DGR Coilovers Review

[TD]

The front springs are 180mm with no preload, and not under load (i.e. wheel off, car jacked up).

[projectrracing]

The front springs are 180mm with no preload, and not under load (i.e. wheel off, car jacked up).

That's what Troy said. But wanna know what the length is with some sag/capture.

[TD]

OK...but on the front the springs are captive, so I'm not sure what sag measurement you're looking for. Let me know in a bit more detail where to measure and I'm happy to help.

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Edit: Are you after the difference between hub-to-guard length when the car is jacked up (wheel off the ground) and when on the ground (with vehicle weight)? The "sag" being the difference between the two lengths?

Edit part 2... found a guide so know what measurements you're after now. It will have to wait until Saturday

[RedDjinn]

You can set the strut deifferently to the spring height on the front.

The DGR front spring for the 3 MPS is 180mm long before any preload is attached, 170mm after.

There would have to be atleast 75mm of travel, if not more.

How much travel when the car sits on them?

---------- Post added at 08:29 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:28 PM ----------

Could someone measure? PLZ

[thelegend64]

This might be a n00b question, but how can you measure the travel when the car is on the ground? I can barely fit 3 fingers between my tyre and guard let alone anything to measure with?

[RedDjinn]

take the wheel off jack up under the swing arm. have a stand under the car and jack up the swing arm till teh car just lifts off the stand

[2XS]

How so??

What am I referring to? If it's not preload?

What do you call 10mm of compression on the spring before any weight is fitted?

[gslrallysport]

What am I referring to? If it's not preload?

What do you call 10mm of compression on the spring before any weight is fitted?

That wasn't what I asked, I'm not really interested in what it's called, in fact, preload is probably the best term for it if I had to give it one. What I wanna know is how you think it increases the spring rate?

[Yeldarb]

Fulcrum Alignment Yeldarb.pdf

So I've just got back from my wheel alignment at Fulcrum, Browns Plains.

Simon "The Guru" did the work for me. The results are attached (well they will be when I work it out).

We had a good chat about the necessity for me to look at any further adjustability in the front. Their belief is they I do not need it after I described what I use the car for. He said, even the occasionally track day, it’s still a good set up.

But if I could track my car once a month, then definitely, slap that bitch in.

As for the coilovers themselves…Holy shit. Had a little fun on the way home. If anyone knows where Granard Rd turns north and merges on the Ipswich Motorway, towards the Moorooka Magic Mile. That long right hand bend…Wow. A truck was taking it nice and slow on the inside late. I was on the outside, doing a fair rate, but safe. The car stayed so flat…I had such a massive smile. I'm still have issues keeping the wheels on the road, need a rear engine mount.

Just my personal experience, I’m sure this happens to anyone who spends a bit of time and money on updating suspension, but hell, it was just awesome.!!

Bring on Sunday!

EDIT: Fulcrum also suggested an ANTI-LIFT kit - MAZDA3 CTRL ARM INNER 2XOFFSET - Apparently they've been quite useful on WRX's. It will hopefully reign in the mass amount of wheel hop I seem to be getting.

[2XS]

That wasn't what I asked, I'm not really interested in what it's called, in fact, preload is probably the best term for it if I had to give it one. What I wanna know is how you think it increases the spring rate?

Sorry, I was thinking about progressive rate springs. When compressed, they bocome stiffer.

All coilovers (as far as I know) are fitted with linear rate springs. Compression doesn't increase stiffness.

[Malicioso]

Sorry, I was thinking about progressive rate springs. When compressed, they bocome stiffer.

All coilovers (as far as I know) are fitted with linear rate springs. Compression doesn't increase stiffness.

Preload on coilovers is only good in keeping the springs captive and to also alter the travel of the complete unit when it is compressing and extending, that is the good thing about these new coilovers now days that are bottom base adjustable, you're able to retain the suspension travel when the car is lowered from its original height.

[gslrallysport]

Sorry, I was thinking about progressive rate springs. When compressed, they bocome stiffer.

That's true, but it will never affect the at wheel rate. You'll never wind the spring up to a load point there's anywhere near a large enough % of the overall vehicle weight for it to make a difference. The ONLY time that extra rate would count at the wheel is when the wheel is off the ground, which won't really have any effect anyway!

This whole idea of 'preload' being able to stiffen the suspension is a load of bullocks. The only thing it changes is ride height. WHICH, on lower end cheap twin tube dampers (like those found in most sub $3k coilovers), does effect the handling due to the change in dampening, but it's nothing to do with spring rate.

