Coilover Terminology Explained

Understanding coilovers can significantly enhance your driving experience, whether you’re looking for better handling, a lower stance, or full adjustability for the track. Coilovers are a critical component of a car's suspension, and understanding suspension setup is essential for making informed upgrade decisions. Suspension terminology is key to navigating the world of coilover upgrades and understanding how different components affect your car's performance and ride quality.

Coilovers are used in various types of vehicles, including passenger cars, race cars, 4x4 vehicles, and even RC cars.

At Coilovers, we specialize in high-quality aftermarket coilover kits tailored for various makes and models. In this guide, we’ll walk through essential coilover terminology, breaking down key concepts to help you make informed choices about suspension upgrades. Let’s immerse.

Understanding Coilovers

What Is a Coilover?

A coilover (or coilover shock) is short for “coil spring over shock,” combining a shock absorber (damper) and a coil spring into one adjustable unit. Coilover shocks are commonly found in double wishbone suspension systems and are often part of MacPherson struts. In a coilover, the spring sits over the damper tube—an arrangement that allows adjustment of preload and ride height using a threaded body and spring perch. For iconic vehicles like the DeLorean, upgrading to coilovers can offer modern suspension precision while preserving the car’s unique driving character. The purpose of coilover springs is to prevent the chassis from bottoming out and to support each wheel individually. This integrated unit replaces the separate factory spring and shock assembly, providing superior adjustability and control. Ultimately, coilovers give drivers greater flexibility to tailor suspension performance for street driving, spirited performance, or track use.

Key Components of Coilovers

1. Coil Spring: The coil spring supports the vehicle’s weight while absorbing bumps and controlling body motions during maneuvers like cornering, acceleration, and braking.

2. Shock Absorber: This dampens the oscillations of the spring and controls how quickly the spring rebounds after compressing over bumps. Inside the damper, a piston moves through hydraulic fluid, controlling its movement and providing critical damping performance. Monotube coilovers use a single piston and rod assembly, offering a more sensitive response to small suspension movements.

3. Strut: In MacPherson suspension systems, the strut serves as both a shock absorber and a structural element, playing a key role in absorbing shocks and supporting the vehicle's suspension geometry.

4. Polyurethane Bushings: These durable components replace standard rubber bushings, improving ride control and handling by reducing flex and enhancing suspension response.

5. Adjustment Mechanisms: Coilovers typically feature threaded bodies and perch heights that allow you to adjust the ride height, and some models come with damping adjusters to fine-tune performance.

6. Bump Stops: These prevent the shock from bottoming out during heavy compression.

7. Upper Mounts and Dust Boots: These components enhance durability and adjustability of camber and caster, ensuring optimal alignment during operation.

All these components work together with the vehicle’s chassis to provide stability, handling, and overall suspension performance.

How Coilovers Work

Common Coilover Adjustments

Coilovers allow several critical adjustments:

• Ride Height Adjustment: Adjustable coilovers feature threaded bodies and locking collars, enabling precise ride height adjustment. This not only changes the vehicle's stance for improved aesthetics but also lowers the center of gravity, enhancing handling and overall performance.

• Preload / Spring Preload: Preload refers to the initial tension applied to the coil spring when the suspension is at full droop. Spring preload is adjusted using the threaded body and locking collars, allowing you to fine-tune spring tension, ride height, and suspension stiffness for an optimized suspension setup.

• Damping: Single adjustable coilovers allow you to adjust overall damping, while double adjustable coilovers provide independent adjustment of both compression and rebound settings. Higher-end coilovers offer separate rebound settings, giving you greater control over handling and ride quality for a fully customized setup.

Monotube vs Twin-Tube Coilovers

• Monotube: This design contains a single large cylinder, providing faster response and better heat dissipation, which is crucial for performance applications. Monotube shock absorbers dissipate heat better, resulting in superior response compared to twin tube shocks.

• Twin-Tube: Comprising two cylinders—an inner and an outer—the twin-tube design allows for more shock travel, as the inner cylinder moves up and down within the outer cylinder. This increased suspension stroke typically enhances ride comfort and improves ride quality, though it may sacrifice some responsiveness. Twin tube shocks are generally more affordable and softer than monotube designs.
  

Types of Coilovers

Full Coilovers

Full coilovers replace the entire factory suspension system. These kits typically offer adjustable height and damping control, allowing you to customize the ride and handling characteristics to achieve a lower stance while improving overall performance. Some full coilover kits also include upper and lower control arms, which further enhance handling and ride quality. By connecting the left and right wheels through suspension components, such as anti-roll bars and control arms, these systems help control body roll and improve vehicle stability during cornering.

