the guide
the suspension BUYERS GUIDE
LOWERING SPRINGS VS. COILOVERS
I get this question a lot and there are a variety of answers based on customer preferences. It also depends on what Chrysler, Dodge or Jeep vehicle you have. Only one of these options might be available for your applications. Hopefully this article will help you make an informed decision that suits your needs.
eibach lowering springs
Eibach has been around for over 3 decades and is a very reputable brand, backed with a warranty. Most of their springs are manufactured in Germany. They have a great Lowering Spring offering for the Chrysler 300, Dodge Challenger, Charger, Magnum, Durango and Grand Cherokee. The cool thing about Eibach is that they offer both the Pro-Kit and Sportline Lowering Springs for a large number of applications.
Their Pro-Kit Springs usually provide a 1-1.5” drop and offer a more conservative drop that also provides a smooth ride. Their Sportline Springs offer a more aggressive drop (1.5-2”) while still maintaining good ride quality, although a tad more responsive spring rate than the Pro-Kit. They are the only Aftermarket Spring manufacturer to offer a Lowering Spring Kit specifically for the Chrysler 300S models. Since the 300S models have a slightly different front suspension setup (compared to the 300 and 300C models), their Pro-Kit provides a more even front and rear drop height.
For the regular 300/300C, Challenger, Charger and Magnum models, they offer both Pro-Kit and Sportline options. In addition, they are also the only Aftermarket Lowering Spring brand that has a specific offering for Challenger and Charger ScatPack, SRT and Hellcat models. Like the 300S, those models have a slightly different factory suspension and also come equipped with Struts and Shock that feature electronic dampening. Their Pro-Kit is the BEST option for those specific sub-models and are intended to be used with the factory dampers (although they can be used with Aftermarket as well).
Unlike H&R, they do NOT offer a Lowering Spring for the AWD Chrysler 300 or Dodge Charger.
h&r lowering springs
H&R is another reputable Aftermarket Lowering Spring brand that has been around for decades. Like Eibach, their springs are also manufactured in Germany. Also similar to Eibach, they offer many different kits for Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep models. But unlike Eibach, they only offer 1 Spring Kit per application (Eibach offers 2- the Pro-Kit and Sportline).
These are also great quality and offered with a warranty. It’s important to note that they are the only brand that offer a Lowering Spring Kit for the AWD Chrysler 300 and Dodge Charger models. In addition, they also offer specific Lowering Springs for the Chrysler 300, Dodge Charger and Magnum SRT8 models. You can’t go wrong with H&R. Along with Eibach, they are one of our favorite Aftermarket Spring brands.
Most of their kits provide around a 1.5” drop (give or take a ¼”).
D2 Lowering Springs are the most affordable of any Springs that we offer. They offer kits for the 05-10 Chrysler 300, Dodge Challenger, Charger and Magnum as well as the 11+ 300, Challenger and Charger. These kits usually provide a more aggressive drop (around 2”), similar to that of the Eibach Sportline Kits. This is another good Aftermarket Spring option, however we have had complaints from certain customers that these springs tend to “sag” over time, usually after 5-7 years.
Another reputable Aftermarket Lowering Spring manufacturer. They are better known for the Sway Bar Kits, but they also offer nice options for the Dodge Challenger, Charger and Magnums. The Hotchkis Springs tend to ride a little firmer than those of the Eibach or HandR Springs, but are very streetable, even for daily drivers. Like other brands, they also provide better handling.
COILOVERS
Coilovers are the ultimate suspension upgrade with full adjustability for both height and dampening (how soft or firm the ride feel is). Coilovers are perfect for those that desire a very specific ride height and dampening level, as well as those looking to make changes to height and dampening when needed; this could be for street or track. Height adjustability is done by lowering or raising the spring seat on the threaded Shock body. They provide a specific adjustment tool with all kits, no matter which brand you choose. Most Coilover Kits have a height adjustment range of 2-3” inches. Something to note is that even when the height is fully raised, the vehicle will not sit at factory height. Depending on the brand, the highest height achieved is between .5-1” lower than the factory ride height. Damping adjustment is done by turning the dial at the top (or bottom) of the shocks. Most Coilover Kits offer between 30-36 levels of dampening adjustment (awesome!). There are many combinations of damping levels that can be run on any application, whether street car or race car. It is a great option to have compared to a preset damping level.
