Coilover Suggestions

What coilover manufacturer do you suggest


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SVT_JP

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I have decided to go the Coilover route as it seems to be the clear choice for performance, handling, and ride quality. There appear to be many companies making them for our cars with wide ranges in cost, I am looking for any advice or feedback y'all can share.

My terminator sees a couple of thousand miles of spirited street driving per year. No track days in my future.

Thanks
 

98 svt

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I run MM up front. I get a couple weird noises when rolling real slow with the wheel turned and going over bumps/transitions.
 

Blkkbgt

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I run MM up front. I get a couple weird noises when rolling real slow with the wheel turned and going over bumps/transitions.

If you were to jack up the front of the car and let the suspension fully extend would your spring be completely unloaded?

If so this is usually the problem from my experience. Cars that are completely slammed are the worst.
 

98 svt

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If you were to jack up the front of the car and let the suspension fully extend would your spring be completely unloaded?

If so this is usually the problem from my experience. Cars that are completely slammed are the worst.


I don't think so. Not sure though. I had a shop throw them on when they did the turbo etc. My car sits slightly lower than stock
 

Blkkbgt

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I don't think so. Not sure though. I had a shop throw them on when they did the turbo etc. My car sits slightly lower than stock

I would definitely check. Look at the stack up of washers as well and make sure the springs and upper spring cup are clearing frame and shock tower too. Look at MMs instructions, they detail exactly what I am taking about.
 

SVT_JP

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Are some of y’all running just front coilovers? I have read some people talking that our rear suspension isn’t designed to handle the stress of coilovers back there. Any truth to that?
 

98 svt

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Are some of y’all running just front coilovers? I have read some people talking that our rear suspension isn’t designed to handle the stress of coilovers back there. Any truth to that?


Yes, I run just fronts for that very reason. I may end up doing it anyway and adding a shock brace.
 

fitforspeed

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Are some of y’all running just front coilovers? I have read some people talking that our rear suspension isn’t designed to handle the stress of coilovers back there. Any truth to that?

I have coil overs on front and rear with no issues. But technically yes these cars are not designed with the use of the weight of the car to be placed on the front/rear shock towers. I have heard of a few instances where it caused an issue. But usually it does not, unless something drastic like hitting a curb or raised manhole cover at speed.


Sent from my iPhone using the svtperformance.com mobile app
 

01yellercobra

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Are some of y’all running just front coilovers? I have read some people talking that our rear suspension isn’t designed to handle the stress of coilovers back there. Any truth to that?
I have coil overs on front and rear with no issues. But technically yes these cars are not designed with the use of the weight of the car to be placed on the front/rear shock towers. I have heard of a few instances where it caused an issue. But usually it does not, unless something drastic like hitting a curb or raised manhole cover at speed.


Sent from my iPhone using the svtperformance.com mobile app
What he said. I've put at least 10k on my coilovers with no issues. But its just a canyon carver.
 

Blkkbgt

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I have coil overs on front and rear with no issues. But technically yes these cars are not designed with the use of the weight of the car to be placed on the front/rear shock towers. I have heard of a few instances where it caused an issue. But usually it does not, unless something drastic like hitting a curb or raised manhole cover at speed.


Sent from my iPhone using the svtperformance.com mobile app

Before I decided on a full coilover setup I searched for months looking for failures. I found none on properly designed and installed coilovers. The few claims of failures I found had zero evidence to back it up to even the slightest degree. I also had relatively long conversation with maximum motorsports about them as well before I pulled the trigger.

According to MM the only failures they have seen were on cars either running stock CC plates or thin 3 bolt plates on 94-04 cars (foxes are a different story). The failures were actually oil canning due to the 3 bolt CC plates not distributing the load as the strut top is outside the triangle formed by the bolts. The one and only complete failure they had witnessed was on a car involved in a full rollover while open tracking. I think we can agree at that point all bets are off for any coilover or strut tower to fully survive that situation.

Let's also not forget the old fr500 ford racing was trying to roll out ages ago. That car used an SLA front setup with NO changes to the strut tower. If there were strength concerns I doubt they would have bothered designing such a setup.

Another note regarding the front end and coilovers brings me back to the days of good ol' Granatelli motorsports. There is a thread on corral where a member installed a full GMS k member, a arm and coilover setup. He often tracked his car and during a hill climb event smashed a curb hard enough to pop the tire, break the rim and deform the CC plate. The strut tower survived and JR sent the guy a new CC plate for next to nothing. For that strut tower to not be designed for coilovers and survive and incident like that speaks volumes about their strength.

Regarding the rear of the car I have not once seen, heard or read about a failure or issue with those towers. If there were concerns I think someone like MM or Griggs would have either not developed a kit at all. Keep in mind MM tested their parts for years on the street, autocross and open track before releasing it. I have no reason not to trust them.

