Understanding Springs and Coilover?

[kenken3686]

ok here are my questions...

Whats the main different with Springs and Coilover?

Does only changing the springs kills my OEM struct faster?

Does changing the coilover means replacing my OEM struct?

And in opinion, in cost or any reason... should i just buy the springs for $250 or the coilover for $1k?

Thanks

[SWRT]

Originally Posted by kenken3686

ok here are my questions...

Whats the main different with Springs and Coilover?

Does only changing the springs kills my OEM struct faster?

Does changing the coilover means replacing my OEM struct?

And in opinion, in cost or any reason... should i just buy the springs for $250 or the coilover for $1k?

Thanks

A spring kit (like eibach pro kit) is just springs. They are designed to fit on your stock damper unit. You must remove your stock strut, disassemble it, and replace the OEM spring.

A coilver is a complete spring and damper package. The springs are a different shape than your OEM spring. You would remove your stock strut and replace it with the coil over. The main benefit of a coilover over just a spring kit is ride height adjustment and a damping curve matched to your spring. Good coilovers will also give you damping adjustments.

Putting a higher rate spring on stock struts will increase the amount of heat produced by the strut resulting in reduced life, however most spring kits have only a marginally stiffer rate and are usually progressive (so over regular bumps the strut is doing the same amount of work).

If you're only willing to spend $1K for coilovers stick with springs. A good set of coilovers will set you back at least $2K.

In my opinion, if you're not going to get yourself a decent set of summer tires, putting money into coilovers is a waste. You can get the ride height and marginal body control improvement from a decent spring kit.


-SWRT

[kenken3686]

thx man, i have decide to buy the springs

[nastynogales]

Bringing this thread back from the dead...

but do the pros outweigh the cons for getting coilovers over springs or is it overkill?
I want to justify paying over 1K.

[friedk]

You can try reading the stickies or any other post in this forum instead of bringing a 1 and a half year thread back from the dead to answer a question that is answered over and over.

People are so lazy..

It depends on what you want.

You can get a lowering spring and camber kit and call it a day. Your damper will eventually die and you'll have to replace it. For a mild 1" drop eibach pro kit, h-techs, or HFP(which is a coilover setup) orwhat you want. That's already going to cost you 200$ spring, 200$ camber kit, 25$ front camber bolts for H-tech and pro-kit but the stock dampers will last a little longer. (425$)

If you go HFP just add 300$ or so to that cost. ($725) This is a better setup if you're more serious about handling.

If you decide you want a lower drop like S-tech or sportline(1.5") in the end you're going to need some konis. (600-700$)


If you look at it that way..coilover's don't seem that expensive do they? If you want height adjustability and damper adjustability then get a set of coilovers. Otherwise, follow my suggestions above.

Even then a koni setup should still outhandle the coilovers we have on the market right now.

[Sirbelch]

Originally Posted by SWRT

A spring kit (like eibach pro kit) is just springs. They are designed to fit on your stock damper unit. You must remove your stock strut, disassemble it, and replace the OEM spring.

A coilver is a complete spring and damper package. The springs are a different shape than your OEM spring. You would remove your stock strut and replace it with the coil over. The main benefit of a coilover over just a spring kit is ride height adjustment and a damping curve matched to your spring. Good coilovers will also give you damping adjustments.

Putting a higher rate spring on stock struts will increase the amount of heat produced by the strut resulting in reduced life, however most spring kits have only a marginally stiffer rate and are usually progressive (so over regular bumps the strut is doing the same amount of work).

If you're only willing to spend $1K for coilovers stick with springs. A good set of coilovers will set you back at least $2K.

In my opinion, if you're not going to get yourself a decent set of summer tires, putting money into coilovers is a waste. You can get the ride height and marginal body control improvement from a decent spring kit.


-SWRT

Koni/Redshift Coilovers

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The suspensions we are offering starting early March range from non-adjustable fixed spring to double adjustable 28 series monotube. The non-adjustable fixed springs are going to be in the $800 range and the DA 28 series will be around $4500 total. We're also offing single and double adjustable coilovers as well.... and the Sport line of coilovers as well.... all Koni damper hardware.

Not final yet, but something like this for street pricing...

Non-adjustable fix spring $800
Koni Sports and Coilovers $1300
Koni Race (single adjustable twin-tube) and Coilovers $1900
Koni Race (double adustable twin tube) and Coilover $2300
Koni Race (double adjustable monotube 28 series) and Coilovers $4500

That's the ballpark pricing you'll see on the street.

Give you all the options needed for everyones wants and needs
__________________

These are the Redshift Motorsprots suspensions. These are the best suspensions in their price range.

[friedk]

Your avatar

[Sirbelch]

You like?

[nastynogales]

Originally Posted by friedk

It depends on what you want.

I'm looking for a 1" to maybe 1.5" drop - i've read most people who do a 1" drop don't have problems ...

[Sirbelch]

Just a drop? Or do you want some handling? Maybe the first option on the list I posted is for you.

Dampers are a wear part. Even on a stock car they will wear. A shorter spring is just going to increase wear rate.

[nastynogales]

well a drop and have less roll - this is my daily driver so i want it to be comfortable yet sporty

i think i'm convinced to just get the eibach pro kit. so is a camber kit necessary if i'm going for 1" drop?

[1cleanfg2]

No, most people don't run a camber kit on the pro kit or Comptech springs.

[friedk]

What?

The point of messing with suspension is for good handling.

Why would you do it without getting a good performance camber setting front and rear?

[Sirbelch]

The reason most people (the misimformed and superficial) get a camber kit in the rear is to prevent their tires from being eaten. The thing is camber doesn't really eat tires, toe does. Camber just wears the inside shoulder of the tire a little faster than the rest of the tire. To get even tire wear, all you need to do is drive with spirit on a regular basis.

If you want a sporty ride for cheap, add negative camber in the front with a set of 4 camber bolts (70 bucks from Corsport). If you get lowering springs, I would suggest you get a rear camber kit as well. When you lower the car, negative camber is going to be increased in the rear. More negative camber in the rear means more rear grip which means more understeer. FWD cars have enough understeer to begin with, so why add more? If you get a rear camber kit, you can dial out some of this (not all, some is good, to much is bad) negative camber. A good street alignment is -1.5 to -2.0 degrees of negative camber in the front and -1.25 to -1.5 in the rear. Set toe to zero all the way around. Max out front positive caster.

When you lower a car you actually increase the body roll to suspension travel ratio. Its going to feel like less body roll because there is less suspension travel.

[nastynogales]

^^^ Thanks!

Which rear camber kit do you recommend?

[Sirbelch]

Spc is easier to adjust on the car, skunk2 has a locking nut to insure the setting stays.