The Difference Between Short Springs and Coilover Suspension
2 Answers
Short Springs and Coilover Suspension differ in the following aspects: Price Difference: The advantage of short spring suspension lies in its affordability, while coilover suspension is relatively more expensive. Car owners with a higher budget may opt for coilover suspension. Usage Characteristics: Short springs are non-adjustable, making it difficult to achieve a good balance between daily driving and performance. Importantly, modifying with short springs requires matching them with corresponding shock absorbers. On the other hand, coilover suspension allows adjustment of both spring height and suspension stiffness/damping speed, offering higher playability and practicality to balance daily use and performance.
The main differences between lowering springs and coilovers lie in their structure and adjustability. From many modification cases I've seen, lowering springs simply replace the factory springs with shorter ones. After installation, the car's chassis is lowered, making it look cooler while slightly improving cornering stability. However, the downside is that they put excessive strain on the factory shock absorbers, potentially causing them to wear out faster. Coilovers are different - they're a complete system that includes both shorter springs and specialized shock absorbers, along with an adjustable coilover mechanism that allows you to modify ride height. Some even offer damping adjustment, making the ride much more comfortable when properly tuned for road conditions. But coilovers are significantly more expensive, requiring professional installation and tuning - improper setup by beginners can easily cause problems. In terms of tunability, coilovers are for enthusiasts while lowering springs are more entry-level. My suggestion is to first determine what you really want: if you just want a cool look, lowering springs are sufficient; if you're pursuing ultimate handling performance, coilovers are worth the investment.
