lowering springs or coil overs? - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

layjar12 · 12-18-2014, 08:00 AM

Was fixing to order the lowering springs from Apex and a guy at work asked me why I was not ordering coil overs. I had no response. He is from a different group as he deals with VW. What is best for our setup?

Spartan01 · 12-18-2014, 08:02 AM

What do you want use it for?

Coil overs are better, but more expensive.
Coil overs give you more options, depending on which ones you choose.
These options can be ride height, stiffness, etc.

layjar12 · 12-18-2014, 08:16 AM

Really just to change the ride height and the looks. I might track the car but not very often. I like the idea of springs and $300 but I not opposed to spending more on coil overs if I am going to get anything useful out of it. I'm not trying to build a race car. If coil overs anyone have any suggestions.

Spartan01 · 12-18-2014, 08:23 AM

Based on what you are saying, for looks and ride height, lowering springs are probably your best option.

Coilovers start at around $600 on sale, to well over $3000, depending on manufacturer and features.
The main benefit is that you can dial in the settings, to make them stiffer/softer depending on the application.
So if you are going for a drag racer, stiffest would be better, but a, autocross event would be different. This gives you more options.

But for just looks, a better/lower stance, and better performance, lowering springs are fine.

Look up what Apex Chase has written on this, he has made several posts regarding this exact issue.

Tmick5jr · 12-18-2014, 09:24 AM

based on the info you've given, just go with springs. The 1le already handles really well, the springs will only help.

Apex Motorsports · 12-18-2014, 09:47 AM

I agree. Based on the kind of use you are describing there is not much of a justification for the additional expense of coil overs.

Electric · 12-18-2014, 11:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tmick5jr

based on the info you've given, just go with springs. The 1le already handles really well, the springs will only help.

What makes you so sure that lowering springs will only help? Considering all the effort that was put into tuning the stock 1LE suspension, I would be more inclined to say – don’t touch stock suspension unless you REALLY know what you are doing and willing to spend significant time testing and tuning the suspension yourself. You might also need to switch the springs several time to make sure your setup is good. This is not Honda Civic where, as long as you follow some simple guidelines, pretty much anything you install will only help. 1LE is already very thoroughly tuned for high performance handling, which is confirmed by multiple car magazines like Motor Trend and Car and Driver.

Spartan01 · 12-18-2014, 12:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Electric

What makes you so sure that lowering springs will only help? Considering all the effort that was put into tuning the stock 1LE suspension, I would be more inclined to say – don’t touch stock suspension unless you REALLY know what you are doing and willing to spend significant time testing and tuning the suspension yourself. You might also need to switch the springs several time to make sure your setup is good. This is not Honda Civic where, as long as you follow some simple guidelines, pretty much anything you install will only help. 1LE is already very thoroughly tuned for high performance handling, which is confirmed by multiple car magazines like Motor Trend and Car and Driver.

Electric · 12-18-2014, 12:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spartan01

Not trying to start the stock vs aftermarket argument. But he can’t just state that the aftermarket springs will “only help” like it was a fact. And it he does have something to back his statement up (which he doesn’t) than the discussion will be very short, and we will all learn something new today.

Spartan01 · 12-18-2014, 01:38 PM

Well, yeah, you are trolling, kind of....
Op said he really wanted to change Ride Height and Looks.
In this regard the lowering springs WILL help.

2cnd chance · 12-18-2014, 02:30 PM

FYI, Coil-overs allow full shock travel. Lowering springs will shorten the travel.

jcamo · 12-18-2014, 05:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2cnd chance

FYI, Coil-overs allow full shock travel. Lowering springs will shorten the travel.

.......Winner,You are correct .

KRich2587 · 12-18-2014, 08:34 PM

Coilovers or bust. Best mod I've done by far

Kendall421 · 12-18-2014, 08:53 PM

If you go coil over...hope you have racing scales. If you don't know what you are doing adjusting them, you can have your car out of whack in a hurry. You can get too much rake, tilt, or wedge in the car and make it handle like shit in a hurry. I raced Dirt Late Model for 17 years and have all the racecar setup tools. I plan to convert mine to coil over eventually. I used to scale my late model weekly and run 48-54% cross weight depending on the track we were running. This is done by turning corners equal and opposite amounts to maintain ride height. If you start getting ride height out of whack you can mess up roll center and moment center in the front. There are just a whole lot of dynamics involved when you put coil overs on and don't know how to work with them properly. Yes...they are better...but be sure you know what you are doing. If you just want it lower and know it is still balanced and not a headache, then just put lowering springs on it.

