The Honda S2000 is a beloved sports car known for its exceptional handling, high-revving engine, and near-perfect 50:50 weight distribution. From the factory, the S2000 (especially the AP2) delivers a sharp, communicative chassis that has earned it a cult following. However, even the best OEM suspension represents a compromise between comfort, cost, and performance. As your S2000 ages, shocks wear, bushings degrade, and the original alignment tolerances may drift. Enthusiasts seeking to sharpen lap times, improve steering feel, or simply refresh a high-mileage chassis often find that suspension upgrades offer the single greatest return on investment in terms of driving pleasure. This article explores the full spectrum of S2000 suspension upgrades, from component choices and performance gains to detailed installation and tuning advice.

Why the Honda S2000 Deserves a Suspension Upgrade

Before diving into parts catalogs, it's worth understanding what a suspension upgrade can fundamentally change about the S2000 driving experience. The stock S2000 suspension is a double-wishbone design at all four corners, an architecture typically reserved for high-end sports cars and race cars. This geometry provides excellent camber control throughout suspension travel. However, the factory dampers are tuned for a broad audience, and the spring rates prioritize bump compliance over ultimate roll stiffness. Upgrading the suspension addresses three primary areas:

  • Reduced Body Roll: A stiffer spring and damper setup dramatically reduces the amount the car leans in corners. This keeps the tires flatter on the pavement, maintaining the contact patch and increasing mechanical grip. The result is faster corner entry and exit speeds.
  • Improved Feel and Feedback: High-quality aftermarket dampers (especially monotube designs) provide superior response to road inputs. You will feel subtle changes in pavement texture and grip level, allowing you to drive with greater precision and confidence.
  • Adjustability for Purpose: Whether you daily drive, autox, track day, or canyon carve, an adjustable suspension lets you tune spring rate, ride height, and dampening to match your exact needs. This is impossible with a fixed OEM setup.

Key Suspension Components and Their Impact

Coilover Systems: The All-in-One Solution

Coilovers are the most popular performance upgrade for the S2000. They replace the entire strut/spring assembly with a single unit that is both height-adjustable and often dampening-adjustable. The term "coilover" stands for a coil spring over a shock absorber. The best coilovers for the S2000 come from manufacturers like Öhlins, KW, and Bilstein. Entry-level options from BC Racing and Tein are also available for budget builds. Key considerations when choosing coilovers include spring rate selection (typically 8-12kg/mm rear and 7-10kg/mm front for street/track use), damper technology (monotube vs. twin-tube), and whether you want independent height and preload adjustment. Independent adjustment allows you to lower the car without changing spring tension, which is critical for retaining proper suspension geometry.

Damper Upgrades: Shocks and Struts

If you want to retain factory springs or a specific spring rate, upgrading just the shock absorbers is a viable path. The S2000 AP1 and AP2 use separate shock and spring assemblies front and rear. High-performance shocks from Koni (Yellow or Sport), Bilstein (HD or Sport), and Tokico (Illumina) offer increased dampening force and better heat dissipation. Koni Yellows are particularly popular for their dual-adjustable (rebound and compression) versions, allowing fine-tuning of both low-speed comfort and high-speed stability. When upgrading shocks alone, you should match them to your springs—stock springs with stiffer shocks will reduce body roll but maintain a compliant ride over small bumps.

Sway Bars: Taming Body Roll

Upgrading the anti-roll bars (sway bars) is one of the most cost-effective suspension mods for the S2000. The factory bars are relatively thin (around 25mm front, 24mm rear) and designed to induce a mild understeer bias for safety. Aftermarket sway bars from Performance Online or Eibach come in thicker diameters (30-35mm front, 28-32mm rear) and often include adjustable end link holes. A larger front sway bar reduces understeer, while a larger rear bar reduces oversteer. However, on a double-wishbone car like the S2000, very stiff sway bars can compromise independent suspension action, so they should be balanced with the rest of the setup. A common recommendation is a 31mm front bar with a 27mm rear bar for aggressive street/autocross use.

