Does this happen often (busted up coil over)

[BMW BMXER]

Pulled it off VW vortex

Story"B+G coilovers..MSRP of about $1800. Look at their site. I've had nothing but good things to say about these. I was actually shocked they lasted THIS long with the roads that I drive through DAILY here in NYC.

Look at the shock itself. Its just dirty. Still holding up fine, piston looks as good as new. No rust on the shock. These are quality coilovers.

Here's what happened...they are A3 VR coilovers. Just for comparison, Most other aftermarket coilovers for A3 have a front spring rating of about..400lbs on each front corner. The springs pictured there, that came on those coils, were rated at 285lbs. So obviously the springs were compressing a lot more over time than they should of due to the weight of the VR6 and the springs being too soft.

I'm starting to recall how this happened. Last week I was coming home late on a highway here. There is a section that every 25 feet or so has dome DIPS in it. Not big ones, but going 120mph can make the car do some hard nose diving. Doing so caused the springs to compress and decompress hard and fast. I guess I maxed out the springs compression point.

No big deal. I called up BG and explained it to them and they were stunned, appoligized and told me to send them this bad spring (5 pieces now). and the other good one as well, and they would send me some brand new 400lbs rated springs. Im not blaming the quality of their coils at all. It just so happened the springs on there were too soft. its got nothing to do with quality."

[Rob]

i've seen the same thing with another brand of springs, forget which though.

[M-technik-3]

Hence why coil overs are not a real road solution. Failures are not that uncommon. Spring failure was not related to 400lbs but to fatigue and compression cycles.

Factory units are built to last a minimum of 100k miles. Unknown how many miles a coilover set up is stress cycled too. Ask them. They might tell you. Just like an aircraft it is rebuilt in certain areas dependant on how many gear cycles or engine starts or hours are on a timed part.

It was fatigued and failed.

[Bokes]

sounds like a good company.

[Stu]

Hence why coil overs are not a real road solution.

It was fatigued and failed.

[rwh11385]

:weak:

[Rob]

but d00d, coilovers are mad eur0/jDm y0

make your car handle like a F1 car!

[rwh11385]

So let me get this straight, just the spring broke?

Blah. Oh well. If that shit happens down the road. Time for stiffer setup :twisted:
As long as the guy I know has the hookup, I could get Eibach springs for $80/pair.

[cramer]

Hence why coil overs are not a real road solution. Failures are not that uncommon.

failures are uncommon if you buy a quality product... hell this is the first I've seen pics of a cheap one failing and have only heard of issues with cheap kits... and never to that extent. Usually just perches seizing due to rust.

Bottom line is, coilovers are fine for the street. I've been running H&R's for years on everything from daily driver's to track cars (all 3 of my current cars use H&R coilovers). If you buy quality, they will last. Avoid cheap stuff like B+G, Fk, aerospeed, ground control, ebay brands, etc etc and you won't have problems.

[M-technik-3]

but d00d, coilovers are mad eur0/jDm y0

make your car handle like a F1 car!

They maybe "mad euro" but they are not meant for trash roads of NYC and likes. Europe yes the roads in certain areas are smooth as glass.

Failures sure are if you run where roads are trash and they are loaded to max at dropped settings where springs get bound up and have no travel. If the get excerised properly then no they won't fail as quick.

[e30Matt]

Hence why coil overs are not a real road solution. Failures are not that uncommon.

failures are uncommon if you buy a quality product... hell this is the first I've seen pics of a cheap one failing and have only heard of issues with cheap kits... and never to that extent. Usually just perches seizing due to rust.

Bottom line is, coilovers are fine for the street. I've been running H&R's for years on everything from daily driver's to track cars (all 3 of my current cars use H&R coilovers). If you buy quality, they will last. Avoid cheap stuff like B+G, Fk, aerospeed, ground control, ebay brands, etc etc and you won't have problems.

I've never heard of a set of GC's failling...

:shrug:

[BMW BMXER]

1800 US isnt quality for faux coilovers?

[Rob]

the FWD boys are having some trouble with Comptech springs, a supposed quality company. hell some dealerships even install comptech parts, a la Dinan

[nando]

are those rusty or just dirty? rust could certainly cause a set of springs to break.

[Rob]

rust, which is the issue these guys are having with comptech.