What makes cars enjoyable, apart from being a means of transportation, includes the consistent speed performance, comfort, and safe driving experience that comes with it, without having to wrestle with your steering. All this can be achieved without even touching the engine. Improving your car handling for better control is the key.
Imagine this: you take the project car around a corner, the tires grip perfectly, and you can feel the force pulling against you as you go around the corner. The suspension stiffens on a perfectly paved road, and the whole corner is bliss. As you pass the apex, you can feel everything positioning perfectly back into place.
That feeling of pure bliss is what it’s like to have a high-quality suspension system in your car. We’ve got five essential upgrades for better car control that will make driving easier.
1. Bushings
There are two common types of bushings. (Rubber Bushings and Polyurethane)
Rubber bushings are utilized in a variety of parts, including stabilizer bars, frame mounts, engine mounts, and control arms. Bushings reduce the vibration between the two metal sections of the suspension components when moving.
Without suspension bushings, the control arms will be unable to absorb vibrations, leading to a rough and unpleasant ride. Rubber bushings are widely utilized and come as standard on most automobiles due to their low cost. However, rubber bushings deteriorate when exposed to heat, cold, and grease. This could cause misalignment and handling concerns.
Polyurethane bushings are a superior option than rubber bushings. One of the primary benefits of using a polyurethane bushing is its hardness. The durometer hardness varies from 50 to 60 for rubber bushings and from 75 to 90 for polyurethane bushings. This makes these bushings suitable for all sorts of automobiles, since they last longer and provide stronger suspension.
When utilized in a through-bolt installation, polyurethane bushings provide a stronger mechanical connection than rubber bushings.
Polyurethane bushings also improve automobile handling by decreasing body roll and increasing the traction when cornering.
2. Coilovers
The next step is to improve your car’s handling (to modify the suspension) are coilovers, commonly known as shock absorbers, are an excellent aftermarket replacement for your existing shocks and struts. They operate the same way as the standard struts and shocks, with one major exception.
In coilovers, the coil is usually mounted on an adjustable perch, which allows you to change its height whenever you need to. They also provide a more firm ride, making them ideal for sports and racing vehicles.
The spring rate reduces the body roll and weight transfer during high-speed cornering. This also leads to improved steering, increased road grip, and makes handling feels much better. You can also choose an adjustable coilover, which allows you to swiftly raise and lower your car based on road conditions.
Basic coilovers may be adjusted for height, but more advanced models can also be stiffened. Suspension stiffness is divided into two types: compression (shock) and rebound (decompression).
Advanced coilovers offer adjustable rebound and bump settings to customise your driving style. If you’re a beginner looking to lower your car for improved handling, you can try manually lowering coilovers.. These coilovers feature a threaded adjustment that allows for manual height modification.
Adjustable rebound and compression coilovers can be customized to meet individual needs and activities, such as track racing and commuting. They are extremely adaptable and excellent for performance drivers and tuning aficionados.
Finally, the high-performance coilovers come with 100 distinct rebound and compression damping adjustment choices, as well as a uni-ball dome bearing for camber changes. These high-end coilovers are often utilized on racing vehicles but are now available for lawful daily usage following homologation.
3. Sway Bars
Sway bars, also referred to as anti-roll bars or stabilizer bars, keep your automobile from rolling over when turning. When performing a turn, particularly at high speeds, the vehicle’s body leans or rolls outward and away from the direction of the turn.
This occurs when weight is moved from one side of the vehicle to the other, and is known as body roll or sway. The stabilizer bar prevents body roll by shifting weight from the outside wheels to the inside wheels while cornering, therefore levelling the vehicle.
Most Front Wheel Drive (FWD) vehicles have a stabilizer bar in the front, not at the back. In this case, you can install a rear stabilizer bar to further decrease body roll and improve cornering performance.
Sway bars can be utilized to improve or decrease understeer and oversteer. To prevent oversteer, install a firmer anti-roll bar in the front and a softer one in the rear.
Similarly, fitting a softer sway bar in the front enhances oversteer while decreasing understeer. Some automobile enthusiasts even remove sway bars when employing variable spring rates in the suspension.
