Coilovers - The Ultimate Suspension Solution? Is this all my Mustang needs to become a track god?

Now at Steeda, if we know one thing, it's that Speed Matters. And frankly, unlike a lot of "experts" out there, we know very well that speed doesn't just mean "more power baby!", however much fun that might sound. So it's time for a deep dive into the wonderful world of coilovers and more! 

Good chassis, suspension and tyres are all required to deliver that power to the ground, otherwise all that power is doing is creating noise, vibration and harshness, as well as heat and in the worst case scenario a total loss of traction and control. Not only that but effective braking is also needed to keep that Speed under control once you can deliver it, because if you can't stop as fast as you start then you still have major problems when it comes to going fast overall. (unless you are into drag racing, and then you can rely on a parachute! haha!)

Stacking your car into a gravel trap or a barrier will certainly slow you down fast too, but that's not the kind of "go fast" we want you to achieve. 

Now that the myth of "real ultimate power" is dispelled, and to repeat, for speed on circuit or a back road, then power really is the last thing to worry about, lets talk suspension.

When it comes to suspension there are two main options:

1. Springs and their good friend shocks
2. Coilovers (Coil Spring Over Shock)

These basically are kind of the same thing. One is a shock absorber (also often known as a damper), which is a strut that uses gas or oil usually to resist compression. The other is a metal wound springs which boings up and down when under load. The days of leaf springs are done, unless you have a classic or a lorry. The Mustang MagneRide shocks use magnetorheological fluid and electromagnets inside the shock absorbers to instantly adjust damping in real-time by changing the viscosity of the damper fluid.

Above: Left Side: Coilover setup: Centre: Dampers. Right: Coil Springs.

The basic idea is simple. Connect the car to its wheels, and control ride height and absorb bumps and surface changes in the road. A springs and shocks set up often means the Coil Spring and the Shock / Damper are mounted separately. The Mustang S550 & S650 from 2015 onwards runs a front "coilover" style setup and a rear Spring and Shock.

Now some people in the car community think that coilovers have some kind of magical properties that make them an "ultimate solution" that will transform your car instantly with a single change from a road going journeyman into a 98% complete championship contention Touring Car, with the other 2% being the livery basically.

Sadly I am here to tell you this isn't true. 

So lets get down to it. Are Coilovers Car Magic? Can they solve EVERY problem? Are they All the same? Why can't I have them NOW!? Does size matter?

It's a lot of questions. so let's deal with them one at a time, especially in relation to our beloved Mustang 2015+ chassis on the S550 and S650 cars....

Question 1: Are Coilovers Car Magic?

Well no. but they can do a lot, and they can be pretty awesome if you know what you are doing and are using them correctly. 

Its not as simple as waving a magic wand. But Coilovers offer you certain advantages over a simple Coil Spring update or even a coil spring and damper upgrade.

The simple answer is control. Coilovers offer a level of control in many ways, depending on the nature (and price!) of your coilover. You will gain control of:

1. Ride Height - Front and Rear, allowing careful set up, corner weight balancing and addition or control of rake angle.
2. Compression - How fast / hard the suspension will resist being compressed by the upward movement of your wheel hitting a bump on the road, or the kerbs on a track!
3. Rebound - This is how much the shock slows down the downward movement AFTER it has been compressed.
4. Spring Rate: Springs on a coilover can be easily swapped and set up specifically for your car. The Spring rate is how much force is required to compress the spring.

Why does compression matter? 

Too little compression damping: The suspension compresses too easily, leading to a soft, wallowy ride and bottoming out. Yes ...We're looking at you stock Mustang suspension.

Too much compression damping: The ride becomes harsh, and the suspension may not absorb bumps well—transferring more force to the chassis. This means you hit the kerbs on track and instead of riding them like a pro surfer you just go airborne like Evel Knievel. This is bad. We're looking at you cheap rubbish suspension, or generic springs not created by a Mustang specialist.

Below: Steeda Q767 Dark Horse kerb surfing on track.

Why does Rebound Matter?

Too little rebound damping: The suspension extends too quickly, causing the car to bounce or feel unstable—especially over multiple bumps. Again... Stock Mustang vibes.

Too much rebound damping: The suspension is slow to return, which can cause it to “pack down” over repeated bumps, reducing travel and grip. After all if your wheel doesn't go back DOWN after going over the kerb its not going to be much help in putting power down, or even worse braking! 

What is "Corner weighting"?
Corner-weighting means adjusting each coilover so that weight is distributed evenly across all four wheels, improving balance and predictability. usually with the weight of the driver included.

Now YOU need to answer the question.. Do I need or really want this control and adjustability? Especially if you have MagneRide shocks on your car. In that case a set of Dual Rate Steeda springs will give you a massive improvement. You will have the MagneRide actively controlling your damping with the ability to tweak the mode in the cabin and the Dual Rate springs giving you two different spring rates, so things will be massively improved over stock. If you DON'T have MagneRide, then perhaps a set of Steeda "active shocks" combined with our Progressive rate springs will give you that same vibe, of comfort when needed, a lower ride height and improved performance when called on. All without having to worry about set up, just plug and play. 

Question 2: Can they Solve Every Problem?

