Ridetech coilover vs air help

[jbake]

I'm looking at ridetech systems for my 68 firebird. The question is for a street car is it better to use coilovers than airbags? I'm leaning to the airbags setup with truturn so I put the monster meats on my stock subframe. I've searched here n read a lot of input, think I'm in information overload now. As always I thank you for your help.

[Rhino]

It all depends on your requirements for your suspension. What are you looking to do with the car?
In my opinion, if you don't require/want the adjustable spring rate that the bags would afford you the air setup seems like a lot of needless complexity and weight.

[pedro]

I have run both on my '69 Camaro. For auto-x I like the "feel" of the coilovers better, shockwaves always seemed disconnected... There was not much difference time/place wise when I switched. For the street I liked the shockwaves better because of ride quality.... If I did not do as much auto-x as I do, I would have stuck with the shockwaves.

Pete

[jbake]

When/if I ever get this thing on the road it will be used for weekend only playing around. There no autox anywhere near me that I know of. Just looking for good ride n performance.

[1970 TT Rustang]

I went from air to coils and iam not looking back the air ride is nice as long as you go top of the line and get all the sensors which i did not have.

[jbake]

Sounds like I need to take better look at the coil overs then. I thought the air would be better far as ride goes.

[bret]

Sounds like I need to take better look at the coil overs then. I thought the air would be better far as ride goes.

The reason that many are liking the ride quality of our new coilovers better than their old ShockWaves is the shock itself. We have made radical strides forward in the last 24 months with the new impact forged monotube shock. We started using that shock when we introduced the coilover in August of 2010, and changed over the whole shockwave line about 6 months ago. At this point the only shock you can buy in a coilover or a shockwave is the impact forged monotube. Apples to apples, the handling performance and ride quality for the ShockWave are at least as good as the coilover. You will not be disappointed with either!

[jbake]

Bret, this is the reason I'm going with your product. Every post about your products you always come in and answer the question and go above and beyond the call for your customers. Even if its there own mess up. I've ready almost every post about your systems and I'm in information overload and think my head is going to blow up.

[bret]

Bret, this is the reason I'm going with your product. Every post about your products you always come in and answer the question and go above and beyond the call for your customers. Even if its there own mess up. I've ready almost every post about your systems and I'm in information overload and think my head is going to blow up.

In that case...please don't stand too close!

[jbake]

In that case...please don't stand too close!

Lol does it matter with your coil overs on the weight? I'm trying to talk wife into letting me buy fiberglass front end and didn't know if the weight diff would throw off the spring ride high.

[marolf101x]

Coil Over Spring Rate:
You can choose whatever spring rate you'd like to put on the shocks. You just have to tell us what you want.
You can use our spring rate calculator to help you through this:
http://www.ridetech.com/tech/spring-rate-calculator/


Coil Over or Shockwave:
As Bret stated the coil over and the Shockwave use the exact same shock. So the only difference is the spring. Air springs are much more progressive than the traditional coil spring, and therefore require a slightly different tuning approach.
I personally love the air springs on our 66 Chevelle. The cars takes a set and transitions so nicely I wouldn't change a thing (though of course we have tested just about everything on that car, including the coil overs and a kitchen sink)

[UMI Tech]

I'll vouch for the awesomeness of RT's new shock. And great customer service.

ramey

[jbake]

Sounds like no matter what way I go ill ok. Now just got to find the $$$ thank you all for your input.

[JRouche]

Ill comment. I have the "older" shockwaves (2009). They are double adjustable shocks up front and single on the back.

I have played with the shock adjustments some. The thing is they are prolly a lil "too" adjustable at first glance. Cause I can only use a very small range. But thinking about it they prolly HAVE to have that much "range". Mainly for ALL the various cars they will be used in.

My car is somewhat light, not sports car light but not full sized car heavy. And not even close to full framed Cadillac heavy. And thats the point. The shockwaves will work with sports car light AND Caddy heavy cars. Mine might be in the middle of the weight. So at first I was thinking WTF!! I have a massive amount of adjustability left, up or down and its a waste. I wanted more of a "detailed" tuning with the shocks for MY car.