12-18-2014, 08:00 AM	#1
layjar12 Drives: 2013 SS 1LE Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: AR Posts: 169	lowering springs or coil overs? Was fixing to order the lowering springs from Apex and a guy at work asked me why I was not ordering coil overs. I had no response. He is from a different group as he deals with VW. What is best for our setup?

12-18-2014, 08:02 AM	#2
Spartan01 Drives: Evil Eva, 2010 2SS LS3 Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Falls Church, Virginia Posts: 3,600	What do you want use it for? Coil overs are better, but more expensive. Coil overs give you more options, depending on which ones you choose. These options can be ride height, stiffness, etc. __________________ "You simply cannot trust quotes found on the internet." -Abraham Lincoln

12-18-2014, 08:23 AM	#4
Spartan01 Drives: Evil Eva, 2010 2SS LS3 Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Falls Church, Virginia Posts: 3,600	Based on what you are saying, for looks and ride height, lowering springs are probably your best option. Coilovers start at around $600 on sale, to well over $3000, depending on manufacturer and features. The main benefit is that you can dial in the settings, to make them stiffer/softer depending on the application. So if you are going for a drag racer, stiffest would be better, but a, autocross event would be different. This gives you more options. But for just looks, a better/lower stance, and better performance, lowering springs are fine. Look up what Apex Chase has written on this, he has made several posts regarding this exact issue. __________________ "You simply cannot trust quotes found on the internet." -Abraham Lincoln

12-18-2014, 01:38 PM	#10
Spartan01 Drives: Evil Eva, 2010 2SS LS3 Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Falls Church, Virginia Posts: 3,600	Well, yeah, you are trolling, kind of.... Op said he really wanted to change Ride Height and Looks. In this regard the lowering springs WILL help. __________________ "You simply cannot trust quotes found on the internet." -Abraham Lincoln

12-18-2014, 02:30 PM	#11
2cnd chance Too Many Great Choices Drives: Grand Sport/Z07 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: A Mountain Road Posts: 7,454	FYI, Coil-overs allow full shock travel. Lowering springs will shorten the travel. __________________

12-18-2014, 08:16 AM	#3
layjar12 Drives: 2013 SS 1LE Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: AR Posts: 169	Really just to change the ride height and the looks. I might track the car but not very often. I like the idea of springs and $300 but I not opposed to spending more on coil overs if I am going to get anything useful out of it. I'm not trying to build a race car. If coil overs anyone have any suggestions.

12-18-2014, 09:24 AM	#5
Tmick5jr Todd Drives: 2012 Camaro Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: South Jersey Posts: 1,669 View My Garage	based on the info you've given, just go with springs. The 1le already handles really well, the springs will only help.

12-18-2014, 09:47 AM	#6
Apex Motorsports Drives: 2000 Camaro SS Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Louisville, Ky. Posts: 25,179	I agree. Based on the kind of use you are describing there is not much of a justification for the additional expense of coil overs.

12-18-2014, 08:34 PM	#13
KRich2587 Drives: 2014 Summit White 1LE Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Temple, TX Posts: 432 View My Garage	Coilovers or bust. Best mod I've done by far

12-18-2014, 08:53 PM	#14
Kendall421 Drives: 1969 Z28, 1982 Z28, 2014 SS/RS/1LE Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Michigan Posts: 886	If you go coil over...hope you have racing scales. If you don't know what you are doing adjusting them, you can have your car out of whack in a hurry. You can get too much rake, tilt, or wedge in the car and make it handle like shit in a hurry. I raced Dirt Late Model for 17 years and have all the racecar setup tools. I plan to convert mine to coil over eventually. I used to scale my late model weekly and run 48-54% cross weight depending on the track we were running. This is done by turning corners equal and opposite amounts to maintain ride height. If you start getting ride height out of whack you can mess up roll center and moment center in the front. There are just a whole lot of dynamics involved when you put coil overs on and don't know how to work with them properly. Yes...they are better...but be sure you know what you are doing. If you just want it lower and know it is still balanced and not a headache, then just put lowering springs on it.