Thread: Coil over shocks

Generally on "sports cars" they have adjustable spring perches so you can adjust ride height. Also adjust stance of car for various tracks etc. Used to have this before I returned to a car I had to climb into instead of out of.

On off road racing buggies they run them I believe due to the convenience of having everything in one package plus they are independent all round.

You can fit them i place of struts in the front, or on the rear where the shock usually fits inside the spring anyway. Never seen them fitted to a live axle but am very curious. You can buy coilover kits to fit your struts with adjustable perches (read hollow tube threaded on the outside for the large nuts under the spring seat).

im not really looking to fit them to the disco, just curious as to why they were used, thats all, but thanks for the info.

Further to this, since the std coils play no real part in locating a live axle then there's no real reason you couldn't fit them? If so, leads me to my next question that I've silently pondered for years. Why have LR's and other 4WD's usually but sometimes not fitted the rear shocks facing alternately front and rear, but I have seen some facing the same way (just can't remember which way). Or could you fit them facing both or would there be some kind of suspension bind issue or articulation restriction issue?

Originally Posted by clubagreenie

Further to this, since the std coils play no real part in locating a live axle then there's no real reason you couldn't fit them? If so, leads me to my next question that I've silently pondered for years. Why have LR's and other 4WD's usually but sometimes not fitted the rear shocks facing alternately front and rear, but I have seen some facing the same way (just can't remember which way). Or could you fit them facing both or would there be some kind of suspension bind issue or articulation restriction issue?

suspension geometry isnt my strong point, so cant help you there. Discowhite or someone who dabbles in big flex set ups would know I'd assume.

Hmmm yes. Last thing I modified was 75mm of the ground and moved less than 1/3rd that. But was substantially faster than any Land Rover I've ever seen built. But a Toyo V8 at 14000RPM is a glorious sound no matter what side of the 4wd face you sit.

Originally Posted by clubagreenie

Generally on "sports cars" they have adjustable spring perches so you can adjust ride height. Also adjust stance of car for various tracks etc. Used to have this before I returned to a car I had to climb into instead of out of.

On off road racing buggies they run them I believe due to the convenience of having everything in one package plus they are independent all round.

You can fit them i place of struts in the front, or on the rear where the shock usually fits inside the spring anyway. Never seen them fitted to a live axle but am very curious. You can buy coilover kits to fit your struts with adjustable perches (read hollow tube threaded on the outside for the large nuts under the spring seat).

Pretty much it, and coil overs are used on live axles in things like race cars (think V8 Supercars)

Downsides of coilovers are increased friction/shaft side loadings in the dampers from the springs.
This is part of the reason F1 designers went away from them (they use separate torsion bars these days for better packaging and reduced friction)

Originally Posted by clubagreenie

....If so, leads me to my next question that I've silently pondered for years. Why have LR's and other 4WD's usually but sometimes not fitted the rear shocks facing alternately front and rear, but I have seen some facing the same way (just can't remember which way). Or could you fit them facing both or would there be some kind of suspension bind issue or articulation restriction issue?

I remember reading somewhere that with the original Rangerover it was to prevent axle chatter, effectively providing damping to axle windup by compression of the rubbers in the lower link. Other manufacturers presumably have copied this solution where it turned out to be needed.

John

Originally Posted by JDNSW

I remember reading somewhere that with the original Rangerover it was to prevent axle chatter, effectively providing damping to axle windup by compression of the rubbers in the lower link. Other manufacturers presumably have copied this solution where it turned out to be needed.

John

Which is why Japanese manufacturers often use this arrangement on leaf rears.

Under high torque situations a leaf spring, which is used for location as well as spring duties turns itself into an S shape and the opposed angle supposeldy helps reduce spring windup and axle chatter without resorting to locating links.