educate me on coilovers
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 915
Likes: 0
From: salinas ca
Well jim, they do replace the mono leaf spring. With the coilover you are replacing the shock aswell as adding a spring that goes around the shock. They can improve the quality of the ride, but you have to get a mild spring and adjust the rebound of the shock for them to be smooth. I have Qa1 coilovers and I have a 450lb spring and it rides smooth but it is a hard ride, but it sure keeps the wheels on the ground. You can also expect to pay $500 for the coilovers, then you have to buy the sway bar mounts if you use a wider spring.
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 4,290
Likes: 6
From: St Marys GA
Don't go coilovers just to get a smooth ride. That will be a very expensive smooth ride. The primary benefit (and the only one worth the cost IMHO) is for track use where you can customize each spring rate and ride height for each corner of the car.
If I remember correctly, expect about $500 just for front coilovers using QA1's, and the rear is more difficult. Both DRM and EM sell kits for upwards of $1,000 for all 4 corners.
If I remember correctly, expect about $500 just for front coilovers using QA1's, and the rear is more difficult. Both DRM and EM sell kits for upwards of $1,000 for all 4 corners.
Racer
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 251
Likes: 16
From: Leesburg Florida
coilover
Well jim, they do replace the mono leaf spring. With the coilover you are replacing the shock aswell as adding a spring that goes around the shock. They can improve the quality of the ride, but you have to get a mild spring and adjust the rebound of the shock for them to be smooth. I have Qa1 coilovers and I have a 450lb spring and it rides smooth but it is a hard ride, but it sure keeps the wheels on the ground. You can also expect to pay $500 for the coilovers, then you have to buy the sway bar mounts if you use a wider spring.
Race Director
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 12,772
Likes: 17
From: Indianapolis IN
QA1's wont fit the front shock towers safely, but the rears can be made to work if you cut the upper rear bracket's off and got to the stud or reweld the bracket back on.
Benefits are adjustable ride height and soft or stiff ride, I love mine and I do not road race,
I use a 400 front and a 275 rear
see sig.
Last edited by LD85; Aug 10, 2008 at 09:07 PM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 915
Likes: 0
From: salinas ca
I am not to sure about Bilstein coilovers, but with the Qa1, the sway bar has to be moved out 3/4 of an inch so it does not contact the spring. This is done with an aluminum spacer between the control arm and with a heim joint. Exotic Muscle sells this kit, but it is pricey.
