struts vs. coilovers
Dec 19, 2007, 12:59 PM
#1
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struts vs. coilovers
A good coilover setup has several advantages over lowering springs that fit in the stock struts.
The first, and really most important feature is adjustability. You can set the height of the car, within a range, without removing the suspension. Second, In a properly designed coilover system, the shock absorbers are designed and valved to operate optimally at whatever height setting the driver chooses. When a simple lowering spring is installed in the factory strut, it may cause the factory shock absorber to operate improperly, sometimes causing the suspension to smash the bump stops on rough roads. That can be bad for both your handling and your wallet. Third, because of the narrower wind of most coilover springs, the camber of the wheels can be adjusted, either using camber plates or hogging the mounting holes in the strut mounts (the budget racing solution).
The first, and really most important feature is adjustability. You can set the height of the car, within a range, without removing the suspension. Second, In a properly designed coilover system, the shock absorbers are designed and valved to operate optimally at whatever height setting the driver chooses. When a simple lowering spring is installed in the factory strut, it may cause the factory shock absorber to operate improperly, sometimes causing the suspension to smash the bump stops on rough roads. That can be bad for both your handling and your wallet. Third, because of the narrower wind of most coilover springs, the camber of the wheels can be adjusted, either using camber plates or hogging the mounting holes in the strut mounts (the budget racing solution).
1. Ultimate set-up: Ohlins fixed perch adjustable dampers with either Swift or our own GTWorx springs
2. Awesome: Bilstein HD dampers (or EVO MR Bilsteins) with Swift or GTWorx springs
3. Good: stock EVO dampers with Swift or GTWorx springs.
Both the Swifts and our GTWorx springs are great. The Swifts lower the car a little more then ours, but are a little softer. Pick which ride height you like better.
You can add a rear swaybar and some Whiteline bushings if you like, but for just a DD, you don't really need to.
- Andrew
just my opinion....
2. Awesome: Bilstein HD dampers (or EVO MR Bilsteins) with Swift or GTWorx springs
3. Good: stock EVO dampers with Swift or GTWorx springs.
Both the Swifts and our GTWorx springs are great. The Swifts lower the car a little more then ours, but are a little softer. Pick which ride height you like better.
You can add a rear swaybar and some Whiteline bushings if you like, but for just a DD, you don't really need to.
- Andrew
just my opinion....
Last edited by chrismnj; Dec 22, 2007 at 02:11 AM.
Dec 19, 2007, 01:51 PM
#4
Originally Posted by chrismnj
Second, In a properly designed coilover system, the shock absorbers are designed and valved to operate optimally at whatever height setting the driver chooses.
This is more important with coilovers that are not dual height adjustable, like KW's and Bilsteins. For Ohlins and others, since you can adjust ride height at the spindle, going too low is not as big of an issue, but going too low will have negative effects on your suspension geometry.
Originally Posted by chrismnj
When a simple lowering spring is installed in the factory strut, it may cause the factory shock absorber to operate improperly, sometimes causing the suspension to smash the bump stops on rough roads. That can be bad for both your handling and your wallet.
Not all lowering springs are like this. Good springs will not put you on the bump stops at rest, and only lower the car a mild amount with an appropriate increase in spring rate. There are a few springs out there that do this.
Originally Posted by chrismnj
Third, because of the narrower wind of most coilover springs, the camber of the wheels can be adjusted, either using camber plates or hogging the mounting holes in the strut mounts (the budget racing solution).
The drawbacks of coilovers are that they MAY be noisy, harsh riding, and require increased maintenence. Generally, the more you spend, the better they get in this regard (not counting motorsports level coilovers which can go for 5k per corner.....)
Advantages of coilovers are the adjustability, tuning ability, lighter weight, and the ability to support much higher spring rates then stock. And less shock fade.
Good idea for a post! We see these questions a lot and having the information in one place is defnitely helpful.
I can add more if you like, and I could write a whole coilover/strut FAQ.
- Andrew
Last edited by GTWORX.com; Dec 19, 2007 at 01:58 PM.
Dec 19, 2007, 05:04 PM
#7
^ Well....some springs actually do improve handling. And some coilovers, to be totally honest, are so incredibly crappy that they probably make handling worse then stock, especially if they are not set-up correctly.
It's important not to generalize ALL springs and ALL coilovers together. There's a wide range from crap to awesome for both.
- Andrew
It's important not to generalize ALL springs and ALL coilovers together. There's a wide range from crap to awesome for both.
