OK...I just need a quick answer for my buddy. He's got an '04 civic, and wanted to know what the difference is between just a set of springs & a coilover kit. The obvious answer is price (like $500 difference). He wants to lower his car and have it perform correctly (not just drop it)...but he's not gonna be doing any Auto-X'ing or anything that aggressive. Could someone please explain this to me?? Thanks!
need an explanation
- Thread starter Leadfoot
- Start date
Jackal14075
Member
- :
- 2003 Protege5
arent coilovers adjustable? thats the only difference that i see in my coil-overs over other peoples springs.
Jackal14075
Member
- :
- 2003 Protege5
that is unless you're talkin about the real coil-overs kits where the strut and spring is together in one easily adjustable and matched unit.
I'm not sure...that's why I was asking. I thought that maybe the coilovers also allowed you to adjust the camber, as well as giving you the "complete" package...but honestly I'm not sure at all....I've never really looked into it before.
Jackal14075 said:
Well, having experience with both, lets see here....
1. Springs are just that. They are one piece, generally shorter than stock, where you just replace the OEM ones and reinstall the whole thing back into your car. Very inexpensive ($150 to $200 for a good set) Some swap out the new springs and run the OEM strut, which is ok depending on your drop. Anything more than 1" and I recommend performance struts as well.
Pro: cheap, easy, many manufacturers available
Con: not adjustable, have to redo everything to change ride height (i.e. when selling the car)
2. Add-on Coilovers (i.e. Skunk2, Ground Control, etc.) These are replacement items, much like the springs mentioned above. The consist of a shorter spring as well as an adjustable sleeve that goes over the strut (OEM or replacement). These cost more than the springs alone ($250 - $350 per set)They usually allow for adjustment between .5-.75 in. drop (all the way up) to 3-3.5 in. drop (all the way down). Do not use these with your OEM struts, the ride sucks and your struts will go to hell within a few thousand miles.
Pro: Adjustability, cheaper than full coilovers
Con: Not as effective as full coilovers, rough ride
3. Full Coilover (i.e. TEIN SS). These I feel are the best in coilovers. These are the fully adjustable spring AND performance strut in one piece. Much like those above, they are adjustable from .5 to 3.5 in. drops. Usually, the stiffness of the strut is also adjustable. You can really fine tune your ride and handling characteristics then. But, keep in mind, these are more expensive. ($1k or more)
Pro: Highest quality, full adjustability
Con: Cost, few manufacturers available.
Lastly, someone mentioned about camber, with springs, once its set and camber doesn't change. With coilver, your suspension and ride changes as the car is raised and lowered. Camber set for when the car is at .5 in drop is going to be different than when the car is at a 3.5 in drop, because all the rest of your suspension components are at different angles to the struts depending on where it sits. I have my car's camber and alignment set for 1 in drop for daily driving, but dump it for shows. Conversely, it looks good for shows, but I have to raise it up to drive around, or else my ride sucks and my tires will suffer for it.
Well, hope that helps you and your buddy!
1. Springs are just that. They are one piece, generally shorter than stock, where you just replace the OEM ones and reinstall the whole thing back into your car. Very inexpensive ($150 to $200 for a good set) Some swap out the new springs and run the OEM strut, which is ok depending on your drop. Anything more than 1" and I recommend performance struts as well.
Pro: cheap, easy, many manufacturers available
Con: not adjustable, have to redo everything to change ride height (i.e. when selling the car)
2. Add-on Coilovers (i.e. Skunk2, Ground Control, etc.) These are replacement items, much like the springs mentioned above. The consist of a shorter spring as well as an adjustable sleeve that goes over the strut (OEM or replacement). These cost more than the springs alone ($250 - $350 per set)They usually allow for adjustment between .5-.75 in. drop (all the way up) to 3-3.5 in. drop (all the way down). Do not use these with your OEM struts, the ride sucks and your struts will go to hell within a few thousand miles.
Pro: Adjustability, cheaper than full coilovers
Con: Not as effective as full coilovers, rough ride
3. Full Coilover (i.e. TEIN SS). These I feel are the best in coilovers. These are the fully adjustable spring AND performance strut in one piece. Much like those above, they are adjustable from .5 to 3.5 in. drops. Usually, the stiffness of the strut is also adjustable. You can really fine tune your ride and handling characteristics then. But, keep in mind, these are more expensive. ($1k or more)
Pro: Highest quality, full adjustability
Con: Cost, few manufacturers available.
Lastly, someone mentioned about camber, with springs, once its set and camber doesn't change. With coilver, your suspension and ride changes as the car is raised and lowered. Camber set for when the car is at .5 in drop is going to be different than when the car is at a 3.5 in drop, because all the rest of your suspension components are at different angles to the struts depending on where it sits. I have my car's camber and alignment set for 1 in drop for daily driving, but dump it for shows. Conversely, it looks good for shows, but I have to raise it up to drive around, or else my ride sucks and my tires will suffer for it.
Well, hope that helps you and your buddy!
Hondas take nice to anything you throw at them..be it springs ,Sleeve style coilovers or "TRUE" coilovers.They do camber like a beeyotch though when dropping 2'' or more.If he is just looking for a nice drop and some better handling,a nice set of springs at his desired drop would be great.I would suggest the Skunk2 sleeve coilovers...GREAT ride,quality,and the adjustment is really easy.I have never had a set of Skunks lose adjustment either.They are kinda pricey though for a set of sleeves.
Matt
Matt
ForceFed said:
wasn't there just a thread on how the skunk2 coilovers suck, and they pop when you turn the wheel?
and personally, any add-on coilover is a piece of s***, be it skunk2, groundcontrol, or any other out there.
if you want coilovers, save an extra months worth of paychecks and get real coilovers, like tein's, b+g's, or jic-magics.
Leadfoot said:
if he wants the good handling and smooth looks, i'd say get coilovers. if he hasn't already added wheels to his car, then this will benefit him with that he can adjust it to get the look of his car just right, but still have a mean ass handling ride.
the b+g coilovers are only about 850$, where as the tein's are about 1500$, and the jic-magic flt-a2's are about 2000$.
Sweet....what I'm gonna do is just show him this whole thread & let him decide. He wants to get new rims & tires too, so I don't know how much buying power he has....but the B+G look like a decent price....that's a complete kit too, right?
element.8 said:
Leadfoot said:
yessir.
http://www.hopupracing.com/bgsuspses3co4.html
and they do make them for a civic, i'm just linking you to the page to show him info and prices.
::.edit...
i just remembered there's a nice tanabe set for the same price as the b+g's.
http://www.hopupracing.com/tasuprosstyi2.html
Last edited:
Protege Mommy
Member
- :
- 2001 Sunlight Silver Protege ES
How hard is it to adjust the Tein SS? Can you adjust the stiffness? I really don't want to have to take off the wheels everytime I have to adjust. I was considering springs, but after reading this thread, I've got the taste for some coilovers!
