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Here Are Five Performance Mods That Are Utterly Useless

3. Adjustable Lowering Springs

From the factory, there’s a trade-off between handling and comfort when it comes to a car’s suspension. The more of one you have, the more of the other you lose. That’s why the most comfortable cars are often the ones that can’t take a turn without involuntarily going for the car flip world record and the ones poised for track times make their drivers four inches shorter after every race.

However, if you’re just after performance and willing to ignore the comfort consequences, the aftermarket will allow you to tip the scales in your favor. One of the most effective ways you can make your car handle better is to install a good set of struts and lowered springs, or a tailor-made adjustable coilover suspension system. What these do is make the car stiffer, allow it to handle more predictably, and lower the car’s center of gravity, making it less likely to pitch and roll on spleen-compressing right handers.

Having said that, one of the easiest ways to screw up your car’s handling is with a set of universal adjustable lowering springs.

In order to have a car handle well, the springs and struts must be dialed in, which means that the spring rates of each axle should be matched to the weight balance of the car, depending on what kind of setup and ride quality you’d like to have. Also, the strut or shock absorber needs to be stout in order to take the stresses of a firmer system. With a cheaply made pseudo-universal system like the one pictured above, not only do you not have any indicator as to what the spring rates are, but if you put a drastically lowered, likely super-stiff spring onto a stock strut or shock, you’ll kill any semblance of ride quality, bottom out your suspension and blow your shock absorber with unparalleled quickness. Instead, get a set of struts and matched springs from a reputable manufacturer, or an adjustable coilover setup that doesn’t require assembly. Your passengers will thank you.

(Jalopnik.com)