Bushings and Mounts: The Hidden Performance Gains

Rubber bushings in the control arms, trailing arms, and subframe degrade over time, introducing slop and geometry changes. Replacing these with polyurethane (harder but streetable) or spherical (race-only) bushings transforms the car's feel. The most impactful bushings to replace are the front lower control arm (LCA) inner bushings, rear trailing arm bushings, and differential mount bushings. Upgrading these eliminates deflection under load, meaning the suspension geometry stays true when you hit a curb or accelerate. The downside is increased vibration and noise, so choose wisely based on your tolerance for NVH. A compromise is to use hard polyurethane on the control arms and keep rubber on the subframe mounts.

Alignment and Camber Kits

Lowering an S2000 without addressing camber leads to excessive negative camber, which eats tires unevenly and can reduce straight-line stability. To correct this, you need adjustable camber arms (front upper) and toe links (rear). Many quality coilover kits come with camber plates integrated into the top hats, but for fine-tuning, standalone camber arms from brands like URGE Design or Hardrace are essential. On the S2000, a street alignment typically runs -1.5 to -2.5 degrees front camber, -1.5 to -2.0 degrees rear camber, and 0 to 1/16 total toe-in front and rear. For dedicated track use, you might go up to -3.5 degrees front and -2.5 rear with aggressive toe-out for turn-in response.

Choosing the Right Suspension Setup for Your Driving Style

Street and Daily Driving

For daily drivers, the priority is compliance and predictability. Avoid race-oriented coilovers with very high spring rates (over 12kg/mm) and stiff bushings. Instead, look for a quality set of coilovers with a street-focused spring rate (7-9kg/mm front and 6-8kg/mm rear) and adjustable dampening. Brands like KW (V3 or Clubsport with softer settings) and Ohlins (DFV – Dual Flow Valve) offer excellent street manners. Pair them with a set of stock sway bars or a mild upgrade (31mm front, 26mm rear) and polyurethane trailing arm bushings only. Skip spherical bearings on a street car to avoid harshness. A proper alignment from a shop that understands the S2000 platform is crucial for tire longevity.

Track and Autocross

For competitive driving, the focus shifts to ultimate grip, transient response, and adjustability. A full track-oriented suspension setup starts with coilovers that have remote reservoirs or at least a large monotube design to handle sustained heat. Spring rates should be 10-14kg/mm front and 9-12kg/mm rear, depending on tire compound and weight reduction. You will want adjustable sway bars (Eibach, Whiteline) with end links to fine-tune balance. Spherical or hard polyurethane bushings everywhere (control arms, trailing arms, toe links) eliminate deflection. A complete adjustable camber and toe kit is non-negotiable. Serious competitors also install subframe reinforcement plates (such as from S2KI forum vendors) to prevent flex under load. Finally, corner balancing the car with you in the driver seat is a must for even tire loading.

The Balanced Enthusiast Build

Many owners want a car that works hard on Sunday but doesn't punish on Monday. This calls for a carefully curated mid-range setup. Start with a coilover kit that offers both height and dampening adjustability, such as the Bilstein PSS9 or KW V3. Set the ride height to lower the car about 1.0-1.5 inches, maintaining a slight rake (front lower than rear). Spring rates around 9kg/mm front and 8kg/mm rear work well with 200-treadwear tires. Upgrade to a medium stiffness sway bar set (31mm front, 27mm rear). Replace only the front LCA bushings and rear trailing arm bushings with polyurethane. This setup provides a significant performance bump without crashing on bumps. The alignment should be aggressive street (-2.0 front, -1.5 rear) with zero toe.

Installation Walkthrough: What to Expect

Preparation and Tools

Installing suspension components on an S2000 requires patience and the right equipment. At minimum, you need a jack, jack stands (four for proper safety), a torque wrench (ability to torque up to 100 ft-lbs), metric sockets (10mm to 22mm), Allen keys, and penetrating oil. For coilovers, you will also need spring compressors (if not pre-assembled) and a brake-line wrench to avoid rounding fittings. Before starting, soak all bolts with penetrating oil overnight—especially the lower shock bolts, sway bar end links, and rear toe links, which tend to seize.

