So unless I am completely blind, I am not seeing any real discussion going on here about the various coilovers that people are using. Nor am I seeing anything talking about the benefits of a true coilover vs. a sleeved setup. I'd like to get some opinions on what you are using for a daily driver with light track duty.

Thanks.

What type of track are you talking about? AutoX, track days, drag strip? There's a big difference.

Also depends on what you are really looking for as well in terms of performance, adjustability, ride height, etc.

If you're going to go with a sleeve coilover go GC or don't bother. There's a reason GC asks you what shocks you have when you order them. They would be the only one I'd even remotely consider.

As for a full coilover, there are tons. Different options, damper settings, # of settings, mono-tube designs, blah blah blah. I could go on but if it's not going to be racing around a track alot it won't really matter. Just find something you like and has the features you want and just go with it. Also, go with a reputable brand. Suspension is something you don't want to skimp on.

Originally posted by Avenger
What type of track are you talking about? AutoX, track days, drag strip? There's a big difference. Also depends on what you are really looking for as well in terms of performance, adjustability, ride height, etc. If you're going to go with a sleeve coilover go GC or don't bother. There's a reason GC asks you what shocks you have when you order them. They would be the only one I'd even remotely consider. As for a full coilover, there are tons. Different options, damper settings, # of settings, mono-tube designs, blah blah blah. I could go on but if it's not going to be racing around a track alot it won't really matter. Just find something you like and has the features you want and just go with it. Also, go with a reputable brand. Suspension is something you don't want to skimp on.

Starting off it will mostly be AutoX with some occasional time spent at the drag strip. I'm not too worried about a setup for the strip. Mostly I would like something to help eliminate the massive amount of body roll that I have now. I've got a couple friends that prefer a true coilover setup to a sleeved setup. My biggest problem I am having is this: Is it really worth the extra money for a true coilover setup so that I can adjust the preload on the springs?

Are there any other benefits for a non sleeved coilover vs. a sleeved coilover setup? I've been looking on tuners, but most people either go with springs and shocks or some kind of coilover setup. They don't really discuss the pros and cons of either.

Thanks for the input though guys. I appreciate it.

Originally posted by freelancefool
So unless I am completely blind, I am not seeing any real discussion going on here about the various coilovers that people are using. Nor am I seeing anything talking about the benefits of a true coilover vs. a sleeved setup. I'd like to get some opinions on what you are using for a daily driver with light track duty. Thanks.

There is a HUGE difference. True coil = stiff suspension great handling and crappy ride.

Originally posted by Spydr2000

Originally posted by freelancefool So unless I am completely blind, I am not seeing any real discussion going on here about the various coilovers that people are using. Nor am I seeing anything talking about the benefits of a true coilover vs. a sleeved setup. I'd like to get some opinions on what you are using for a daily driver with light track duty. Thanks.

There is a HUGE difference. True coil = stiff suspension great handling and crappy ride.

There will always be a trade off, but if you have enough adjuatability you can get a decent ride for the street. I have used K-Sports in the past on other vehicles and had great luck with them. I recently built an MX-6 for my youngest brother and used the K-sports on that car - even with stock sway bars and no additional bracing the car handles very well.

It is worth it to just go for the true coilover setup. A sleeved setup might work ok for a while, but there will come a point that you'll want to go a little further and the sleeved setup will be your weakest link.

Originally posted by Spydr2000
There is a HUGE difference. True coil = stiff suspension great handling and crappy ride.

Only if you have them adjusted improperly for your road conditions and driving style. They don't HAVE to be rough, but people typically overestimate their spring needs.

If you plan on doing any kind of performance driving (which requires turning the steering wheel more than 10* in BOTH directions), your suspension investment will be your biggest concern.

Right now, I run GR2s and Sportlines. On the highway, it's a decent cruising set up. On surface streets, it's jarring and getting really old. I would't dare take this set up to the track. The car still rows like a damn canoe.

Now, I'm giving serious thought to going back to stock springs on the GR2s, as I'm taking the car back to pretty much stock trim this year so I can just enjoy driving it, but I would invest in quality suspenders if you're looking for real performance. JIC would be my top pic, but Tein has some nice systems and I think there are even a couple other manufacturers out there with true coilover set ups.

One thing you want to remember is that not all coilovers are the same. You mentioned preload but not all coilovers let you adjust ride hieght without jacking with the preload (because you're messing with the perch).

For the record, I have Tein SS coilovers. My ride is smoother than most peoples. Having the proper alignment makes a big difference too.

It depends on how serious you are with the autox on whether you want to invest in coilovers. But since you're also spending some time at the drag strip you'll probably want at least adjustable shocks.