Springs v. Coilovers Options

[HectortheRican]

Can someone tell me the difference? I want to lower my car but I'm not sure which way to go

[terbear4god4life]

over 9000

[nics]

look at the stickys and search

[HectortheRican]

over 9000

Over 9000? As in Vegeta looking at Goku through his scouter? IT'S OVER 9000!!!!!

[HectortheRican]

Alright thanks, I'll do that before a post from now on. Looks like I'm going with coilovers

[nics]

Alright thanks, I'll do that before a post from now on. Looks like I'm going with coilovers

go with megans, im getting them soon from upscaleauto. $850 shipped

[azian_advanced]

if you just want to lower your car, get lowering springs. it's cheap and gets the job done. or you can pay ~650 more for coilovers and will give you the adjustability. it's always nice to be able to adjust your ride height, damper and camber settings.
imo, for a dd just get springs unless you're anal about cornering/handling.

This post has been edited by azian_advanced: Jan 28, 2010 - 10:55 PM

[HectortheRican]

if you just want to lower your car, get lowering springs. it's cheap and gets the job done. or you can pay ~650 more for coilovers and will give you the adjustability. it's always nice to be able to adjust your ride height, damper and camber settings.
imo, for a dd just get springs unless you're anal about cornering/handling.

Yeah you may be right about this... I'll just go out and try to measure how low I wanna go

[Euphoria]

You can make your car handle pretty nice with springs and sway bars etc but coilovers are always gonna be better than a spring, they are easier to install, have awsome settings etc.

If you are getting shocks and springs, which is what you have to do and it is as much as coilovers, go coilovers.

[HectortheRican]

You can make your car handle pretty nice with springs and sway bars etc but coilovers are always gonna be better than a spring, they are easier to install, have awsome settings etc.

If you are getting shocks and springs, which is what you have to do and it is as much as coilovers, go coilovers.

Well my ST needs new shocks too... so what would you recommend?

[SwissFerdi]

KYB GR-2 struts are OEM replacements and probably the most popular ones, guaranteed not to blow with a lowering of equal to or less than 1.5".

This post has been edited by SwissFerdi: Jan 29, 2010 - 12:49 AM

[HectortheRican]

KYB GR-2 struts are OEM replacements and probably the most popular ones, guaranteed not to blow with a lowering of equal to or less than 1.5".

..... I'm such a noob, what are struts?

[nics]

son, i think its about time you educate yourself

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suspension_(vehicle)

[trdproven]

made the mistake of getting springs twice, ended up with coilovers. springs are good at first until... you want more settings. imagine what I couldve saved.

[TinoCel]

After springs, struts, camber kit, and usually strut mounts, you're looking at the same ballpark as coilovers. The real question should be Coilovers vs Air.

[jordisonjr]

Which strut mounts would you have to change when putting in lowering springs? And do you always need camber kits, or can you get away without using them depending on how low you go?


This post has been edited by jordisonjr: Feb 3, 2010 - 3:32 PM

[SwissFerdi]

Again, it depends on how thorough you want to go (right away, that is) and the shape that you car is in. I don't anticipate having to change my mounts, only the boots and end links. You won't always need a camber kit either, it depends on your lowering.

[jordisonjr]

I just ask about the strut mounts, because i have new struts on my car, but they still sound like they are blown(clunking over pumps and such) so I don't know which mounts I would have to change. Its only in the back that they are noisy. I dont' know much about cars yet, but is there an upper and lower mount in the back? And which ones would make the most noise, or shoudl I just go and change all of them.

I'm looking to get the tein stech lowering springs, which is 1.5 in the front and 1 in the back, would I need to get a camber kit for that much of a drop?

[SwissFerdi]

You wouldn't need a camber kit for that kind of drop, I doubt I'll need one with 1.5" all around.

[BonzaiCelica]

you wont even need camber bolts with a 2.2" drop on the front. I have tanabe df210 and I dont have any camber bolts installed.

Camber bolts is only for coilovers or cut springs.

[TinoCel]

you wont even need camber bolts with a 2.2" drop on the front. I have tanabe df210 and I dont have any camber bolts installed.

Camber bolts is only for coilovers or cut springs.

Some ppl dont see wear, every car i've dropped does, but thats my luck

[azian_advanced]

i got wear on mine too.. it's just a matter of time before it shows..

[trdproven]

anytime a car is dropped it will wear abnormally/faster. sometimes it is deceiving because the tire still looks straight but it isn't

This post has been edited by trdproven: Feb 4, 2010 - 9:15 PM

[97toyotacelicagt]

i think im going to buy those megan coilovers,anyone have them?,and are they good?

[SwissFerdi]

i think im going to buy those megan coilovers,anyone have them?,and are they good?

The guy above you has them, and so does Harold_Fastwaker. I'm sure there are more, I just can't remember off the top of my head.

[nics]

02corolla has em too. he has pics in the multimedia i believe.

