MaXpeedingRods Coilover Installation on the 8th-Gen Honda Civic
Introduction
This guide covers fitting a full set of MaXpeedingRods adjustable coilovers to the eighth-generation Honda Civic, replacing the factory front struts and the separate rear shock-and-spring assemblies. These budget coilovers provide height adjustment, an independent spring-perch adjustment, 24-way damping adjustment, and adjustable front camber plates, with spring rates of 392 in/lbs at the front and 336 in/lbs at the rear. Owners choose a setup like this to lower the car, sharpen handling, and dial in a personalized stance without paying premium-brand prices. The front corners are relatively quick; the rear takes more patience because the shock and coil are separate components and the original spring has to be worked out of the suspension. Expect to re-check and re-set ride height several times during the first week while the springs settle. Adapted from a community writeup by Bulli Kid on 8th Civic (https://www.8thcivic.com/threads/maxpeedingrods-coilover-installation-guide.658663/), including corrections from the follow-up discussion.
Reference
Tools Required
- Floor jack and jack stands rated for the vehicle weight
- Lug wrench
- 19mm socket
- 13mm socket
- 14mm socket
- 14mm wrench
- Adjustable wrench
- Hex (Allen) key to fit the rear shock shaft
- Ratchet and breaker bar
- Impact gun (recommended for seized fasteners)
- Penetrating oil
- Zip ties
Parts Required
-
MaXpeedingRods adjustable coilover set for the 8th-gen Civic (front struts with camber plates, rear springs, perches, and shocks)
-
Grease for the front camber-plate bearing (optional, to address turning noise)
Safety Warnings
- ⚠ Support the vehicle on jack stands rated for its weight; never work beneath a car held up only by a jack.
- ⚠ Do not leave the ABS or brake lines hanging under tension. Support or zip-tie loose lines so they are not stretched or damaged during the swap.
Step-by-Step Instructions
1 Raise and support the car, then remove the wheels
Loosen the lug nuts, lift the corner you are working on, and set the car securely on jack stands rated for its weight before removing the wheel. Never rely on the jack alone. With the wheel off, the factory strut, its two lower mounting bolts behind the brake, and the brake and ABS lines are all within reach.
2 Free the lower strut bolts
Two bolts secure the base of the front strut to the lower arm just behind the brake assembly. Hold the nut with an adjustable wrench and drive the bolt head with a 19mm socket. These are frequently seized, so an impact gun speeds the job and a shot of penetrating oil beforehand loosens stubborn ones.
3 Detach the brake and ABS lines
Unbolt the brake line bracket from the strut body with a 13mm socket, then release the ABS sensor line by popping its clip out of its seat. Some replacement coilover bodies lack a threaded tab for the ABS bracket; if yours does, secure that line with a zip tie instead.
4 Release the upper mount and remove the strut
In the engine bay, take out the three upper mount nuts with a 14mm socket. Break them loose before the lower bolts come out so the strut stays captive while you work. Once the top mount is free, drop the complete OEM strut down and out of the car.
5 Install the front coilover
Confirm the coilover preload and initial ride height are set per the manufacturer's spring-perch procedure, then lift the new unit into the strut tower and start the three top-mount nuts by hand. Reconnect the lower arm bolts, the brake line bracket, and the ABS line, reversing the removal sequence. Torque the fasteners and refit the wheel.
6 Expose the rear upper shock mounts
Move to the trunk and lift the floor mat that conceals the rear shock towers. Take out the six plastic push-bolts, three per side, along with the two retaining clips, one on each side, to uncover the upper mounts.
7 Loosen the rear upper shock nut
The top nut tends to spin with the shock shaft, so seat a hex key in the end of the shaft to hold it stationary and back the nut off counterclockwise with a 14mm wrench. This is the most awkward step of the whole job, so take your time.
8 Remove the rear shock and factory spring
At the rear wheel, take out the camber bolt with a 14mm socket to let the camber arm swing free, then remove the lower shock bolt. Press down firmly on the suspension arm to open up clearance and work the original coil spring out.
9 Fit the rear coilover
Assemble the new spring, perch, and shock, then set the unit in place and reinstall the camber arm, lower bolt, and upper nut in reverse order. Adjust the spring perch to reach your target rear ride height before torquing everything down and refitting the wheel.
10 Settle the suspension and fine-tune
Give the springs roughly a week of normal driving to settle before adjusting anything. Ride height, camber, and damping are all tunable; plan on revisiting the settings six or seven times to get them close. Because even factory suspension is rarely identical from corner to corner, aim for a balanced result rather than perfection.
Pro Tips
- 💡 Break the three upper strut nuts loose before undoing the two lower bolts so the strut stays supported while you separate it.
- 💡 Set spring preload following the manufacturer's dedicated preload procedure before final assembly, not by eye.
- 💡 Owners have reported a noise from the front when turning after fitting these coilovers; greasing the camber-plate bearing is the usual fix to check first.
- 💡 Penetrating oil and an impact gun make the often-seized lower strut bolts far easier to remove.
Was this guide helpful?
