Coilovers VS Springs & Shocks

[turkeysneck]

I'm about to buy some Coilovers but I'm just a tad concerned about how hard the ride is going to be. I'm interested to know if anyone has run a car with lowered and uprated traditional springs and shocks but also has used Coilovers. So I can find out how they compare.

[badassyas]

Youre better buying a top end spring and shock kit (bilstein/h&r) compared to a budget or mediocre coilover kit. And if it's for the road only. Then only go as far as a proper suspension overhaul with a b12 kit. Anything more than that is just unnecessary

[miniblob]

Briefly used a touring on an H&R cup kit, which I was surprised how smooth/comfy it was tbh, as well as offering great handling.

My touring has the H&R coilover setup and it's a bit firmer, but I have no probs using it as a daily, even with a bad back!!! Sticks to the road like turds on a blanket too!!!!
15's definately improve the ride - 16's are noticeably firmer with the coilovers in place!!!

I would prob recommend the cup kit for most people tbh - unless you're hardcore

[turkeysneck]

I'm not hardcore but sadly H&R Nor Eibach do 60mm drop front and rear and that's what I want.

[Tan91]

60mm on the front is a pretty hard slam on an e30. Sump from what I remember is only a couple of inches of the ground.

I am running a Spax 60Front 40Rear drop and it sits pretty nicely on 15" stock bbs's.

The Kit is SPAX TAP225 I think, this kit comes with front and rear adjustable dampers, 60mm front springs and 40mm rear springs, a few more adjustments on the front that the back by either a half turn or one and a half. Adjustments obviously being stiffness. The Quality is amazing as well and you'll find your more confident in corners LOL .

The kit costed be £375 including delivery this is a 15% discount as I work in Halfords so staff discount defo helped. And I replaced the rear top mounts with Genuine BMW E36 M3 ones or E46 convertible ones can't remember to be honest.

People who have this setup and are dissatisfied with the 40Rear drop tend to get lower rear springs that are either from FK Automotive or another brand which you can find out from www.europerformance.com, and tend to be a 50 spring or even 60 @ ~100 quid or so.

My car on a 60/40 Drop:


With Original 15" BBS's, Fronts are 205/50/15.....Rear 205/55/15 Nexens all round.
Aiming for 16's this year with lower profile so should sit better.

This is after settling in obv and polybushed throughout very firm and comfy ride.

[ross2009]

youll be suprised with a decent set of coilovers i always said from the start i dont want coilovers coz i dont want a hard ride but i was very wrong the main reason why i went with them was because of the power increase and for the rear to be able to take what i put thro it
but normal driving if by far better then i was expecting plus you can also adjust the damper rebound to soften them or stiffen them up
im very happy with mine and mine isnt a track car its purely rd

[Tan91]

That's true also mine is only a 316i Lux soon to have a conversion, so the power transfer is important as well depending on your driving style and power I would assume. Something to consider.

[turkeysneck]

Although I'm running 60mm springs all round, the car isn't slammed and isn't too low. It merely gives the car a more modern look and brings the visuals of the car up to modern standards, which is what I've wanted to achieve both with the visuals and the mechanicals. The problem I have is the springs are cheap and I want to buy something better. I also have a set of good quality 40mm springs but the car sits too high. I'd be happy with 50mm on the front and 60mm on the rear but so far I haven't been able to find a 50mm drop for the front. I'd go with Coilovers for the total control over the ride height but I'm dead against them on the rear because of the extra stress on the shock absorber housings. The car is 26 years old and even with beefed up top mounts I'd rather not put the extra stress on the body. My other option is to go with the Gaz kit that offers the traditional set up on the rear but I doubt it will give me the 60mm drop I want on the rear. Now I've heard the comment from Coilovers I think I'll try and find a 50mm front spring if that fails I'll blow some coin on Coilovers.

Thanks for the advice.

[ross2009]

Although I'm running 60mm springs all round, the car isn't slammed and isn't too low. It merely gives the car a more modern look and brings the visuals of the car up to modern standards, which is what I've wanted to achieve both with the visuals and the mechanicals. The problem I have is the springs are cheap and I want to buy something better. I also have a set of good quality 40mm springs but the car sits too high. I'd be happy with 50mm on the front and 60mm on the rear but so far I haven't been able to find a 50mm drop for the front. I'd go with Coilovers for the total control over the ride height but I'm dead against them on the rear because of the extra stress on the shock absorber housings. The car is 26 years old and even with beefed up top mounts I'd rather not put the extra stress on the body. My other option is to go with the Gaz kit that offers the traditional set up on the rear but I doubt it will give me the 60mm drop I want on the rear. Now I've heard the comment from Coilovers I think I'll try and find a 50mm front spring if that fails I'll blow some coin on Coilovers.

Thanks for the advice.

added stress try putting over 300 even 400 bhp thro the rear struts they take it. it might be an old car but they aint as weak as you think and coilovers on a standard car will be fine there wont be no stress on them

[turkeysneck]

I'd have no problem on a rot free car but corrosion and stress don't go together and I don't know exactly how corrosion free the car is. I'm sure your right and It might be my only option.

[cee]

My car on a 60/40 Drop:
[img]

You got any photos from different angles?

[turkeysneck]

It's really not that low, with plenty of clearance but I would be happier if the front was maybe 5 or 10mm higher.

[rskool]

Since this topics on about coilovers does anyone know of a good kit that ain't that expensive and Is a straight bolt on job as one or two I've seen require welding and all sorts!

[ross2009]

cheapest half decent kit is prob gaz there about the 600 mark most coil over kits are about 1k mark

[N00b]

I'm not hardcore but sadly H&R Nor Eibach do 60mm drop front and rear and that's what I want.

It'll ruin the handling if you go that low.

[Karan]

I'm not hardcore but sadly H&R Nor Eibach do 60mm drop front and rear and that's what I want.

It'll ruin the handling if you go that low.

Well that's a load of generic BS