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Need help with suspension

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d-meeks

10+ Year Contributor
53
0
Aug 17, 2011
burlington, Wisconsin
Hey guy I'm looking at re-doing my whole suspension and I was wondering what the differents is between coil overs and struts and springs? Then also some ideas of good brands or set ups.

Thanks dillon
 
Hey, well are you looking to 'slam' your car? Or are you wanting great handling? With coilover suspension, your car will generally sit a lot lower, and have a slight 'bounce' when you hit any bumps, also handling will be much better then stock. Depending on how much you are looking to spend, Megen Racing makes an amazing full suspension kit, includes coils and struts... slightly exspensive, but worth it, ranging from around $1200. I highly suggest springs, have always had better luck and greater handling... but thats my opinion. H&R makes a good spring, also Tein is very well respected. But no matter what you do, make sure you get after market struts to insure a smooth ride!
 
I want the car to sit lower but also ride nice and good handling.
 
But no matter what you do, make sure you get after market struts to insure a smooth ride!

Yes, and don't buy cheap coil-overs you see on ebay. The person who owned my car before me did, and not only did they not lower the car hardly at all, they stiffened the ride dramatically and actually broke the ring the spring sits on right off the strut. My car definitely sat low then... right on the tire.
 
See I'm just wondering how big a differents is between coil overs and then adjustable struts and springs.
 
Then also you know we're I can get a full set for a decent price
 
Is there a huge diferents between coil overs and adj struts an springs that my main question right now.

Thanks dillon
 
Assuming both setups have the same quality shocks and springs the major difference would be the coilovers ability to be set at multiple ride heights while the spring/strut combo will have 1 set ride height.
 
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Correct me if I'm wrong. But coil overs have much smaller springs..

Are you referring to diameter or height? There are different diameter setups you can get as well as different heights but I'm not sure what the different sizes are for specific brands.
 
So coil overs are better cause I'm debating between Meagan racing coil overs or tockio adjustable and lowering springs
 
Megan Racing Coilver the best cost-effective, yet still functional coil-over setup you're gonna find. The kit has adjustable ride heighth, dampening and camber. STM sells them for $950.

STM: 90-99 DSM SUSPENSION COMPONENTS

Those are the racing series and are overpriced compared to map performance. He really can get the ez street series for $699 or the same racing series for 800ish at map performance:
Megan Racing :: Coilovers :: Suspension Components :: DSM :: Mitsubishi :: Modern Automotive Performance
 
i got the illumini and springs and am very happy with the ride.. Ive had coil overs before and they dont ride as smooth IMO..
 
Coil-overs are nice but unless you have a good job they are gonna be really spendy. Is this a daily driver or track car? If it's a daily driver just get some KYB GR2 shocks or the adjustable KYB AGX shocks off ebay or in the classifides for under $200 and keep the stock springs and call it good. Otherwise you can get aftermarket springs but from what I have read it really doesn't do anything. But after being in a friends car that he just put coil overs in I have to say lowering the car and lifting the rear end a little causes an AWD to literally stick to the freaking road!

Don't get lowering springs, stupid!
 
Correct me if I'm wrong. But coil overs have much smaller springs..

Smaller in terms of overall diameter if that's what you're referring to. Even so, the springs have similar or even higher spring rates than stock, depending on the adjustment.

So coil overs are better cause I'm debating between Meagan racing coil overs or tockio adjustable and lowering springs

Coil overs are far better for adjustability. You can set your ride height and dampening low and tight for a weekend of autox, and then have your dd setting too for a more comfortable everyday ride.
 
Correct me if I'm wrong. But coil overs have much smaller springs..

This is the only post in the entire thread that comes close to answering the OP's actual question (rather than give an uninformed and overly-general opinion).

Struts are the shocks. They often have the lower spring perch attached to them, but that isn't what makes them a strut or shock.

Springs are springs.

Coilovers are the combination of a strut and a spring. The name simply refers the the fact that the spring wraps around the shock (which is not true on all cars). Thus, the OE set-up is actually a coilover, as well.

Now, some people might try to limit the label "coilover" to set-ups where the spring has a coaxial hat, as well as a perch, but that would change how the term is generally used.

But, most of all, when it comes to most discussions on car-related web-sites, what people really mean when they say "coilover" is a shock and spring that are sold together (and, again, often include an upper hat or a new plate, such that it comes to you assembled and ready to install. In contrast, when people say "shocks and springs," what they mean is a shock from one vendor and a spring from a different vendor or, at least, a shock and spring that are not already put together.

Hopefully, you can now see that 99% of all statements of the sort you can see in this thread, such as "get coilovers; shocks and springs stink" are completely idiotic. A coilover is a shock and a spring, so saying that a coilover is better than a shock and a spring is silly. Now, in defense of said silly people, you could say that they were just using short-hand and what they really were trying to say is that coilovers are MATCHED shocks and springs, while separate shocks and springs are not always well-matched. That would be a decent point as long as they didn't then suggest a coilover that is known to be crap, as most then do. To be clear: a Koni shock and a spring with a modest drop and almost any rate a bit above OE is almost always better matched that an Asian coilover. Thus, the idea that coilovers have matched shocks and springs, while shock and springs (separately) are not matched is known to be false often enough to not excuse the short-hand.
 
My imput would be Koni shocks and some ground controll springs. That way you choose the hight, and is an awsome combo. I have had it for 6 months now, and all I want now is too go a little stiffer on the front springs. I got 450 or 500 rate, I would suggest 600 or 650. That was reccomended to me when I was in your spot 9 months ago.

Also you will need helper springs for the rear, you might need them for the front depending on how low you want. Just FYI. But good luck with what ever you choose.

But the guy above answered your first question to a T
 
This car is my dd and thanks for the answer to my questions I don't know much about suspension so if you guys were in my position what would you guys do and if u can post up links the the stuff.

Thanks dillon
 
For a DD, KYB AGX shocks and eibach pro kit would be good! I'm sure other members with other proven set-ups will chime in!
 
For a DD, KYB AGX shocks and eibach pro kit would be good!

Depends on what you mean by "good." AGXs have way too much high-speed compression damping, so they are terrible for a DD compared to any shock that is actually digressive.

Note: the generalization that all Asian stuff is crap is slowly becoming less and less true. While Japanese stuff still has too much high-speed compression damping, those infamous factories in Taipei and the mainland have finally figured out how to create a shim-stack that actually blows open, so they are getting much better. An example of a company that is now selling stuff that actually rides well is Fortune Auto.
 
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