You might have the best market coilovers on your car. However, most people fail to adjust them up properly. This equates to poor handling and performance.
As a result, it’s essential to know in and out of the coilovers settings to use them to their full potential.
I will start with preload because this is the most ill-informed subject around coilovers.
Coilovers Preload Explained
Preload has everything to do with the coil spring, and most cars feature a linear rate coil spring. Here is a basic example to understand spring preload:
If you place a 100kg mass on the coil spring with a 10kg/mm linear rate, the rate will remain the same. However, due to the added mass, the spring will compress by 10mm.
This remains true even if you increase the weight from 100kg to 200kg. The rate will still be 10kg/mm.
However, the spring will be compressed by a further 10mm, taking the compression to a total of 20mm.
The only difference in adding mass to the coil spring is in terms of the stored energy and the desire to extend.
Otherwise, the preload serves no purpose since your car’s weight will eventually compress the springs when the coilovers are installed.
Preload becomes an issue if your progressive springs are compressed to the extent of binding at full droop travel. In this case, your coil springs will become inactive. As a result, the spring rate will be affected.
To counter this, you must try either removing the helper springs or using shorter coil springs.
The only situation where preload does affect the spring rate is when the coil spring has a variable rate.
However, this type of coil spring is rarely used in vehicles today.
Therefore, it is unlikely that you will come across the issue of preload.
How to Adjust Coilovers Preload
The technical part is out of the way. Now let’s see how you can mechanically adjust coilovers preload.
Pre-installation is the ideal time to adjust the coilovers preload.
I would recommend you corner balance your car and adjust preload accordingly for all four coilovers.
If not, the post-installation adjustment would go as follows:
- Jack up the car and detach the wheels. The strut assembly must be visible to you now.
- Unscrew the lock ring on the bottom locking collar of the coilover to loosen up the spring for movement.
- Screw the upper perch to make sure the spring is tightly snuggled between the lower and upper locking rings. Now you have achieved the 0-preload setting.
- Now you are in a position to achieve different preload settings using the upper perch.
- A general rule of thumb, 4-5 millimeters is the spanner wrench thickness and what most brands recommend for preload(please follow the manufacturers’ installation manual for accurate information).
- Spin the upper perch upwards until you can fit in the spanner wrench between the upper and lower locking collars.
- Finally, meet up that bottom lock perch to the upper perch. Lock them tightly using both of the spanner wrenches, and you’re done!
How to Adjust Coilovers Height
Ride height adjustment is different on fully threaded and partially threaded coilovers.
Pay close attention to the following instructions:
Traditional or Fully Threaded Coilovers
To adjust the ride height on fully threaded coilovers, you have to adjust the lower perch by moving it up or down.
You should not use the spring for ride height adjustment at any cost.
Using the spring for ride height adjustment can lead to over compression.
As a result, you will end up with a stiffer ride.
Independent Setup or Partially Threaded Coilovers
If your coilover is an independent ride height adjustment setup, this is where you use the spring perch for ride height adjustment.
You can use the lower shock body perch to adjust the spring tension, which allows you to adjust the ride height.
I have explained this process previously.
Also read: Lowering Springs vs. Coilovers – What’s Better for Your Car?
How to Adjust the Dampening on Coilovers
Before you adjust the dampening on any coilover, it is vital to know one thing: turning anti-clockwise softens the dampening, and turning clockwise hardens it.
You can adjust the softness or hardness depending on your personal choice. Just make sure that it is the same on both opposing coilovers.
For instance, if your left coilover is adjusted to be soft at x clicks, apply the same settings to the right coilover.
This helps keep the ride smooth and comfortable for the driver.
There are 24 levels or clicks to adjust dampening on a MaxPeedingRod coilover.
This is the same for most models out there, but you can make a quick google search to see what your manufacturer offers.
The best way to find out what dampening level works best for you is to test it out.
Try out different coilovers settings to figure out what makes a smoother ride for you.
Typically, manufacturers have mentioned the various ranges suitable for varying conditions such as street use, tracks, etc. Oftentimes, poorly adjusted coilovers cause premature failure, therefore, expensive repair bills.
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