Car tuning tips and mods.

The biggest impact on a cars handling performance is the suspension. The main parts of a suspension package are a spring and a damper (sometimes called a shock absorber although this really describes the whole thing.)

Springs control the ride height of a the car and determine the amount of road bumps that are absorbed. A stiffer spring is more resistant to movement and a softer spring will allow the wheels to better follow the undulations of the road surface.

Generally the lower the better. A car that is low has a lower center of gravity and axis of movement. This allows faster cornering. We need to bear in mind that whilst tracks are perfectly smooth our roads are not. A low car will often grind the sump of the engine on speed bumps and the ride quality will be seriously compromised on rough surfaces.

For road cars then we recommend that you fit a slightly stiffer spring. If the coil size decreases this will help to maintain the amount of travel and allow you to achieve a good balance between comfort on the road and good handling.

The damper is what prevents the car from jumping and bouncing up the road by absorbing as much of the vertical motion of the wheel as possible.

A damper is a cylinder filled with oil or filled with gas and oil with a piston that moves inside the cylinder. The friction of the fluid will create the damping effect. If the damper is too soft the car will start to bounce and wallow. If it is too hard the car will skip over bumps. Again a careful balance is needed. The uprated shocks with gas and oil are a good compromise as the gas layer allows for some compression and the oil maintains the friction required.

When lowering and uprating a cars suspension you should always go for an fully adjustable suspension kit. Each car and indeed each driver is unique. You ideally will adjust your handling to suit your personal driving style.