All coilovers (as far as I know) are fitted with linear rate springs.

Vast majority of DMS coilovers are fitted with progressive rated spring. Double progressive actually, in both wind and thickness.

[projectrracing]

Preload on coilovers is only good in keeping the springs captive and to also alter the travel of the complete unit when it is compressing and extending, that is the good thing about these new coilovers now days that are bottom base adjustable, you're able to retain the suspension travel when the car is lowered from its original height.

doesn't matter where you adjust it, whether at the strut feet or the spring perch, the spring compression under load will be the same, ie suspension travel.

the difference in height adjustability points effects the shocks initial stroke travel, not the spring compression travel.

[TD]

OK...sag measurement on the front. I quickly used the hub to guard measurements when loaded and when unloaded. 390mm unloaded minus 345mm loaded = 55mm of sag.

Got the front of the car up on stands right now so if there are any other measurements you want get me in the next couple of hours let me know...I'll check back here every 15 or so while the front of it is up in the air.

I'd have a crack at the travel measurement but my pissy little trolley jack doesn't go high enough...

[projectrracing]

So 180 spring captured to 170mm. 55mm sag. 1/3-1/4 of 180mm = the spring itself.
So you'd get up to 55-80mm of suspension travel pending my very rough/dodgy calculations and TDs rough measurements. Probably closer to around 65mm. Without taking shock hitting bumpstop into the equation.

I doubt though you would be able to actually get full travel on these. You'd have to really weight them hard on a corner and by that stage, the sway bars are doing their job and adding extra help to the springs.

[Malicioso]

So 180 spring captured to 170mm. 55mm sag. 1/3-1/4 of 180mm = the spring itself.
So you'd get up to 55-80mm of suspension travel pending my very rough/dodgy calculations and TDs rough measurements. Probably closer to around 65mm. Without taking shock hitting bumpstop into the equation.

I doubt though you would be able to actually get full travel on these. You'd have to really weight them hard on a corner and by that stage, the sway bars are doing their job and adding extra help to the springs.

True that I guess also if you have a stiffer sway bar that will also change things a bit i.e. less load being applied to the outside strut when going through a corner.

[Bakis]

Tomorrow i'll reduce preload of the springs by about 5mm just to see if it makes any difference at all.

Also i turned front shocks to 20 and rear to max and wow so much difference :O.

I still have an issue of traction in first and second gear... I run Kumho KU36 225 wide and i still cant use more then 1/2 throttle in first and 2/3 in 2nd my mods are just CAI and HP-F tune, engine mount is Dog Bone mount. With soft setting on the coils fronts just spin up and when on stiff setting i get epic axle hop could anyone suggest a thread i could read over so i can try find a way of getting more traction out of thing, i dont want wider rims. Please tell me if im fighting a losing battle.

[2XS]

Tomorrow i'll reduce preload of the springs by about 5mm just to see if it makes any difference at all.

Also i turned front shocks to 20 and rear to max and wow so much difference :O.

I still have an issue of traction in first and second gear... I run Kumho KU36 225 wide and i still cant use more then 1/2 throttle in first and 2/3 in 2nd my mods are just CAI and HP-F tune, engine mount is Dog Bone mount. With soft setting on the coils fronts just spin up and when on stiff setting i get epic axle hop could anyone suggest a thread i could read over so i can try find a way of getting more traction out of thing, i dont want wider rims. Please tell me if im fighting a losing battle.

It's alot to do with weight transfer. Lifting the front and squatting in the rear is what "unloads" the front tyres.

Try running the rear full firm and the front full soft.

[Yeldarb]

Tomorrow i'll reduce preload of the springs by about 5mm just to see if it makes any difference at all.

Also i turned front shocks to 20 and rear to max and wow so much difference :O.

I still have an issue of traction in first and second gear... I run Kumho KU36 225 wide and i still cant use more then 1/2 throttle in first and 2/3 in 2nd my mods are just CAI and HP-F tune, engine mount is Dog Bone mount. With soft setting on the coils fronts just spin up and when on stiff setting i get epic axle hop could anyone suggest a thread i could read over so i can try find a way of getting more traction out of thing, i dont want wider rims. Please tell me if im fighting a losing battle.

OMG, I'm having the same freakin trouble...

[Bakis]

Yeah Troy i've tried that and even full hard all round but still struggling, i think leaving the rears on full is a must but the fronts on full give more axle hop and fronts on soft give more skidding