Megan Coilover users: How much pre-load are you running?

Hi all,

 

I've had my Megan coilovers on my 06 OBXT for about 2 weeks and have been dialing in the ride height. Out of the box the rear pre-load was set pretty high (about an 1"), I really liked the ultra flat cornering of the extra pre-load, but the car did have some "honda bounce" when on the highway. I backed off pre-load to 5mm rear and 4mm front. The ride is now much more plush, but also brought back extra body roll. FWIW, I'm running damping settings of 30 front and 26 rear.

 

I'm considering adding a bit oif pre-load to the rear (another 3mm or 4mm or so) but don't want to stress out the damping unit. From my downhilling background, I know that if you need to run too much pre-load, it's time to go up in spring rate. I'm assuming this rule holds true for coilovers.

 

Can anyone offer up some suggested pre-load settings?

 

Thanks!

No pre-loads front and back. I have the OB coilovers on a LGT sedan at about stock height so my body roll is a lot less than on an OB. I also have JDM rear roll-bar. The Megan spring rates are pretty stiff as is so I'm not sure how good the ride would be if you go with higher spring rates. You might want to try lower ride height and/or stiffer roll bars to help with the body roll.

I'm lower than stock, but not quite slammed, on the MR coils. I run the front and read dampers at 2 clicks from full soft and basically no preload all around. The body roll is not perfectly flat, but its better than stock and I don't like a harsh ride so its worth it to me. I may get IPD/RalliTek sway bars at some point to help with the body roll.

I'm running my MR coils to make my Outback about LGT stock height with about an 1/8" of preload. They run pretty well for me set at 28 damping all around. Body roll isn't really a big deal since I'm running Whiteline front and rear sways. I guess the first question is are you running upgraded sways?

 

On another note the roads around my house have a lot of ruts and seams so I'm thinking of backing the preload all the way off just to see if I can reduce the impacts a little.

The spring rates on the Outback Specific MR coilovers are softer than the ones for the Legacy. The damping might also be softer too.

 

I have dropped my car about an inch on the Outback MR coilovers, run roughly 1/4" preload and 6 clicks from full firm on the front damping and 4 from full firm on the back. Still a bit too much roll for me but that's probably my softer tires, too..

 

Actually the spring rates are identical between the OB and LGT coilovers. The OB coilovers are valved slightly softer than their LGT cousins. If someone wants to reduce body roll even more, they would be much better off upgrading their sway bars rather than cranking in excessive amounts of preload. I usually don't go much more than about 1/4" in the front and 1/8" in the rear.

I somewhat mis-worded my thought about body roll, what I actually meant was dive and squat (and to some extent body roll) with only slight spring preload. (4mm front, 5mm rear). I am running a Cusco 21mm RSB with AVO mounts. Stock front bar.

 

I got back under the car last night and added a little more preload, I'm at 7mm front (.275") and 9mm rear (.354"). Given the length and rates of the springs, I'd say this is not a major amount of preload. The difference in handling characteristics is quite drastic with only minor changes in pre load and I'm liking it very much. I can go WOT and the car stays flat right to redline. Between shifts, the car no longer dives forward as it did with the stock suspension and I can actually use the horsepower the car came with.

 

Without rehashing the whole pre-load vs. ride height battle, the additional pre-load added about an 1/8" to 1/4" of ride height. This is NOT the way to change ride height, I'm simply stating that playing with preload will change your ride height, so make sure you set both sides equally.

 

I'm now at 27.5" front and 27.875" rear (level ground to the tops of the wheel wells), and rebound settings of 30 clicks in all the way around.

 

The MR coilovers have to be the best upgrade for the stock Outback yet.

Any thought to what my Subaru dealer said about to stiff of a suspension ruining your wheel bearings any quicker.

 

Thats what he said to me when he saw my coilovers and Im at almost no preload and set full soft right now...

Any thought to what my Subaru dealer said about to stiff of a suspension ruining your wheel bearings any quicker.

 

Thats what he said to me when he saw my coilovers and Im at almost no preload and set full soft right now...

 

I suppose it's possible at extremes. Let's say the coilovers were replaced with just a solid cylinder of rigid steel. Forces from the road would have to be applied somewhere >>tires>>wheels>>hubs>>wheel bearings. The extra force on the bearings would definately increase their wear rate since there is no suspension to absorb the forces.

 

I guess the question would be how stiff is too stiff? My opinion is that the XT's stock set up is downright dangerous (I can't speak for the GT's). I'll gladly take the accelerated bearing wear if it means I get to have control of the car.

The general rule of thumb for coilover spring preload is, the more you lower the car, the moreyou should preload the spring in order tot have enough spring force to prevent the car from bottoming out. you dont wanty to much to cause the spring to bind up, but you dont want too little either. YOu prolly dont need much preload on a car with a moderate lowering. I have tien flex coils and im lowered as far as as i can go safly in the city, and i preloaded my springs 1" from loose and, with the right dampening setting, its perfect.

Does anyone know what the height at the wheel wells is for a stock Outback? I installed my Megans this weekend, but forgot to measure the height before I started, and I want to keep it as close to stock height as possible.

 

I'm currently at 6mm Front, and 9mm Rear, damping set to full hard. Sticks to the road like glue, ride is not objectionable, even on some pretty crappy back roads up where I live. I've also got Cusco F&R sways, and am running stock size Kumho ASX tires.

I think its pretty close to 30 inches. Check the megan coilover blowout sale number 2. I think that one has measurements from someone

Stock ride height for OB's, after I sampled some 10 cars from 05's to 08's in a dealers lot is;

... and measure along a plumb line...

 

(amount of gas in tank is only unfactored component)

 

 

Front 43.5cm (center of wheel cap to bottom of wheel arch molding)

Rear 44.5cm

 

the springs do sag over time becuase I did see a range in the testing, but a majority of the cars were at the above measurement.

 

FYI, for the Outback Megan Coilover, the MAX I can achieve in the rear is 42.6cm on my 05 XT - so basically 2cm lower then stock.

 

jdkobe

I've changed my settings. I'm using 1/4" preload at all corners and the dampening is right in the middle, 16 clicks. I like it better this way than no preload and little dampening. Less body roll and the ride is still relatively nice.

Stock ride height for OB's, after I sampled some 10 cars from 05's to 08's in a dealers lot is;

... and measure along a plumb line...

 

(amount of gas in tank is only unfactored component)

 

 

Front 43.5cm (center of wheel cap to bottom of wheel arch molding)

Rear 44.5cm

 

the springs do sag over time becuase I did see a range in the testing, but a majority of the cars were at the above measurement.

 

FYI, for the Outback Megan Coilover, the MAX I can achieve in the rear is 42.6cm on my 05 XT - so basically 2cm lower then stock.

 

jdkobe

 

Anyone know what is it for a LGT Wagon?