No. They just solve the problems they address, which is ride height, spring rate, compression and rebound. Now the improvement in handling sometimes makes people think everything is better, but sadly it isn't a magic solution for everything. Coilovers only do what they can and they work as part of a SYSTEM which is a complex one. If the entire system isn't operating efficiently, you will not get the best out of the coilovers and the cars performance. 

For example, the Mustangs IRS (Independent Rear Suspension) is a major factor in the Mustangs "rear end vagueness" as the way it connects the IRS Subframe to the chassis of the car and the suspension is quite insubstantial with a lot of room for movement. Its designed that way for ease of assembly and affordability. After all Ford aren't trying to make a race car, they are trying to make an awesome Mustang base car, that you can use how you want. If you want a sports car, then you need someone like Steeda to help you craft your stang into the sporty beast it can be. 

Do coilovers address these IRS issues? No. Not in any way whatsoever. Its like the foundations of a house. However great your walls are, unless you have good foundations the walls will wobble, warp and possibly fall down.  

So just buying coilovers without addressing IRS upgrades is both a waste of money and also a big waste of the potential improvement that the coilovers can offer. For one thing how can you "tune" the coilovers for maximum effect if the car is still wobbling all over the place? 

Question 3: Are They All the Same?

Unsurprisingly, the answer here is no. After all the most affordable coilovers we offer the Pedders SportsRyder eXtreme XA come in very affordably at just over €1600 depending on your local vat rates:  Then at the other end of the spectrum, we have the JRZ Suspension Motorsport 12 Coilovers at over €11,000 . Are Pedders dumb? No. Are JRZ super greedy? No. They offer totally different products, EVEN THOUGH both will be called coilovers. Just like the difference between cast wheels and forged wheels, the materials, technology, build process and performance of these coilovers differs vastly.

Just look at the image of the 2 systems below:


Even the basic difference are easy to pick out. The Pedders system is a front coilover and rear ride-height adjustable Shock and Spring system, whereas the JRZ is a full coilover front and rear. The JRZ system runs remote reservoirs of damper fluid. And thats just the obvious visible differences. The materials and technology involved are also very different. As is the price of course. The JRZ also use small helper springs to control spring travel and use smaller lighter coil springs and also offer fully independant adjustment of compression and rebound as well as integral camber adjustment in the top mount.

What's the point of Remote Damper Reservoirs?
Now aside from the ultra coolness factor (which counts a lot lets face it!) , what's the actual point of remote damper reservoirs?

There are 3 main advantages, the first of which is ALWAYS relevant when talking about serious on track use: yes that's right Heat.

1. Increased Fluid Volume = Better Heat Management
During aggressive driving, dampers get hot from constant movement. More fluid spread across two chambers helps prevent overheating and fade, keeping damping performance consistent.

2. Greater Travel and Consistency
By relocating gas pressure to a separate reservoir, the main damper piston can move more freely. This improves suspension travel and keeps performance consistent across long stints or rough terrain.

3. More Precise Damping Control
Many remote reservoir systems allow separate adjustment of compression damping and rebound damping, rather than having "cross talk" where you just have one control that affects everything at the same time. JRZ Dampers are dual independant, and they even offer triple adjustable for the highest spec systems

4. They look super cool AND are easily accessible
It's not just for posing. Ease of access for adjustment is a big benefit if you are actually wanting to adjust things on track.  You see there is a real reason! 

Below: JRZ Remote damper reservoir allows easy access for suspension tuning in the engine bay of this Steeda Q767R Dark Horse.

So to answer the question, no they are NOT all the same, and it really depends on what you want or need your coilovers for. Just a nice drop and cool stance, and a better ride? Then Pedders might suit you fine. But if you are really serious about track work, then you will probably want something more advanced, and if you are actually talking about a pro level / serious competition level of build then only the best will do, as these coilover systems will be the heart of your suspension and the key to longevity, adjustability, performance and winning races or setting great times.

Question 4: Why Can't I Have Them Now?

Well you can, kind of. Off the shelf systems like Pedders can often be found in stock and available, but most more advanced coilover systems are made to order, whether its Steeda, KW V3 or JRZ Suspension. So allow some lead time when ordering and feel free to consult with us to discuss which system might suit you best. Remember to go back to question 1 and 2. Do you have the correct supporting mods in place to go alongside your coilovers? 

Contact Us to discuss your needs! 

Question 5: Does Size Matter?

Ah the age old question, and in this case yes. sort of. Its somewhat a joke, but here size of budget is key, size of ambition is key and also the size of the project you have in mind too.  Not only that but setup sizing is also important for things like the actual coilspring choices when ordering for your car, as the weight of the car is important and the usage too? Is your car a daily driver AND a track warrior. In that case it might be similar to OEM weight? If its a full stripped track weapon it could be a lot lighter. And if its got a big old supercharger strapped on the front it could even be a good chunk heavier than OEM. This is the sort of size that does matter.

We have everything you need available. Just let us know what you want and we can help plan things out with you. Again : Contact Us to discuss your needs! 

We hope this guide has helped you with some of the mysteries of coilover suspension! Car magic is real!

Here is our "Quick TL:DR" Summary:

1. Coilovers = control + adjustability, not magic. Don't really need adjustment? Then maybe Steeda shocks and springs ARE the better option?

2. You NEED supporting mods (especially IRS fixes)

3. Not all coilovers are equal—buy for your goals

4. Remote reservoirs = track-level tuning (or looking super cool)

5. Ask us. We’ll help you get it right