By Callum Liam
Your car’s suspension determines how well it will handle. If your car came with a softer suspension, it may handle poorly until you replace the suspension with a performance setup such as coilovers. Because worn-out suspensions can negatively affect handling, they must be replaced.
Coilovers are designed to help set up the height and damping of a car. With this, you can lower the center of gravity and stiffen up the chassis for better cornering and control. Coilovers have many benefits over other suspension systems. But, there are a lot of brands, styles, and designs to choose from. This makes it necessary to be careful about quality. The following are important things to look for when purchasing coilovers:
Quality
Your vehicle needs quality parts to serve you well. Thus, when buying coilovers, ensure to get them from a reputable suspension manufacturer like First Over All Off-Road Shock Technology. The company uses the best materials and coilover technology. Quality coilovers are also made of anodized aluminum, which is a light and corrosion-resistant material.
Spring Rate
The spring rate is the number that represents the amount of weight required to complete the spring one inch. For example, a coilover could have a spring rate of 200 lbs. per inch. A high spring rate offers better handling but a stiff ride while a lower one offers a softer ride but more body-roll when cornering. The ideal spring rate is different for every application. Your chosen suspension will alter the performance of your vehicle.
Upper Mounts
The upper mount refers to the joint between the strut assembly and the vehicle. It determines your ride’s smoothness. The majority of coilovers have either a pillow-ball upper mount or a rubber upper mount. A pillow-ball mount offers better handling; however, it produces a harsh ride during street driving. Meanwhile, rubber upper mounts are used in modern coilovers. They absorb some of the impacts, thus, offering a smoother ride.
Spring and Valving Adjustability
A high-quality coilover has the adjustability for ride height, spring preload, and damping. You can adjust your coilover to fine-tune the way your car handles. Also, adjusting offers the best ride height for your application. Also, you should be able to replace the springs with stiffer ones. Track cars need much higher spring rates than streetcars to gain grip, minimize body roll, and improve handling. When swapping for a stiffer or softer spring, ensure to match your spring rate with your damping to have a smooth ride.
