Coilovers vs Shocks (Spring Kits)

[r_dizzel*]

difference between an adjustable shock and a coilover shock?
Answer :
COILOVERS
The word "coilover" has morphed into several different meanings over the last few years. Originally, a coilover shock refered to a racing shock with threads cut into the shock tube. A large nut which served as the lower spring seat screwed down onto the threads. Smaller coilover springs, usually 2.25" or 2.50" inside diameter, needed to be used with the shock.

In the early 1990s, Ground Control began engineering and producing threaded aluminum sleeves that slipped over KONI, Bilstein, Tokico, etc. performance shock absorbers. The sleeve also had a large nut that served as the lower perch. The sleeve rested on the production spring seat so it would not slide all the way down the shock tube. A smaller 2.5" racing spring was packaged with the kit.

Many other companies jumped into making these coilover sleeves, but did very little engineering work to select their spring rates, or made no attempt to match the spring rates to a suitable sport shock. Their ill-fitting products cheapened the meaning of the word "Coilover."

Shock absorber companies like Bilstein and Koni saw how many coilover sleeves were being used with stock shock absorbers, resulting in poor bump control and ride quality. Bilstein and Koni starting making complete coilover kits, complete with sport shock absorbers (most with threaded bodies), and matched sport springs. NEUSPEED even joined forces with Bilstein to manufacture a special NEUSPEED/BILSTEIN coilover kit for specific Import applications. These kits are much tighter in quality and fit compared to most of the sleeve kits, and the springs do not fall out of the perch when you jack up your car. Furthermore, each of the KONI and Bilstein kits is covered by a manufacturer's warranty.

ADJUSTABLE SHOCKS
Every KONI coilover kit features a shock absorber with owner-adjustable rebound valving. By making a simple adjustment on the piston rod of the shock, you can change the resistance force of the shock. Bilstein goes one level higher with their PSS-9 coilover kits. The Bilstein PSS9 kit features a 9-position dial on the body of the shock that allows you to change the rebound and bump forces at the same time.

NEUSPEED proudly distributes both KONI and Bilstein coilover kits. We feel these are the top 2 companies in the shock absorber industry and we want to offer our customers the best products available for their car. To find out if a KONI or Bilstein coilover kit is available for your car, return to the NEUSPEED Home Page and select your vehicle from the pull-down menu.

What do you prefer?

 

[Phil @ P5]

Slightly confusing quote. A 'coilover' describes where the spring is placed and the ability to change ride height and an adjustable damper is something different. I think what it is saying (although GC coils are available for adj dampers) is chucking stiff spring on stock dampers with a coilover sleeve is a bad idea.

The most important thing here is not the ability to change ride height (although it is nice) or whether a damper is adjustable, but that a spring package is engineered to the vehicle and then the dampers are tuned to suit.

Phil

 

[Gaz_]

Slightly confusing quote. A 'coilover' describes where the spring is placed and the ability to change ride height and an adjustable damper is something different. I think what it is saying (although GC coils are available for adj dampers) is chucking stiff spring on stock dampers with a coilover sleeve is a bad idea.

The most important thing here is not the ability to change ride height (although it is nice) or whether a damper is adjustable, but that a spring package is engineered to the vehicle and then the dampers are tuned to suit.

Phil

Exactly. Thats why i have the B14 kit on my Clio. You know its going to be right with Bilstein behind them. I do question weather or not these £200 specials have that kind of set up

 

[Phil @ P5]

Exactly. Thats why i have the B14 kit on my Clio. You know its going to be right with Bilstein behind them. I do question weather or not these £200 specials have that kind of set up

Where in the country are you? Wouldn't mind having a ride

 

[Gaz_]

Sunny Cheshire lol

 

[theduck]

Depends what I want form the suspension and for what car.

In a 182, if I wanted a great B-road blast, I'd go with Koni yellow shocks and eibach springs. If I wanted out and out track **** I'd go for some hardcore coilovers. If I just wanted to slam it on its arse, again I'd probably go coilovers.

Its all about what suits your needs imo.

 

[Phil @ P5]

Sunny Cheshire lol

Bugger, London :dapprove:

 

[Phil @ P5]

If I wanted out and out track **** I'd go for some hardcore coilovers.

I wouldn't......I think people get the idea that you want rock hard springs and dampers for track. Remember, you're modifying a road chassis ... it's not a dedicated and designed-from-scratch race car.

Phil

 

[theduck]

No its not, but then look at Clio Cup race cars. They DO have rock hard suspension, and they arent designed from scratch race cars, they are modified road cars. If I was building an out and out race cars, chasis wise, it would be based on the modifications done to races cars.

 

[Phil @ P5]

Ah, but that's for other reasons such as quickly getting slicks up to temperature for example. Same reason as BTCC run massive camber.

Phil

 

[Hutchie]

although i run ajustable coilover leda's on the rear and they are awesome, on the front i can appreciate how people think its coilovers or nothing, but i have been running apex springs on cup shocks will my gaz coilovers are getting rebuilt and only way i can fault them is travel.

obviously a tuned perfromance setup is more ideal but uprated springs help alot over standard.

eibach are very good.

 

[Marz]

I'm torn between the two options at the mo - Coilovers v's uprated springs with adjustable dampers.

Besides price the things that are puting me off coilovers is the need for corner weighting and the fact that whenever weight is added or removed from the car (Such as a passenger) it may need setting up again to account! Not to mention accurate geometry tweaking when changing ride height.

Does anybody regularly do this with coilovers? Or has anybody tried determining and using coilover 'presets' for carrying diff loads/diff ride heights??? I'd be interested to know how people deal with these things.

Cheers.

 

[Hutchie]

thats the exact reason they have ajustable knobs and progressive springs, coilovers if you can afford them.

H&R's or LEDA

 

[Phil @ P5]

I'm torn between the two options at the mo - Coilovers v's uprated springs with adjustable dampers.

Besides price the things that are puting me off coilovers is the need for corner weighting and the fact that whenever weight is added or removed from the car (Such as a passenger) it may need setting up again to account! Not to mention accurate geometry tweaking when changing ride height.

Does anybody regularly do this with coilovers? Or has anybody tried determining and using coilover 'presets' for carrying diff loads/diff ride heights??? I'd be interested to know how people deal with these things.

Cheers.

I doubt very much that many people here corner weight; if they do, the car is no longer a shopping trolley.

'Coilovers' will allow you to set a static ride height. Once that is set, then it's like the stock suspension, yes there will be changes as you add weight in different parts for the car. You'd set the car up for the most optimum to the configuration you have most fun; ie if you do track days on your own, then it'll be set up with just the driver's seat weighted.

HTH
Phil

 

[Marz]

Yeah true.
I suppose as said above it's kinda at which pont do you stop and say it's a modified road car and not a race car. I've seen some really uber high end coilover kits that can be supplied with road and track settings for quick easy changing but we're talking mega bucks for them.

Anyway, didn't the clio cup racers run springs and dampers?!!! (Koni shocks with KW springs was it???)

Suppose what I'm wondering really, about coilovers, is that once your coilovers are set-up does adding a pasenger(s) and fuel realy change the feel of the car a noticable amount?