- Andrew
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Dec 19, 2007, 08:34 PM
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i would say coilover, It might cost you more but you could always adjust the setting the way you want. Coilover you could set it on different setting for different purpose ex. track, drag, road circuit, daily drive... etc
Dec 19, 2007, 08:44 PM
#9
Is there any concern with running coilovers in the winter up here in the northeast? Does salt/potholes/generalyl sh!tty roads cause one to fail sooner than the other?
Also GTWORKX, you mentioned increased coilover maintenance - is this in terms of fine tuning or in actual recurring maintenance procedures?
This is a great topic and something to get us engine guys started with. Thanks!
Also GTWORKX, you mentioned increased coilover maintenance - is this in terms of fine tuning or in actual recurring maintenance procedures?
This is a great topic and something to get us engine guys started with. Thanks!
Dec 20, 2007, 08:39 AM
#10
Some coilovers have some nasty corrosion in salty winter condtions. These came in our shop, we're in Maryland and get more salt on the roads then snow. These were fairly old, and actually still performed decent. They were just impossible to adjust.
Some have protective coatings and don't have any issues. KW's are especially known for their stainless steel construction and are tested in a salt spray blast for like 250 hours without any effects. Ohlins have a decent coating as well.
Maintenence is really just cleaning the threads off and keeping everything nice and clean. This is more important on coilovers that are more susceptible to corrosion.
Also, coilovers usually require rebuilds anywhere from 1 to 3 years. Struts wear out after around 3, all this depending on usage.
- Andrew
Some have protective coatings and don't have any issues. KW's are especially known for their stainless steel construction and are tested in a salt spray blast for like 250 hours without any effects. Ohlins have a decent coating as well.
Maintenence is really just cleaning the threads off and keeping everything nice and clean. This is more important on coilovers that are more susceptible to corrosion.
Also, coilovers usually require rebuilds anywhere from 1 to 3 years. Struts wear out after around 3, all this depending on usage.
- Andrew
Last edited by GTWORX.com; Dec 20, 2007 at 08:45 AM.
Dec 20, 2007, 08:51 AM
#11
Key word is "good" since there are a lot of crap springs too.
People who take their car to the track obviously would benefit from good coilovers. And there are crap coilovers out there too.
Only a few coilovers have the range to really let you adjust from track, daily drive, auto-x, etc. Swapping out the coilover springs lets you change how the coilover feels even more, but still, the damper itself has a set range. For some coilovers it's actually very small.
- Andrew
Dec 20, 2007, 12:37 PM
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One thing that I find shocking is that there is no off the shelf products from Koni for the Evo. Koni Sport "Yellows" are one of the best "bang for the buck" dampers on the market and is offered for virtually every performance vehicle except the Evo.
In the autox world they are an affordable solution to use in stock classes since shocks/struts are a wearable item. They offer fixed compression set to each specific vehicle with adjustable rebound. There are countless shock dynos floating around that show consistently wide range of usable rebound adjustment (unlike many coilovers). Combine them with linear Eibach ERS springs via the Ground Control application and you have a great setup.
Anyone know why Koni doesn't make anything for the Evo?
In the autox world they are an affordable solution to use in stock classes since shocks/struts are a wearable item. They offer fixed compression set to each specific vehicle with adjustable rebound. There are countless shock dynos floating around that show consistently wide range of usable rebound adjustment (unlike many coilovers). Combine them with linear Eibach ERS springs via the Ground Control application and you have a great setup.
Anyone know why Koni doesn't make anything for the Evo?
Dec 20, 2007, 01:04 PM
#15
One thing that I find shocking is that there is no off the shelf products from Koni for the Evo. Koni Sport "Yellows" are one of the best "bang for the buck" dampers on the market and is offered for virtually every performance vehicle except the Evo.
In the autox world they are an affordable solution to use in stock classes since shocks/struts are a wearable item. They offer fixed compression set to each specific vehicle with adjustable rebound. There are countless shock dynos floating around that show consistently wide range of usable rebound adjustment (unlike many coilovers). Combine them with linear Eibach ERS springs via the Ground Control application and you have a great setup.
Anyone know why Koni doesn't make anything for the Evo?
In the autox world they are an affordable solution to use in stock classes since shocks/struts are a wearable item. They offer fixed compression set to each specific vehicle with adjustable rebound. There are countless shock dynos floating around that show consistently wide range of usable rebound adjustment (unlike many coilovers). Combine them with linear Eibach ERS springs via the Ground Control application and you have a great setup.
Anyone know why Koni doesn't make anything for the Evo?
zzyzx uses koni inserts in his coilovers. They look pretty good.
- Andrew