BC Coilovers

[Volfy]

Partly because I want to be able to raise/lower by season (higher for winter, lower during warmer months)

While this is possible, the reality of it might make it a bit too much work to repeat twice a year. For two reasons:

1. The front is a true coilover, so ride height and spring preload are adjusted separated. This means all you have to do to adjust front ride height is remove the wheels and loosen one lock ring each side. The rear, however, is a divorced coil spring, so the preload and ride height are not separately adjusted. Even when the wheel is off the ground, the spring will still be under a lot of compression. You DO NOT want to attempt to turn the lock rings in that condition. Instead, you need to remove the two bottom bolts that secure the lower control arm to the wheel hub. Plus, remove the anti-roll bar end link bolt on at least one side. Technically not a difficult job, and I've done it probably 20 times between our Stingers and G70. Even with a pneumatic impact wrench, I myself wouldn't want to do that twice a year on a regular basis.

2. Anytime you change the ride height by a significant amount, you really ought to get an alignment done. What is "significant" depends on your POV and your use case. If you only drive street, you might put up with it for less than 3/4" difference. For me, anything approaching 1/2" needs an alignment. Not as big a deal if you've already bought a lifetime alignment policy on the car, so pretty much free each time. Maybe a box of donuts each time to grease the wheels.

 

[D.J.]

You DO NOT want to attempt to turn the lock rings in that condition.

Why?

 

[socalvn]

Why?

I have done it incorrectly this way it does work but the plastic ring and lock rings are under a lot of pressure the preferred way is to drop the rear spring and adjust height as stated

 

[billy_vk]

Update... Car rode like a log wagon at 2 spots off center setting toward hard. Currently set at 5 up from softest and the car feels really good. With both fronts and rears all the way down on the height adjustment, the front wheel gap is greater than the rear by 1/4". But still, no way the pic of the car in the ad on k8stingerstore for these coilovers is this setup. No idea why that car looks so low front and rear.

 

[Volfy]

Why?

@socalvn is correct. The lock rings and the shock bodies are typically made of aluminum, which galls easily. It doesn't help that each lock ring only has a few threads engaged so don't have a lot of load bearing surfaces to spread out the stress.

In fact, the first set of Riaction coilovers I bought was used from a fellow Stinger owner. When I bought them, one of the lock rings was seized up solid. I had to put a blow torch to it to get is unstuck. Turned out to be a pretty good deal, as all it costed me to get the set back to ops ready was the lock rings and the pillow balls.

While we are on the subject, I highly recommend the liberal use of anti-seize over the sections of the threaded body where the lock rings will engage. Not only does this prevent/minimizes galling, the anti-seize also help prevent water and grime from seeping into the threaded connections, which will corrode the aluminum over time. Same thing over the pillow balls and bearings. I live in the warm south where corrosion isn't as much as issue, but I kept that habit I developed from years of living in the rust belt up north.

 

[socalvn]

Not sure why you're maxed out on lowering we have the same spring rate, been driving in the rain so the car is dirty, 26" even all around from ground to top of fender gap, but you can see I could easily lower past drivability

 

[billy_vk]

Did you measure the front spring's free length before installing? If not, quite often it is silkscreened right on the coil. Like here, 160-08 means 160mm free length and 8kg/mm.
View attachment 85651

I didn't. And not sure what they are from bc.

 

[billy_vk]

Not sure why you're maxed out on lowering we have the same spring rate, been driving in the rain so the car is dirty, 26" even all around from ground to top of fender gap, but you can see I could easily lower past drivabilityView attachment 85658View attachment 85659View attachment 85660

Definitely has to be something different in design between the two companies.

 

[socalvn]

Definitely has to be something different in design between the two companies.

Can you post a Pic?

 

[billy_vk]

This is about all I currently have as far as installed pics.

 

[Volfy]

Those look like at least 8" long springs. BC Racing only shows BR series for the Kia Stinger on their website, which according to the pic posted is 160mm (6.3"), which is the same length as Riaction's. The only difference is BC uses 62mm ID springs, while most coilover brands, including Riaction, use 65mm.

17-23 Kia Stinger / 19-24 Genesis G70 (RWD / AWD)

BR Series "Product images shown are for reference only and may not accurately represent the actual product received" The BC Racing BR Series offers the most affordable entry into coilover suspension without sacrificing performance, comfort, build quality, vehicle height, or handling. This is...

shop.bcracing-na.com

If that is the case, then I have no doubt they can drop the car as low as shown on k8stingerstore's webpage. Not that I think it's a good thing to go that low, but that's a personal preference.

Did you buy directly from BC? Yours look a lot like what K8stingerstore shows on their webpage, with the same long springs. I suppose it's possible BC could've built a batch of them according to that vendor's specs.

Well, you can solve the puzzle by removing one front wheel and measure the spring length. Add 5-10mm to account for the preload (if your guy did it correctly), and that will be your front spring's free length. Or, read the specs printed on the coil.

You can always get replacement springs that are shorter, either from BC or elsewhere. Any 62mm metric coilover springs would fit. I would recommend Swift, but it's up to you.

 

[billy_vk]

Those look like at least 8" long springs. BC Racing only shows BR series for the Kia Stinger on their website, which according to the pic posted is 160mm (6.3"), which is the same length as Riaction's. The only difference is BC uses 62mm ID springs, while most coilover brands, including Riaction, use 65mm.

