Tickle

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 23, 2022
Threads
1
Messages
1,588
Reaction score
1,799
Location
USA
Vehicle(s)
FL5
I ordered two... so the extra one is at an Acura dealer local to me.

If someone wants it let me know.

I wouldn't delay. He said he gets calls on the part through our the day but was holding it for me.

DM me. I'll tell you where
 
Last edited:

STEye

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 15, 2022
Threads
16
Messages
122
Reaction score
107
Location
US
Vehicle(s)
'23 CW CTR FL5
Is this just supposed to affect the ADS? Some people are saying it affects steering?
 

urbo73

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 7, 2023
Threads
6
Messages
253
Reaction score
344
Location
USA
Vehicle(s)
2023 Honda Civic Type R
Is this just supposed to affect the ADS? Some people are saying it affects steering?
ADS. How can it affect steering?? Who's saying that?
 


ILX6SPEED

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 11, 2022
Threads
0
Messages
278
Reaction score
374
Location
GTA, Canada
Vehicle(s)
Acura ILX 2.4, CRV, '25 FL5 CTR
@TheTopher Saw a comment on your latest YT vid (which was great btw) you've got the ITS ADS installed. Looking forward to your thoughts as you seem to have tested all methods by this point.
 
OP
OP
TheTopher

TheTopher

Member
Joined
Mar 30, 2023
Threads
2
Messages
28
Reaction score
173
Location
Michigan
Website
www.youtube.com
Vehicle(s)
2023 Honda Civic Type R
@TheTopher Saw a comment on your latest YT vid (which was great btw) you've got the ITS ADS installed. Looking forward to your thoughts as you seem to have tested all methods by this point.

ITS ADS is perfect imo, had it out on a VERY bumpy karting track last week and it was perfectly controlled in every suspension mode. My favorite thing about it is that it seems to be more of a passive damper setting that doesn't react to your driving (like the CTR ADS), so damping is consistently soft in comfort or consistently firm in +R....makes the car more predictable and compliant over larger bumps under hard cornering. It feels faster on track too.

I don't think about the suspension anymore on the street, it's perfect there too imo. If you want better turn-in/response, throw it into Sport or +R, otherwise comfort is really well tuned for everyday driving. I've been on Cup2 tires for the last couple months and the dampers work really well with those tires on street/track too. Put those orders in so they keep making ADS units!
 
First Name
Alex
Joined
Sep 20, 2023
Threads
2
Messages
21
Reaction score
13
Location
East Bay, NorCal
Vehicle(s)
2023 Civic Type R
I've been busy unplugging things in the Type R all week. First it was the exhaust valve fuse, then active sound control, and my favorite thus far, the ridiculously stiff active dampers. I thought the stock FK8 suspension was pretty good, but Honda really dropped the ball on the adaptive suspension programming in the FL5 imo. Even in comfort mode, I think it's too bouncy when pushing the car.

My solution: unplug the adaptive dampers and install a damper cancellation kit. Most would already do this when installing coilovers, I just did it with the stock FL5 suspension. I used this kit from KW for the FK8 (~$450 shipped) and the results are fantastic. No error lights, all drive modes are functional, though with passive dampers.

Note: if you just unplug the dampers (or the control module in the rear seatbelt area, driver's side), you'll get a suspension error on the dash and be locked out of your drive modes. It's a quick/free way to see if you like the car without active dampers, but everything in the car (minus suspension) will be stuck in sport mode, ie. gauge cluster, steering weight, engine sound.

So how does it feel? It rides about like the FK8 did in comfort mode, maybe softer. Handling balance is unchanged, albeit with more compliance and no more annoying bounce! The rear end still kicks out with aggressive turn-in, there's more compliance around a corner but once it sets in it just grips, especially on bumpier roads. Smooth suspension control up to and beyond the limit. I love it. I'm still on the 265/40R18 DWS 06 Plus tires here in 50ºF Michigan, so can't comment yet on how it feels on the 19" PS4S or in warmer temps.

When unplugging the dampers they will go to full soft.

The KW kit comes with pretty good installation instructions, though they're in German. I had no issues attaching them to the stock dampers f/r. Jack up car, remove wheel, clean mounting surface with alcohol, apply sticky tape, zip tie canceller to bracket, zip tie bracket to damper, then zip tie cable so it doesn't rub on anything.

It's good to know that the damper cancellation kits for the FK8 work on the FL5, especially if you want to do this or install coilovers. I don't know if the HKS Suspension Error Canceler will plug into the FL5 control unit, but did confirm that this KW worked before I bought it thanks to this video.