Another great thing about coilovers is that they come compete with the coilover springs, coilover shocks and upper mounts. These are intended to replace your factory springs and shocks without the use of a Spring Compressor. These are a direct replacement and fully assembled for ease of installation. Pretty freaking cool. If you are considering going with a Lowering Spring, but your Struts and Struts also need replacement, this might be the better option for you; compared to purchasing Lowering Springs and Shocks separately. Cost wise, they are almost the same. Except with Coilovers, you have full adjustability of both height and damping.
Another reason (and the main reason) that we recommend going with High-Flow Catted Mid Pipes, is because they provide much better sound quality. Nothing is worse than an exhaust drone inside the cabin. Rest assured there will be much more drone by going with a Long-Tube setup that features Catless Mid Pipes (compared to High Flow Catted); especially at highway speeds and at RPM levels between 2-3k rpms. This can be particularly obnoxious and overwhelming on long road trips and driving at highway speeds for long periods of time. That being said, the only brand where Catless Mid Pipes are an option is from American Racing Headers. Other premium brands, such as Kooks and Stainless Works, only offer their systems with High-Flow Cats. It’s important to note that all three brands feature the best quality and performance of any Long-Tube systems available.
D2 Lowering Springs are the most affordable of any Springs that we offer. They offer kits for the 05-10 Chrysler 300, Dodge Challenger, Charger and Magnum as well as the 11+ 300, Challenger and Charger. These kits usually provide a more aggressive drop (around 2”), similar to that of the Eibach Sportline Kits. This is another good Aftermarket Spring option, however we have had complaints from certain customers that these springs tend to “sag” over time, usually after 5-7 years.
KW Suspension offers the highest quality of Aftermarket Coilover Kits available. However, those are reflected in their pricing. Their kits are priced higher than that of BC, D2 and K Sport. Unlike other Coilover brands, they offer kits that are only height adjustable (preset damping) as well as fully adjustable kits (height and damping adjustable). However, many of these kits are special order, with a general lead time of 6-8 weeks. They offer Variant 1, 2 or 3 kits.
This is our most popular Coilover brand. One of the most affordable fully adjustable coilover kits with numerous options for your Chrysler, Dodge or Jeep vehicle, for both RWD and AWD Models. These kits are heavily stocked and ship within 24-48 hours. They feature 2.5-3” of height adjustment and 30 levels of adjustable damping. If they have an offering for your vehicle, we recommend choosing BC.
We hope that you found this article helpful. As you can see, the different options of Lowering Springs (with or without Shocks) and Coilovers really depend on the desired use for each customer. Both are great options for your Chrysler, Dodge or Jeep vehicle.
If you just want to lower your vehicle and aren’t concerned with adjustability, then Lowering Springs (or Lowering Springs w/ Shocks) might be the best option for you. It is definitely the most affordable. You can get the drop you want and improve the handling for $200-$350. But please keep in mind that the labor time and cost to install Lowering Springs vs. Coilovers are roughly the same. Don’t expect to save more money on overall labor cost and/or time by opting for Lowering Springs. That will probably not be the case given the installation process is similar.
If you are looking for full adjustability (both height and damping), then go with Coilovers. Even if you aren’t looking just for adjustability, the price of a Coilover Kit isn’t that much more expensive than a Lowering Spring and Shock combo. Again, the labor cost and/or time is roughly the same. And if you need to replace your Springs and Shocks, this might be the better option. Even if you don’t need the adjustability, it’s nice peace of mind knowing that you always have that option.