Springs VS Coilovers

94blaze1.6 · Post by **94blaze1.6** » November 4th, 2006, 2:48 pm

What do you guys think is better for performance?

solo_ryder · Post by **solo_ryder** » November 4th, 2006, 2:52 pm

Coilovers are usually always better. You get what you pay for. Adjustable, stiffer and just plain better. Coilvers FTW.

PATDIESEL · Post by **PATDIESEL** » November 4th, 2006, 10:52 pm

Not so, coils have many disadvantages to a full spring. Coil overs are really only for looks since the air flow under our cars isn't that big of a deal at most any speed we can muster around a track. You can get a much wider range of coil stregnths, but that is the only real advantage they hold over a full spring. The props for springs are that they do not unseat when unloaded, do not clunk or bounce when decompressed quickly and adjusting the heigth lower on a coil will give less strut travel and thus less handeling, a spring also sits on the strut mount where a coil over will sit only at certain spots which in some cases will cause it to want to sit crooked. In certain cases such as mine the strut can even bottom out when under a heavy load. My MS struts bottom out around most any sharp turn with a quick flick of the wrist and good traction. The solution is to raise the car back up which I don't really want for my street look and so I have to adjust the heigth and reset the camber, caster and toe every time I raise it to race.

jaydog5678 · Post by **jaydog5678** » November 5th, 2006, 12:39 pm

A true coilover will be better than what is offered to the Mx-3 community. Our best option is to use a lowering spring with a stiffer strut....Mazdaspeeds, which are no longer available.

solo_ryder · Post by **solo_ryder** » November 5th, 2006, 1:21 pm

K yea I guess I was wronmg lol. No biggie.

Is it not possible to usiltize Escort or 323 full coilovers?

PATDIESEL · Post by **PATDIESEL** » November 5th, 2006, 9:51 pm

I think that it can be done, but with modification. Do a search. You could also contact K-Sport about making a set-up for the MX-3. A few of us in MOCA have done so and they might just do it if they think they could sell a few. K-Sport is the best true coil over strut design I've ever seen.
PS, a GC coil over is better for racing than any lowering spring we can get b/c the lowering springs are not usually stiff enough for racing or Auto-X, but they have their short comings as mentioned above.

Steeb · Post by **Steeb** » November 9th, 2006, 10:37 pm

suspension is only as good as the damper.

if protege/probe suspension fits the mx3, illumina + stiff springs >ksport

if you compare the valving on illuminas, compared to ksport aka d2 you will see why ksports cost 800. not that ksports suck cuz they are much better than stock, its that illuminas have a larger range of adjustability rather than 27 different clicks you dont need or cant feel the difference. btw, ksports and d2's dont have "clicks" when u turn the adjustment knob.

for off the shelf stuff, illuminas ftw