Warm weather is already here for much of the country. After we survived that nasty polar vortex, the rising temperatures are certainly welcome, especially for those of us itching to get back to enjoying our cars. Shows will ramp up soon, the first one on our schedule is next weekend at Riverside 6 in Chattanooga, Tennessee, which means there isn’t much time left to prepare for this season. If you’ve been putting off those final touches all winter, or you’re just waiting for the right time to snag some choice upgrades, we’re here to tell you that now is the time thanks to yet another round of stimulus checks. Specifically, it’s time to assess your suspension and wheel situation. That’s what’s on the docket for today’s Tuned In Weekly as we dive into coilovers, sway bars, wheels, and more.
If you’re like me, then procrastination is an accurate but hurtful description of your spring prep process. I always say that I’ll do this or that during the winter and won’t spend the week before my first road trip to a show in mad-dash finishing things that could have easily been done over the winter. Things like deciding on the wheels I want to run this year or if I’m finally going to switch to that set of coilovers and go five-lug in the E30 are choices I should have made months ago, but didn’t. Now, I’m sort of stuck with my old setup, but you don’t have to be.
Coilovers and wheels are generally easy installs. They can be installed, adjusted, and ready to perform in an afternoon, which makes them the perfect finishing touches to set your build’s look just right. Fortunately, if you aren’t like me and drive something that doesn’t require welding, like a MK4, MK5, MK6, E36, E46, or any of the other popular performance platforms, then you’re in luck: we’ve expanded our adjustable coilover range and provide everything you need to drop your car, dial in your settings, and fit the perfect wheels as the final touch.
Our ECS Adjustable Damping Coilovers began as a limited run, but we’re now happy to announce that we’ve finally added to that catalog significantly so most of you can take advantage of our in-house developed systems. Particularly, if you have a VW MK4, MK5, MK6, MK7, Audi B8 S4, BMW E36, E46, E9X, or other popular models, then we have brand-new coilovers waiting for you.
Each system features 32-way adjustable rebound damping settings to help dial in the perfect ride quality for your tastes, which can quickly and easily be set by turning the provided damper adjustment knobs. For height adjustment, the coilover body itself is threaded to allow for independent spring preload and height settings to ensure you aren’t affecting your spring function or ride quality by setting your desired ride height.
For longevity, our coilovers are zinc-coated for rust and corrosion resistance, but you can always take that a step further with our protective sleeves that are designed to cover your coilovers and protect them against the elements.
Now, coilovers are an excellent start and the most noticeable upgrade you can make in terms of handling and visual improvements, but they aren’t the only thing you need to change with your suspension. Once lowered, you’ll need adjustable end links at the least to ensure your sway bar is located properly and not preloaded. Fortunately, many of our coilover kits include them. With those upgraded end links, it makes sense to take advantage of their improved performance with a set of upgraded sway bars and bushings, too.
Naturally, we thought of this and have expanded our adjustable sway bar line to include many of the popular models you’d want to lower. But why do you need sway bars? Once you’ve lowered your car, the center of gravity drops, which helps improve handling. However, your roll center also drops, which means you no longer have proper geometry. Sway bars won’t entirely fix that, but you can mitigate some of the negative effects you might experience with upgraded sway bars that allow you to reduce body roll and tune out under or oversteer depending on your preferences.
With coilovers, end links, and sway bars upgraded, your Audi, BMW, or VW will be sitting pretty. But we’re not finished yet. You need a set of wheels to round it all off with perfect fitment and aggressive styling. Our Tekniform wheel line is exactly what you need to blend classic design and modern construction. With multiple styles, finishes, sizes, and rotary forged construction, you can create that perfect look all in one go.
So, between a set of coilovers and Tekniform wheels, you can finish your build off tastefully for a daily-driven, show-ready, engaging setup all for about the cost of your $1,400 stimulus check. What are you waiting for?
