Glad U bought adjustable coils or wished U stayed w/lowering springs?

[LowLife1]

I've read several lowering-springs threads and it sounds as if people are in agreement that lowering springs (LS) are great as long as your aware of the trade-offs.
1. Undercar air dam will pretty much scrap on anything.
2. If you also have GM mudflaps they will scrap, even if trimmed.

In addition, most folks give the impression that the ride quality is acceptable. So my questions is for folks who've had both. The biggest benefit to LS is the cheaper cost. But I've gotten the impression from adjustable coilovers (AC) threads that while they are happy with the ride, aren't that impressed with the adjustability. Or maybe a better way to say it is they thought the ACs would allow them to lower the car more than they did? Which almost sounds like an admission that they just should of stayed with LS to save money.

I'm not interested in the performance benefits of AC, but unlike LS, you can adjust adjustable coilovers. Also, since LS have been around for a couple of decades a common characteristic they seem to exhibit is choppy ride. Plus I had a car with LS and when you went over expansion joints or bumps you could feel the choppiness inside the car. It looked cool, but didn't feel cool. But maybe LS technology has progressed since my experience.

So basically this is a long-winded rant asking (from a quality of ride standpoint and looks) are you glad with AC or wished you stayed with LS?

[MF656174]

i just went with the sportline springs over my bilstein shocks. Personally if your not racing I don't see the purpose in adjustable springs. Racing height = trip to walmart?, Increase height = off roading?.....no purpose whatsoever. stick to just springs

[kennysabarese]

Keep in mind every time you ajust your ride height you have to get an alignment

[kwtoxman]

IMO...

Since the OEM GM shocks are pretty crappy and well known to be very underdamped for the car (yes, the bilsteins too), the only reason to stick with them is to be cheap. Adding springs is only part of the suspension upgrade equation. So the effectiveness of adding only springs is limited. Springs are more for posing than improvements.

But I've gotten the impression from adjustable coilovers (AC) threads that while they are happy with the ride, aren't that impressed with the adjustability. Or maybe a better way to say it is they thought the ACs would allow them to lower the car more than they did? Which almost sounds like an admission that they just should of stayed with LS to save money

Adjustability allows a person to set up the car for the performance, handling, ride height and ride comfort they want. I thought this was a good thing. Just because someone doesn't use all of the range of adjustability doesn't mean it is a waste to have. Pretty basic stuff.

Keep in mind every time you ajust your ride height you have to get an alignment

Not all the time. I have a friend to set up the coilovers for a lowered right height with an agressive alignment for summer. For winter he raises the ride height back up and doesn't get an alignment. He doesn't have to. The alignment will change more to OEM spec (become less aggressive) and it isn't really an issue.

And minor changes in ride height don't need an alignment either, IMO.

[rob the elder]

I chose adjustable because I decide on the height of the car, and I HAVE CHANGED it depending on conditions.

If you buy fixed height springs then THEY are deciding on the height of the car and the only way you can change it to fit your desires is to buy new springs or get out the cutting implements.

I was not sure what height I wanted, and what the local road conditions would do to my car.

I changed the height 6 times before I got it where it is now. Also, I was able to tweak the front to rear rake angle due to the adjustability. I ran both ends up to the same height and lived with it a while. Then I adjusted the front back down so it sits more like the stock relationship but am getting ready to raise the rear end about a quarter inch. You can not do that with fixed height springs.

I love the damping set at 15. It steers like a slot car and is glued to the road. The wife HATES it at that setting so when she is going along I crank the damping down to its softest setting. Its still a lot better than stock but is acceptable to her.

As to dragging, my car is a good weather daily driver. I am approaching 20,000 miles so its no hanger queen. I lowered the car to its limit and it drug on everything. Actually the license plate (Dave's Corvette parts mounted to the bottom of the front end) drug while driving down the freeway if you hit a bump. I raised the car UP about 1/4 inch and now the plate only touches when I back out of the driveway if I forget and go straight back.

The airdam only drags on the driveway and even then it just barely touches as I back out even when canted.

and my car is LOWERED.

[rlhammon]

Originally Posted by LowLife1 So basically this is a long-winded rant asking (from a quality of ride standpoint and looks) are you glad with AC or wished you stayed with LS?

You want the car lower than stock, but are concerned with ride comfort?

Ride comfort is related to the spring rate, and ride height to the height of the suspension system.

So.. if you can get the height you want with springs only... great, question you want to know is what is the spring rate compared to stock? You'll have to live with the spring rate of the springs yo purchase... so if they are (and I'm just picking numbers out of the air here) 350 lbf/in and you wanted softer.. well, you can't do it.

The advantage (to you and what you want) of adjustable coilovers is that you can set the height, and pick the spring rate. Meaning.. you get to control both aspects that are of interest to you.

