The Ultimate Suspension Guide

When it comes to choosing your suspension, it can be quite difficult. We will go over each suspension option in depth, and while we do that, we will go over all the pros and cons that come with all of them.

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Coilovers

Air Suspension

Lowering Springs

Coilovers

What are Coilovers?

Coilovers are designed to do two things—one, to enhance cars overall handling, and two, to adjust the height of the car.

A coilover will replace the entire stock strut assembly and give the driver a completely new driving experience.

There are many different kinds of coilovers out there. Lower level coilovers will not have as much adjustability as a higher level coilover will have.

Most people will spend extra money to get the adjustability in ride height, damping, spring rate, bump stops, and sometimes camber adjustment. All of this is what makes a coilover special.

Benefits of coilovers?

Aside from just lowering your car, coilovers are a highly functional modification. It gives a significant advantage on the track but is excellent for your daily and show cars.

Being able to fine-tune your suspension is critical. You can adjust settings on the fly and can make your suspension's settings unique. Having the ability to adjust these settings is excellent for people who track their car becuase everything can be done in a short amount of time before their next run.

A few other benefits coilovers give you are the ability to change the spring rate. The spring rate is very important for fine-tuning your suspension. Spring rate is the amount of weight needed in order to compress the spring by 1 inch. 

Other benefits include compression and rebound damping, bump stops and camber adjustments. 

All of this can get very technical and very confusing. If you want to dive deeper into the coilover itself, the button below will bring you to our ultimate coilover guide!

Ultimate guide to coilovers

Cons of coilovers

Some coilovers aren't as good as they say they are. This leads to poor ride quality and, more often than not, will steer you away from ever repurchasing a coilover. Cons to look out for in a coilover are…

Stiff Ride. 

As we mentioned before, if the quality of the coilover is poor, it will lead to poor ride quality. We've all been in that friend's car, and when they hit a bump, it's like the whole car bottoms out. It throws you around, and it doesn't make the ride enjoyable at all. Cheaping out on coilovers will lead you into this con. Not only does the ride quality suffer, but it is also very unsafe. 

Possible Failure.

Coilovers that are poorly made will fail earlier than a coilover that's built with quality parts. Depending on what you're using the coilover for, it may fail earlier if its not used the way it was intended. Any coilover that we offer won't have this issue, but it is always best to be aware of this. 

Limited Space.

Some platforms may have limited space, and some coilovers don't help this issue at all. It's essential to research what coilover will be best for your platform. Components like sway bars, brake components, wiring, and even your sidewall can come in contact. If your suspension comes in contact with anything, it can chew it up or damage the part altogether.

A great example, I owned a Subaru STI. I bought a set of coilovers that fit and worked well, but once I lowered the coilover itself, I started to have components like my axle and coilover come in contact. Luckily only a tiny portion rubbed off of my axle boot, but in the end, I needed to raise the coilover to have enough clearance. 

Coilover Price

The suspension price can vary a lot. The more options a coilover has, the more expensive it will be. Some brands like BC Racing offer coilovers that start at $800 and are a great choice! They won't provide an insane amount of adjustability, but they will provide excellent ride quality and will be made with high-quality parts.

On average, we see enthusiasts spend anywhere from $ to $ on a set of coilovers. This price seems to be the sweet spot as it offers a good amount of adjustability and the quality is exellent. 

Air Suspension

What does air ride suspension work?

We will keep it simple for enthusiasts who are new to air suspension. Air suspension is powered by an electric pump or either by a compressor.

When the user wants to air up the suspension, the air is pumped into bags that are made of polyurethane and rubber. The air will perform the same as a spring on a coilover or strut system.

Benefits of air suspension

The benefits of this kind of suspension will significantly outweigh the cons and price that come with it. 

Does air ride suspension improve ride quality?

Air suspension will greatly improve ride quality, providing the driver more comfort. The suspension will have less road noise, decrease harshness, and reduce vibration.

Your overall suspension will have less wear and tear, increasing the life of your suspension components.

The suspension will raise and lower based on the car's load, weight, and speed. Along with this, you will have higher and better corner speeds. Your speed will increase by the suspension being closer to the road surface. 

Cons of air suspension

The cost is an issue for most, these kinds of setups can make a big hole in your pocket, BUT in the end, it's worth it. 

