BlackSRT4

i want to know how good/bad is the ride quality versus regular lowering springs.

BlackSRT4

and do strut tower bars actually do anything besides look pretty?

00CivicGirl

most people will say coilovers are crappy, bumpy, etc.

i have drove/rode in cars with both. i see no difference. to me its more about the shocks. if you have stock shocks with either, the ride is going to suck. as long as you dont have the coilovers slammed all the way down, it rides smooth for me

99EJ6T

and tower bars do one thing, keep the chasis (sp?) from flexing, at the upper mounting point of the strut. *now if you have a street car that doesn't see much track time then there really is no point to them.

*but that is just my opinon.

gear

okay here it is all layed out:

whether its a spring or coilover doesnt matter on the ride. What matters is first of all the spring rate and the wind of the coil. Progressive has a loose wind at the bottom and a tight wind at the top, that way when the spring compresses it becomes more rigid...and provides 'better handling' but is more unpredictable in serious cornering situations. Progressive springs yield a better ride in the city because the lower portion is similar to that of a stock spring. Linear springs are all the same rate, and usually provide for better handling when coupled with a good dampener. Coilovers come in linear designs only, and allow for ride adjustability. Dampeners have more of an effect on ride then the actual springs/coilovers do. Springs affect the way the car moves front to back and side to side, and without dampeners they would just bounce forever. Getting an adjustable dampener is a good idea when lowering considerably.

and yes strut tower bars do help... well if you get a good one. some of the brands like DC sports have flimsier metals and tend to bend abit more then other brands like skunk2 etc. its just another piece in the suspension pie...having them certainly helps and its an easy way to give the suspension that extra rigidity without forking over big bucks for something more extreme like a cage.

gpeele

strut tower bars are a noticable upgrade for the price, especially in cars that will see a lot of autocross and circuit driving. it will make inputs feel more immediate and percise since there is less flex in the chasis. some bars are definately more show than function so its up to the buyer to do the proper reaserch to see which ones are best.

i use to own a crx with skunk2 sleeve overs with 6/8kg front/rear springs and kyb agx shocks, and an ebay "skunk2" strut bar. with this setup and falken azenis tires i was able to keep up with my buddys mini cooper in the turns out where we drive. considering i got this setup for less than 600 bucks its a great bang for your buck upgrade. but as was stated if you go with sleeve overs make sure you get good aftermarket adjustable shocks, so you can setup the suspension according to what youre using your car for, and to minimize the bouncy nature of stiffer spring rates with appropriate dampner strength.

if your going to pick some up id go with ground control sleeve overs instead of skunk2 due to the fact that you call them up and order custom spring rates for your setup. also they have a lifetime warantee on their products even under racing conditions.

mAydAy

Coilovers can provide as good or in fact, a better ride than lowering springs and shocks. It all depends on settings and design and how properly its all fit.

Strut tower bars stiffen up the chassis, you have a flexy chassis too.

If I was you, I'd be looking for stronger lower control arms and reinforcements of the mounting points. A brand new SRT-4 at the last NASA-X pretty much lost the entire front suspension off one side coming around a corner due to it being too weak to handle heavier rates and ultra sticky rubber without reinforcement. I was pretty surprised having seen the Neon competition cars.

-Andy

gear

the best ride without a doubt is progressive springs, because its basically like riding on stock springs until you make a hard turn or go over a bump (theyre designed that way)... coilovers dont ride better just by themselves...thats a load of crap. Dampeners make MORE of a difference then the springs do. new sway bars and bushings can make a huge ass difference too...and if you can find somebody who manufactures new pillow mounts i would recommend those as well.

gear

and the nail in the coffin:

Springs
Springs are very important in determining the responsiveness of your car. All weight above the springs is called "sprung weight." While this has an effect on drag, the main concern is "unsprung weight." Unsprung weight is basically what the engine is trying to move, and what the shocks are trying to dampen. A generally accepted ratio is adding 1 lb. of unsprung weight is like adding 10 lbs. of sprung weight. Consider that before you buy your bling bling dub-deuces.

Besides supporting the weight of the cabin, springs also affect how the weight in the car is distributed. For those of you with upgraded springs, you might have noticed the car doesn’t rock back as far when launching. Springs push against whatever force is applied to it, so when your car leans in a direction, the springs counteract that. The stiffer the spring, the more it prevents weight transfer. This is why racecars use stiff spring rates. On uneven terrain, though, the spring might not react quickly enough to keep the wheel in contact with the ground.

There are two types of spring designs: progressive and linear. Progressive springs are designed for comfort without giving up too much in the way of handling. They are coiled in a way that provides a low spring rate when uncompressed, and stiffens the farther the spring is compressed. This means you don’t have a stiff ride, but can still have some fun. They are inferior springs for real racing. Linear springs have a set spring rate that does not change. This can be soft for a luxurious ride, or ultra stiff for precise handling, or anywhere in-between. Linear springs provide a much more predictable feel.

Shocks
Ever see a car with cut springs that just bounces as it is going down the road? These people have blown out their shocks. Shocks act as a damping force to keep the springs from constantly compressing and decompressing (that is why they are sometimes referred to as dampers). The more force applied to the shock, the stiffer it becomes. If you ever install shocks, try compressing the shock on the ground, slowly. It smoothly compresses without much trouble. Now suddenly throw your weight on it. Nothing will happen until you relax some of the pressure. This is how a shock stabilizes the weight of the car.

A few factors go into choosing a shock. First of all, the travel of the cylinder. Shocks like to function towards the middle of their compression distance. That is why some shocks aren't warrantied, or don't perform well past a certain drop. When the shock is forced to perform at full extension or compression, it won’t be able to dampen properly and will blow. The other factor is the valve rate. Shocks have lots of little valves in the body that use a gas or liquid to create compression. As stated earlier, the faster the compression the more pressure the gas or liquid creates. However, if the valves aren't sized correctly, they will blow. This is why you avoid lower end shocks if going with a stiffer race-type spring.


True coilovers and sleeves
There are two different suspension setups that are referred to as coilovers. The first is a true coilover system. These are designed for the hardcore enthusiast and racer. They comprise of an adjustable height spring with a custom valved shock. The shock will always be designed to work perfectly with the spring, so blowing them isn't a concern. They are almost fully adjustable, so they have the versatility to work with any type of racing. The downside is the high price tag. These systems start at $750 and can range up to $2000 and more.

The other choice is technically a coilover sleeve. This unit is only a spring mounted to hardware that allows a height adjustment. Most are low quality and come with cheap springs. They can be found for low prices and the adjustability is a plus for many people. Some of the better brands are Ground Control and Skunk 2. The Ground Controls can be purchased with a custom spring rate, which makes them a favorite with autocrossers.