Slip-On Coilovers

Slip-on coilovers are designed to slide over the factory shock absorbers. This type of suspension setup is more basic compared to full coilover systems, offering limited adjustability and customization. They usually provide basic adjustments and adequate height tuning but may not offer the same performance upgrades or handling improvements as full coilover kits.

Coilover Features and Benefits

Performance Improvements

Installing coilovers generally results in enhanced vehicle handling due to a lowered center of gravity, improved tire contact with the road, and reduced body roll. For Dodge vehicles, this upgrade can significantly enhance performance, especially during aggressive driving or cornering. Camber refers to the angle of your tires when viewed from the front or back of the vehicle and is visualized as the line formed by the tire in relation to the tire’s center line. Positive camber means the top of the tire leans outward, while negative camber means the top leans inward—both adjustments directly affect how the tire contacts the road. Properly adjusting camber is crucial for Dodge drivers looking to maintain optimal tire contact, improve cornering stability, and elevate the overall driving experience.

Handling Characteristics

By adjusting spring rates and damping settings, you can fine-tune the balance of stiffness and compliance. Spring rate refers to the amount of force required to compress a spring by one inch, and it measures the stiffness of the coil spring, typically in pounds per inch (lb/in) or kilograms per millimeter (kg/mm). For example, a spring rate of 400 lb/in means it takes 400 pounds of force to compress the spring by one inch. Choosing a higher spring rate results in a stiffer suspension, which can improve handling and reduce body roll during cornering, but may also lead to a harsher ride on rough roads. Properly tuned coilovers help maximize cornering grip while minimizing the risk of bottoming out, providing a much more agile and enjoyable driving experience.

Choosing the Right Coilovers

Factors to Consider

When selecting coilovers, consider your vehicle’s weight, your driving style (daily driving vs. track use), and your local road conditions. Also, pay attention to spring rates to ensure optimal performance. Rear coil-over systems are available and can be adjusted for ride height and ride quality, which is important for both aesthetics and performance. For racing applications, prioritized adjustments such as monotube designs can enhance responsiveness.

Installation and Maintenance Tips

Installing coilovers can be complex, so we recommend seeking professional assistance for the job. After installation, it’s crucial to check alignments to ensure optimal handling. Toe refers to how much the wheels are angled inward or outward when viewed from above; toe in (wheels angled inward) improves stability, especially at high speeds, while toe out can enhance agility. Caster affects steering response and stability by controlling the angle of your car's steering axis. Corner balancing is also important, as it optimizes ride height at each corner and distributes weight for neutral handling. Camber plates, often used on MacPherson strut-style coilovers, allow for precise adjustment of the wheel's camber angle. Make it a habit to regularly inspect coilovers for any signs of wear or leaks, and adjust damping settings based on driving conditions to maintain performance quality.

By familiarizing yourself with coilover terminology and understanding their functionality, you are well on your way to making informed choices for your suspension needs. Whether it’s enhancing performance, improving handling, or achieving that perfect stance, quality coilovers can transform your driving experience. Trust Coilovers.com to provide the best solutions for your vehicle’s suspension.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a coilover and how does it improve my vehicle's suspension?

A coilover combines a shock absorber and a coil spring into one unit, allowing for precise adjustments to ride height and handling, enhancing overall suspension performance for street or track use.

What are the main adjustments available with coilovers?

Coilovers typically allow adjustments for ride height and damping settings, enabling drivers to customize their vehicle's performance based on driving conditions and personal preferences.

What is the difference between monotube and twin-tube coilovers?

Monotube coilovers feature a single cylinder for quicker response and better heat dissipation, while twin-tube designs have two cylinders for enhanced ride comfort but may sacrifice some responsiveness.

How do I know which coilovers are right for my vehicle?

Consider your vehicle's weight, driving style, and local road conditions when selecting coilovers. Also, pay attention to spring rates and adjustability features for optimal performance.

Can I install coilovers myself or should I seek professional help?

While DIY installation of coilovers is possible, it's recommended to seek professional assistance to ensure proper alignment and optimal performance after installation.

What are the benefits of using coilovers over traditional suspension systems?

Coilovers offer enhanced handling, improved stability, and the ability to customize ride height and damping, ultimately providing a better driving experience than traditional suspension systems.