Outside of the cost, enthusiasts will run into mechanical issues here and there.  You can limit the amount of issues by keeping air suspension in check, looking over the suspension every 3,000 miles or so will help you find issues before they become a bigger problem or if you're lucky, you'll stop one from happening entirely. This happens becuase the cars center of gravity is closer to the ground.

These setups are prone to leaks, which results in these issues.

• Rust or moisture damage
• Compressor burns out

This can happen if the air suspensions components start to leak, even the smallest leak will make the compressor constantly run to maintain pressure, this results the compressor to burnout. 

Price 

How expensive is air suspension?

The price might surprise you. Depending on your platform, most kits will start at $. 

Air suspension is expensive only because of all the supporting components. When you piece together air suspension, you will see front or rear air suspension strut kits cost $ at the lowest.

Starter kits will start you at $, this dosen't include the struts but will include the compressor and the electrical componets. Once you put everything together, you can see why air suspension is very expensive.

Lowering Springs

Benefits of lowering springs

Advantage of lowering springs

Lowering springs are extremely affordable and you'll spend no more than $350 on a high-quality set that will lower your car 1 inch to 2.5 inches depending on the spring. 

Do Lowering springs improve handling?

After you lower your car, you will notice the handling improve and you'll get more control of your car through corners. 

These are all amazing benefits, especially for the price. The best satifaction from lowering your car is it changes the look completely, even with stock wheels. 

Cons of lowering springs

The cons that come with lowering springs won't outweigh the benefits. It's important to know what lowering springs will bring you when you install them. You'll notice you're stuck at one height, and that's it. For some, this can be either too much or not enough.

Do lowering springs affect ride quality?

After you install your lowing springs, you will notice a stiffer ride, depending on what you use your build for, it can get quite harsh. With lowering springs there is no way to change this unfortunately. 

Price

Price can vary. You won't spend more than $350, and it's important to look at the description for each lowering spring to see how much it will lower your car. A higher-quality spring might cost $350 and only drop your car an inch, but it will have better ride quality.

Conclusion

Now that we've gone over all the possible options to lower your car, some common questions will arise. 

Lowering springs or coilovers?

The answer is quite simple. A coilover will have more adjustability, depending on what you are using your build for. Coilovers will do you more in the end. 

Is air ride suspension worth it?

The company is the world’s best custom lowering springs supplier. We are your one-stop shop for all needs. Our staff are highly-specialized and will help you find the product you need.

The short answer is YES! The benefits of air suspension outweigh any cons. The benefits you will notice when switching to air suspension are: - A smoother ride than coilovers - Less vibration from the road. - A good amount of reduction from road noise when compared to coilovers. - Complete adjustability via a remote or bluetooth app Another cool factor that air suspension gives is that it can automatically adjust the ride height based on the vehicle's load weight and how fast you're going. Aside from getting the incredible pppppsssssshhhhh noise when you air out, air suspension is a must for any show build!

After all this information, picking your setup should be easier. If you still don't know what will be best, give our customer support a call, and we will be happy to lead you in the right direction!

Complete Guide to Lowering Options for Your Muscle Car, Hot Rod, or Truck

By Mark Houlahan 4/15/ Share Add Article To List

Take Your Ride to New Lows

Personalizing your ride means different things to different people Some want all the horsepower, while others want creature comforts, and yet others are more in tune with the bare necessities (and that can even include paint, or the lack thereof!). What is universally sought after by most, however, is that perfect stance. A perfect set of wheels and a spot on ride height is something that turns heads even before the turn of the ignition key.

There are multiple ways to get your hot rod or muscle car down low, be it if you’re looking for just a couple of inches of drop, or that scraping the road reflectors off the highway look. Whatever your lowering thoughts are we are here to explain the different lowering options available for your specific chassis and what their pros and cons are of each option, such as lowering springs vs coilovers. By the end of this buyer’s guide you’ll have a complete understanding of the options available to you so you can choose the best course of action to give your truck, hot rod, or muscle car the stance it deserves for improved looks and handling.

Is It OK to Cut Coil Springs?

We are not fans of cutting coil springs to alter ride height. We know people do it, so we wanted to address it in this buyer’s guide. Cutting coil springs will indeed lower your vehicle. Is it the right way to lower a vehicle? Some will say yes, others no. As long as enthusiasts have been modifying their rides people have been lowering them by cutting the springs down. If you are going to cut your springs it should only be for minor height adjustments due to corner weights and with a cut-off wheel, band saw, or other “cold” cutting method. Never use a torch to heat the springs or to cut the springs, as it will weaken the spring, and do not remove more than half of a coil. Extensive cutting will alter the spring’s rate, making for a harsh ride or even allow the spring to dislodge from the spring pocket over rough roads.