Lastly when people make the claim that coilovers will damage or destroy the strut towers I instantly want evidence and I have yet have a single person provide it. Lately I find these comments on Facebook and other social media platforms that seem to attract people with the lowest automotive IQ who want to spew complete and utter garbage in an attempt to look like they know things about cars. The funny thing to me is that one person will make an uninformed or idiotic comment and several others will give it a thumbs up demonstrating that there's more than just that idiot that believes the same thing. This also leads people to believe what said idiot has posted without question when they scroll through while searching or following a post. Be careful where you get your information while doing research and who you believe is all I am saying.
 
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SVT_JP

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Before I decided on a full coilover setup I searched for months looking for failures. I found none on properly designed and installed coilovers. The few claims of failures I found had zero evidence to back it up to even the slightest degree. I also had relatively long conversation with maximum motorsports about them as well before I pulled the trigger.

According to MM the only failures they have seen were on cars either running stock CC plates or thin 3 bolt plates on 94-04 cars (foxes are a different story). The failures were actually oil canning due to the 3 bolt CC plates not distributing the load as the strut top is outside the triangle formed by the bolts. The one and only complete failure they had witnessed was on a car involved in a full rollover while open tracking. I think we can agree at that point all bets are off for any coilover or strut tower to fully survive that situation.

Let's also not forget the old fr500 ford racing was trying to roll out ages ago. That car used an SLA front setup with NO changes to the strut tower. If there were strength concerns I doubt they would have bothered designing such a setup.

Another note regarding the front end and coilovers brings me back to the days of good ol' Granatelli motorsports. There is a thread on corral where a member installed a full GMS k member, a arm and coilover setup. He often tracked his car and during a hill climb event smashed a curb hard enough to pop the tire, break the rim and deform the CC plate. The strut tower survived and JR sent the guy a new CC plate for next to nothing. For that strut tower to not be designed for coilovers and survive and incident like that speaks volumes about their strength.

Regarding the rear of the car I have not once seen, heard or read about a failure or issue with those towers. If there were concerns I think someone like MM or Griggs would have either not developed a kit at all. Keep in mind MM tested their parts for years on the street, autocross and open track before releasing it. I have no reason not to trust them.

Lastly when people make the claim that coilovers will damage or destroy the strut towers I instantly want evidence and I have yet have a single person provide it. Lately I find these comments on Facebook and other social media platforms that seem to attract people with the lowest automotive IQ who want to spew complete and utter garbage in an attempt to look like they know things about cars. The funny thing to me is that one person will make an uninformed or idiotic comment and several others will give it a thumbs up demonstrating that there's more than just that idiot that believes the same thing. This also leads people to believe what said idiot has posted without question when they scroll through while searching or following a post. Be careful where you get your information while doing research and who you believe is all I am saying.
Great feedback, I feel like this forum has always had knowledgeable members and you can sort through the BS to find the truth.
 

01yellercobra

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I have seen pics of rear coilovers that busted through the mount. But to be fair it was a long time ago and I never knew the actual reason it happened. I figure someday I might brace the rear mounts when I pull the car off the road for other things.
 

Blkkbgt

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I have seen pics of rear coilovers that busted through the mount. But to be fair it was a long time ago and I never knew the actual reason it happened. I figure someday I might brace the rear mounts when I pull the car off the road for other things.

Did the actual strut tower fail or did the upper mount blow out? I've seen two or so that the mount failed but the tower was still in tact.

This is exactly why I decided on MM coilovers starting with the front and knowing I would eventually do the rear. MM uses an spherical delrin bushing with matching aluminum cup on the rear. Not only does this allow the shock to articulate but it also properly distributes the load into the tower as the suspension compresses and rebounds. This goes back to what I was saying about properly designed setups.
 

01yellercobra

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Did the actual strut tower fail or did the upper mount blow out? I've seen two or so that the mount failed but the tower was still in tact.

This is exactly why I decided on MM coilovers starting with the front and knowing I would eventually do the rear. MM uses an spherical delrin bushing with matching aluminum cup on the rear. Not only does this allow the shock to articulate but it also properly distributes the load into the tower as the suspension compresses and rebounds. This goes back to what I was saying about properly designed setups.

The metal for the tower was peeled open like an orange.

I have the MM set up in the rear. I still plan on some kind of bracing eventually. Or even their race mount down the road.
 

Blkkbgt

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The metal for the tower was peeled open like an orange.

I have the MM set up in the rear. I still plan on some kind of bracing eventually. Or even their race mount down the road.

Wow never seen that one before. I wonder if someone screwed up at the factory and forgot some welds or if the top mount was allowed to flop around and beat the crap out of the tower?
 

01yellercobra

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Wow never seen that one before. I wonder if someone screwed up at the factory and forgot some welds or if the top mount was allowed to flop around and beat the crap out of the tower?
That's why I mentioned I don't know the circumstances. I didn't want to sound like I was blaming anything in particular.
 

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