[sips]

Well, I seem to be in the minority in this thread. Maybe it's because I actually race cars, maybe it's because I like to drive my cars in real life situations and not have them ride like a hay wagon or scrape on every bump or pothole ... regardless, I don't like 'coilovers'.

I have owned 4 cars with adjustable 'coilover' suspensions (Cusco, Silkroad, Tein). The ride quality on all of them sucked. I have seen shock dynos of these JDM brands and they all suck. They are overdamped, their adjustment knobs do almost nothing, do way too much or do the wrong thing. On the track they don't seem to perform as well either unless it is perfectly smooth asphalt with no dips. The only thing they do well is height adjustment. If you are looking for a suspension that you can slam and don't care about how rough it is get these cheap coilovers (anything under $3000 is a cheap coilover).

If you want good ride quality and performance stick to a quality brand shock and properly matched spring. I suggest Bilstein or Koni (rebound adjustable), plus a mild drop spring with 20-40% increase in stiffness. This will give you a comfortable ride and good performance.

This post has been edited by sips: Feb 5, 2010 - 9:07 PM

[terbear4god4life]

Well, I seem to be in the minority in this thread. Maybe it's because I actually race cars, maybe it's because I like to drive my cars in real life situations and not have them ride like a hay wagon or scrape on every bump or pothole ... regardless, I don't like 'coilovers'.

I have owned 4 cars with adjustable 'coilover' suspensions (Cusco, Silkroad, Tein). The ride quality on all of them sucked. I have seen shock dynos of these JDM brands and they all suck. They are overdamped, their adjustment knobs do almost nothing, do way too much or do the wrong thing. On the track they don't seem to perform as well either unless it is perfectly smooth asphalt with no dips. The only thing they do well is height adjustment. If you are looking for a suspension that you can slam and don't care about how rough it is get these cheap coilovers (anything under $3000 is a cheap coilover).

If you want good ride quality and performance stick to a quality brand shock and properly matched spring. I suggest Bilstein or Koni (rebound adjustable), plus a mild drop spring with 20-40% increase in stiffness. This will give you a comfortable ride and good performance.

is this like your first post on this forum lol btw.

[Edophus]

Well, I seem to be in the minority in this thread. Maybe it's because I actually race cars, maybe it's because I like to drive my cars in real life situations and not have them ride like a hay wagon or scrape on every bump or pothole ... regardless, I don't like 'coilovers'.

I have owned 4 cars with adjustable 'coilover' suspensions (Cusco, Silkroad, Tein). The ride quality on all of them sucked. I have seen shock dynos of these JDM brands and they all suck. They are overdamped, their adjustment knobs do almost nothing, do way too much or do the wrong thing. On the track they don't seem to perform as well either unless it is perfectly smooth asphalt with no dips. The only thing they do well is height adjustment. If you are looking for a suspension that you can slam and don't care about how rough it is get these cheap coilovers (anything under $3000 is a cheap coilover).

If you want good ride quality and performance stick to a quality brand shock and properly matched spring. I suggest Bilstein or Koni (rebound adjustable), plus a mild drop spring with 20-40% increase in stiffness. This will give you a comfortable ride and good performance.

i would agree with that for the most part, generally any coilovers i have tried that cost less than about $3000 are not very great, high spring rates and poor ride quality do not always need to go together, with correct dampening you can still have an acceptable ride, the only exception i've come across so far was a set of KW variant 2's, they were excellent and not to far from the stock ride comfort on my corolla i had at the time, even with 8kg springs. I dont think you can expect a set of coilovers that come with pillowball top mounts etc, all for the same price as a set of normal shocks/springs, to be very good, the cost cutting will probably be in the damper, which is exactly where you dont want to be cutting corners for best handling/ride. If i just wanted the look then the likes of d2/ksport/megan/bc etc would be fine but personally if i wanted good handling and ride i'd either stump up for good coilovers or get a quality set of dampers and springs.

[Harold_Fastwaker]

I dunno, I guess finishing podium with "cheap coilovers" must not occur for you all.


Coilovers were designed for the track, hence why they are ****ty on normal road conditions. If you can't handle driving in a lowered car with stiff suspension on a daily basis, change hobbies and go buy a prius. Don't get me started on air rides. Bags are for 40s and groceries.

This post has been edited by Harold_Fastwaker: Mar 5, 2010 - 6:06 PM

[garin]

Hahahaha

[Edophus]

I dunno, I guess finishing podium with "cheap coilovers" must not occur for you all.


Coilovers were designed for the track, hence why they are ****ty on normal road conditions. If you can't handle driving in a lowered car with stiff suspension on a daily basis, change hobbies and go buy a prius. Don't get me started on air rides. Bags are for 40s and groceries.

your funny, if you'd actually experienced some good coilovers you'd realise they dont have to be ****ty on normal road conditions. what thats got to do with finishing on the podium i dunno, for sure you can still do well with cheap coilovers when competing, just your drive home might be a bit uncomfy .