Active Dampers too stiff on FL5. Disabled with Damping Cancellation Kit

UPDATE: Just install the Type S ADS, part number:

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!

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Original post:

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:

Front:


How to quickly disable active dampers (will get dash error):

Is the benefit here you can run +R mode with full VSA off and Comfort shock damping?

Icehawk said:

Is the benefit here you can run +R mode with full VSA off and Comfort shock damping?

Click to expand...

Yep, exactly - a big reason why I did this was to be able to run +R mode comfortably with VSA off.

@TheTopher from your experience, which damping is firmer in +R mode - the FL5 or the FK8 LE? Or are they more or less similar?

Since these work, I wonder it the ADS module is identical to the FK8? Has anyone confirmed if the box at least looks the same?

TheTopher said:

Yep, exactly - a big reason why I did this was to be able to run +R mode comfortably with VSA off.

Click to expand...

A guy I know programs Arduino boxes for Miatas to do custom functions, I'm wondering if he can create a module that simulates the "pedal dance". There's a CTR tuner "SES Electronics" that might be a company to reach out to as well. I'm not a fan of VSA on a FWD car except in normal, wet, driving and I find the FL5's to be quite intrusive.

That KW kit is very neat but also very expensive for what I imagine is a resistor.

I got so excited reading this I had to try it. I unplugged from the panel. I went down some bad roads and the car seemed to soak up the bumps very nicely. It felt like the shocks worked how they are supposed to and don’t have something adjusting them to make it firmer. I can’t wait to do my milk run on the way to work and will be able to tell more differences.

Q: If you do the canceling kit can you flip between drive modes after? Or are you stuck on the most recent mode? I’m fine if you’re stuck in one mode I would just go with comfort.

Thanks Topher for sharing this.

That’s a pretty innovative solution.

Comfort more is about spot on for U.K. roads, the suspension feels more compliant than my C63. I thought our roads were pretty rubbish, but your roads over the pond must be awful!!

looking forward to testing out sport and R mode on the track this week.

Kfo_cpa said:

I got so excited reading this I had to try it. I unplugged from the panel. I went down some bad roads and the car seemed to soak up the bumps very nicely. It felt like the shocks worked how they are supposed to and don’t have something adjusting them to make it firmer. I can’t wait to do my milk run on the way to work and will be able to tell more differences.

Q: If you do the canceling kit can you flip between drive modes after? Or are you stuck on the most recent mode? I’m fine if you’re stuck in one mode I would just go with comfort.

Thanks Topher for sharing this.

Click to expand...

Sweet! And yep, with the cancelers everything works as normal, just with passive dampers.

It’s interesting, the cancelers seem like they’re just dummy damper adjuster motors, probably fully functional and nearly identical to what’s affixed to the oem shocks. They’re hefty little devices, just not connected to anything.

TheTopher said:

I assume you could also set the dampers to sport or +R, before unplugging them (and then plugging into the KW kit) for different levels of stiffness.

Click to expand...

Unfortunately that would only change the current the ADS will put through the KW canceller.

CTR said:

Since these work, I wonder it the ADS module is identical to the FK8? Has anyone confirmed if the box at least looks the same?

Click to expand...

From what I was able to find, the boxes look different, and at least visually it seems like there might be a slight difference with the connectors between fk8 and fl5. That’s why I didn’t want to risk the HKS unit without trying it first. Here are the best photos I've been able to find of that kit: https://art-of-attack.com/products/...ler-type-h-2017-civic-si-fc3-civic-type-r-fk8

Icehawk said:

A guy I know programs Arduino boxes for Miatas to do custom functions, I'm wondering if he can create a module that simulates the "pedal dance". There's a CTR tuner "SES Electronics" that might be a company to reach out to as well. I'm not a fan of VSA on a FWD car except in normal, wet, driving and I find the FL5's to be quite intrusive.

That KW kit is very neat but also very expensive for what I imagine is a resistor.

Click to expand...

This would be the ideal solution! Hopefully we can convince one of these companies to give us a pedal dance mode and a tunable solution for the suspension. At that point though, a good set of coilovers might be the move, and it's good to know that we can do that and still retain all drive modes with the canceler kits.

I’m also curious how the Integra Type S suspension is going to ride, I have a feeling it’ll be a lot less aggressive, if not spot on. And I bet that box will directly swap into the type r … along with a heated steering wheel ...wishful thinking.

Sorry one more question: When you switch between drive modes (post cancellation kit) does the suspension firmness change as well, or is it just the gauge cluster, steering etc. that changes?

Thanks again! This is looking to be a game changer for me.

Kfo_cpa said:

Sorry one more question: When you switch between drive modes (post cancellation kit) does the suspension firmness change as well, or is it just the gauge cluster, steering etc. that changes?

Thanks again! This is looking to be a game changer for me.

Click to expand...

The suspension won't be able to change with the modules unplugged, this is turning them into standard fixed dampers.

Someone posted about reaching out to DSC before on here, Im hoping them or a similar company makes a fully adjustable programmer that allows us to modify the stiffness with the stock dampers. We used them on the Camaro 1LE dampers and they are big with the euro cars. It's a much better solution to our stiffness problem.

Where exactly is the control module to test this ? I know you said rear seatbelt area behind drivers seat but where? By the backseat seatbelt? What am I looking for exactly?

TheTopher said:

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 better. 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.

I set the dampers to comfort mode before plugging into the cancellation modules. I assume you could also set the dampers to sport or +R before unplugging them (and then plugging into the KW kit) for different levels of stiffness. I haven't tried that yet, but may at the track.

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. Ok, that's it. I'm done un-engineering stuff. Now if we could just get a proper handbrake...

Rear:

Front:

How to quickly disable active dampers (will get dash error):

Click to expand...

elusiveaura said:

Where exactly is the control module to test this ? I know you said rear seatbelt area behind drivers seat but where? By the backseat seatbelt? What am I looking for exactly?

Click to expand...

I removed the 10mm bolt and pulled towards the top of the panel (watch topher vid). There are clips on the right side of the panel going down to bottom. I wasn’t able to get all of them so I snuck my hand behind the panel and unplugged damper. The damper is the big switch with lots of little wires coming out of it and pulled down.