Thinking about buying those cheap coilovers? Read this first.

Matt D. · 03-08-2010

When I bought my car a few years ago I immediately started autocrossing it. I figured in order to get it to handle the best I needed coilovers. I mean, who doesn't want coilovers, right? Not everyone can afford a $2000+ set of KWs and the like (I was eyeing Zzyzx at the time) so I opted to go cheap and picked up a set of Ksports from MAP. They seemed great at first, the car handled even better than it did in stock form, it really did feel like a gokart. Then I realized that if I softened the dampening knob away from full firm the car became very bouncy on the road as if they were blown, so I had to leave it at full firm constantly. Before too long the car started making all sort of noises in the front suspension, especially creaking when going over bumps. In the end the rough Minnesota roads took their toll on them and the front two were blown. Overall it seemed like a great investment at first for autocrossing, but the fact that the ride quality is so horrible on the street and there is little dampening adjustment in the mid range of the stroke (look at the shock dyno graphs) the whole idea of cheap coilovers was obviously a ridiculous one.

Since it was time to fix the suspension I chose to try out aftermarket springs on my stock struts. I was torn between the Swift Spec-R and GTWorx springs, but ended up getting the Swifts because I could get them locally, thanks again to MAP.

Once the Swift springs were installed I immediately realized that I no longer hated to drive my car on the street. They solved everything that annoyed me about driving on these terrible roads, and I was no longer embarrassed to have people in my car. The ride is firm, but comfortable. The suspension doesn't make stupid noises that it shouldn't. And so far from what I can tell is that the car doesn't handle any worse than the Ksports ever did. Mind you I haven't done anything more than rip around a few clover leafs on snow tires, but it feels just the same as the Ksports did. Though one thing I noticed is when going around curves at highway speeds if there are bumps that would normally upset the car with the Ksports, the Swifts just soaked up the bumps and the car stayed planted and didn't get nervous.

That being said, I am a firm believer that people should stay away from cheap coilovers. Save yourself some money and headaches and just buy a nice set of aftermarket springs. Cheap coilovers are nothing but trouble, but if you don't believe me you can search the internet about Ksports, Megans or what have you and find out yourself how terrible they are. Now, could things be different if I lived somewhere with nicer roads? Maybe, but that wouldn't change how cheap the coilovers are or how poorly they perform, the performance between the two is negligible. Just trying to do my part in helping people modify their cars properly and save themselves some trouble down the road.

**LingLing** · 03-08-2010

I was thinking about getting a set of those KSport coilovers, but I'll look at my other options. Great info though, thanks for the write up!

A//// Guy · 03-08-2010

Good info Matt! I probably would never go with coilovers on a daily driver regardless. Just too rough and in the winter, corrosion can be a big issue too.

**Kracka** · 03-08-2010

Agreed on all counts. Coilovers aren't designed to stand up to road sand and salt (especially the pillow-ball mounts) and generally are shot within 1-2 yrs. For a street car there is just no reason for anything but a quality set of springs on good shocks/struts.

**v8klla** · 03-08-2010

If only there was a good aftermarket Evo strut that doesn't cost an arm and a leg!

awd-drifter · 03-08-2010

agreed. I haven't looked at getting the K-Sports for the galant because of the reviews I've read on the galant forums. For us, it's just the Evo GSR/MR struts with the evo lowering springs and we have a pretty solid ride. I'm guessing you could partially blame crappy minnesota roads also.

Matt D. · 03-08-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by awd-drifter

I'm guessing you could partially blame crappy minnesota roads also.

Partly, but there are threads appearing now of people with failed coilovers (the shock body broke in half) who do not drive in the harsh environment that we do.

2zzgtte · 03-08-2010

Has anyone seen reviews on tanabe gf210 springs? I have those on my Evo right now, and I think it rides harsh but I have never had coilovers on. I am guessing that any aftermarket springs ride better than any coilover...

Any suggestions on best riding springs?

**Kracka** · 03-08-2010

Most comfortable spring will be the Eibach Prokits.

Matt D. · 03-08-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2zzgtte

Has anyone seen reviews on tanabe gf210 springs? I have those on my Evo right now, and I think it rides harsh but I have never had coilovers on. I am guessing that any aftermarket springs ride better than any coilover...

Any suggestions on best riding springs?

The idea is that with a coilover you can turn the dampening down toward the soft side and it will ride like a couch (unless you have ridiculously high spring rates of course) but the problem is with cheap coilovers their valving is terrible, so if you turn down the dampening to try and soften the ride the car will start bouncing. I've known someone who had KW coilovers, he could turn them down and they'd ride nice on the street, same with Zzyzx.

2zzgtte · 03-08-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kracka

Most comfortable spring will be the Eibach Prokits.

Great thanks! I don't do AutoX, so I don't really have need for high performance.

I have the Tein SS-P on my celica with the EDFC and I can vouch for the difference of quality of ride when turned from soft to hard. It is totally night and day difference from the soft to the hard and vice verse.

**scheides** · 03-08-2010

eye heart springs + shocks!

Progressive springs are the bomb, even on the stock shocks they improved the ride on my evo (I have eibachs). Now paired with the set of bilstein MR's I got used (low mileage) the car rides freaking awesome, but still handles very respectably. If I ever got into more competition, I'd defenitely consider the swifts, even the -R's...matt's car rides extremely nice now, and no danger of das breakage:

Plus, we live in MN. Think about all the junk that can get into all of those grooves coilovers have!

Even high-end coilovers use non-progressive springs, right? I just can't fathom how they can ride uber nice.

Matt D. · 03-08-2010

Also, my car rotates better now than it did before, ask me how I know...

turbotalon1g · 03-08-2010

AGXs and Prokits babay. More of a DD car then a handling beast like Matt D.
But maybe one day if I find another set of JICs and I feel like turning this thing.

**scheides** · 03-09-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matt D.

Also, my car rotates better now than it did before, ask me how I know...

How do you know?

vidz or ban!

Matt D. · 03-09-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by scheides

How do you know?

vidz or ban!

The turn from Territorial onto 280 when I leave work is a 120 degree left, I sort of hustled the turn and the car basically pivoted around the corner.

**scheides** · 03-09-2010

Too late, you got teh ban!