Heard stories of people having coilovers rusting very quickly on them etc. going to buy a b5 passat and stick a set of cheapie eBay coilovers in it. I know they usually aren't up to anything but any ways to make them last longer and not seize up quickly? Cheers
Prior to fitting, apply liberal amounts of copper grease to the threads and locking collars and be sure to use some on the mounting bolts/nuts too. Copper grease is an anti-seize compound, so should do your job, as it has be successful for me on many occasions. You could also look at getting socks to go over the coilovers to prevent dust, dirt, brake dust, salt and water getting at them. They can be bought on eBay, and they aren't big money (a few quid from memory).
My rear coilovers are squeaking quite badly when the car is loaded, any thoughts @Nicky? Pull them out and slap a load of grease on them?
forget oiling, do what Nicky said, copper grease is the only thing that might do it! However I won't touch coilovers again they are nothing but hassle unless for the track or a show car. Lowering springs go 'tastefully low' enough imho also
Coilovers allow you to control the exact ride height of each corner, they shouldn't be thought of as something you need just to go stupidly low. I've fitted countless sets of springs only to have the front sitting a bit too high, nothing I hate more. Coilovers allow you to get the right amount of f/r rake and have the car sitting exactly as you want it. I put coilovers in the Lotus to do just that, and I only lowered it about 15mm. To the op, copper grease applied liberally
copper grease like fook and when you the height set tape over the exposed threads or us the socks as said
yes, I know what they are for I've fitted literally 100's of springs/coilovers... however fair enough if thats your opinion, when I had springs in my mg it sat maybe 5mm higher at the front and it annoyed me, I went and got good avo coilovers so I could have the height I wanted so I do see your point completely; it sat perfect, but never again, between siezing and shaking the ***** out of the car the absolute ballache they were never again AND I washed them twice in the 7-8months I had them in and re-greased them with copper grease, so they were hardly neglected. Both uncles regularly have people in and out of their garages with leaking/broken/siezed coilovers come MOT time too....springs, no problemo but yes if springs sit a little out your fooked, but from experience its something I wont stress over again believe me
Unfortunately 90% of coilovers bought in this country are of the cheap variety - therefore poorly rated and inadequately sprung or complete overkill of both. Unless you spend the time and money having the correct items for your car (you probably went for Nitrons or similar) you end up with *****, and thats exactly what everyone deems as normal. Even when buying the expensive stuff, they are not built with rough roads in mind - they need to be valved and sprung to suit. Off the shelf kits will NEVER be just that. Almost every coilover equipped car you see on the road is vibrating with the road surface and shaking the sh*t out of its occupants, jumping and skipping on corners, stupid camber, etc etc. Whereas a bit of thought and £300 a corner we have suspension fit for forest rallies and remain at a sensible height. Back on topic though, as mentioned above, LOADS of grease, dont worry about dirt sticking as it will all just wipe off when you need it to. Dont be shy with the grease
Thats really down to people buying £180 coilovers and expecting them to last more than 5 miles when completely devoid of any travel. Cheap coilovers vs spring, then yes springs everytime. That said, the same can be said for people putting springs into worn out OE dampers that just aren't able to cope. You can't tar them all with the same brush.
I put copper grease on the coilovers in my golf. Dirt sticks to it and corrodes and I hadda take em out to unsieze them. Next set I didnt lubricate at all and they loosened first turn as the grit and dust just wiped off. Suppose the best job would be to copper grease then wrap tape or sumthin around the threads to prevent stuff from sticking to it, tho i still wont put any grease on them
Totally agree, they are crap and I wouldn't have them near me, but point being? Doesn't matter if they are 10p or £1,000,000, they still have threads don't they! I've had the joys of freeing up loads of coilys, £1000+ KW's etc and its taken release oil, brute force, vices, blow torch to get the heat on etc. Again, I bought half decent coilovers, I looked after them very well...they still seized... Suppose you are right about worn out dampers, lowering springs couldn't help then but what if you've loads of bushes etc. bla bla bla.... anything worn basically, coilovers are going to do 10x the damage lowering springs would they are so much stiffer... Works both ways!
I have had the same AVO's in the Fiesta now for about seven years. Generally they give little bother, had to get the odd one rebuilt over the years but only costs £30 to get it done
lucky you! I never delt with avo but I heard they are very very good with customers, I know a fella who needed a damper for MOT and he had it 2days later, they even offered to send it to his work/my uncles garage (his mechanic) So if (after my handbagging above lol) i were to get coilys again, which i still have no desire to lol I'd certainly lean towards avo!
Don't buy sh1te coilovers and you'll have no bothers. Mine were made in West Germany and are still going strong 25 odd years later.
The damping of a suspension dissipates the shock of an impact, and that is absorbed mostly by the shock. Coilovers with adjustable damping and a proper weighted spring can be adjusted to get factory levels of damping at a lower height and will be more compliant than lowering springs on standard shocks or shortened shocks with fixed damping. Back on topic, my 120 quid cheapo coilovers from Germany have been in the Passat for 2 years, I've done no maintenance to them and they are grand after wire brushing and a tap with a chisel to free the locknut.
I know people say not to buy cheap coilovers but I don't have much to spend and aren't fussed on lowering springs again. I know cheapo coils are scrap but I'll keep them maintained and hopefully it helps somehow. Cheers for the advice on it