When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
When I was researching coilover options for the 996, one statement was repeated by several reviewers... "I set them on full soft." The reasoning usually given is that they felt too stiff and jarring at anything higher than the softest setting. When I installed my FEAL coilovers, I started out at about 10 clicks firm out of a possible 30. The ride was not great. The rear, especially, bumped and crashed on road imperfections. I'd get a loud thud on the bigger stuff. In order to fix that, I set them to full soft. The ride got better, but it was still a lot less smooth than I was expecting, especially in low speed parking lot situations where there may be a little cracks in the road. I was not happy with how much bumping and noise I got while trying to find a parking spot. The handling was not great either, and it felt unsettled.
While out doing a grocery run, out of frustration, I pulled into a parking spot and adjusted my coilovers to 20 clicks firm all around just to see what would happen. To my amazement, the suspension transformed. It now felt smooth. The cracks I had just driven over that caused crashing and bumping were soaked up by the suspension with ease. Everything got tighter. Night and day difference in handling curves as well. Just to see what would happen, I turned it up to 25 clicks firm all around and the ride got even smoother... maybe too smooth, so I backed off to 25 front 23 rear.
The car was very underdamped at full soft, and not good at 10 clicks. Obviously, each coilover has different specs, but what I realized is that full soft on Feal coilovers is way to underdamped to get good ride quality and handling. Common sense without factoring in science tells you to soften the dampers to get better ride quality. The reality is you may be selling yourself and your car short by doing so. If you have coilovers and are riding on full soft, maybe try out what happens when you go higher on the damping settings. You may be surprised at what you find out.
I have KW V3s on my other car which have rebound and compression adjustment and had to readjust at least 4-5x before I got it to where I liked it on the street which was a real pita. It was fun to play around with the settings at the limit of driving ie. track days. For street I found it annoying as I was constantly in search of ride comfort - mind you I live in pothole heaven.
Suspension is the next rabbit hole I'm about to jump down with my car. Thanks for sharing your learning experiences. I think I would have followed the same thought process as you.
Setting to firm you just need to be mindful of your tires on the street. As the dampening and firmness increase, so does the stress on your tires. You don't want to set the coilovers so firm you overwhelm your tires.
On my daily driver, I'm currently runing my Feals at 23 clicks(from full soft) on the front and 25 clicks(from full soft) on the rear.
I really like how it feels.(pun intended)
But I'm always changing it.
I always measure from full soft, even though at the moment it would be quicker to measure from full hard.
...that's what she said...(sorry)
Setting to firm you just need to be mindful of your tires on the street. As the dampening and firmness increase, so does the stress on your tires. You don't want to set the coilovers so firm you overwhelm your tires.
Mike
Well, the point is that is's not set too firmly or too softly at my higher stiffness settings. Setting it firmer is the right balance of spring rate vs damping on the Feals, and perhaps some other coilovers. If I were to set it soft, the car would be underdamped, have poor handling, poor ride quality, and be generally unpleasant. As it is now, it feels very similar to my 997 when I pressed the sport button. It feels better than that, actually.
Originally Posted by TexSquirrel
On my daily driver, I'm currently runing my Feals at 23 clicks(from full soft) on the front and 25 clicks(from full soft) on the rear.
I really like how it feels.(pun intended)
But I'm always changing it.
FYI, I used a hole saw to create easy access to adjust the fronts.
I also added a 3” square piece of vinyl so I have a handy place to write my current setup with a china marker.
The china marker is erasable. Usually I mark through it and write the new setting next to it...and then later I erase it and rewrite it.(OCD...and yes the 5 bothers me)
FYI, I used a hole saw to create easy access to adjust the fronts.
I also added a 3” square piece of vinyl so I have a handy place to write my current setup with a china marker.
The china marker is erasable. Usually I mark through it and write the new setting next to it...and then later I erase it and rewrite it.(OCD...and yes the 5 bothers me)
I'm missing all my pop rivets except for one so does that count as easy access?
So, more (+) means less?
I have not had a chance (to lazy) to play with mine, just set them up in the middle to try and get it to as close to stock and go from there. The car felt better than what I had so I just left it alone. I do feel like it has settled (not as stiff) slightly in 300 miles... Maybe I'll crank them up a bit before my drive to work.
I must say, I'm Very happy with the product so far.
So, more (+) means less?
I have not had a chance (to lazy) to play with mine, just set them up in the middle to try and get it to as close to stock and go from there. The car felt better than what I had so I just left it alone. I do feel like it has settled (not as stiff) slightly in 300 miles... Maybe I'll crank them up a bit before my drive to work.
I must say, I'm Very happy with the product so far.
Not sure what you are asking by "...more (+) means less?" If you are asking if going stiffer increases the ride quality and handling on Feal 441 coilovers for the 996, then yes. There is a big difference when you go up in the 20-25 stiffness range from 15. I wasn't impressed until I cranked it up. I am on 25 clicks front / 23 click rear now. TexSquirrel is running 23 front / 23 rear and is very happy as well.
Not sure what you are asking by "...more (+) means less?" If you are asking if going stiffer increases the ride quality and handling on Feal 441 coilovers for the 996, then yes. There is a big difference when you go up in the 20-25 stiffness range from 15. I wasn't impressed until I cranked it up. I am on 25 clicks front / 23 click rear now. TexSquirrel is running 23 front / 23 rear and is very happy as well.
I first thought + meant stiffer but clearly I assumed wrong.
05-07-2020, 02:42 PM
Coilovers... Are You Doing it Wrong?
) to play with mine, just set them up in the middle to try and get it to as close to stock and go from there. The car felt better than what I had so I just left it alone. I do feel like it has settled (not as stiff) slightly in 300 miles... Maybe I'll crank them up a bit before my drive to work.