So Coilover’ settle?

[Shredder]

In folk's experience, is it an old wive's tale, or actually true, that Coilovers need to be adjusted again after the first 100-200 miles on them after fitting ?? .... due to the fact there is some "settling" which is significant enough to upset your original installation settings.

 

[kn0bby]

I’m about 1500 mines in on mine and I’ve not had them changed. To be fair mine as as low as they will go do not a lot to change.

Be interested in hearing other people’s thoughts on this.

 

[Shredder]

I have to say, with the amount of members that have fitted various different manufacturers' Coilovers, I'm surprised this question didn't get an avalanche of answers ....

 

[Stay Frosty]

If you look at some of the B14 threads then the consensus is that there's no settling in after installation and the height you set stays that way until inevitably as with anything adjustable you feel the urge to fiddle around and try frame scrapingly low followed by slightly higher at the back to allow for dragging heavy loads around occasionally and then multiple attempts to get back to the initial modified ride height that you were sure was "better".

 

[Shredder]

@Stay Frosty ... that's interesting thanks. I have often read both opinions, but on FaceBook Transporter forum's to be fair.

I've also read on some Coilover fitment instruction manuals that there is some settling to be expected. So I just thought I'd see how the majority came back here. Having said that, I agree, I haven't seen a thread by anyone here saying they had to go back for 'post-settling' adjustment

 

[Jay17cali]

I think there’s always going to be a bit of settling in as the springs bed in,,it won’t be noticed in ride height or not that much anyway but maybe feel more grounded.settled???
Fitted many over the years to every vehicle Iv ever owned I’m just one of them people that has to lower stuff .
Apart from the landrover that gets lifted

 

[RedUn]

It's normal for them to settle after around 1k miles, how much is unknown, I'd guess a few mm per corner. On a race/track car you might be bothered, I can't see it making much difference on the van!

 

[Shredder]

It's normal for them to settle after around 1k miles, how much is unknown, I'd guess a few mm per corner. On a race/track car you might be bothered, I can't see it making much difference on the van!

I'm on -40mm springs and it's quite tight tolerances, at the front in particular, on 275/40/r20 ET45 and I don't want to change the tyres/rims to run Coilovers. That's the driver behind the question. As you say, a "few mm's" can be dealt with if necessary

 

[RedUn]

Just lift it back up a few mm if need be, quick job on coilies

 

[CRS Performance]

It isnt normal for a spring to settle but various brands do , its to do with the spring manufacturing process , some cold coil , some heat the spring steel before coiling , there is a scragging process which sets the height of the coil , and then a shot peening to releif the stress's of the coiling. Its fairly typical of poor quality goods to sag and once they start to sag the process gets worse becuase the sagging spring will become shorter in height and that effectively softens the spring rate so more stress on the spring steel .

 

[Shredder]

That's interesting thanks Steve. I hadn't thought of it from that angle. I would imagine the Eibach springs on their Coilovers won't be "poor quality".

I had always thought that when people referred to "settling" in this context, they meant settling of the overall fitment, not just the spring ??? Mounts, bushes, brackets and whatever etc and also maybe the interface between brand new and older parts when fitted. So settling of the entire installation??

 

[CRS Performance]

It is true that rubber mounts can sag over a long period of time but normally not soon after the fitment of any suspension components . I have had many customers complain that i lifted their car after fitting new mounts ha ha .