Info worth a read for the unknowing: coil-over suspension Tuning

[wolfs99]

Drivers Beware

The proper way to adjust a threaded coil-over suspension involves using a set of scales. The whole idea of this type of suspension adjustability is to equal out the loads on tires (or bias them for circle track) for cornering ability. The fact that you can lower the car with them is just an added benefit but it is NOT their primary function. You should be aware that you can hurt the performance of your car if you don't adjust them at least reasonably close. At best, the car may not corner as well as it used to.

At worst, you may change the handling to the point of being dangerous. This sounds like an exageration but with a threaded setup you could load the front right and the left rear tires and create a car that turns left really well, but won't turn right worth a damn. Even, possibly, spinning out. All this with the car sitting perfectly level. You have the suspension, now take the time to set it up right. Find a tyre shop with some corner scales and work with them to adjust tire loading and ride height. The object is to get the cross weights (diagonal weights) even. It's not as important to get the other weights even. It's the cross weights that will sneak up on you.

[evolveVW]

Its called corner weighting. Did you find this in some British article? Judging by some of the spelling etc

[boostin20v]

this isnt exactly breaking news

[wolfs99]

Sorry i thought it was worth posting !

[boostin20v]

its good info, just the tone of the original thread title made it appear to be new/unknown info.

[RichB]

Sorry i thought it was worth posting !

It is good info and worth posting... even though most of the more knowledgeable guys here are aware of this already. :) Corner weighting is not quite as important for most people as the quote you listed states... most cars are fairly well balanced left to right so as long as the coilovers are adjusted similarly (left rear to right rear and then left front to right front) you are not going to run into radical (or even moderate) differences in handling between going left or right. As it is, most spring rates on popular coil over kits give cars a more "safer" understeering nature or bias to help keep the avg joe driver (i.e. not a enthusiast) from spinning out should the needs to turn a bit quicker than normal. Many of these kits are designed for appearance (lowering) and safety (liability issues here in the USA) than to optimize ultimate handling... probably part of the reason why many serious road driving VW enthusiasts add rear sway bars to their cars to stop them from understeering too much.

However, if you take a car that is planned on being used for serious autoX or track day action... corner balancing/weighting with coilovers can go a long way to helping the car perform at its best potential.

Here is another tidbit of information that you may find interesting. Lowering a VW does not generally make it handle (improve ultimate grip in cornering) better!

[USOPHUNKE]

another great time to do this is for someone in my case. who has completly changed the original balance of the vehical and it is sitting on coilovers. I would think that my car is about 400 lbs lighter than stock maybe more. so its bias has got to be off alot.


I plan on bringing the wieghts home from work to get a good weight on the car without a driver and get the suspension all set.

[USOPHUNKE]

I will add one more thing...ok 2 more

I think this is really good info for someone who is going to drive there car hard or autox it even a few times a year. the beifits def. outway the work to have it done.

I do think it is pointless to do with a cheap suspension...skunk coilovers for example.

[crew219]

I plan on bringing the wieghts home from work to get a good weight on the car without a driver and get the suspension all set.

Um, your work has scales for corner balancing?

It's a lot more complicated than you think . . . I was being quoted between $200-250 to corner balance & align my vehicle.

Dave

[USOPHUNKE]

yeah we have digital scales accurate to 1/8th lbs and up to 6000lbs each over 1000 lbs they can be off by up to 3lbs and over 3000 they can be off by abut 9lbs....

Yeah there is alot involved. but for what I am going to put the rado through I will have to fig it all out..... the allignment part can be done after from what I am understanding.

[BUNNYLOVE]

The alignment has to be done after corner weighting because ride heights will change. The whole alignment together is very involved but setting the corner weights is not at all.