17-23 Kia Stinger / 19-24 Genesis G70 (RWD / AWD)

BR Series "Product images shown are for reference only and may not accurately represent the actual product received" The BC Racing BR Series offers the most affordable entry into coilover suspension without sacrificing performance, comfort, build quality, vehicle height, or handling. This is...

shop.bcracing-na.com

If that is the case, then I have no doubt they can drop the car as low as shown on k8stingerstore's webpage. Not that I think it's a good thing to go that low, but that's a personal preference.

Did you buy directly from BC? Yours look a lot like what K8stingerstore shows on their webpage, with the same long springs. I suppose it's possible BC could've built a batch of them according to that vendor's specs.

Well, you can solve the puzzle by removing one front wheel and measure the spring length. Add 5-10mm to account for the preload (if your guy did it correctly), and that will be your front spring's free length. Or, read the specs printed on the coil.

You can always get replacement springs that are shorter, either from BC or elsewhere. Any 62mm metric coilover springs would fit. I would recommend Swift, but it's up to you.

I appreciate the info. They were ordered from k8stingerstore but shipped direct from bc. Nothing on their page says they make them any other way than how they advertise them. Swift for the front but nothing different for the rear at least. So the rest would go no lower than I have it now. I'll check with David at k8 also and see if he has any other information.

 

[socalvn]

Volfy I copied your idea and put aluminum tape on the underside of the fender well to seal like you're mentioned in a previous thread around the coilover and yes Reaction is 6" spring looks really small. not seeing any rubbing between coils, doing 80mph and hitting a known dip in the freeway my damper setting was perfect, but going to try a experiment and switched from 12 clicks to 2 see how it handles on the way home.
I'm really more interested in handling on normal street roads that are not the best

 

[Volfy]

Volfy I copied your idea and put aluminum tape on the underside of the fender well to seal like you're mentioned in a previous thread around the coilover and yes Reaction is 6" spring looks really small. not seeing any rubbing between coils, doing 80mph and hitting a known dip in the freeway my damper setting was perfect, but going to try a experiment and switched from 12 clicks to 2 see how it handles on the way home.
I'm really more interested in handling on normal street roads that are not the best

Most of the areas I normally drive around here are actually quite smooth. Lots of brand new subdivisions and feeder roads that were paved in the past 30yrs or less. But... as soon as I veer into some older parts of Houston, the roads can get horrible. Back when I drove SUVs and minivans, it was no big deal, but now with the Stinger on coilovers, I really have to be careful about it. It's another reason I am on 18's only.

Yeah, I love that aluminum tape and use it on a lot of stuff. It's weather-proof, high-temperature resistant, tears out easily and doesn't age and leave residue like duct tape. It rains a lot here, so while I don't need to worry about corrosive road salt, water ingress can still be a headache. I might add some foam rubber tape between top of the camber plate and underside of the front strut tower... again, to keep water from seeping over.

As for coilover adjustments, I highly recommend listening to Mike at MotoIQ. He is an ex-OEM engineer with decades of experience. He speaks my language - very technical but with all the correct engineering terms and concepts. Start with this video, which is directly applicable to the single-adjustables we are running. Don't feel bad if you have to watch it a couple of times to absorb all the materials. Trust me... once you understands some of the key principles, you will begin to look at suspension tuning and approach it in a very different light.

 

[socalvn]

Most of the areas I normally drive around here are actually quite smooth. Lots of brand new subdivisions and feeder roads that were paved in the past 30yrs or less. But... as soon as I veer into some older parts of Houston, the roads can get horrible. Back when I drove SUVs and minivans, it was no big deal, but now with the Stinger on coilovers, I really have to be careful about it. It's another reason I am on 18's only.

Yeah, I love that aluminum tape and use it on a lot of stuff. It's weather-proof, high-temperature resistant, tears out easily and doesn't age and leave residue like duct tape. It rains a lot here, so while I don't need to worry about corrosive road salt, water ingress can still be a headache. I might add some foam rubber tape between top of the camber plate and underside of the front strut tower... again, to keep water from seeping over.

As for coilover adjustments, I highly recommend listening to Mike at MotoIQ. He is an ex-OEM engineer with decades of experience. He speaks my language - very technical but with all the correct engineering terms and concepts. Start with this video, which is directly applicable to the single-adjustables we are running. Don't feel bad if you have to watch it a couple of times to absorb all the materials. Trust me... once you understands some of the key principles, you will begin to look at suspension tuning and approach it in a very different light.

Thanks for posting not even going to try it going back to my previous damper settings that have worked wonderfully for my aggressive cornering and daily driving

 

[socalvn]

Soothing we didn't discuss is setting preload on the rear divorced coilover this is super important for ride quality and safety

 

[billy_vk]

Car settled a bit since install. Still a really nice ride at 5 notches up from softest. Handles turns really well. Very little lean in the car. Should be fun for a track day. But any lower is not possible with the adjustment available. At least not on the springs the setup comes with. Even Swift springs are only for the front so the rear is not going to change to match.

 

[socalvn]

Car settled a bit since install. Still a really nice ride at 5 notches up from softest. Handles turns really well. Very little lean in the car. Should be fun for a track day. But any lower is not possible with the adjustment available. At least not on the springs the setup comes with. Even Swift springs are only for the front so the rear is not going to change to match. View attachment 85695

Looks Great!

 

[billy_vk]

Looks Great!

Thank you!

 

[superflunker87]

Car settled a bit since install. Still a really nice ride at 5 notches up from softest. Handles turns really well. Very little lean in the car. Should be fun for a track day. But any lower is not possible with the adjustment available. At least not on the springs the setup comes with. Even Swift springs are only for the front so the rear is not going to change to match. View attachment 85695

I'm deciding between bc racing or riaction. Did you need to buy megan racing arms or swift springs? Was the camber good with your set up?