I'll post some footage soon of what this looks and feels like vs. the stock suspension but for now I am so glad that this worked. I'm finding the car a lot more enjoyable (and comfortable) to drive on Michigan roads and in cold weather. Ok, that's it. I'm done un-engineering stuff. Now if we could just get a proper handbrake...

Rear:
IMG_0835.jpg

Front:
IMG_0836.jpg


How to quickly disable active dampers (will get dash error):
This is a great write up. The suspension is just purely non compliant and downright combative at times. I don't know if it was designed for the roads in Japan or what. I like my NorCal canyon roads but I they are anything but smooth, and if it wasn't for the Recado seating, I'm not sure I'd even be able to stay in the seat. This thing bounces like crazy. Whenever hitting a rough patch of the road with any sort of speed, I've got to stomp the dead pedal and push myself back into the Recaro bolsters in an effort to retain smooth control over my steering inputs. Comfort mode does help quite a bit, but allows too much body roll to use for pushing the car through twistys. And don't get me wrong, the car handles it fine, however it is jarring for the driver and where this to hit you unexpectedly mid turn for example, it could turn quite precarious.

I thought it was just me! I'm gonna try pulling this fuse sometime in the near future just to see how it feels. Thanks for the tip. Maybe one day someone will find a way to get into the active dampening module and tune it for purposes other than the Suzuka.
 

CTR

CivicX Basic Sponsor
Joined
Dec 3, 2015
Threads
15
Messages
833
Reaction score
964
Location
WA
Website
strixauto.com
Vehicle(s)
2023 Civic Type R, 2020 GX460
This is a great write up. The suspension is just purely non compliant and downright combative at times. I don't know if it was designed for the roads in Japan or what. I like my NorCal canyon roads but I they are anything but smooth, and if it wasn't for the Recado seating, I'm not sure I'd even be able to stay in the seat. This thing bounces like crazy. Whenever hitting a rough patch of the road with any sort of speed, I've got to stomp the dead pedal and push myself back into the Recaro bolsters in an effort to retain smooth control over my steering inputs. Comfort mode does help quite a bit, but allows too much body roll to use for pushing the car through twistys. And don't get me wrong, the car handles it fine, however it is jarring for the driver and where this to hit you unexpectedly mid turn for example, it could turn quite precarious.

I thought it was just me! I'm gonna try pulling this fuse sometime in the near future just to see how it feels. Thanks for the tip. Maybe one day someone will find a way to get into the active dampening module and tune it for purposes other than the Suzuka.
Scroll up one post. Get an ITS ADS module and be happy. Mine is still on backorder though…
 


First Name
Alex
Joined
Sep 20, 2023
Threads
2
Messages
21
Reaction score
13
Location
East Bay, NorCal
Vehicle(s)
2023 Civic Type R
Scroll up one post. Get an ITS ADS module and be happy. Mine is still on backorder though…
This is one of the things I'm loving about this forum. I get to benefit from your guys' tinkering and get solutions I would have never figured out on my own. Thanks!
 

Jason_Gaspeed

New Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2023
Threads
0
Messages
2
Reaction score
1
Location
San Diego
Vehicle(s)
FL5
Same here been on back order for me now for 7 weeks now :banghead:
Same here, going on 7 weeks of waiting but I cancelled my order today because I called an Acura dealer (thanks to Tickle!) and they had one in stock so I went ahead and grabbed it because I was already tired of waiting. It will be shipped today and I should have it by the end of the week.
 

Rhorn

Senior Member
First Name
Robert
Joined
Mar 24, 2022
Threads
1
Messages
1,122
Reaction score
971
Location
Florida
Vehicle(s)
BRZ, Civic Type R
How do you change out the module btw?

Im thinking about getting one soon but really have no idea how to do the swap ?
 

CTR

CivicX Basic Sponsor
Joined
Dec 3, 2015
Threads
15
Messages
833
Reaction score
964
Location
WA
Website
strixauto.com
Vehicle(s)
2023 Civic Type R, 2020 GX460
How do you change out the module btw?

Im thinking about getting one soon but really have no idea how to do the swap ?
You have to remove the seat bottom (1 bolt) and the cover on the rear driver side to access 2 bolts for the plastic panel. Pretty easy to remove but it does not just pull off like the FK8.

You may want to get one on order. There is a nationwide backorder and some of us have been waiting 2 months already.
Sponsored

 
 







Top