RACER

I have been shopping around for coilovers for some time now. Some of the high end coilovers recommend setting the ride height 5/8" to 3/4" lower than stock. I know that some peeps have lowered their S's 1 1/2" from stock. Will the S not handle as good when lowered 1 1/2 vs 5/8" or 3/4"? I would think that the manufacturers that engineer and design these coil over dampeners know what they are talking about.

I would like some suspension experts and or engineers to chime in

Gernby

I'm not a suspension expert, but I've done a lot of reading about setting up coilovers. I think that your answer is going to depend on many factors: usage (street, track, etc.), tires, alignment, driving style, and surface quality (bumps require travel).

RACER

My S is not a daily driver. I like to drive on country backroads at night. I also plan on doing more track days with it. The S-02's are not bad tires, but want to run R compounds in the future. I can't complain about the stock alignment settings as I like the way my S is balanced. I don't drive my S on crappy roads as they beat up the car even with stock suspension. I like spirited, aggressive driving. (in moderation)

The reason why I want to upgrade my suspension is because the stock suspension is too soft. I don't think the stock dampeners are the best for this car. The car seems to roll unpredictably at high speeds. This can be very dangerous. As far as ride height is concerned, lowering the center of gravity with upgraded springs and dampeners should help reduce this dangerous roll.

I am very happy with the balance of my S. I can't complain about the overall grip with the S-02's either, but this thing has just way too much roll.

How much lower than stock do people who frequent tracks set their cars?

Gernby

I think 3/4" to 1" is probably most typical. I think mine is about 1" below stock. It also looks best at that height IMO.

kitwetzler

Body roll in and of itself, isn't as bad as you think it is. A stiffly suspended car might feel more confident but may actually be worse in terms of handling bumps, etc.

That said, body roll is not a function of ride height, it's spring rate, track width and all that jazz. the optimium ride height for a track car is obviously not that of a street car. Same with shock and spring tuning. decide what you want to do. A canyon carving car is not what works on the track and vice versa.