JIC coilovers....
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JIC coilovers....
So i am about to pull the trigger on some JIC coilovers. before I do this i just needed some information...i have never had coilovers before but after installation do you basically need to just pick the ride height for the front and back and i am good to go? And like springs will I need to go get an alignment...will i need rear and front camber arms? any other information I should before i go into this? I am just trying to figure out the FULL cost of getting coilvers before i buy them. thanks guys.
p.s. how hard or easy is it to adjust the ride height with coilovers? is it something i can do on my own with a simple turn of a wrench or is it a lot harder then that and require me to take it into a shop and have someone pay to do it?
p.s. how hard or easy is it to adjust the ride height with coilovers? is it something i can do on my own with a simple turn of a wrench or is it a lot harder then that and require me to take it into a shop and have someone pay to do it?
You need rear toe and camber kit, but fronts are not necessarily necessary, but are nice to have.
The ride height is adjustable, so you count threads and turn the spring seat, and each time you change the ride height, you should get an alignment. Like all suspensions, I would suggest installing the suspension, camber kits and toe kit, set your ride height, then get an alignment. And get another alignment a week to a month after, after the suspension had a chance to set in.
All in all, if you're having a shop do all the work, you're looking at about $1000 to $1500 added to the cost of the suspension itself. IMO, the question you need to ask yourself is 'what do you want out of the suspension?', not 'what's the cost?'
If you're tracking your car, then coilovers are a great option. If your car is a daily driver and you want to drop it or slam it for looks but don't need the ride height adjustability (most people set it and leave it), there are cheaper, but yet better ways of doing that, while retaining a more comfortable ride.
BTW, if I was going to get JIC coils over again, I'd stay away from the VIP. They handle pretty well, the struts are very nice. But they have a bouncy ride due to the soft spring rates (which isn't necessarily a good thing).
It's easy to adjust the ride height with coils. Just jack up the car, maybe remove the wheel, unlock and turn the spring seat, lock it (some coils use a second spring seat, others use a bolt), do the same with the others, and you're pretty much done. But it is suggested to get an alignment since you've changed the ride height, therefore changing the toe and camber too. But it isn't exactly 100% necessary if you only raised or dropped the car by one or two threads or so.
The most painful part about having coilovers is getting the sides to match... you're supposed to count threads, but some people count turns, and others might just start turning, lock, drop the car back down and eye it, and re-adjust.
The great thing about coilovers is you can use the ride height at each corner to corner balance the car. The correct and best way is to use weights, but really, corner balance is not that important to most daily drivers.
The ride height is adjustable, so you count threads and turn the spring seat, and each time you change the ride height, you should get an alignment. Like all suspensions, I would suggest installing the suspension, camber kits and toe kit, set your ride height, then get an alignment. And get another alignment a week to a month after, after the suspension had a chance to set in.
All in all, if you're having a shop do all the work, you're looking at about $1000 to $1500 added to the cost of the suspension itself. IMO, the question you need to ask yourself is 'what do you want out of the suspension?', not 'what's the cost?'
If you're tracking your car, then coilovers are a great option. If your car is a daily driver and you want to drop it or slam it for looks but don't need the ride height adjustability (most people set it and leave it), there are cheaper, but yet better ways of doing that, while retaining a more comfortable ride.
BTW, if I was going to get JIC coils over again, I'd stay away from the VIP. They handle pretty well, the struts are very nice. But they have a bouncy ride due to the soft spring rates (which isn't necessarily a good thing).
It's easy to adjust the ride height with coils. Just jack up the car, maybe remove the wheel, unlock and turn the spring seat, lock it (some coils use a second spring seat, others use a bolt), do the same with the others, and you're pretty much done. But it is suggested to get an alignment since you've changed the ride height, therefore changing the toe and camber too. But it isn't exactly 100% necessary if you only raised or dropped the car by one or two threads or so.
The most painful part about having coilovers is getting the sides to match... you're supposed to count threads, but some people count turns, and others might just start turning, lock, drop the car back down and eye it, and re-adjust.
The great thing about coilovers is you can use the ride height at each corner to corner balance the car. The correct and best way is to use weights, but really, corner balance is not that important to most daily drivers.
Last edited by dofu; Apr 5, 2010 at 02:48 PM.
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wow thanks for the information! alignments i have light time alignments with firestone so im not worried about that cost....the install will cost is what i really need to find out to get a full cost...i can handle that...i mean i am going with coilovers because I want the PERFECT drop not like with the eibachs where i have to have it at the heights the springs put it at. i dont EVER track my car or really drive fast. its more for looks. I heard from someone else with JIC's that all the noises from the suspension went away after he got coilovers which is a huge thing for me...i hate the clanking noises and other noises u hear from the suspension currently. I will probably set my height once and never touch it. i already have the rear camber arms...i dont think i will get front camber arms....
