What are coilovers?

**billyo** · 17-06-2008, 12:07 PM

What are coilovers and how to they differ from standards suspension? Are they a brand like SPAX?

**Prince** · 17-06-2008, 01:48 PM

Have a read of this...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coilover

**pgarner** · 17-06-2008, 01:57 PM

coilovers are are a complete setup up. already put together. the adjustments is normally controlled by to locking nuts which compress the spring up to lower the car.

springs and dampners dont allow this adjustment and are set at a specific drop.

**old-git** · 17-06-2008, 09:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pgarner

coilovers are are a complete setup up. already put together. the adjustments is normally controlled by to locking nuts which compress the spring up to lower the car.

springs and dampners dont allow this adjustment and are set at a specific drop.

Small point. Compressing the spring will not lower the car (comon misconception). Lowering the bottom spring seat will do that

Trying to Compress the spring by raising the spring seat will increase body height!

***waynne*** · 18-06-2008, 06:59 AM

Well covered there guys, not much I can add really.

PG what sort of rear suspension does your Bora have? (McPherson, Wishbone etc...)

**billyo** · 18-06-2008, 09:18 AM

Thanx fr the help and sorry for asking a stupid noob question.

**pgarner** · 18-06-2008, 02:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by old-git

Small point. Compressing the spring will not lower the car (comon misconception). Lowering the bottom spring seat will do that

Trying to Compress the spring by raising the spring seat will increase body height!

Cheers for correcting me. yeah it makes more sense

Quote:

Originally Posted by billyo

Thanx fr the help and sorry for asking a stupid noob question

dont worry thats what were here for. we are everybody is still learning.

Quote:

Originally Posted by An old woman i once meet

the day i stop learning will be the day im ready to die

always think that was a good one, you never stop learning throught your life

Quote:

Originally Posted by waynne

Well covered there guys, not much I can add really.

PG what sort of rear suspension does your Bora have? (McPherson, Wishbone etc...)

not acually sure. the spring doesnt seem to be attached to shock. Any ideas welcome

**old-git** · 18-06-2008, 10:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pgarner

Cheers for correcting me. yeah it makes more sense

not acually sure. the spring doesnt seem to be attached to shock. Any ideas welcome

No problem

It took me a while to get my head around how it worked.

With regard to shocks, that is the horrible American word for the damper. The shock absorber on a car is the spring. The job of the spring is to absorb the shock when a wheel hits a surface bump or dip. The damper is there to control and 'dampen' the oscillations of the spring caused by the bump or dip which, if left unchecked, would continue to bounce up and down like a rubber ball dropped on concrete. If you aren't convinced, try driving a car without springs and see how much shock absorbing the dampers do

Cal me a pedant if you like (because that is what I am), but I do wish we would use the correct English words and not slavishly follow the Yanks.

Right, get off the hobbyhorse old-git and take your medication

***waynne*** · 19-06-2008, 05:48 AM

It's a good job they are not made from Alooooominum then or you'll be getting really wound up!

**pgarner** · 19-06-2008, 06:34 AM

yeah then theres the hood fender etc mabies we should have a english / american translator

**old-git** · 19-06-2008, 10:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by waynne

It's a good job they are not made from Alooooominum then or you'll be getting really wound up!

Different spellings I can cope with, different names for things also (wing - fender etc), it's just when they are so damn wrong...............ARGHHHH!!!!

But on a brighter note, I have finally completed the replacement of the old Sierra Loom in my toy (Robin Hood) with a bespoke one made for the car. Everything now works (apart from the main beam flasher - must have missed something somewhere) and should be a lot more reliable. Good value at £130.

***waynne*** · 20-06-2008, 12:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pgarner

not acually sure. the spring doesnt seem to be attached to shock. Any ideas welcome

It sounds the same as mine a U shape connected to the back of the chassis with separate spring and dampers each side. I think it is a Torsion Bar setup. Seems to do a good job of avoiding body roll though. The later A3s have a milti link rear suspension.

I wonder what the best front/rear suspension type is? I would suggest Wishbones but would be interested to hear other opinions.

**pgarner** · 20-06-2008, 12:13 PM

yeap it sounds the same

***HDi fun*** · 20-06-2008, 07:53 PM

I thought these were the kind of thing people fitted to stiffen up the back end of a car to help towing ability.

Do they increase unladen ride height?

**pgarner** · 20-06-2008, 10:02 PM

no seems to sit the same as the front. even with the sub enclosure in ( prob around the 50kg mark ). can get lowering springs and dampeners for it. dont know if the golf the same will check the wifes the morro. i know the coilover and sports kits give different part numbers

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