And even though I am able to tune the shocks with plenty of room to spare I was thinking WTF! Then it clicked. Dummy ME! The system IS meant for a variety of cars. The guy with a heavy car WILL find his sweet spot (just like I did) and the guy with a light car can ALSO use the shocks. They have THAT much valving. So yeah, I may only get to use about three or four different "clicks" of the shock. The shock, yeah, even the old one will have pleanty of control for a wide range of cars out there.

Now talking about shocks. I think some folks (not this post but some other posts I have read) are missing the picture and trying to compensate for other areas of the suspension that are NOT set up and they try to use shocks or springs to fix the other areas.

The suspension system is just that. A system. Meaning not one component makes the system work correctly but ALL the components of the system have to be tuned. Its like a team. Baseball, football and some of the lesser sports LOL They are ALL components of the "system" or team. One or two alone dont control the overall performance. Ok, prolly a bad analogy.

But still. If you are getting too much body roll then its NOT the time to increase spring stiffness or increase shock valving. Unfortunately some guys do. Body roll is NOT controlled with the wheel planting components (springs and shocks). Springs and shocks should be a simple use to keep the tire on the ground and suspend the car. Thats ALL.

Put the spring under the car to support it at a given ride height AND take the additional force during a turn to keep it supported. Air springs do a great job for that task.

Shocks should be valved to absorb the crazy road conditions that the car might see. A race car that will see a very controlled road surface can prolly work well with a narrow valving. A street car will need more difference in compression and rebound.

But I dont think the shocks or springs should ever be used as a tuning aid for a poorly managed "system". Thats putting too much control on one component that wasnt really meant to deal with the problem at hand.

Personally I like a faster dropping shock and just enough compression to keep the tire planted for the city streets and the nasty freeways we have so at 70mph the shock can react and aid the spring.

My Nova feels like a go cart and a caddy It turns like its on rails, flat and predictable. But I also dont feel ANY of the BAD parts of the road. And I have metal bushed control arms up front and spherical bearing joints on the back.

What can I attribute the great ride to? The shockwaves. And Im not even sucking up to anyone. I dont have ANY interest in ANY one company. I just say it like I see it. JR

[jbake]

Jr thanks. I'm still in the research and asking lots of stupid noob stage of my project. I'm use to jacked up pickups built for mud n rocks and I'm a truck driver, so I'm use to stiff bumpy rides. If you think the roads are bad in so cal come out here to fly over country. Lol

[Rhino]

... If you think the roads are bad in so cal come out here to fly over country...

I can certainly attest to that. I've got family in the area. A road tends to have pot holes that will swallow a car or be barely wide enough to not touch mirrors in passing.
On the plus side, you have plenty of twisties to have fun on.

[jbake]

I can certainly attest to that. I've got family in the area. A road tends to have pot holes that will swallow a car or be barely wide enough to not touch mirrors in passing.
On the plus side, you have plenty of twisties to have fun on.

Lmfao last year I was in Tuscaloosa, Joplin, and Oklahoma city when the twisters hit. Riding them out in a truck is not the most fun I've ever had!

[JRouche]

Jr thanks. I'm still in the research and asking lots of stupid noob stage of my project. I'm use to jacked up pickups built for mud n rocks and I'm a truck driver, so I'm use to stiff bumpy rides. If you think the roads are bad in so cal come out here to fly over country. Lol

I didnt see any stupid Qs there and oh yeah. Gotta have some suspension in yer area. Had some life long friends that moved to Macks Creek, MO back in the 70s. I never got a chance to drive out there and visit them but my parents have a few times. Once pulling a 5th wheel trailer. And YES! They said the roads were not like here. But you know WHAT! The land and people make up for it ten fold. Id love to leave So Cal. But the kids are in school and until they are out on their own Im planted. Some day? Maybe Ill be able to own a nice lil plot of land in a small town in a great state like MO!! Enjoy your build and the place you live.. Yes, I sound jealous for a reason.... JR

[jbake]

That's funny I grew up bout 15 miles from macks creek. We got our problems here just not as bad as the peoples republic of California. Hope you escape back to the good ol USA one day!