Does making coilovers softer, raise the ride height?

[bluesmoke]

My car has Tein adjustable coilovers on it, and I really REALLY want to soften them up a little. But I've never had coilovers before and don't really know much about adjusting them.

If I had them put onto a softer setting, would that adjust the ride height, or do they stay the same height all the time, regardless of settings??

[Ryan S]

shouldn't raise the ride hieght as you'd only be messing around with the shock to make it softer, i had koni adjustables and you could adjust the damper on them, should just be a key of some sort on the topmount, could be wrong though

[Race Idiot]

You might also want to maybe run some softer springs, i'm pretty sure tein do some different rates for coilovers.

If you have teins with adjustable damping the knob is normally on the bottom of the strut housing iirc. However teins (like 99% of jap coilovers) only allow you to adjust bound damping.

[bluesmoke]

You might also want to maybe run some softer springs, i'm pretty sure tein do some different rates for coilovers.

If you have teins with adjustable damping the knob is normally on the bottom of the strut housing iirc. However teins (like 99% of jap coilovers) only allow you to adjust bound damping.

I don't really understand what bound damping is? Is that when the spring compresses as your first hit a bump? I think that's right isn't it?

Also, I have a pair of weird spanners for them, so would they adjust from the top or from behind the wheel?

[Race Idiot]

You might also want to maybe run some softer springs, i'm pretty sure tein do some different rates for coilovers.

If you have teins with adjustable damping the knob is normally on the bottom of the strut housing iirc. However teins (like 99% of jap coilovers) only allow you to adjust bound damping.

I don't really understand what bound damping is? Is that when the spring compresses as your first hit a bump? I think that's right isn't it?

Also, I have a pair of weird spanners for them, so would they adjust from the top or from behind the wheel?

Bound damping is how fast/hard the shock compresses, maybe someone can explain it better than me.

The spanners are for adjusting the rideheight using the collars below the spring. The damping is adjustable via a knob either on the bottom of the housing or from the top where the suspension mounts to the body in the frunk and in the enginebay. You shouldnt realy change the rideheight unless you think its way too low, as that will have a negative effect on handling.

Some older tein coilovers dont have damping adjusters, do you know what model you have?

Edit: Definitely check the topmount parts of the suspension in the frunk and the enginebay as i'm pretty sure some teins have damper adjusters at the top there.

[Phill P]

My Tein HR's don't have damping adjustment however lowering the car does take some of the preload off the spring which in turn seems to soften the ride a little.

Bit odd really as the springs aren't progressive so shouldn't make a difference,however mine slightly less bone jarring than before.

Save up for BC's,I am.

Paul

[GeoffC320]

You might also want to maybe run some softer springs, i'm pretty sure tein do some different rates for coilovers.

If you have teins with adjustable damping the knob is normally on the bottom of the strut housing iirc. However teins (like 99% of jap coilovers) only allow you to adjust bound damping.

I don't really understand what bound damping is? Is that when the spring compresses as your first hit a bump? I think that's right isn't it?

Also, I have a pair of weird spanners for them, so would they adjust from the top or from behind the wheel?

Bound damping is how fast/hard the shock compresses, maybe someone can explain it better than me. .

I'm no expert, but I would think that compression damping controls the movement of the wheel as it travels upwards, and rebound damping controls the movement of the wheel as it travels back down?

[Race Idiot]

I don't really understand what bound damping is? Is that when the spring compresses as your first hit a bump? I think that's right isn't it?

Also, I have a pair of weird spanners for them, so would they adjust from the top or from behind the wheel?

Bound damping is how fast/hard the shock compresses, maybe someone can explain it better than me. .

I'm no expert, but I would think that compression damping controls the movement of the wheel as it travels upwards, and rebound damping controls the movement of the wheel as it travels back down?

I always read up on this stuff and then forget it
http://www.porsche968uk.co.uk/suspension-dampers.htm

Another cheaper choice for more streetable suspension would be a set of OEM Billsteins which there are usually a few for sale here and some oem or eibach springs.

[Mike N]

Compression is the rate at which the strut gets compressed.

Rebound is the rate at which it returns (expands).

The base valve in the shock is the valve that controls the passage of oil through the chamber which controls damping, when the valve adjuster is moved normally the compression and rebound are similtaniously adjusted.

Older Koni's like Escort RS1600i's for eg. only had rebound adjustment. The suspension spring being the compression control.

If you have longer springs at the same rate, the ride will be softer.

If you lower the springs on the seat pans for the same given rate of spring the ride will be softer and the car will have a lower ride height.

Hope this helps.

Mike

[bluesmoke]

Yeah that's actually pretty much what I thought

Here's a pic of the top of the strut:

[bluesmoke]

OK, there's a little bolt under the rubber cap that takes an allen key, for damping adjustment. Should this be movable by hand??

[chrisbr68]

Yep