Springs vs Coilovers

[IDV8]

Got an infraction from bennjamin for being funny, thanks man but remember, life is always better with a sense of humor

[u mad?]

I think the problem here is budget and the end user's priorities

IDV8 doesn't want to spend alot of money and he doesn't have a high priority on handling performance - alot of people don't.

Just because he has a Honda and he is on this forum doesn't mean that his car needs to be a Touge Monster...

IDV8 - try and get to a meet where there is a range of cars with different suspension, ask someone if you can go for a ride with them and see what you personally can put up with, then make your decision.

You may love the performance of coilovers and find them reasonably comfortable, alternatively you may find them much too firm for your liking - on the other hand you may go for a ride in a car with just lowered springs and find that you don't like the feeling of that.

Forums are great for info, but with suspension everyone has a different opinion on what is good/bad and everyone has a different interpretation of what is hard/soft

op listen to this man.

[senna]

On a scale of cheapness to best idea:
Chopped springs -> Spring Replacements -> Coils

There is basically no difference between chopped springs and aftermarket ones aside from the fact one is slightly harder (I'd assume) If not, It'd make sense to just chop the springs if you're on that much of a budget build.

In no way am I saying chopping your springs is a good idea, Just saying, without shocks to suit the springs, it's pretty much the same as chopping them.

If I could, I'd get coils for my civic, but I most likely can't (due to the thing being 30+ years old, and not very popular for this kinda work) I can't get springs for it, unless I want to pay stupid money, and I could chop my springs, but it's illegal and stupid, so why do it? Unless I got some spare coils for cheap, and did it for fun (not that I would)
Having said that, I'm assuming... So yeah, correct if you want, I don't care.

There are King Springs listed for your car, lol... KHFL-31 & KHRL-32

[Drifter995]

There are King Springs listed for your car, lol... KHFL-31 & KHRL-32

orly?
eh.. car would crap itself if I put them under it without new shocks.. the front shocks are about to die anyway, rears would probably cope since they are like half a year old.
But still, Would prefer coils.

[Stevil]

Why not Eibach pro kit springs ? JDMyard supplys em, not sure if they have em in stock but I payed $300 for a set last year and from memory Kings springs were similar in price. As to the quality of Kings springs ? plenty of mates started out with them but changed em out when they found the limitations of em.

If we had roads like Japan than everybody would be running coilovers, fact is our shitting potholed, speedbumped goat tracks will wear out coilovers twice as quick as a decent shock spring combo. If ya got plenty of moula to throw away then go for it.

[newpaddy3]

Springs vs coilovers.

Well you'll need dampers for your spings, otherwise you'll be bouncing around the road.

I'd go with coilovers.

[CRXDEL501]

I'd go with coilovers.

amen brother lol

[mugen_ctr]

MANY fail to see the point of springs+damper setups on DD, everyone says get coilovers but why? track performance on the public roads? 9/10 times in a year u wont even track it, so why bother with coilover, yes im sounding hypocritical now, cause i run coilovers, but too much miss information goin around, too much hearsay going around with no real evidence to prove that entry level coilovers like bc (not buddyclubs) are better than say Mugen spring+damper setup or even Koni+GC setup which plenty of guys use it in the states on DD and AutoX/track.

Remember this setup is best for DD due to the nature of non linear spring rate which coilovers dont have! Linear spring rates are what cause spine shattering ride... think about it... if its a linear rate, theres not much give vs progressive spring rate, feel me?

The good spring+damper setups like Mugen, NISMO, and ralliart are the bomb! with proper researched damper valve suited to the springs they will last ages and perform just as well vs cheap coilovers which tend to deteriorate on shotty roads like in vic and can be built poorly and most, if not all entry level coilovers built in taiwan lol.... (im not sure about tein SS though)

For the price of BC coilovers, id take Mugen spring+shocks any day if i had dc5R if were talking about price for price.... though its non adjustable, its mugen LOL cmon jdm fan boys agree with me

[Mikecivic78]

On another forum's thread, a guy posted this. I think it sums up the argument of springs/shocks vs coilovers well:

"This is a bit of a funny thread, since you can't definitively say that either are better than the other. Some spring/strut combos will far outperform coilovers, some coilovers will far outperform strut/springs on the track but give horrible ride quality, and some (read: expensive) coilovers will just plain be better than everything else.

If you're thinking about coilovers, you should sit down and think very hard about what you want them for. If ride quality factors in at all, and budget even factors into it, then coilovers are probably not for you. Even some of the moderately priced coilovers like Tein are still considered really firm by some, although I've heard Teins sold in Australia have been revalved for Australia's horrible roads and so are a nicer ride.
Some of the brands I've heard can be quite comfortable include Ohlins, Apexi, K2, Bilstein PSS9. I think the cheapest of these start at about $2,000, and range up to exceeding $4,000 for the Bilsteins and K2.

Having said that, you can get something like BCs and set them really soft, but it just won't be a refined ride"

[CRXDEL501]

I don't know how people talk about ride quality (not being great for street with coilovers) I love it.
I don't see the point in a shock and spring combo I'm just a Coilover type of guy

[aRze]

Why not Eibach pro kit springs ? JDMyard supplys em, not sure if they have em in stock but I payed $300 for a set last year and from memory Kings springs were similar in price. As to the quality of Kings springs ? plenty of mates started out with them but changed em out when they found the limitations of em.

If we had roads like Japan than everybody would be running coilovers, fact is our shitting potholed, speedbumped goat tracks will wear out coilovers twice as quick as a decent shock spring combo. If ya got plenty of moula to throw away then go for it.

Feel the same way as Stevil here.
IDV8, you mentioned that you'd like a ride that feels similar to stock.
A lot of guys on the Type R Owners UK forum run Eibach springs DC5's and EP3's alike.
From what I've read on their forums, although subjective, the members who run Eibachs say the ride is similar to stock, just a tad stiffer, and handles nicely too
Although I must add that they run camber bolts and arms with the springs to fine-tune their geometry.

Im also currently running -30mm Eibachs in my EP3 and by my own preferences, it rides really well (just avoid massive potholes, as you should anyway =P) plus it handles as well when I feel like doing some spirited driving.
I do need to point out however that the mid-pipe of my catback (Fujitsubo RM01a) does scrape slightly over sharply inclined surfaces such as tall speedbumps, entering shopping malls via upward ramps. I have no problems with the front lip scraping.
Just letting you know incase you are planning on/already running an aftermarket exhaust system that hangs low in your wheelbase.

Just my 2 cents...
But as senna mentioned, best way is to take a ride in a few different setups, but seeing as you want to retain a closer-to-stock feel, Eibach Pro Kit is highly recommended

Here's a pic of a JDM DC5 on Pro Kit. Not sure how different it will be for AUDM DC5r's as stock wheel and tyre combo is different. Someone can shed some light on this?

[trism]

I think the appeal of coilovers to most people isn't the ride, or the handling, its simply the ability to easily adjust ride height.