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Acura TSX: Suspension Modifications

Is it a luxury ride for executives, or a hot sport sedan for tearing up twisty roads? With the TSX, it can be be either depending on how you mod it.

By Timothy Savage - May 25, 2016

This article applies to the Acura TSX (2004-2014).

The Acura TSX was designed and marketed as a sporty compact luxury car, and although it was small in size, it was large in high-end features. But whether it is a well-appointed compact sports sedan, or a sharp handling compact luxury car, it is well supported by the aftermarket with a plethora of suspension tuning and upgrade options. Luxury car buyer was a comfortable ride, but if you are willing to give up some of that plushness, you can significantly improve the handling of your TSX.

Beyond the handling improvements, there are appearance upgrades to be had with larger aftermarket wheels, lower profile tires, and fancy brake upgrades. Acura themselves even offered a special version of the TSX, with the tag “A-SPEC” that included special sway bars, springs, shocks/struts, wheels, and appearance upgrades and badging. And by most accounts, when the cost of these performance upgrades were added up, the A-SPEC represented quite a bargain, compared to upgrading one yourself with aftermarket parts.

Acura TSX Suspension Modifications

2012 Acura TSX A-SPEC
Figure 1. 2012 Acura TSX A-SPEC.

If you were not lucky enough to get a car equipped with the A-SPEC package, you are out of luck, as it is no longer available directly from Acura. For in addition to the badging and bling, the TSX A-SPEC package enhanced both styling and handling with the following:

  • Track-tuned suspension package that lowered the car by approximately one inch
  • 18 x 8.5 wheels equipped with Yokohama tires
  • Performance brake pads (for automatic transmission-equipped models)
  • Underbody aero kit
  • Deck lid spoiler
  • Side Skirts
  • Front lip

Tires, wheels, and brakes are easy to purchase and install, but if you want the full A-SPEC experience, or an even sportier ride, you'll need to go further with the suspension modifications. Aftermarket performance parts for the 1st generation (2004-2008) TSX are less popular these days, but still, there are still plenty of aftermarket performance enhancements available, even for the later 2nd generation Sport Wagon. Of course, how far most people are going to go with their car ultimately depend on how much money they’re willing to spend.

#1 Lowering Springs

H & R Lowering springs

DIY Cost – $220-$250

Professional Cost – $450-$550 including parts

Skill Level – Moderate; involves compressing the springs and may require an alignment afterwards.

Lowering and stiffening the suspension on the TSX, or any car, improves it in a bunch of different ways. By putting the center of gravity lower to the ground, the car will have reduced body roll in corners, less brake dive, and better traction as well as acceleration. Lowering the TSX by about an inch can be accomplished by replacing the coil springs with shorter stiffer units, and reusing OEM type shock absorbers/dampers. But, since it doesn’t take any more to replace the shocks at the same time, you might as well do both at once. Some popular brand name lowering springs include Tein, H&R, Eibach, and Progress.

#2 Aftermarket Shocks/Struts

Shock absorbers

DIY Cost – $150-$210

Professional Cost – $450-$550 including parts

Skill Level – Moderate; involves compressing the springs and may require an alignment afterwards.

When putting on a set of lowering springs, or even stock height springs with a stiffer rate, it only makes sense to change the shocks for a better damping unit. Companies such as Koni and Bilstein sell dampers that are much better and longer lasting that stock, control the wheels better, as well as ride almost as comfortably as the stock units. KYB and Monroe offer low priced alternatives to the OEM units that ride comfortable and may offer better handling as well. If you are going through the hassle of changing the springs, spend a little bit more money and change the shocks at the same time.

#3 Sway Bars

H & R Sway bars

DIY Cost – $200-400

Professional Cost – $300-600

Skill Level – Easy; this is mostly a simple bolt-in procedure.

A good place to start is with a larger diameter rear sway bar. A stiffer rear sway bar improves handling by reducing both body roll and the understeer designed into all front wheel drive cars. Most TSX forums members suggest getting a 22mm diameter bar for the rear, which is very easy to install and reuses most of the factory mounting points and hardware. Popular aftermarket rear sway bars include Eibach, Progress Technology, CT Engineering, H&R, and others.

#4 Coilovers

Megan Racing Coilovers

DIY Cost – $492-1,000

Professional Cost –$700-1,300

Skill Level – Moderate; this job requires the removal of various suspension components.

To go one better than the A-SPEC kit, you'll want to install a full set of coilovers from a reputable company. Typically fully adjustable for ride height, pre-load and damping, adjustable coilover shock absorbers replace the non-adjustable factory coilover strut type shocks. The coilovers typically make the ride much stiffer and the handling much tighter than the stock, and aren't recommended if you expect the ride to be at all comfortable. Installing them is as easy as changing the OEM type shocks, or possibly easier since you seldom have to use a spring compressor. If you are making a track day toy, or a serious back road weapon, you are eventually going to want coilovers.

#5 Air Ride

air ride by truhart

DIY Cost – $4,000-6,000

Professional Cost –$4,500-7,000

Skill Level – Difficult; you have to change out the shocks, then plump for air and wire the compressor.

If you are looking for the ultimate low, low ride, but need to drive into driveways and over speed bumps, consider installing air ride. Similar to coilovers in concept, air ride shocks have an air spring instead of a mel one, and can be adjusted for height and stiffness instantly, even while driving. The downside to air ride is the expense of it, usually several thousand dollars, and the difficulty in installing it. You need to wire up the electrical aspects or it, plump the air tubing and compressor, and then install all the suspension pieces. But no other mod is going to allow you to lay frame when you want to, and still drive the car on a daily basis.

Pro Tip

Bear in mind that whether doing big changes to the suspension of your Acura TSX or small, you'll always want to have a professional wheel alignment done on your vehicle afterward.

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