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Springs Vs. Coilovers

7K views 46 replies 26 participants last post by  Poolboy 
#1 ·
Though obviously different methods, would anyone recommend getting springs over coilovers?

I'm not very knowledgable about either so what is everyones opinion about this?

ride quality? price over value? etc...
 
#2 ·
Springs only setup, i would only recommend Eibach Prokit and Tein H-Tech. Nothing else. The other sets drop the car too low, and you will need to get shocks in conjunction. while the previous 2 listed are fine working on its own. Springs only setup does not give adjustability, agressive drop. But it's much cheaper, and for me, it's better for my daily driving style. I can't go too low in my area.

Coil overs are more expensive, much more expensive. But it gives you adjustability on heigh, damper, and gives you the drop you want.
 
#5 · (Edited)
I have eibach pro kit, with stock shocks. It was a 150 dollar lowering setup. I've been using it since 2003, and it's holding up perfectly right now.

I had Tein SS in 2002, but it blew after 1 year, and after that, i didn't have a use of coil overs, since i didn't really need to go that low, nor need the adjust ability. So I went just the spring route @ 150 bucks vs coil overs around 900 bucks or so. I'm sure you can get coilovers for much cheaper now days, but it's still a bit more expensive.
 
#9 ·
I have Comptech sport springs, Koni shocks, Comptech rear sway bar, SPC rear camber adjuster as my lowering setup. I've had this setup since early 2004 and have had no problems. The ride is firm on rough roads but perfect on smooth roads. My shoes are 225/40/18 on 18x7.5 48et wheels.

I've thought about spending the money and upgrading to Tein coilovers but I'm happy with my current setup.

I would like to drive a car with a coilover setup to find out if I'm really missing anything.

My ride:

 
#10 ·
lookin good man, that's about as low as i'm lookin to go.
i was looking at my car today and it looked like a 4x4... i was walking uphill to where my car was parked and i could see the car behind my car by just looking under it... that's disappointing hah.
 
#13 ·
If you don't want to upgrade the shocks, you only need the springs alone. Don't worry about camber. As long as you get the car aligned and the toe settings corrected, you're golden.

Of course, IMO, lowering a car without upgrading the shocks won't give you better handling. You'll only get lowered look.
 
#14 ·
actually the higher spring rate my h&r race springs gave me helped me alot on handling.

with my stock shocks, i took 45 mph ramps at 90-95 mph fine and when i got my koni yellows, at softest settings i could do at most 85 mph.

the tires of course make a big difference



to OP: if you want to get rid of the 4x4 look and looking to spend under $400, go for springs/shocks setup

if you want adjustable height, dampening and most likely better handling, go with coilovers - you'll be looking to spend $700-$1000 on that.
 
#15 ·
so i had a question...i have the hfp suspension added on, from the dealer, when i bought the car...and if i wanted better handling i would have to just change the shocks? but if i change just the shocks would my ride height change? or is that solely controlled by the springs?
 
#16 ·
Higher speed which you take a certain turn at doesn't translate to better handling. Of course, it's all up to each one of you.

But damper and spring are pure physics, plain and simple. If you compress a spring, without damper, the spring will oscilate indefinitely when you release it. The stiffer the spring, the stronger its forces to continue oscilate.

Damper's function is to damp the spring's force to oscilate. In short, damper's function is to control the spring's forces. The damper will also have to work harder to control stiffer spring's forces.

Now take a look at your stock shocks/dampers. They are designed with lighter stock spring rates. They work very well with the stock springs, because they were engineered together.

Now you replace the springs with lowering springs which have higher to much higher spring rates. What happens with the dampers? They can no longer do a good job at damping your spring's forces. The higher the spring rate, the worse the overall suspension performance if you keep the stock shocks.

If you have mild lowering springs, like Prokits, HTechs, H&R Sports, stock shocks might still be acceptable.

But if you run H&R or Neuspeed Race, Tein STech, Eibach Sportline, or the like, your suspension actually performs worse than at stock height. This is why the spring manufacturers always recommend aftermarket shocks for these springs.

