Lowering Springs vs. Coilovers

Why Lower Your Ride?

While lowering your vehicle won’t make it dominate trails or tow better, it can serve several other purposes, starting with looks. Lowering kits give your ride a more aggressive appearance by reducing wheel gap, but that’s not all. Functionally, coilovers and lowering springs can improve handling, reduce drag to boost fuel efficiency, and lower the rear end to make loading cargo easier, especially for pickup trucks.

What Are Lowering Springs?

Lowering springs are a method of lowering your vehicle using a factory-style shock/strut setup. Rather than replacing the entire damper, lowering a car with lowering springs involves installing shorter, stiffer coil springs in the factory locations, resulting in a 1- to 3-inch drop on most applications. 

When installed, lowering springs compress the suspension, shortening the distance between the fender and tire, which results in a more aggressive appearance. The stiffer spring rate also helps minimize body roll and sag, resulting in more responsive and sporty handling.  

Lowering springs are a cost-effective lowering solution. However, they do come with some limitations regarding adjustment and tunability. Unlike coilovers, lowering springs feature a fixed height that can’t be adjusted. There’s also no damping adjustment in most cases, unless you opt for performance struts with tunable rebound and compression.

What Are Coilovers?

Whereas lowering springs utilize a factory-style configuration with separate dampers and springs, coilovers are the total package. These accessories combine a damper, coil spring, and tophat/mounting perch into a single assembly. 

Compared to lowering springs, coilovers have numerous benefits. First, since coilovers are constructed as one-piece units, all components (coil and damper) are designed to work well together. Spring rates match damping firmness, resulting in a compliant, yet sporty ride. 

Next, most coilovers are fully adjustable, offering adjustments for ride height, damping, preload, and rebound. Whether you’re looking for a cushy, compliant ride on the street or extreme performance on the track, coilovers excel at both and allow you to fine-tune your vehicle to your particular driving style. 

Coilovers also allow you to lower your vehicle far more than traditional lowering springs—however, all these pros come at a price. Coilovers are far more expensive than conventional lowering springs, considering you’re paying for brand-new adjustable dampers and performance coils. 

Learn more about coilovers in our article, “What Are Coilovers?”

Lowering Springs vs. Coilovers: At a Glance

While both lowering springs and coilovers serve the similar purpose of lowering a vehicle and improving handling, they offer various advantages and disadvantages in comparison to one another. Check out the table below for a quick side-by-side comparison.

Lowering Springs vs. Coilovers: Price

If you’re looking for an affordable option, coilovers are the clear winner. High-quality lowering springs can range from $100 to $300, making them a cost-effective way to lower your vehicle's ride height. However, keep in mind that lowering springs are more demanding on factory components, such as sway bar links and dampers. If you throw lowering springs on a set of worn factory struts, they’ll likely fail quickly, adding to the total cost. 

Alternatively, coilovers can range from $700 for entry-level options to over $2000 for high-end, fully adjustable units. While the introductory price is higher, you receive the benefit of brand-new dampers for a fully rejuvenated ride. When considering the added perks of adjustability and performance, the value of coilovers is tough to refute.

Lowering Springs vs. Coilovers: Performance

How do the two options compare in terms of performance? While both offer more direct, responsive handling compared to factory springs and dampers, coilovers have definite benefits over lowering springs in most cases. 

How Do Lowering Springs and Coilovers Affect Ride Quality?

Depending on the quality of springs you choose and the condition of the dampers, lowering springs can certainly stiffen the ride quality. You may notice more harshness over bumps and uneven roads. That being said, most high-quality lowering springs strike a nice balance between comfort and sportiness, offering a ride that’s firm enough to handle well, yet soft enough to avoid rattling your teeth over potholes. 

The issue with lowering springs is that, if you’re not happy with the ride quality (either too soft or too firm), you’re stuck. Alternatively, most coilovers offer full adjustment over damping, preload, and rebound, allowing you to fine-tune performance to your personal preferences or the driving you’ll be doing that day—whether you’re road tripping with the family or hitting the track for an autocross event.

How Do Lowering Springs and Coilovers Affect Handling?

Both coilovers and lowering springs improve a vehicle’s handling performance by stiffening up the suspension and lowering its center of gravity. These modifications alone result in reduced body roll, improved cornering, and more responsive steering. 

As with ride comfort, the downside of lowering springs is the lack of adjustment. You’re stuck with whatever spring rate they’re manufactured with. If it’s a little too firm or too soft for your needs that day, too bad. 

That’s why coilovers are often viewed as having superior handling potential. With coilovers, you aren’t boxed into any set height or stiffness. A quick adjustment can drastically affect handling, taking your vehicle from a comfortable daily driver to a rigid track car in minutes.

Lowering Springs vs. Coilovers: Adjustability

Look, there’s no competition between these two suspension setups in the adjustability department—lowering springs have none, while coilovers are full-adjustable. Dial in ride height, shock damping, and corner balance to achieve the best aesthetics and ride. Whether you’re building a show rig or a track car, coilovers are tough to beat.

Lowering Springs vs. Coilovers: Lifespan

Both coilovers and lowering springs can last for several years and tens of thousands of miles. However, the key is to select a high-quality product to begin with and maintain it properly. When installing lowering springs, it is essential to pair them with high-quality (preferably heavy-duty) shocks and struts to ensure a long service life. Installing them on factory shocks or worn shocks can cause rapid wear and tear. 

Alternatively, coilovers are typically more durable as an assembly, though they require more maintenance and upkeep. Most coilovers feature rebuildable dampers, which the manufacturer or a reputable dealer can refurbish. Additionally, maintaining the threaded bodies and locking collars is essential, as it prevents these components from corroding and seizing. 

If longevity is your top priority, quality is a greater factor than lowering springs vs. coilovers. Choose reputable brands with solid warranties to maximize the lifespan of your lowering system.

What System is Right for You?

Choosing between lowering springs and coilovers can be a tough decision, especially if budget is a factor. Generally, choose lowering springs if you want an affordable, no-fuss drop that enhances aesthetics and handling for street use. If you want maximum adjustability, improved handling, and a suspension system that you can tailor to your needs and driving style, choose coilovers. 

Whichever route you go down, RealTruck offers top-rated suspension systems to get the job done. Whether you’re eliminating wheel gap on a daily driver or dialing in performance for a track car, check out RealTruck suspension products and lowering kits.