Few Basic Coilover Questions

[jeremydgreat]

So, I'm looking into having some suspension work done.

The Goal:
I'd like to be able to head down to the track, jack up the car, and drop the ride and stiffen the suspension on the spot. Then after the event, bring the ride height back up and soften the dampening again. I'd like to be able to manage this myself, without a lift, and with basic tools.

Are coilovers meant to work this way?

I stopped by a local performance shop and they were a bit unsure if this was feasible. I thought this was the whole point of coilovers? Do I need to get realigned every time I raise/lower/harden/soften the suspension?

One other question: Is it possible to have a staggered tire setup for my street wheels, and then run a square setup for my track wheels/tires? Can coilovers accommodate this kind of adjustment if I swap the wheels out on the fly?

Thanks for your input guys. I've learned a lot so far.

[akak1997]

you can raise and lower the ride height with a jack/jackstand and the supplied wrench from the coilover kit. You'll need a realignment every time you raising and lowering your car. The point of coilover is to adjust the ride height to your liking. unlike lowering springs you can't really control the ride height. I seriously don't think you need to slam the car for tracks, it might actually hurt performance if it is too low.

you can run square setup, depends on your tire size. 235 all around will probably work because the front won't fit anything bigger than that w/o aggressive negative camber in the front (camber plates + M3 control arm) and fender roll.

[M II]

Originally Posted by jeremydgreat

So, I'm looking into having some suspension work done.

The Goal:
I'd like to be able to head down to the track, jack up the car, and drop the ride and stiffen the suspension on the spot. Then after the event, bring the ride height back up and soften the dampening again. I'd like to be able to manage this myself, without a lift, and with basic tools.

Are coilovers meant to work this way?

I stopped by a local performance shop and they were a bit unsure if this was feasible. I thought this was the whole point of coilovers? Do I need to get realigned every time I raise/lower/harden/soften the suspension?

One other question: Is it possible to have a staggered tire setup for my street wheels, and then run a square setup for my track wheels/tires? Can coilovers accommodate this kind of adjustment if I swap the wheels out on the fly?

Thanks for your input guys. I've learned a lot so far.

You will need to have a coilover setup that offers adjustments. There are coilovers that can adjust rebound damping and some that can separately adjust rebound and compression damping. The ability to change firmness and softness can be done with a simple click on the dampers for quick fine tuning.

I don't think you'll be changing ride height at the event as that can be a bit cumbersome.

[SV Concepts III]

This is really kit dependent. If you are looking for on the track adjustment, then I suggest going Bilstein which has adjustable rebound knobs on the outside of the shock. This will allow you to adjust them on the fly and at the track.

I don't suggest raising and lowering the height each time as this will change your alignment and handling characteristics.

In any case, if you have questions about the setup, drop me a PM or give us a call and we can help out.

[JimD]

Another adjustment that can be made at the track is negative camber. Too much wears tires quickly but the miles in a track event are pretty low and more negative camber can improve cornering. Negative camber is not controlled by the shock, it is the top mount that can be changed. Some kits make this easier than others.

Jim

[jeremydgreat]

Originally Posted by TrackRat

The height adjustment at the track isn't practical because you need to weight balance and align the car after you change the ride height or it will handle poorly defeating the whole purpose of lowering it.

Adjustable damping is standard on many coilovers. This is useful for dual purpose DD cars driven on the track.

SA = single adjustable which is generally rebound or 80% rebound and 20% bound damping change. DA = dual adjustment or almost totally independent bound and rebound adjustment. DAs are quite expensive for the minor adjustment typically required of the bound.

Camber adjustment can be done at the track with the proper equipment and knowledge. You need to re-set toe after you change the camber setting. Proper track camber will give best tire performance and wear. Many people use a fair amount of negative camber for the street and don't mess with it at the track. It's more fun to drive than wrench IMO.

This is very helpful info. Thanks! Any brands/models of SA coilovers you'd recommend?