Pros

• Virtually free
• Easy to do
• Can be combined with dropped control arms or dropped spindles for an even lower ride height

Cons

• May require several tries to get your desired ride height
• Ride quality will be reduced due to the spring rate being stiffened. This will be a relatively small change when cutting 1/4 to 1/2 of a coil but will be noticeable when cutting one or more coils off.
• Not possible on springs with pigtails
• May require shorter shock absorbers
• May require modification to the suspension limiter or bump stop
• May cause adverse suspension geometry changes or bump steer issues if the springs are cut for large amounts of drop

Are Lowering Springs a Good Option?

While we can all agree that cutting coil springs does lower your ride height (and it is pretty much free), it is also not the best route to get the stance you’re looking for with a decent ride. This is where a quality set of lowering springs becomes the alternative that should be considered such as the Eibach lowering springs shown here. A set of lowering springs for your application are engineered to not only lower the vehicle, but maintain a firm, sporty ride in most instances. They are direct replacements for your stock springs and are usually not difficult to install, however they do only provide a certain amount of drop, which may not be enough for the look you are going for (which is why we suggest combining lowering products in some instances for the most aggressive drop while maintaining some resemblance of ride quality).

Pros

• Low cost
• Easy to install for most applications
• Spring rate is tailored to the application. Some springs are intended to improve handling with a stiffer spring rate and others are intended to maintain or improve ride quality.
• Older vehicles may need the springs replaced anyhow so it’s a killing two birds with one stone scenario
• Dropped coil springs can be combined with dropped control arms or dropped spindles for dramatically lowered stance
• Dropped leaf springs can be combined with a dropped axle for even lower ride height

Cons

• Ride height is not adjustable. Adding shims or cutting the spring is the only means of adjustment with coil springs. Leaf spring would need to have a leaf added or removed.
• Load handling capability may be reduced. This is especially a concern for rear springs on trucks.
• May require shorter shock absorbers
• May require modification to the suspension limiter or bump stop
• Limited in the amount of drop that can be achieved with springs alone
• May cause adverse suspension geometry changes or bump steer issues if too much drop spring is used

Are Drop Spindles Good?

A drop spindle is a spindle that has been designed to lower the front of a vehicle by raising the spindle’s pin the same distance. So, a 2-inch drop spindle will have a 2-inch raised pin height. What this means is the spindle, in all other specifications, works just like a stock spindle in the manner it is mounted to control arms/struts, tie-rod ends, and so on, but provides a lower ride height. Generally speaking, if the vehicle’s suspension is well designed to begin with (minimal bump steer, good turning radius, etc.) there will be no adverse effects or changes to the front suspension and how the car handles, yet you can enjoy the lowered ride height by simply bolting on the drop spindle, that is if one is available for your application.

Pros

• Medium cost level
• Does not affect suspension geometry
• Ride quality will not be changed
• Older vehicles with drum brakes can be upgraded to disc brakes at the same time
• Can be combined with dropped springs or dropped control arms for even more drop
• Bolt on replacement for stock spindles in most applications
• Does not require new shocks – stock length shocks will be used

Cons

• Some applications will have minimum wheel size and/or backspacing requirements due to tie rod end clearance issues
• Ride height is not adjustable

What About Drop Control Arms Then?

Much like a drop spindle, a drop control arm is designed to replace the stock control arm(s) with a revised component that will lower the vehicle’s ride height. This is done in several different ways, including relocated coil spring seats (deeper into the control arm) on lower arms, and offset mounting shafts with revised ball joint locations to correct camber on upper arms. Installation is usually like drop spindles in that you are simply unbolting the stock parts and replacing them with the lowering control arms. Also like the drop spindle you can combine components to achieve just the right stance for your ride. Also, much like drop spindles, applications can be a limiting factor. Most drop arms are for two-wheel-drive trucks, though we do offer control arms for some popular GM muscle cars with deeper than stock spring pockets to allow ride height adjustments when combined with lowering springs and/or drop spindles.