Most shocks also work optimally at a certain length range. If you lower your car so much, the stock shocks are out of this optimal range. It means, they won't perform as well as when they're at stock length.

stupidaznmunkey, you feel that your car handles better than stock, because you are riding on your bumpstops. When you take a corner, your suspension is at full compression and has nowhere else to go. That's why you feel your car is very firm and well planted. The real test is when you hit a bump mid corner. I guarantee you, at 90 mph, your car will snap into oversteer and lose composure. Don't ask me how I know.

Again, it's all up to you, but springs and shocks work according to the laws of physics and there's no way to cheat it.
 
#22 ·
stupidaznmunkey, you feel that your car handles better than stock, because you are riding on your bumpstops. When you take a corner, your suspension is at full compression and has nowhere else to go. That's why you feel your car is very firm and well planted. The real test is when you hit a bump mid corner. I guarantee you, at 90 mph, your car will snap into oversteer and lose composure. Don't ask me how I know.

Again, it's all up to you, but springs and shocks work according to the laws of physics and there's no way to cheat it.
yeah of course i was on my bumpstops! my shocks were so blown by the time i took em out that the bumpstops were already split and raped to the max from having my springs/shocks compressed fully.

thats why i also dont recommend (for those who have coilovers) to drive with their suspension at full stiff - at least not take corners since the roads are not like tracks which are smooth, but have bumps. i dont ask kuz i know too :)

oversteer almost owned me...
 
#19 ·
Ride quality will be near stock, correct.

Just IMO, as long as you never get too close to the car's limit, you're OK. Accord's stock shocks are pretty weak. Your ride quality will be soft, but you also can't make emergency manouver as safe as before, when the car's stock.

IMO, if you can't afford aftermarket shocks, don't lower your car.
 
#21 ·
Well, first thing first.

100k miles shocks are usually done. Most Honda shocks last only about 80-100k miles. After that, they just can't handle the stock springs, let alone lowered springs.

Second, $1200 for 2 shocks is just highway robbery. Let's see, Koni Sport or SP3 cost about $600 out the door. I usually charge $120 to install shocks and/or springs. It means $720 installed, with pricey Koni shocks.

Agressive driving on dead shocks, even at stock height, is just plain dangerous. Your car could lose traction when you need it most, emergency manouvers at freeway speed and during braking.
 
#29 ·
Coilovers and lowering springs/shocks are generally geared towards different purpose. Coilovers usually have really high spring rates and this in turn will make the ride quality very stiff. Sometimes too stiff for non-track use.

Springs and shocks are generally intended for more comfortable ride and more suitable for street use because of the lower and progressive spring rates.

There's a reason, too, that Tein claims most if not all their coilovers are for "off-road" use only.
 
#28 ·
I had Tein Basic on my 05 TL before and I removed them after only 3000 miles. They were real stiff and made my car rattle like crazy. The ride quality was so stiff I didn't want to drive it anymore.

Now Tein SS has adjustable damping, but it still has the same springs as the Basic does. You probably can soften it a little, but it's still going to be very firm.

If you're not going to track your car, IMO adjustable coilovers will be too stiff.

You might want to try riding in a car with Tein and drive it at some rough roads. If the stiffness is OK for you, then you might be OK with them.
 
#38 ·
I heard gas shocks give you smoother ride, is that true?
 
#41 ·
My Tein SSP coilover set is way more compliant than ANY suspension setup I've had on ANY car (non-coilover). The reason for this is because it still maintains a very fair amount of suspension travel...

When you buy seperate springs and shocks the drop is all in the springs... the lower the ride height the more suspension travel you lose. On my Tein coilover kit the STRUTS themselves are shorter than the stock ones, so the Tein springs are almost the same size as the stock ones.

I didn't realize any of this until I installed this setup. I'm still amazed how easily my car absorbs potholes and mid-corner bumps without crashing or losing it's composure.
 
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