Both products do something different.. and comparing one's opinions on springs vs. coilovers isn't going to get you the information you want. Find someone with the lowering springs you are considering and ride in their car with them. If the ride is too harsh, you'll want to go the other route and custom pick your spring rates for the coilovers.

[compression]

I have had both on my car. I took the lowering springs off and went with a KW V3 setup. That way I can choose the ride. When I go to the track I raise it up a little bit so I'm not hitting my front bumper taking the corners hard. When I go to the car shows I slam the car to the ground.
Also I have never had to realine the car every time I adjust the coil overs.
I did it when I put the coil overs on and I have never had to look back.

So if money isn't a problem, coil overs it is.

[oldskool]

One tidbit to consider: low spring rate + low ride height = less suspension travel with floppy suspension = bottoming out more frequently

There is a reason why the lower you go TYPICALLY the spring rate goes up. You wouldn't want to ride two inches lower with the stock spring rate.

[LowLife1]

This is what I've compiled so far from the above remarks.

Pros for coil overs :
1. allows user to set ride height
2. adjustable ride comfort
3. allows rake adjustment (front to rear)
Cons against coil overs:
1. high cost
2. alignment possible needed if constantly adjusted


Pros for lowering springs:
1. low cost
2. alignment changes not constantly needed

Cons for lowering springs:
1. No adjustability
2. New shocks needed due to stock quality
3. poseur remarks?

I’m not really sure what category to put this in. *High spring rate = less suspension travel.
I know LS have two different heights available (sport and pro) which I’m assuming means they will be two different spring rates. Also, I’m assuming different AC companies use different (or offer) various spring rates.

[kennysabarese]

Alignment is only needed if you adjust ride height. And you can run stock shocks with lowering springs. Bilstein makes very good shocks.

[rob the elder]

I finally got around to drilling out access holes in the trunk liner for the BC coilovers. Since the damping adjustment knob is on top of the shock, its very difficult to get to other wise. When I drilled out the hole, I found that the knob was in contact with the trunk liner. When I cut the 2 inch holes, the knob actually protrudes slightly into the trunk. About even with the top edge of the fiberglass.

Just guessing, but that is probably why it was so hard to turn before. Now its very quick and easy to adjust

[NormSky]

I got a set of B&Gn for a little over $100. Get an alignment and be done.


Norm

["Maine"-iac]

I have never had coilovers so I can't vouch for them but I do have lowering springs w/Koni adjustables. For the New England area the lowering springs are a problem...too many potholes, frost heaves, and generally rough roads which can make driving anything other than the freeway or major roads a real challenge. Not to mention road kill avoidance...anything bigger than a chipmunk requires me to drive around it vs. over it! Ride harshness can be adjusted in two ways on my car...with the dampening valve at the top of the Konis or by decreasing tire pressure a bit to soften the blow. I've opted for a slight decrease in tire pressure as it also helps with reducing the tramlining effect due to my increased negative camber on the front. I wish I had waited long enough to save some extra money to get the coilovers for the increased adjustability, but, I settled for what I now have due to budget constraints and the autcross season that came upon me rather fast this past spring. The lowering springs have a stiffer progressive rate and the car does handle way better over stock which was a vast improvement...really cut down on some of the body roll while slaloming in autocross. I'm happy with what I have, but as stated earlier there are trade offs and I suppose I could be "really happy" if I had waited for the coilovers...oh well, will just have to wait for that lottery ticket to hit I suppose.

[NavyKnight]

Rob,
That's genius, are you saying you CUT holes big enough inside your trunk so you can access the turning knobs? Holy crap that's extreme, but very logical. Does everyone with BC Racing Coils do this? How would you have turned the knob otherwise, would you have to take off the tire?
Also can the fronts be accessed without taking the tire off? Or can you just remove the plastic wheel well permanently so you can reach the knob?

Sorry one more question, can you turn the knob with your hand or do you have to use a tool?

A picture would be fantastic, can you? Please?

[rlhammon]

Originally Posted by NavyKnight Rob, That's genius, are you saying you CUT holes big enough inside your trunk so you can access the turning knobs? Holy crap that's extreme, but very logical. Does everyone with BC Racing Coils do this? How would you have turned the knob otherwise, would you have to take off the tire? Also can the fronts be accessed without taking the tire off? Or can you just remove the plastic wheel well permanently so you can reach the knob? Sorry one more question, can you turn the knob with your hand or do you have to use a tool? A picture would be fantastic, can you? Please?

Cutting holes in the truck is very common for this sort of application. Except in some classes of autocrossing it's not allowed... so you see remote canisters being mounted.

How else would you adjust? Jack the car up a little bit until there is clearance to turn the knob.