Godspeed Mono-SS gets you a lower stance and real control over how your car rides, without spending premium-coilover money. For $675 on most applications you get full-length height adjustment, monotube dampers and 16 damping positions. We've sold thousands of Mono-SS kits since we became a Godspeed dealer in 2014 and run them on our own shop cars, so this is a kit we know well.
If you're coming from tired factory suspension or a lowering-spring setup, the appeal is simple. Pick the height you want, then use the damper knob to dial in how it feels. You're building the car around your preferences instead of living with one fixed drop and one fixed shock setting.
The reason to buy SS is straightforward: you want the main benefits of a coilover without making suspension the most expensive part of the project.
A real pre-loaded coilover at an entry-level price
Mono-SS is a full-length, pre-loaded design. The spring gets a small amount of preload once (Godspeed specifies 5β10 mm), and ride height is adjusted separately by threading the lower mount up or down the shock body. Lower the car and the spring and damper keep working the way they were designed to, with the damper's full stroke intact. Cheaper sleeve-type kits lower the car by winding the spring perch down instead, which eats into travel the lower you go. Our coilover preload guide shows you exactly how to set it up.
16 damping settings: choose how you want the car to feel
Damping is the shock's resistance to movement. It controls how the body settles after a bump and how the car moves under braking and changes of direction. Mono-SS gives you 16 positions to work with: go softer for a freer, more compliant feel on rough roads, or firmer for a tighter, more controlled car when you're driving hard.
The knob changes damping, not spring rate, so you're tuning the response within the kit's spring package. Getting that adjustment at the entry price of the Godspeed range is a big part of the SS value, because a lot of kits at this price give you one fixed setting and that's it.
Why the monotube design matters at this price
Mono-SS uses monotube dampers, the same basic layout as Godspeed's higher-end kits. A single working cylinder holds the oil, and a floating piston keeps the pressurized gas separate. That resists foaming when the oil is worked hard and lets heat escape straight through the body, so the damper stays consistent over repeated bumps. Plenty of budget kits, including the TruHart StreetPlus, use twin-tube dampers instead. You don't have to step up to MAXX to get monotube.
Mono-SS vs TEIN Street Basis vs TruHart StreetPlus
If you are comparing other budget based coilovers you maybe thinking about the Mono-SS vs the TEIN Street Basis or Street Basis Z and the truhart streetplus. Adjustable damping is a clear reason to choose Godspeed Mono-SS when you want control over the ride response / damper stiffness. The tein and truhart models mentioned use fixed damping (meaning there is zero adjustment of stiffness). Mono-SS gives you 16 selectable positions, so you can personalize the damper response within its range for your preferences and the roads you drive.
TruHart StreetPlus does rank well and is even a step over the tein as it comes with top-hats where applicable, this is another budget option worth comparing by the actual kit. For the 2002-2006 RSX, TruHart TH-H811 lists twin-tube dampers and a $702. The RSX Mono-SS MSS0131-B was $675 at SuspensionHouse. That gives this SS application about $30 off along with its monotube construction and 16 damping settings.
For an RSX owner who wants that combination, the value is easy to understand: you get adjustable height, a choice over the damper response and a monotube design at an approachable price. As well over the tein street basis, which lacks top-hats or even being a pre-loaded coilover at all. We generally will reccomend the godspeed mono-ss in this comparison. Albeit most people are happy with their choices overall, this helps give you more value per dollar.
Adjustable height gives you control over the finished look
The look of a lowered car is a big part of the appeal. Mono-SS lets you choose the stance within the kit's adjustment range, so you have more say in the finished appearance than a spring with one advertised drop provides. That is useful when the car's wheels, tires and body proportions make a particular height look right, as well each owner may have a certain look they want to achieve, they dont want to guess by hoping the spring they bought is correct drop. Then install and there is no other choice but to accept the ride height as is.
Combined with adjustable damping, it gives you two useful reasons to choose SS over a fixed-height, fixed-damping alternative: control over the stance and control over the damper response. Both are included at the budget end of the Godspeed range.
Will Mono-SS be comfortable?
Expect a sporty aftermarket suspension but still comfortable enough. As well its usually refreshing worn dampers so the comparison is usually a positive benefit. Most owners say its comfortable and again you have that option of damper adjustments. The goal is a lower car that remains enjoyable to drive, rather than a promise that every kit will reproduce factory softness, its hard to really just give out a blanket report on how a car will ride as everyones expectations are different. The only real way to ever have some sort of report is to compare and contrast vs other coilovers or the stock suspension. In which most all coilovers are aimed at some sort of sportiness over the factory soft settings and springs. We still believe of course the mono-ss is fairing on the safer / softer sporty side thats well recieved.
That's exactly why we've run Mono-SS on our own shop cars and compared it back to back with other kits. It's a big part of why we keep recommending it.
For the 2002-2006 RSX, Mono-SS MSS0131-B lists 10 kg/mm front and 12 kg/mm rear springs. Those numbers tell you something concrete about that kit. They do not predict the ride of a different car with different suspension geometry. Even comparing rates to another coilover is tough due to the progessive nature and the overall damper plays a factor too.
Mounts matter too. A pillowball mount provides a more direct mechanical connection than a rubber-isolated mount and may transmit more noise or vibration. Front camber plates can provide useful alignment adjustment, but the front and rear specifications need to be read separately.
Four builds where SS belongs on the shortlist
- An affordable DC5 project: 2002-2006 Acura RSX Mono-SS gives you a real application to compare against RS and MAXX. It was listed at $675 in our October 29, 2026 price check.
- An eighth-generation Civic Si: Civic Mono-SS suits a budget-conscious suspension plan. For a USDM Si, distinguish the 2006-2011 FG2 coupe from the 2007-2011 FA5 sedan.
- An E46 M3 refresh: M3 Mono-SS brings adjustable height and damping to a budget-conscious M3 project through a dedicated M3 application.
- A lowered VA WRX: WRX VA1 Mono-SS lists 10/8 kg/mm front/rear springs. WRX and STI applications need to remain separate.
Looking at the higher-end Godspeed options?
The godspeed Mono-RS steps up to 32 damping settings. The godspeed MAXX is the more performance-focused package, with higher end dampers (with digressive piston tech) 40 stiffness settings, upgraded damper hardware (secure lock-rings) and on applications such as the RSX, higher spring rates for a more taut, sporting setup. MAXX Sports brings inverted competition-focused applications into the range, with specifications that vary by kit and generation.
If you are considering moving up in price, read our complete Godspeed coilover comparison for the differences between Mono-SS, Mono-RS, MAXX and MAXX Sports. It breaks down the features, ride tradeoffs and prices so you can choose the right step for your build.
Our recommendation
Choose the Godspeed Mono-SS when you want an adjustable lowered suspension at an approachable price and do not need to buy the most expensive kit possible to eek out every drop of performance and quality. We have worked with Godspeed since SuspensionHouse launched in 2014, and helping owners choose the right application is a large part of what we do. Customer reports have been positive and very little reports if ever come back as far as quality or defects over our many years of sales with them.
Ask us about your car if you want help narrowing it down. Current price and supply are shown on the application page.