If you’ve never driven a car fitted with coilovers, you don’t know what you’re missing. This is true for your daily driver or something reserved for the backroads or track over the weekend. Coilovers are the suspension upgrades you want if you’re looking for better handling, more feel in turns, and a more controlled ride. This makes your car more responsive on any type of road, and way faster. Once you’ve got a set of dedicated coilovers fitted, you’ll never go back to your car’s stock suspension.
What Do Coilovers Do?
Coilovers are designed to lower the car’s height and shift your vehicle’s centre of gravity. In plain terms, the car is glued to the road, and there’s less body roll as you change direction. The steering is also more precise, and the ride is a whole world away from the spongy and bouncy feeling you’re used to. The level of adjustment they have is something you can dream of in stock suspension parts, and a quick spin of a spanner has you ready for your next run. What’s more, vehicles with coilovers just look better.
So, what exactly are coilovers and how are they different from stock suspension parts? The answer is in the name. This is a coil spring over a shock or strut. You might be thinking that’s the same as what you already got, but the coilover suspension is specifically designed as a preassembled unit, with the coil spring fitting perfectly over the shock. The compression in the spring can be increased and you can lower the vehicle height for a firmer ride. There’s less rebound as the car hits a bump, so control is also better. This is completely different from the separate coils and absorbers you’ll find in most cars.
Are Your Coilovers Worn-Out? These Are the Giveaway Signs
If you’ve been thrashing your car at any chance, odds are that one or all the coilovers are down to their last breaths. The obvious sign that a coilover is blown is the car sagging. This may not be evident at first, but more serious wear can affect stability and is a recipe for a crash. To catch this early on, check tyre threads and uneven wear.
Vehicles bouncing are another sign with suspension issues. The job of coilovers is to reduce bounce and firm up the ride. Those that are blown can’t absorb bumps or potholes so you’ll be feeling everything ripple down the back.
Rattling sounds from the wheel arches can also be signs that something is not right, but not always. Coilover damage and rattle may be due to the shocks bottoming out, or the strut and control arm bushings and bump stops being worn. If noises get louder as you build up speed, then it’s time for a checkup.
A clear giveaway is oil leaking from the shocks. This could be mild leaks due to damaged seals and is a simple fix, but where excess oil is present it’s time for a complete coilover change. Check if your warranties still last, as most manufacturers guarantee that your coilovers work as advertised for at least 5 years.
Is It Safe to Drive with Blown or Damaged Coilovers?
British roads aren’t exactly the best, and coilovers nearing their end will start to leak, leading to one or all the signs above. If you regularly drive over potholes and loose and damaged roads, this puts more stress on the springs and shocks, especially at higher speeds.
So is it safe to drive with blown coilover suspension in such conditions? Short answer, no. Though you can’t do more disrepair to already worn parts, connecting suspension components need to take the absorption and weight leading to further problems elsewhere. The ride turns trashy and unbearable to the point that you’d soon be looking for the nearest mechanic.
How Long Do Coilovers Last?
If you want the ability to adjust ride height, the level of damping and rebound, and angles at which the tyres and wheels sit on the road surface (in what is known as camber), then coilovers are what you want. And each coilover will last differently. How and where you drive is possibly the biggest factor, but also the type and brand of coilover. Of course, build quality (most often, but not always meaning higher prices) also plays a part.
Leisurely, everyday street driving on better roads can see coilovers last up to 50K miles or more. Being easier on the right foot helps. Thrashing your car on pot-holed backroads at speed means they’ll call it quits earlier. If you use your car on the track for hours at a time, and on regular schedules, then this will be considerably less.
Which Coilovers Are Good for My Car?
Coilovers come in different designs, and the ones that you see in 90 percent of cars are of the full-bodied type. There are also non-adjustable OEM strut and coil and spring setups with fixed lengths, and slip fit kits used only to lower the vehicle and not much else. Real performance suspension and handling upgrades are achieved only with full-bodied coilovers.
There are two types here – mono tube and dual tube coilovers. Mono tubes are simpler designs that consist of a single rod and piston valve set inside a damping case. This is separated from a pressurised gas chamber. Dual tube designs have a separate cylinder inside the shell case and the rod and piston valve combo move up and down the length of the cylinder, as there’s no gas chamber.
Both types have their pros and cons. Mono tube coilovers have a more stable damping force because of the larger capacity of oil inside and the better heat management owing to the gas chamber. The downside (or pro considering how you take it) is the firmer ride.
Pistons are typically larger and can better null external forces. The build also has some weaknesses. Seals are under more pressure and they’re the first ones to go. And any direct impact on the shock damages the internal cylinder more easily than with a dual tube coilover.
The pros are that mono-tube designs are easier to make and therefore cheaper. Also, they’re much easier to install.
Dual tubes, on the other hand, will be more tuned to comfort than firmness with the longer piston stroke. In addition, there’s less pressure acting on the seals (less chance of an oil leak) and durability is well thought out even when there’s damage to outer walls.
Depending on where you plan to use the coilovers and the type of car, mono-tubes will be better for track use, and dual tube coilovers for spirited everyday street driving.
Brands and Pricing
Coilovers are directly derived from racing tracks. Companies with rich histories here have dedicated lineups spanning different price ranges. Look for quality coilover suspension offerings from brands like BC Racing, Meister R, Driftworks, Cusco, Ohlins, Bilstein and TEIN among many others. You’ll find mono and dual tube variants from £500 upwards. When shopping remember to get coilovers for your make and model.