What are Coilovers?
Coilovers are suspension upgrade components that derive their name from "coil spring over shock absorbers." They are coil springs that cover a strut or a shock absorber. A coilover comes with shocks and springs that are preassembled and designed to work in tandem. A properly installed coilover will reduce the wheel gap to make your car look more appealing and improve its performance and handling.
The ordinary suspension system comes with a shock absorber or strut, a coil spring, and a controlling arm. The strut holds the weight of the vehicles, and it's where the spring is mounted in most cases. This allows the wheel to move up towards the vehicle's body whenever there's compression on the strut or spring. A coilover functions similarly since it comes with a long coil covering the strut to allow upward movement whenever the shock or spring compresses.
How Much Do Coilovers Cost?
The cost of a coilover depends on the type of suspension upgrade you need for your vehicle. Coilovers cost between $1100 and $2500. The high prices are attributed to the fact that you can custom-valve or rebuild them. Besides, they might be the last types of suspension upgrades you'll need for your vehicle.
Toytec's Coilovers
Using shock absorbers and springs separately makes riding on dirt roads easier. However, with Coilover suspension kits from Toytec Lifts, you will start to experience an improvement in your Toyota vehicle's steering, handling, and comfort. Our coilovers use dampers to absorb the shock whenever your vehicle hits a rock or bump, thus reducing continued oscillation.
We have the Toytec Aluma series coilovers that:
- Come with anodized aluminum to enhance protection from harsh weather elements and ensure a cooler operation
- Can be adjusted from 2-3 inches of lift
- Have 16mm heavy-duty hardened piston shaft
- Come with rebuildable shocks
- Include a preload adjustment tool and relocation brackets
At Toytec Lifts, we have a wide range of Toyota coilovers to improve your vehicle’s aesthetics and off-roading features. Some of the coilovers you can find at Toytec are Tundra, 4runner, Tacoma, and FJ Cruiser. There are also different brands to choose from, including Toytec Lifts, Eibach, Old Man Emu, and King Total Chaos.
How Long Do They Last?
A well-installed and maintained coilover can cover more than 150,000 miles. Some of the most common indicators of worn-out coilovers include oil leaks, loud thumps after hitting rocks or going over bumps, popping noise from the camber plating, and squeaking noise from coilovers. However, you can still fix these issues without replacing the coilovers.
To improve the useful life of your coilovers, you need to maintain them regularly. Some of the best ways to keep coilovers in top shape include cleaning them, utilizing coilover covers, re-tightening bolts and screws, and using corrosion protectants.
How to Install Coilovers
You can install your Toyota coilovers from Toytec in an auto shop near you or do it yourself. Depending on the type of model or manufacturer, your coilovers can be shipped with the springs mounted, with separate springs or collapsed, or fully extended.
It's advisable to start by inspecting what's in the package. You need to check the size of your vehicle and confirm whether the delivered package comprises the kits meant for the front and rear wheels. Remember that a suspension upgrade isn't a task to cut corners, and you need to pay attention to each of the following steps:
- Jack up the car to remove wheels- Jack up your vehicle using the jacking points on the owner's manual or call your dealership if you're unsure where to place your jack stands. After jacking, you can then remove the wheels.
- Remove struts
- Measure the camber angle
- Install the coilovers- Bolt your fully assembled coilovers using the appropriate screws (normally grade 8) with nuts and lock washers. After carefully fitting the coilovers, you can then lower your vehicle slowly.
The coilover should rest at the ride height if installed appropriately. If it settles moderately below the ride height, you might have to rotate the upper coil nut down to add preload. However, you might have to change the spring if it settles significantly lower or higher than the intended ride height.
After you have installed the coilover, you can head out for a test run. This allows you to determine whether your vehicle requires shock valving or tuning. Test runs are essential to ensure that the new installation achieves the appropriate handling and boosts the strength of your suspension. Check out Toytec Lifts’ coilover installation instructions to learn more about what to do before and during the installation.
What are the Benefits of Coilovers?
- Easily Adjustable
Coilovers offer the flexibility to adjust the suspension system to suit the users' needs. This means that you can adjust your suspension system if you intend to raise your vehicle ahead of a road trip or lower it to the car show level. The coilovers are not only height-adjustable, but they also prevent your car from bottoming out after lowering the suspension.
- Better Handling
Coilovers offer excellent handling capabilities when turning at high speeds or maneuvering bends. After installing coilovers, you’ll also notice improved performance in braking and acceleration. You'll realize that you can now negotiate corners twice as fast.
Raised/Lowered Coilovers
If you're thinking about raising or lowering your vehicle, coilovers can do the trick. Using coilovers to raise your vehicle will help you achieve off-roading capabilities while maintaining a standard ride height.
Lowering your coilover helps in cornering and improves handling at high speeds. However, it's important to understand that the lower your vehicle, the more you will bottom out regardless of using coilovers. Nevertheless, you can lower racecars’ coilovers as much as you want since the racetracks aren't filled with divots, potholes, and bumps like typical roads.
Shop Our Selection of Coilovers for Your Toyota
A coilover is one of the best suspension upgrades you could ever add to your Toyota vehicle. If you want to improve your vehicle’s handling and adjustability with quality coilovers, we’ve got you covered at Toytec Lifts. Shop our wide selection of coilovers today, or contact us to discuss your next suspension upgrade.