Removing the Factory Components

Work one corner at a time. In front, remove the wheel, unbolt the sway bar end link, disconnect the brake line bracket from the shock body, then unbolt the lower shock mount (through-bolt) and the three top hat nuts inside the engine bay. On the rear, the process is similar but you must also disconnect the rear sway bar link and, on AP2 cars, the rear lower control arm bolt. Use care not to damage the wiring harness for the ABS sensor. The upper shock mount in the rear is accessed through the trunk, under the carpet—remove the panel covers to reach the nuts.

Installing New Components

Assemble the new suspension components according to the manufacturer's instructions. For coilovers, set the initial ride height per the manual (often 1.5-2 inches drop). Always pre-set dampening to a medium setting (e.g., 15 clicks from full stiff on a 30-click system). Install the new assembly by reversing removal steps. Torque all bolts to factory spec with the suspension loaded (weight on wheels) to prevent bushing bind. Do not fully tighten lower shock bolts or sway bar end links until the car is on the ground. A common mistake is to tighten everything with the suspension hanging, which preloads bushings and causes premature wear.

Corner Balancing and Final Torque

Corner balancing is a pro-level step that ensures each tire carries equal weight relative to the diagonals. A professional shop uses scales under each wheel. However, you can approximate by adjusting ride height on each corner to equalize fender gap. For street use, you can skip full corner balancing, but you must perform a final torque check on all suspension bolts at ride height. Pay special attention to the front lower control arm pivot bolts (spec is 85 ft-lbs) and rear toe link bolts (spec is 60 ft-lbs). Incorrect torque on these allows the alignment to shift under load.

Tuning and Alignment After Installation

Once the suspension is installed, the fine-tuning begins. Start with dampening settings: for a street-driven car, set dampening to 60% of full stiffness. Drive the car on a familiar road and adjust. If the car feels bouncy, reduce compression (softer). If it floats over dips, increase rebound (stiffer). Sway bar setting changes also require testing: a stiffer rear bar makes the car more oversteer-prone. After setting ride height (always measure all four corners to ensure level), go directly to an alignment shop that specializes in performance cars. Provide them with your camber, caster, and toe targets. A high-quality alignment on an S2000 is worth more than any single part upgrade. After alignment, drive the car for a couple hundred miles, then re-check all bolts and the alignment since bushings settle.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Over-Springing for Street Use: Installing 14kg/mm springs on a daily driver makes the car skittish and uncomfortable over anything but glass-smooth pavement. It reduces mechanical grip because the tires lose contact with bumps.
  • Ignoring Bushings: Installing $2000 coilovers on 20-year-old rubber bushings is wasting money. The new dampers will fight against bushing deflection, reducing their effectiveness.
  • Poor Alignment Specs: Running extreme camber without correction plates or toe settings leads to rapid tire wear and unpredictable handling. Always align to a proven spec.
  • Neglecting Chassis Reinforcement: The S2000 subframes benefit from bracing. At minimum, install a front strut bar (especially on AP1) and consider subframe collars for the rear. These prevent chassis flex that distorts suspension geometry under load.

Conclusion

Upgrading the suspension on your Honda S2000 unlocks the car's true potential. Whether you chase lap times, carve canyons, or simply want to refresh a tired chassis, the right combination of coilovers, bushings, sway bars, and alignment transforms the driving experience. The key is to match the components to your use case and to install them with proper procedure and torque. Avoid the temptation to buy the stiffest parts on the market; a balanced, well-tuned setup will make the car faster and more enjoyable than a race-parts pile-on. With thoughtful selection and careful setup, your S2000 will reward you with razor-sharp feedback, increased grip, and a deeper connection to the road. For further reading, consult the S2000 Suspension and Brakes forum or the Road & Track upgrade guide for community-vetted specifications.