Coilover-Explanations

[A3_Turbo]

Hi guys just wondered if one of you could maybe explain something to me?

Looking at coilovers and you get one set with just adjustable height, and a more expensive set for adjustable height and adjustable damping.

What is adjustable damping?

Sorry for sounding a bit stupid!

Looking at FK/Weitec at the moment swaying towards the weitecs!

Jason

 

[mbs3]

Damping is the control of the spring, basically valves slow down the bouncyness of the spring. So if you have adjustable damping, you can control how fast the spring compresses and rebounds, altering the control of your car.

Unless you really know what your doing with suspension set up, your best just getting non adjustable suspension, as often you can make your car handle lots worse.

 

[A3_Turbo]

Ok nice one thanks for the reply,

Unless your properly tracking your car i cant see adjustable damping being much use really.

Thanks

 

[Dave_Bayern]

I use adjustable damping to go between road and track.

Its nice an springy on the road, but still more harsh than OEM suspension.

On the track, it goes up to full hardness and grips like nothing else.

 

[Aky]

When I was in Awesome the other week there was a set of Tein coilovers on show for the MK4. They had electronic adjustable damping.

I think you could adjust fronts and/or rears and possibly independantly.

It just shows how much the Japanese technology were infornt of the likes of Eibach, FK, Koni etc. If I was going for a set of Coilovers I'd get a set of them

 

[Prawn]

the thing is Dave, you are right, but you forgot to point out that too harsh is also a very bad thing.

The wheel still needs some movement to allow it to track across the contours of the road, so setting it to full hardness is possibly not the best option. My mini has suffered on track before from excessively stiff damping.

Jason, I would say for what you need from the car, there is no need for adjustable damping, as you will probably not get the best from it.

However, the problem with coilovers is that you have a set length shock, for a varying length of travel, so by nature, the damping gets harder as the length of suspension travel decreases, so coilovers tend to become very harsh when wound down a lot.

At the height Im thinking you want to drop it to, I reckon a set of coilies, even adjsutable ones, will be very harsh Jason.

If I were you I would carry on looking into a set of 50 or 55mm rear springs to match your front setup!

 

[A3_Turbo]

Thanks for all the great replies, i understand now!

I was thinking coilovers really just to level my car as its too high at the back!

Also i could go lower on the front than i already am with coilovers couldnt I?

Cheers