I remember a while ago there was a post on ClubSi debating the two. It basically said that coilevers were not good for handling because they threw off the corner weight of the car. The article said springs were the only way to really improve handling on your car and pretty much that coilover systems like skunk2 and ground control were complete garbage.

Is this correct? Maybe I should be posting in the Road Racing forum however I figured maybe shawnhayes could add in his 2 cents here on what the real deal is. It seems as if a lot more people use coilovers as apposed to lowering springs.

I know there has been similar posts in the past, but can anyone touch base on this corner weight thing as well as other factors to take into consideration for better handling?

 

skunk2 and ground control are NOT coil overs. they are sleeves

 

If you are going to get coilovers, you need to get the real thing, not just the sleeves.
But either way, coilovers increase handling as far as I have seen. My friend put coilover sleeves o his 88 GTI wheras he used to have Neuspeed springs. it handles a lot better. Granted it doesn't have independant rear suspension. Don't really know how much difference that will maake.

Don't see any reason springs would handle any better, coilovers for the most part are stiffer, soooo....

 

sounds like club si logic to me

 

i heard that coilovers are a racing setup, so i believe they should handle better than springs. auto-x drivers use coilovers because they are stiffer = minimize body roll. springs give a more comfy ride tho. i have ground control coilover sleeves, and personally, i like them. they handle great.

 

You don't know anything about suspension.

Please prove my statement wrong.

 

lmao. a properly setup set of coilovers will destroy any springs, any day.

edit: you do realize springs do nothing for damping or rebound correct? with some high-rate springs on your car you'll just bounce around all day.


[Modified by JMU1337v0.2, 1:34 AM 1/29/2003]

 

Im confused. Are you really asking if custom springs on stock shocks handle better than a set of full coilovers?

thats ridiculous


[Modified by dreamer, 6:38 AM 1/29/2003]

 

word, i have Neuspeed Coilovers on my 00 Si and I can corner in some intersections without having to brake going 40mph+.
but thats IF its clear to go

 

dont coilovers have springs on them?

 

I installed a set of ebach springs their ok but they bounce arround alot. my boy has a 93 ex and has a set of coil overs (dont know the makers) and his suspension is a he!! alot stiffer than mine I'm going with coil overs this weekend! matched up with the proper shoks & struts you'll handel like a dream!

 

i believe he is asking if a spring setup (Like Neuspeed springs or Eibach) is better the a sleeve and spring (Given the term Coilovers even thought they are just a sleeve and spring) setup.

The answer is just springs alone on either setup isn't that great. Corner weighting without adjustable struts as well isn't going to do much.

The only way Ican see springs being better then struts is if someone doesn't set the height of the sleeve properly and has their car sitting @ 4 different ride heights @ four different corners of the suspension. That's not the sleeve/spring setup......that's a dumb ***.

I have yet to see a foolproof way to set a car up with an adjustable sleeve/spring combo or true coilovers unless they go to a shop that can setup ride height (esp with you in the car).

Just my 5 cents.

 

I have Ground Control coilovers and Koni Yellows on my car, and you could have fooled me, but I think it handles great.

 

everyone I hear hates sleeves, personally i run skunk2 springs , not sleeves

 

Sleeves and adjustable struts are good compromise but the poster needs to be a little more clear.

And I said it was hard to get the proper height with adjustable Sleeve's or coilovers....not impossible. Even when you'd think its set right sometimes its not.

 

Sorry for the confusion. I was talking about the fake coilovers where you just have a sleave in a shock. I wasnt talking about the real deal because I know about those. But from what I am reading both sleeves and and springs are equally crappy?

 

nope, I have Koni yellows and eibach ERS springs with a 450 spring rate up front and a 500 spring rate in the rear and my car owns some corners now. For the amount of money I paid you would be hard pressed to find an equally good set up for less. and Im sure that you would not have an easy time finding one that costs more. I personally prefer coilovers over springs and the reason is adjustability and the quality of the ride. The ride on non-adjustable springs is no where near what my car is, nor is the handling.