you need to change shocks ...

The shock absorber will work throughout it's full travel just like normal. Lowering your vehicle will change the amount of travel the vehicle can operate in, i.e. lowering reduces the bounce height limit of the wheel/tire. The stock shock will have a similar reduction in operating range and will operate much closer to fully collapsed when the car is lowered. As long as there is still some shock when the suspension bottoms and still some shock with the suspension fully extended, you shouldn't have a concern.Of course, lowering the vehicle will give you plenty of shock travel in the jounce (down) direction as lowering compresses the shock leaving lots of extension travel. The bounce (up) direction will be your major concern since the shock will already be retracted from the car being lowered. You should see the suspension hit the limiter bumper before the shock bottoms. If the shock bottoms first, you will need a different shock.Don't forget about camber concerns when lowering either! Most Honda/Acura products do not come with a camber adjustment and will have to have aftermarket upper ball joints installed to allow for camber adjustment when the vehicle is lowered.Good luck!

Your stock shocls will just blow one day but dont worry you will be fine. Of course you cant man.