Lifetime alignments are usually voided once you change out the suspension. Some places might void it if you've changed the ride height. But most places should be fine with hooking up the second alignment after the new suspension has had a chance to settle in.
As for noises... you're going to get more noises with coilovers. The all metal mounts that replace the urethane/rubber ones don't help here.
And the rear camber arms aren't the most important thing, it's the rear toe bolts. Toe is the most important part of the alignment for any car, and the front is pretty adjustable from the factory, but the rear toe adjustability is too limited. If you drop your car more than an inch and a half, some would say an inch, while a few would say at all, you want the front camber arms. The front toe is pretty adjustable, but when you drop your car that much, the front toe adjustment is still not enough, so the camber adjustment will help with that as toe changes as you adjust camber, and vice versa.
As for noises... you're going to get more noises with coilovers. The all metal mounts that replace the urethane/rubber ones don't help here.
And the rear camber arms aren't the most important thing, it's the rear toe bolts. Toe is the most important part of the alignment for any car, and the front is pretty adjustable from the factory, but the rear toe adjustability is too limited. If you drop your car more than an inch and a half, some would say an inch, while a few would say at all, you want the front camber arms. The front toe is pretty adjustable, but when you drop your car that much, the front toe adjustment is still not enough, so the camber adjustment will help with that as toe changes as you adjust camber, and vice versa.
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Lifetime alignments are usually voided once you change out the suspension. Some places might void it if you've changed the ride height. But most places should be fine with hooking up the second alignment after the new suspension has had a chance to settle in.
As for noises... you're going to get more noises with coilovers. The all metal mounts that replace the urethane/rubber ones don't help here.
And the rear camber arms aren't the most important thing, it's the rear toe bolts. Toe is the most important part of the alignment for any car, and the front is pretty adjustable from the factory, but the rear toe adjustability is too limited. If you drop your car more than an inch and a half, some would say an inch, while a few would say at all, you want the front camber arms. The front toe is pretty adjustable, but when you drop your car that much, the front toe adjustment is still not enough, so the camber adjustment will help with that as toe changes as you adjust camber, and vice versa.
As for noises... you're going to get more noises with coilovers. The all metal mounts that replace the urethane/rubber ones don't help here.
And the rear camber arms aren't the most important thing, it's the rear toe bolts. Toe is the most important part of the alignment for any car, and the front is pretty adjustable from the factory, but the rear toe adjustability is too limited. If you drop your car more than an inch and a half, some would say an inch, while a few would say at all, you want the front camber arms. The front toe is pretty adjustable, but when you drop your car that much, the front toe adjustment is still not enough, so the camber adjustment will help with that as toe changes as you adjust camber, and vice versa.
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i have never had coilovers before but after installation do you basically need to just pick the ride height for the front and back and i am good to go? Like Dofu said, there's a lot of trial and error involved in getting the ride height the way you want it, but it's relatively easy (before you install them).
And like springs will I need to go get an alignment...will i need rear and front camber arms? (Alignment, for sure. Camber arms, yes and no, depending on how low of a drop you end up with.)
p.s. how hard or easy is it to adjust the ride height with coilovers? (the front can be done without removing anything, but the back can't due to the load on the rear suspension. You will have to remove the lower suspension mounting bolt for the rear arm, as the rear spring seat and strut is under a good deal of tension)
is it something i can do on my own with a simple turn of a wrench or is it a lot harder then that and require me to take it into a shop and have someone pay to do it? Front, yes. Rear, no.
And like springs will I need to go get an alignment...will i need rear and front camber arms? (Alignment, for sure. Camber arms, yes and no, depending on how low of a drop you end up with.)
p.s. how hard or easy is it to adjust the ride height with coilovers? (the front can be done without removing anything, but the back can't due to the load on the rear suspension. You will have to remove the lower suspension mounting bolt for the rear arm, as the rear spring seat and strut is under a good deal of tension)
is it something i can do on my own with a simple turn of a wrench or is it a lot harder then that and require me to take it into a shop and have someone pay to do it? Front, yes. Rear, no.
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Dunno if this will effect future JIC magic USA customers as JIC Japan has closed up shop and closed the business. JIC magic USA is still in business and I am not sure if the coilovers for our G are made in Japan or made in the USA. I just thought I would post a heads up on this.
Dunno if this will effect future JIC magic USA customers as JIC Japan has closed up shop and closed the business. JIC magic USA is still in business and I am not sure if the coilovers for our G are made in Japan or made in the USA. I just thought I would post a heads up on this.