by "Alfalfa" (alfalfa-romeo)
Published 11/15/2017 at 20:05
by "Alfalfa" (alfalfa-romeo)
Published 11/15/2017 at 20:05
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STARS: 1
Coilovers.
Simply using the word seems to imply an upgrade, but the stock replacement is still a coil over suspension unit...
There are a few cases where this is not true, but not many.
"CaptDale - is secretly British" (captdale)
11/15/2017 at 20:09, STARS: 1
True. People seem to think the term coilover is only the after market better option, but most newer cars have coil over strut suspension.
"EL_ULY" (uly)
11/15/2017 at 20:09, STARS: 6
Mc. Fear, son!
"PotbellyJoe and 42 others" (potbellyjoe)
11/15/2017 at 20:15, STARS: 5
Rims.
When it’s the wheel center that people are talking about...
"Alfalfa" (alfalfa-romeo)
11/15/2017 at 20:16, STARS: 1
What I think is even weirder than rims, is alloys.
"for Michigan" (formichigan)
11/15/2017 at 20:19, STARS: 5
Steel isn’t an alloy!
Oh wait…
"for Michigan" (formichigan)
11/15/2017 at 20:21, STARS: 0
So you’re saying “coilovers” are simply adjustable struts?
"Alfalfa" (alfalfa-romeo)
11/15/2017 at 20:24, STARS: 0
I’m saying they’re struts with coil spring over them
"for Michigan" (formichigan)
11/15/2017 at 20:27, STARS: 2
By definition, isn’t a strut a shock with a coil spring mounted over it?
"Orange Exige" (OrangeExige)
11/15/2017 at 20:33, STARS: 0
The term makes sense, but the most common usage of it doesn’t make the best sense. The real problem isn’t aftermarkets though- they ARE selling coilovers and it’s important to differentiate because you can just as easily get aftermarket springs and shocks separately. I think the issue (if we call it that) really would be that OEMs don’t refer to them as coilovers, making the aftermarket versions seem more special than stock strut assemblies.
"Alfalfa" (alfalfa-romeo)
11/15/2017 at 20:36, STARS: 0
Well if we’re getting really technical, a strut is simply a rod with a spring. The shock is generally referring to the piston component. On about any modern car, the 2 are combined to make a coilover.
"Orange Exige" (OrangeExige)
11/15/2017 at 20:39, STARS: 4
So instead of saying rims, which can clearly refer only to the metal one-piece wheel (with the very rare potentially confusing exception with multi-piece wheels), you’d rather use “wheel center” which is not at all confusable with the extremely common (wheel) center cap??
"Orange Exige" (OrangeExige)
11/15/2017 at 20:50, STARS: 0
Yes. That’s virtually entirely the distinction between “coilovers” and stock “strut( assemblie)s”.
Stock struts are coilovers but since OEM doesn’t call them coilovers, aftermarket (adjustable) coilovers are differentiated from aftermarket (OE/nonadjustable) ones because the OE parts use the same name as the OEM: struts or strut assemblies. Is there logic to it? No. Couldn’t OEMs call them “coilovers” and then aftermarkets can specify “ adjustable coilovers”
"DC3 LS, will be perpetually replacing cars until the end of time" (dc3ls-)
11/15/2017 at 20:51, STARS: 0
Also saying “I need to change the tire, it had a flat” You’re changing the whole wheel, not just the tire.
"PotbellyJoe and 42 others" (potbellyjoe)
11/15/2017 at 20:52, STARS: 0
Exactly.
"Alfalfa" (alfalfa-romeo)
11/15/2017 at 20:54, STARS: 0
I’ll give you that one, but I do feel like it’s a little extra fickle.
"ateamfan42" (ateamfan42)
11/16/2017 at 08:35, STARS: 0
By definition, isn’t a strut a shock with a coil spring mounted over it?
No. This is a common misconception.
A strut is a damper (shock absorber) that also functions as a locating member for the suspension mechanism. Most have a coil spring wound around them (for packaging reasons), but not all do.
A double-wishbone suspension can utilize a coil-over spring/shock setup, or the springs & dampers can be separate units.
The major difference from a strut suspension is that if the springs and dampers are removed, the wheel position is still determined (relative to the chassis) by the a-arms that are still in place.
"ateamfan42" (ateamfan42)
11/16/2017 at 08:38, STARS: 1
Well if we’re getting really technical, a strut is simply a rod with a spring.
A strut need not have a spring present. A strut is just a damper that is also a locating member for the suspension system.
Here is an example of a strut that does not have a spring wound around it:
"ateamfan42" (ateamfan42)
11/16/2017 at 08:42, STARS: 1
....but most newer cars have coil over strut suspension.
Except the ones that have coil-over double wishbone suspension.
In the aftermarket, “coil-overs” implies a matched spring/damper combo that includes ride height adjustment.
Some aftermarket “coil-overs” are not in fact a coil-over-spring design (because the OEM setup also was not a coil-over setup), but are called such because they include height adjustment:
"Alfalfa" (alfalfa-romeo)
11/16/2017 at 11:42, STARS: 1
Themoreyouknow.jpg
"for Michigan" (formichigan)
11/16/2017 at 17:54, STARS: 0
So then the shocks in the back of my Mazda3 are also struts, even though the springs are located inboard, because they locate the rear wheels? I’m assuming this is the case because your illustration matches my rear suspension setup with the exception of the spring type and location.
"ateamfan42" (ateamfan42)
11/17/2017 at 08:15, STARS: 0
So then the shocks in the back of my Mazda3 are also struts, even though
the springs are located inboard, because they locate the rear wheels?
I’m assuming this is the case because your illustration matches my rear
suspension setup with the exception of the spring type and location.
I *think* all the generations of the 3 used a multi-link rear suspension. (Rear suspensions can be a little harder to ID, as there are many configurations in use, unlike fronts with tend to just be 1 of 2 types.)
This photo at least shows a multi-link with a shock (not a strut):
Notice that if you removed the shock, there are still links in place that locate the upper and lower parts of the hub assembly relative to the chassis.
The photo in my prior post is from a Pontiac Gran Prix, which is notable as one of the few cars using a transverse leaf spring (the Corvette is the other). Notice the strut locates the upper part of the hub; without it, the hub could flop over instead of staying upright.
"for Michigan" (formichigan)
11/17/2017 at 16:49, STARS: 0
I see. Should’ve realized that as I have a set of adjustable rear upper links waiting to go in my car.