ok...i got a question that i need major opinions on...i have a 99 cougar and a while ago i put 18's on it...so now i wanna lower it a lil bit...like 2 inches or sumthin...i don't know whether to use springs or coil overs...i have had people tell me one and then tell me the other and i just don't which is better...i don't want my car to be real bouncy or anything...just normal as it is now, but lowered...so if anyone could please help me it would be greatly appreciated!!

 

Do you mean air springs??

 

i guess so...not really sure...whenever i talk about it with people they just say springs, so i'm not sure...but i guess so...you got an opinion on what i should use?? [img]smileys/smiley4.gif[/img]

 

coil overs are the best...they come in sets to correctly match the rates of the strut/shock to that of the spring, or you can just buy lowering springsm, and use the existing shocks/struts, but when you put a 2 inch drop on a car, you may sometimes bottom out the shock/strut, but just buynig springs is quite a bit cheaper. changing the ride height will always alter how the car rides, and when your springs exceed the shock travel, you will experience "rice-hop"

 

[img]smileys/smiley5.gif[/img] Okay, x-pain u-self???

 

so patrick...you're saying that coil overs are the best even tho they're more expensive...(which doesn't bother me if it's better)...and that the coil overs can be used with my existing shocks...so i won't have to get new shocks? cuz i've heard about that, that when you lower the car and put coil overs or springs that sometimes you have to buy new shocks and i don't wanna do that

 

No expert by any means, but I'm of the low-rider/handling is everything (love to carve corners!), so my advice to you is to really consider what it is you are looking for from the car. Like Patrick suggests, any time you deviate from the built in physics from the factory, you are going to change the ride characteristics of the car. Unless you already invested in high end expensive shocks, those would be the least expensive part of any lowering job. Any competent suspension focused shop can take an inch or even two off the lower end of your springs which will drop the car, and firm up the ride noticably. Unfortunately, depending on the inches of ride built into the suspension at the factory, you may lose significant shock dampening (smoothing of bumps and divider strips as you drive) as Patrick mentioned. Either air bags inside custom springs or coil overs can be done, but it's sort of a hunt and pick kind of thing unless you have a specific application for your particular car. Like I said, for me, it's a low stance and superior handling, where the shock is the secondary consideration and the least expensive usually. Just my thoughts, hope they help.

 

thanx a lot...it does help a lot...thanx to everyone who has replied [img]smileys/smiley2.gif[/img]

 

you can use a set of eibach springs over your stock struts to get the best cost effective end you are looking for. Just remember that changing wheel sizes affects unsprung weight on your car. Generally going up 1 size doesn't affect too much,but cougars come with either 15 or 16 depending on trim level.