MRW...

"Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow" (chriskf) 02/19/2015 at 16:05 • Filed to: None

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people just want "moar low."

And everyone starts recommending cheap coilovers, that are a downgrade from the stock system and will just ruin the already great handling/suspension of the car.

I know everyone has a right to modify their cars as they wish; it's just frustrating to see people ruin something that took so much work to design/accomplish, and that is arguably the defining characteristic that makes the car so special.

#ToyobaruWorldProblems

Sam > Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow 02/19/2015 at 16:09

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I agree. I want to go moar low with my 924, but I'm going to use quality parts which will actually improve the handling. The stock suspension is pretty floaty boaty.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow 02/19/2015 at 16:12

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Many don't realise you usually need all sorts of supporting mods to go with the coils. Even a good quality coilover set, with not supporting mods can be shitty depending on the application.

Textured Soy Protein > Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow 02/19/2015 at 16:13

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There are plenty of ways to get an aftermarket suspension upgrade that's actually, you know, an upgrade.

I'm not a huge fan of coilovers on a primarily street car though. They're overkill and have a lot of compromises that come along with the adjustable ride height. A lot of them, for example, come with pillow ball upper shock mounts which do make for sharper handling but also make for lots more NVH.

Most cars have several different options for lowering springs and replacement shocks, which when properly selected can give a great balance between ride quality, lowering, and ride quality.

Add in some sway bars, and camber kits if your car doesn't have a camber adjustment from the factory, dial in a good alignment, and it'll be a huge difference over stock.

Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow > Sam 02/19/2015 at 16:14

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That's the way it should be done!

However, with the FR-S/BRZ community (and really the tuner community in general) there seems to be this misconception that adding coilovers automatically improves the suspension. Admittedly, this is a concept I used to hold... when I was like 16/17 and had no idea what I was doing. People are so quick to throw a budget (e.g. cheap) set of coilovers on the car to lower it and "improve" handling, that they never learn how the car actually handles stock and where it can actually be improved.

A good set of springs (with rates appropriate to your goals) and struts is slightly more than most cheap coilover sets and will be a much better solution. Ideally, just don't be a cheapskate on one of the most important components of the car. Spend at least around $2k for some halfway decent adjustable coilovers.

T5Killer > Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow 02/19/2015 at 16:20

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Interesting that folks in the Import world go right to coil overs for improvement. Most folks in the Mustang/Domestic world just go with lowering springs and call it a day. I have yet to see coilovers on a lightly modified car.

Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow > Textured Soy Protein 02/19/2015 at 16:20

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Exactly, these are the ways that suspension mods should be done.

However, everyone just wants to slam the car on a set of wheels that is way too big/wide for the stock power because it looks hella dope and they think it makes it handle better. Widest wheels = best handling, right?... smh

I see swapping a cheap set of coils onto any car designed to have excellent handling from the factory (FR-S/BRZ, S2000, Miata, etc) as the equivalent of taking a Supra and swapping the 2JZ for a Honda B-series, because VTec yo!

Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow > T5Killer 02/19/2015 at 16:21

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A good set of lowering springs is a much better (and cheaper!!!) solution than "affordable" coilovers. Especially if you get some with properly matched spring rates.

CKeffer > Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow 02/19/2015 at 16:28

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Most of these people also equate low and stiff with good handling, which is hilariously far from the truth. But whatever, it's their money, I won't pretend to tell them how to spend it. My NB got coilovers (nto the most expensive out there, but also not the cheapest), but it also got new bushings, and sway bars, and tires to go with it all. Plus I'm going with damper and ride height settings that are well established to actually improve the cars handling, and it will be getting a proper alignment and corner balancing as soon as it comes off the jack stands.

Textured Soy Protein > Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow 02/19/2015 at 16:36

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Well, I've put wider wheels and tires (in the stock diameter) on both a Miata and a Mazdaspeed 6. Both of which also had assorted suspension mods.

Stock setups on all but the highest-end sports and exotic cars are a compromise that can usually be improved upon. The trick is to not modify things just for the sake of modifying things, and instead pick and choose parts and alignment settings in order to make actual improvements in handling.

505Turbeaux > Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow 02/19/2015 at 16:37

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Coty _

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow 02/19/2015 at 16:37

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I think that this myth comes from people buying poorly cared for old cars with tired suspensions. Yes, if you put coilovers on it in that situation, your handling will improve dramatically. You're putting new springs and strut inserts in when you do it, so of course it's going to be better than 25 year old springs. This doesn't apply to new cars, though.

Tim (Fractal Footwork) > Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow 02/19/2015 at 17:05

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#KittenMittens

Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow > Textured Soy Protein 02/19/2015 at 17:07

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Oh, there's certainly a lot of room to improve. But they think that just changing something out for an aftermarket product is an automatic improvement.