Five Popular Car Suspension Mods & What They Do

When you’re modifying a car, what’s the first thing you change? For some, it’s the wheels. For others, it’s the exhaust. But if you want to improve both the looks and handling of your car at the same time, perhaps the best place to start is the suspension.

Not only can aftermarket suspension components lower your car, improving its appearance and giving it a more aggressive look, they can make a significant difference to the way it feels and performs. But suspension mods aren’t a guaranteed win. Get it right, and your car’s looks and cornering performance could improve dramatically. Get it wrong, and you’ll end up with back-breaking ride quality and nothing to show for it.

Navigating the complex world of suspension upgrades can be pretty daunting, especially if you haven’t modified your car before. So, to help you choose the right mods for you, we’re going to run through five of the most popular suspension mods below and explain what they do. 

By no means is this list an exhaustive one - there are all kinds of different upgrades out there that allow you to alter practically every component of your car’s suspension system. However, the following upgrades are a good place to start, whether you’re building a show car or a B-road bashing hot hatch. 

Lowering springs

The most affordable (and easiest) way to lower your car. If you’re looking purely for a visual upgrade, lowering springs are a budget-friendly way to dial up the aggression and set your car apart from others on the road. Depending on your car and the type of springs you choose, you could lower your car up to 50mm (or more in some cases). 

Lowering springs are installed in place of their standard, factory-fit counterparts, making the installation process relatively simple and straightforward. And, although they can lower the car noticeably, the ride quality often remains relatively unchanged - ideal for a daily driver. 

If you fit lowering springs and later decide you want to improve the car’s handling, you can pair your upgraded springs with stiffer dampers. However, if cornering performance is your primary concern, you might be better off installing the next mod on our list instead… 

Coilovers

For those seeking the ultimate in cornering performance, coilovers are a must-have mod. They’re installed in place of the standard spring and damper setup, combining both components into one unified assembly. The spring is wrapped around the damper, hence the name ‘coilover’. 

So, what are the benefits? Well, adjustability is arguably the single biggest benefit of fitting coilovers. You’ll have the freedom to adjust your car’s ride height as you see fit; you can opt for a subtle drop or completely slam your car to the ground if you choose. And depending on the type of coilovers you go for, you’ll have the ability to fine tune the stiffness of the dampers too. 

All of this essentially makes coilovers the ‘chameleons’ of suspension mods. Want your car soft and compliant, with a slightly lower ride height? No problem. Want your car significantly lower and stiffer for improved handling? You can do that too. There’s a reason why coilovers are so popular, not just on track cars but for road use too. 

Air suspension

Want to slam your car and still be able to comfortably clear even the harshest of speed bumps? Air suspension is the answer. Although coilovers do allow you to raise and lower your car’s ride height, you’ll have to jack your car up, remove the wheels and use a pair of C-spanners in order to get the job done. With air suspension, all you need to do is push a few buttons.

Yep, it’s that simple. With an air suspension kit, your standard springs are replaced with air springs, which use compressed air (located in an air tank in the boot) to maintain your car’s ride height. Using a remote controller, you can either add air into your springs, raising the car up, or remove air to lower the car.

This makes air suspension a practical choice for daily use. You’ll have the option to lower your car on demand, but you’ll still be able to navigate speed bumps, country lanes and steep driveways without issue. 

Although air suspension generally isn’t as sharp or responsive as coilovers are (hence why you don’t see it being used on track cars), it can still handle winding roads effortlessly. When it comes to ride quality, air suspension easily has the edge over coilovers, gliding over bumps with a level of poise that many standard spring and damper setups can’t match.

So, which should you choose? If you plan to use your car in anger on track, coilovers are the better bet. But if you want flexibility and comfort for road use, air suspension simply can’t be beaten.

Anti-roll bars

Body roll. All cars experience it to some degree, but too much of it can have a dramatic impact on handling and agility. In the world of performance cars, the less body roll your car experiences, the better. 

That’s where aftermarket anti-roll bars come in. Chances are, your car already has anti-roll bars fitted from the factory - but thicker, more rigid aftermarket equivalents will further reduce body roll, keeping your car level in the corners. 

Will you notice much of a difference on the road? It depends on what you drive and how you drive it. On track or on a winding B-road, however, upgraded anti-roll bars can make all the difference, giving you the confidence to extract your car’s full potential.

Bushes

Upgraded suspension bushes are often overlooked in favour of arguably more ‘exciting’, shiny mods like coilovers and air suspension kits, but in our opinion they’re every bit as important. 

The reason for this is simple. Worn out rubber bushings can utterly ruin the way a car feels, causing wayward, unpredictable handling characteristics. 

If you drive an older car (or one that’s covered more than 100,000 miles), replacing your old rubber bushes with firmer aftermarket ones can make a noticeable difference to the way it responds to steering inputs, the way it rides over bumps and the way it handles through corners. 

Get your build underway with LK Performance

Ready to start upgrading your car’s suspension system? You can find everything you need to do exactly that here at LK Performance, one of the UK’s leading suppliers of performance car parts.

Whether you drive a Fiesta, a Golf R, a 911 or anything in between, we’ve got you covered with an extensive lineup of suspension components from top brands like BC Racing, KW and Koni. Explore the complete range and place your order online today.