MachSVT
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Want to clarify that I'm not picking...just thinking about the OP's initial ask regarding coil overs as pertaines to control arms. Here's what I learned:Like others mentioned simple lowering coils and quality shocks and struts . No need for all the mm bullshit . Especially coilovers unless you want your car to ride like complete dog shit . Eibach pro kit is always a good option . Mm stuff is great for a race car but sucks dick for daily usage . Rides like a skateboard
The reason the myth has circulated that coil overs ride like shit is so populr is because people buy shit coil overs, put them on stock geometry cars, lower them past stock geometry and expect great results. It's just not going to happen that way. The fact is, you have to spend the money and understand what it required to obtain your goals. To explain..
1. The main ride advantage to coil overs is MUCH more efficient use of the coil spring energy. This is due to the reduction of friction on the suspension arm pivot point. If you think about the front arm (as an example....same true for rear), the spring is somewhere in the middle between the pivot point and the balljoint. What this means is that the pivot point will use up / own some of that spring tension due to the friction / downward pressure imposed on the bolt. That said, the spring must have a MUCH higher rate to overcome that loss AND have enough for the desired wheel rate. Ideally, you would want the coil spring to be in-line with the arc that the balljoint would travel. This is why Macpherson strut suspension is so popular...lighter weight, MUCH less spring tension is needed due to the friction reduction. The lighter the spring tension / weight, the better the ride.
2. Besides my aformentioned cheap coil over comment (which is more meant to address the damper quality) the suspension geometry needs to be considered. If you wish to keep stock crossmember / arms, but spend money on good coil overs / correct spring rates, you may still ride like shit....why?...likely because you went too low and the geometry is all jacked up. This is why MM's crossmember (the highest arm setting / highest arm ride height) is still 1' LOWER than the stock crossmember. If you are going to lower the wheel ride height, you must address the pivot point ride height as well as the top mount for the strut / camber plates.
3. Reflecting on #1, in a (talking about front as the example) front coil over setup, which you would effectively be converting to a macphereson strut setup, the coil spring becomes around 85% efficient so you need MUCH less spring tension for the same ride result (plus, it's much lighter weight). As an example, my coil over springs are 300 lbs. so 85% of that would be an effective wheel rate of 255. The stock coil spring is 25% efficient, so a stock Mach 1 coil spring is 600 lbs. so that effective wheel rate would be 150 lbs. In short, I went up 105 lbs on my wheel rate, but gained better handling and a better ride!
In summary. Hilljack application of coil overs do result in a shitty ride. If you're going to do it, do it right...you will be rewarded. if you don't have money / knowledge for all of that, stay stock type parts / geometry.
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