However, sway bars are well-known for their fineness and ride quality. Even high-performance vehicles, such as Corvettes with independent rear suspension and Mustangs (until 2015), had front and rear anti-roll bars.
Anti-roll bars enhance a car’s steering and handling, and may be altered for street or racing use.
4. Wheels & Tires
The goal of a high-performing vehicle is to adhere to the road like glue. Generally speaking, having a greater grip makes driving around the track safer, especially for beginner drivers.
Aside from elaborate suspension adjustment and a strong engine under the hood, tires with maximum grip are required for improved handling. Your car will handle better if you swap out your old tires with efficient road tires.
Choosing the right tires improves vehicle performance by enhancing speed, grip, and minimizing stopping distances.
Compared to all-season tires. Summer tires perform poorly in wet conditions but offer superior traction for high-speed driving due to their reduced tread. Winter tires are suggested for improved safety and handling in the colder months.
Wheel alignments are also important for wheel directions and optimal handling. However, factors like rough roads can disturb the wheel alignment, which may affect how the vehicle performs and also increase the chances of tire wearing and fuel consumption.
The cost of a good wheel alignment is $100 to $200. The wheel is usually changed to suit suspension adjustments or aftermarket wheels, especially for performance vehicles. Camber and toe angle modification is also vital as it may enhance steering and grip, but also accelerate tire wear.
Tires play an important role in traction, braking, and turning, incorporating tread patterns, are meant to reduce hydroplaning. For daily drivers, keeping proper alignment is crucial, while sports cars may benefit from expert tweaks for greater handling.
Maintaining the appropriate pressure required for the tires also improves comfort and vehicle stability. Selecting the right tires for your car should be based on terrain, weather, and car type.
5. Strut bars
A strut bar, or strut brace, is a rod that links the two strut towers placed underneath the hood. Strut bars are load-bearing at the top to prevent the suspension from disaligning, usually caused by excessive speed or hard turning, generally known as flex. This makes the vehicle’s driving uncertain and risky at high speeds.
However, strut bars do not encourage speed; instead, they enhance the suspension’s stability while turning. These bars transfer surplus pressure from one strut tower to the next, lowering flex and keeping vehicle stability.
Strut bars can be fitted to both the front and rear strut towers. However, there are certain limitations that comes with it, as it eliminates flex and stiffens the suspension system.
Tightening the front of your car might cause understeer, while stiffening the rear can cause oversteer. However, this is determined by the stiffness of the current suspension system and the kind of vehicle.
They increase not only your car’s handling but also its look under the hood. Some strut bars are beautifully painted in a variety of colours, which enhances the engine bay’s appearance.
Conclusion
All these changes can go a long way in improving handling capability, and with all of these changes combined together, you have a very high-quality handling system. Make sure to maintain your new parts or they will wear out faster and that might leads to a low performance over time.
Upgrading your car’s handling is just one part of the overall driving experience. Want to learn more about our brand and why we love automotive innovation? check out our mission.
FAQs
Q: Which upgrades are the best bang for your buck?
A: The best bang for your buck is definitely anti-sway bars and bushings. These are on the cheaper end and will greatly improve performance. Coilovers and tires will add more performance, but cost significantly more.
Q: Should I install these items myself?
A: We highly recommend that you contact a qualified mechanic to install these items for you, as improper installation can lead to significantly more costly issues down the road. Not to mention improper installation could also put your driver’s safety at risk.
Q: Should I use polyurethane or rubber bushings?
A: It is entirely your preference; rubber bushings can increase the smoothness of the ride and make it more enjoyable for some drivers. Whereas, polyurethane bushings can stiffen up the ride significantly, but also decrease the drivability of your car on the street. Sometimes the stiffness of the ride on polyurethane bushings is too significant for pot holes and rough streets.
Q: How effective are coilovers at increasing my performance?
A: Coilovers are extremely effective at increasing vehicle performance. The added adjustability definitely makes it worth it, as you can quickly adjust your settings depending on whether you are on the street or track. The biggest downside is cost, which is significant.
Q: Why should I try and upgrade my car’s handling?
A: Your car’s handling is very important; it can make your driving experience more enjoyable, adjust your car aesthetic more to your liking, and help start conversations with other car enthusiasts.