SUSPENSION
Upgrading your car's suspension will improve its performance massively. Get it
right and you will get the same kind of gains as you would spending three
times as much on power tuning. Plus, as an added bonus, your car's lower
stance will improve its looks vastly too. There are many types of suspension
available, which you choose will ultimately depend on budget. But before
you do, read this guide on the effect each type will have.
FK Coilover Suspension Kit
LOWERING SPRINGS
An up-rated spring kit is the cheapest way to lower your
car. They can improve handling by reducing the chassis'
centre of gravity, and yaw when cornering.
However, stiffer up-rated springs can overpower a
set of old dampers. If your dampers are worn out,
handling could be destroyed - this would show itself
through excessive bounce.
Springs with
a progressive wind offer a smooth ride over rough surfaces, whilst also being
able to cope with big hits and extreme cornering.
BRAKES
The more heat your brakes can cope with the better their ability to perform.
Up-rated brakes can handled more heat than standard set-ups - ideal if you
enjoy hard, fast runs or have a boot full of heavy I.C.E.
What
package is ideal for you depends on the car you drive and how
you drive it. The information below should give you a good idea
what to look for, but always check with your tuner or dealer.
PADS
Pads use various friction-compounds. Some use more abrasive than other to obtain
higher friction, others are made with more lubricants to prevent squeal.
Small,
light cars don't require a pad that can cope with high temperatures,
as it is unlikely you will generate enough heat to get them working
properly. The best option is a low temperature highly abrasive
pad.
Hot
hatches encounter a wide range of conditions, so require a medium
temperature pad that bites from cold, but also handles the odd
high-speed session.
Highly
tuned and turbo cars require a pad that can cope with a massive
heat build up generated from frequent high-speed stopping. A
set of high temperature pads will not offer bite when cold -
but once warmed up they'll work superbly, and won't expose you
the dreaded 'brake fade'.
KITS
Lighter cars don't generally benefit from a performance disc/pad and calliper
kit.
Hot
hatches can benefit from a set of oversized discs, race spec
pads and up-rated callipers. But the cost involved will only
pay dividends if the car is highly tuned or regularly driven
on track-days.
Modified
turbo cars can always benefit from a race-spec kit. The oversized
discs increase the pad contact area and also the leverage forces.
Both increase the set-ups ability to generate more friction and
therefore allowing the car to brake more effectively. The race
spec pads are extremely abrasive and cope with very high temperatures
- but will wear quickly and may squeal. The callipers will have
multiple pistons to increase pad contact pressure. The kit may
seem expensive, but you will be amazed at the increase in braking
ability.
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SPRING
AND DAMPER KITS
Matched spring and damper kits can be more expensive, but they offer a massive
improvement in handling over standard set-ups and non-matched parts.
The springs
and dampers in matched kits are developed to work in harmony - maximising handling
and comfort. Their ride will be firmer, the chassis will roll less and changes
in direction will be dealt with more quickly. Top quality kits will feature:
adjustable damping to tune the ride to your liking; progressively wound springs,
for an improved ride.
COILOVER
KITS
Coilover kits are the ultimate suspension system and are the only option when
getting radical with a project car. Handling and comfort are maximised in development
and are the only kit to have for the serious tuner.
They
use narrow coil-springs that sit on a threaded platform which can
be wound up or down the body to alter ride height. The narrow springs
offer more room right where it is needed, allowing large wide alloy
wheels to be fitted. Kits can be purchased with or without adjustable
damping. STRUT
BRACE
Strut braces tie suspension mounting points together, reducing flex in this area
of the chassis. Without a brace, a chassis will flex under hard cornering - altering
suspension geometry and the way your car drives.
If
you've invested money on up-rated suspension, a strut brace would
be a top secondary purchase - ensuring the suspension is working
to its full capacity.
POLYURETHANE
BUSHES
Polyurethane bushes are less flexible and therefore hold their form much better
than a car's standard rubber suspension bushes.
The
standard mounts do their job adequately, but tend to be soft,
and often in poor condition. If you've already invested in a
quality suspension kit, spend the little extra to ensure maximum
performance. You'll notice the difference.
Cross-Drilled Brake Discs
DISCS
Discs can be drilled for improved water and heat dispersion, grooved to disperse
waste pad material and dimpled to prevent pad lift due to gas build-up. The
best quality discs combine all these attributes.
Small,
light cars do not require extra cooling of the disc, so a grooved
disc is ideal - keeping the pad's surface square and clear of
any glaze build-up.
Hot
hatches still don't generate enough heat to require extra cooling,
so a set of grooved discs to help generate heat quickly and remove
any glaze will be ideal, should the pads over-heat.
Highly
tuned and turbo cars will benefit from a set of drilled and grooved
discs. These will keep the pad's surface square and clear of
glaze, whilst also giving water, gas and heat a good escape route
for maximum pad efficiency.
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