Coilovers

One of the most popular upgrades has always been suspension. But people tend to think that car suspension is a whole lot of sorcery, when it really comes down to a few basics. For the beginner, a set of adjustable coilover shocks will do the trick and has been the go-to option for years.

Josh Coote from MCA Suspension told us: “Adjustment clicks don’t mean a shock is better — 30 clicks on one might have less adjustment overall than four clicks on another — it’s about the adjustment range.” As an ex-D1NZ competitor, he continued: “It’s not about one particular aspect; it’s about how the whole package comes together and getting the balance right: valving, travel, spring rate, and how they all work together. It’s also important not to over complicate the set-up by replacing too many components without fully understanding why, or what they do.”

Many drivers make the mistake of trying to over-stiffen, but you still need a degree of suspension travel — especially if you want to swing the arse end out and bake some tyres: “Too little damping and the car will ‘float’ and have a boat-like response, whereas too much damping will cause the car to feel twitchy and [be] harder to control. The car needs to be balanced and stable, and able to be thrown around without rapidly spinning out or shifting weight. Consult with your local professional in order to determine what your car requires, and get the basics sorted first so [that] you don’t spend valuable time at the track, or on the side of the road, trying to fix the wrong set-up.” MCA Suspension // +61 7 3865 5091 // mcasuspension.com