Pros

• Medium cost level
• Come with new ball joints and control arm bushings so if your stock components are worn out you will kill two birds with one stone
• Heavy duty tubular design not only functions well but also looks great
• Ride quality will not be changed
• Direct bolt on replacement installation
• Can be combined with drop springs or drop spindles for even lower ride height

Cons

• Reduced scrub line
• Ride height is not adjustable

Are Coilover Kits the Best Lowering Option?

A coilover shock system takes the suspension’s coil spring and shock absorber (or strut assembly in newer cars) and combines them into one component. This provides for compact packaging and helps with unsprung weight some. But most importantly coilover shocks allow for an easy to adjust suspension system whereas you can often adjust the shock for rebound only, or rebound and compression, plus swap out the coilover spring for different spring rates that affect ride quality and handling. However, the most important aspect of the coil-over shock system for most is the ability to quickly adjust vehicle ride height simply by adjusting the coilover spring’s threaded lower spring perch up or down the threaded shock body. This is accomplished by hand or with a simple spanner wrench right on the car in minutes.

Pros

• Medium cost level
• Adjustable ride height
• Various spring rates are available to fine tune your ride quality or handling characteristics
• Available with adjustable shock valving
• Bolt on kits are available for a wide variety of applications
• Can be paired with drop spindles for even lower ride height

Cons

• Applications with factory leaf spring suspension require a complete suspension kit for use with coilovers
• May require modification to the suspension limiter or bump stop
• Limited in the amount of drop that can be achieved with coil-overs alone
• May cause adverse suspension geometry changes or bump steer issues if too much drop is used

Can You Lower a Solid Axle Hot Rod?

So far, we’ve been discussing lowering options for coil spring applications, be it solid rear axle setups or independent front suspension (IFS) configurations. For many hot rodders though the straight axle front suspension, popularized on such platforms as the - Ford cars, - Ford trucks, and - Chevy cars, is still their preferred front suspension. And yes, they can be lowered. The two ways you can lower a straight axle front end is with a drop axle or drop leaf spring package. Drop axles are direct replacements for the stock height axle that are engineered with a higher king pin location, like a drop spindle. Similar to a drop control arm, you can retain the stock spring (in this case a transverse leaf) to maintain good ride quality and load capacity.

Pros

• Medium cost level
• Direct bolt on replacement for the stock axle
• Retains the stock ride quality
• Maintains original load capacity when used with stock springs
• Can be combined with drop leaf springs for an even lower ride height

Cons

• Most require dropped tie rod ends or custom steering linkage
• More expensive than drop leaf springs
• Installation is more extensive than drop leaf springs

Is a Rear Axle Flip Safe to Do?

Most hot rods and muscle cars utilize an underslung leaf spring setup, where the axle is rides on top of the leaf spring pack. The only way to lower these is with different leaf spring rates or with mid- or reverse-eye spring ends or lowering blocks (more on those below). However, for truck applications we generally find their axles to be overslung, with the leaf spring pack on top of the axle assembly. In this situation relocating the axle to reside on top of the spring pack utilizing a leaf spring flip kit effectively lowers the rear of the truck anywhere from 5 to 7 inches (the sum of the axle diameter and spring pack thickness) with simply hand tool work in most cases and does not diminish ride quality or load capacity. Popular kits include shock relocation brackets where needed and you can go even lower by combining the axle flip with shorter shackles, lowering blocks, or drop springs.

Pros

• Low to Medium cost level
• Retains stock load capacity
• Can be used along with lowering blocks, drop shackles, or drop springs for even lower ride height

Cons

• Requires a C-notch kit to gain clearance between the axle and the frame
• Requires removal or relocation of bump stops
• Requires shorter shocks or shock relocation brackets (if brackets are not included in the kit)

What Suspensions Do Lowering Blocks Fit?

Leaf spring lowering blocks are used on solid rear axles suspended by leaf spring packs, with the sole coil spring rear suspension application that can take lowering blocks being the - Chevy trucks. The axle must be underslung (spring under the axle) for lowering blocks to be fitted between the leaf spring pack and the spring perch on the axle tube (otherwise it would actually raise the vehicle). So, for muscle cars and hot rods this is simply a matter of unbolting the axle, raising it up, and inserting the leaf spring lowering blocks. For overslung applications you’ll have to do an axle flip first.

