Is it worth paying to have my coilovers installed and set up?

Import Junky · Apr 10, 2008, 05:36 PM

So I purchased some BC Coilovers for my IX from Logan @ Darkside. I'm only using them to lower my car but didn't want to just buy springs. I don't AutoX and drag events would be far and few between. So I called up a local shop who does corner balancing and everything else that goes along with coilovers. Basically they're quoting $200.00 to install them, set ride height/dampening and do an alignment. So what do you guys think?

72Tornado · Apr 10, 2008, 05:49 PM

That sounds like a great deal to me. Whether or not you autocross your car, you presumably just spent around $1,000 for a set of coilovers and it's important that you get the most out of them. The alignment is absolutely critical no matter if you track the car or not, and $200 for all of that labor is an awesome price.

DTM · Apr 10, 2008, 05:50 PM

You can, but corner balance the car at least. Installing them isn't that hard. But if you get them installed properly the corner balancing process can be cut down considerably.

Import Junky · Apr 10, 2008, 05:53 PM

Thanks for the info. You're right about the alignment for sure. I knew that I was getting that done regardless. I'm a noob to suspension and assumed that maybe the dampening was preset on all 4 of them and then I could just set the ride height myself. I'm obviously not trying to be cheap if I bought good coilovers instead of springs knowing I'm only going for looks......of course I didn't want to sacrifice the Evos handling performance.

Import Junky · Apr 10, 2008, 06:24 PM

damn no love? I guess if my Thread was titled "New Robispecs" I have 1000 hits already. no biggie

Noob4life · Apr 10, 2008, 08:11 PM

What's so difficult? If you want to get the car corner-balanced and aligned, and you do not have an alignment rack or scales, then you get it done at this shop. If you don't want it corner-balanced and/or aligned, then you don't get it done at this shop.

The price sounds reasonable for an alignment and corner-balancing, but I wouldn't call setting the ride height and "setting" the damping actual services. You can adjust the height yourself (along with the install, which is very simple with the right tools), and the whole point of having adjustable damping is to be able to adjust the balance of the car for different conditions, so in theory it's never really "set". Whatever they "set" it to is anyone's guess.

Import Junky · Apr 10, 2008, 08:52 PM

true true.

Philthy748 · Apr 12, 2008, 06:55 AM

$200 is a great deal! Definitely get the car corner balanced and an alignment...

john151 · Apr 12, 2008, 01:45 PM

Ill do it for like 20

akemi27 · Apr 12, 2008, 08:02 PM

thats a pretty good price - get it done already n write a review...went from coils to mr bilsteins and swifts...no regrets!!!

bwesley82 · Apr 12, 2008, 08:08 PM

I would say that $200 is pretty good considering that a good alignment is $150.

Import Junky · Apr 12, 2008, 08:10 PM

yeah I was wrong about the install, it's only the alignment a preload checks. I'm still happy with the price though.

LaminarFlow · Apr 17, 2008, 11:58 PM

Ok, first.. I think you should sell the coilovers, and get some lowering springs. If you don't track/race/autox regularly, then you'll likely never see any benifit from coilovers. You're just throwing money away... Good money you could have spent on power mods, or something you'll actually use. Springs are great, and cheap, for lowering your car. I did that for 2-years and loved it.

Second, if you're insistant with installing the coilovers, then yea, $200 is fine for the install, and alignment. I doubt that includes corner balancing. But if you want to be corner balanced, then you just defeated your purpose for getting coilovers, which was lowering. A corner balance evo typically runs the front around an inch higher than the back... so forget the corner balanceing.. just have the shop install them, set the perch to the look you want, then have them align it to stock and you're set.. of course until your coilovers need to be rebuilt.. and oh, enjoy the increased vibration and road noise that comes along with coilovers.. everythings a trade off, and really from your first post, you should have got lowering springs and been happy.. ...it's not too late...

4WS Tuning · Apr 18, 2008, 12:06 AM

thats very cheap... alot of places will charge...

100 for corner balancing
200-250 for installations
100-200 for alignment
$50 for ride height

Youre pretty much getting hooked up... i would pay around 300-350 for that...

yooyooyoo · Apr 18, 2008, 01:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LaminarFlow

Ok, first.. I think you should sell the coilovers, and get some lowering springs. If you don't track/race/autox regularly, then you'll likely never see any benifit from coilovers. You're just throwing money away... Good money you could have spent on power mods, or something you'll actually use. Springs are great, and cheap, for lowering your car. I did that for 2-years and loved it.

Second, if you're insistant with installing the coilovers, then yea, $200 is fine for the install, and alignment. I doubt that includes corner balancing. But if you want to be corner balanced, then you just defeated your purpose for getting coilovers, which was lowering. A corner balance evo typically runs the front around an inch higher than the back... so forget the corner balanceing.. just have the shop install them, set the perch to the look you want, then have them align it to stock and you're set.. of course until your coilovers need to be rebuilt.. and oh, enjoy the increased vibration and road noise that comes along with coilovers.. everythings a trade off, and really from your first post, you should have got lowering springs and been happy.. ...it's not too late...

Err, there are plenty of coilovers on the market that, when set to their softest setting are incredibly streetable/soft/etc etc. Dunno about BC since I've never owned a set.

$200 is a great price for getting all the work done, assuming they know what they're doing. An alignment alone can cost $150 with the corner balance being even more.

The larger point is simply that if you change your ride height (ie installing coilovers or lowering springs or whatever) then your camber and toe will change which could easily lead to uneven/rapid tire wear, not going in a straight line, wandering, being to touchy etc etc. So if you install coilovers, at a minimum get an alignment.

Depending on how you drive (what you do with the car, canyon runs or track or street or whatever), if you want a bit better cornering performance, flip the eccentric bolt (top bolt of the two lower mounting points on the front coilovers) so your camber will increase to -2 degrees. Get a larger rear sway (25mm) adjustable and set it to full stiff. You should notice a significant improvement in the handling of the car. You'll need to rotate your tires more frequently to even out tire wear.