Pros

• Low cost
• Available in a variety of heights to dial in your preferred ride height
• Maintains factory ride quality and load capacity when used with stock springs
• Easy installation

Cons

• Requires longer U-bolts (not always supplied with the blocks)
• May cause wheel hop on acceleration, especially if using two inch or taller lowering blocks

Can You Change the Leaf Spring Hanger?

Leaf spring hangers are commonly found in truck applications and other vehicles with full frames. They are usually riveted to the frame and provide a pocket for the front leaf spring eye to mount and pivot from during suspension movement. You can find some applications available separately, but most drop hangers are found in complete rear suspension lowering kits or in a kit with a set of lowering shackles (more on those next). Typical leaf spring hanger drops are in the two to four inch range.

Pros

• Medium cost level
• Retains stock ride quality and load capacity
• Commonly used along with drop shackles for even lower ride height
• Can be used along with an axle flip for extreme drops

Cons

• Alters the pinion angle slightly unless used along with drop shackles
• Installation typically requires cutting or drilling out rivets that fasten the factory spring hangers to the frame
• More expensive and harder to install than drop shackles if a small amount of drop is desired
• Ride height is not adjustable

Are Leaf Spring Shackles a Good Option for Lowering?

Many people associate shackle kits with raising the rear of a car, popularized in the s and s to allow room for larger tires in the rear of a muscle car (along with a set of air shocks too!). However, you can go in the opposite direction by using lowering leaf spring shackles as well. They are usually paired with lowering spring hangers, but you can do just the leaf spring shackles if you don’t want to deal with drilling/grinding out all those rivets that mount the hangers onto the frame. Typical leaf spring shackles are bolt-in replacements for the stock parts and will lower the rear of your vehicle approximately two inches.

Pros

• Low cost
• Easiest to install of any leaf spring lowering product
• Retains stock ride quality and load capacity
• Many have dual holes to adjust the amount of drop it will provide
• Commonly used along with drop leaf spring hangers for even lower ride height
• Can be used along with an axle flip for extreme drops

Cons

• Alters the pinion angle slightly unless used along with drop leaf spring hangers

Can Torsion Bar Spring Vehicles Be Lowered?

Enthusiasts might equate torsion bar spring front suspensions with Ma Mopar, but the Dodge boys aren’t the only game in town that used torsion bar spring front ends. You’ll find these springs used in both GM and Ford truck applications too. A torsion bar spring works in a similar fashion to a sway bar, in that that the spring function is derived from the twisting motion of the bar itself, with one end connected to the lower control arm and the other end fixed to the vehicle’s frame with a torsion key. An adjuster pushes on the torsion key, providing a certain amount of twist in the torsion bar. You can often get a small amount of lowering (perhaps up to 1-inch) simply by loosening the key, but any further you will need to replace the factory torsion bar keys with specific lowering keys that allow further drop.

Pros

• Low cost (or free if you need just a little drop)
• Simple installation
• Retains stock ride quality
• Adjustable ride height
• Can be combined with drop spindles for an even lower ride height

Cons

• Limited to approximately 2” of drop
• Requires modification or removal of bump stops

What About an Air Bag Suspension System?

Early on air bag suspensions kind of got a bad rap that they were only good for one thing: laying frame. Sure, hot rods, muscle cars, and especially classic trucks, look sweet slammed to the ground, but an air bag suspension can do so much more. Thanks to the onboard air compressor, level sensors, and other features, you can have on-the-fly suspension adjustments to sprung weight/cargo loads, road conditions, and more. On the highway? Drop it down and maybe save some gas. Going up a steep offset driveway? Add some air and raise the front end to prevent damage. No longer do you have to pick a fixed ride height and live with it. Air suspension suspensions are dynamic and allow you to run whatever ride height you wish and can be changed with a few button pushes right from the driver’s seat.

Pros

• Ride height is adjustable even while driving the vehicle
• Ability to raise the vehicle to clear obstacles such as a steep driveway
• Smooth ride quality
• Heavy load rated air springs are available which allow for towing and hauling heavy loads

Cons

• High cost
• Extensive installation process
• In addition to air springs you will also need mounting brackets, hoses, fittings, air tank, and controls
• Vehicles with factory leaf spring suspension may require a complete suspension kit, such as a 4 link
• Handling performance may be reduced compared to some traditional spring suspensions

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  Contact us to discuss your requirements of heavy duty tension springs. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.

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