Mopar Stage 3 Coilovers <-- Don't

Silver ACR · Post by **Silver ACR** » Mon Jul 10, 2006 11:51 am

I just installed a set of Mopar Stage 3 coilovers as replacements for my Ledas while I have them reconditioned.

The lock ring (preventing lowering beyond an inch or so) is unacceptably conservative and the spring rates are way too soft for a performance set-up. Since they're KW units, the quality is high, but these aren't high performance units at all. I'd drill out the lock ring and get a set of higher rate springs if these things were going to stay in the car.

Don't buy these things.

grambo · Post by **grambo** » Mon Jul 10, 2006 12:18 pm

Aweful expensive part to be pure bling. That sucks.

Mopar00Neon · Post by **Mopar00Neon** » Mon Jul 10, 2006 12:49 pm

Cant beat Konis and GC.

tamadrumr88 · Post by **tamadrumr88** » Mon Jul 10, 2006 1:59 pm

yes however they do have a lifetime warranty IIRC as long as the bump stop is not removed/modified

having your car as low as possible does not guarantee the best handling... you must still retain correct suspension geometry... perhaps the VW crowd (cough-linkin18t-cough) can back me up on this... theres a company called Shine Racing that produces suspension kits for vw's. their kit actually raises the car slightly to maintain the best suspension geometry and ride height isnt compromised too much to the point where the center of gravity would make it not handle as well... it all comes down to the r&d and testing

if you want the drop for looks, then get airbags - end of discussion

if louie was still around he can attest to dropping the car too far (he was on IPP coilovers), he said his car handled worse and the suspension was binding up.... he raised the car about an inch if i remember and he remarked how much better it handled

Praesepe559 · Post by **Praesepe559** » Mon Jul 10, 2006 2:51 pm

trust me, those lock rings are there for a reason. i removed mine and i now have two blown rear struts, i just pulled them off the car yesterday and the shaft sucked right into the body.

and i didnt even have them all the way down, i had about 1" available to go lower. i talked to KW and he said the valving in the mopars is different from the KW version, and putting them lower than the stop rings will destroy the strut.

Kevin_GP · Post by **Kevin_GP** » Mon Jul 10, 2006 3:37 pm

I dunno, but reading about these coilovers im not sure about there strengh. I mean it seems they are about as strong as the stock struts and cant handle more than an 1.5 drop. I know they have a lifetime warrentee but that doesnt seem to be worth it if they blow all the time, lots of downtime on your car.

I know lowering and conering dont go hand in hand, I had the same problem as louie. But thats when you get to the extremes of the suspension travel, not 1.5 inches lower than stock.

I think the big problem is alot of people were unhappy with drop springs and stock struts blowing out. So the general idea was to get coilovers and all your problems will be solved. Not true. However I do belive you can have a low stance and the car still handle amazing, you just cant push it.

Wisher2 · Post by **Wisher2** » Mon Jul 10, 2006 5:06 pm

My coilovers are lowered just to the point where I can fit 1.5 finger width between the fender and tire. I am sittin on the stock 02 R/T rims with 205/45 bfg's........My handling is awesome. If people want to go all the way down you are going to have to sac any quality ride and handling. Droping it all the way down to me would only be for show.

tamadrumr88 · Post by **tamadrumr88** » Mon Jul 10, 2006 9:11 pm

ive never heard of any problems with the structural integrity of these struts, only ever heard of them failing when people cut the bumpstops

weak strut shafts? you must be thinking of IPP's

Kevin_GP · Post by **Kevin_GP** » Mon Jul 10, 2006 9:39 pm

Not weak strut shafts, but they seem to blow extermly easily. It seems like a reoccuring thread on the srt-4 fourms of blowing there mopars. Its not after years of use, its after months. I have no personal experence with them, im just saying.

However I dont see them being cost effective because theres other coilovers with both height and spring perch adjustment. Now thats the way to go

Wisher2 · Post by **Wisher2** » Mon Jul 10, 2006 11:59 pm

tamadrumr88 wrote:ive never heard of any problems with the structural integrity of these struts, only ever heard of them failing when people cut the bumpstops

weak strut shafts? you must be thinking of IPP's

I have Ip2's and I havent had any bad luck with the struts. People with Ip2's that blow them I believe are dropping them from the spring perch as well as the body

Silver ACR · Post by **Silver ACR** » Wed Jul 12, 2006 12:40 pm

Just an update...

I called the KW office in the US and their rep claimed that replacement springs for these units are available from DC in several different spring rates. I could find nothing in the Mopar Performance catalog, but I'm checking this out with DC.

That said, I can see no reason to purchase these coilovers when there are better alternatives available -- notably directly from KW without the stop ring.

Needless to say, when my Ledas get back from reconditioning, the Mopar Stage 3's are coming off the car.

01rtgurl · Post by **01rtgurl** » Wed Jul 12, 2006 6:15 pm

Silver ACR wrote:Just an update...

I called the KW office in the US and their rep claimed that replacement springs for these units are available from DC in several different spring rates. I could find nothing in the Mopar Performance catalog, but I'm checking this out with DC.

That said, I can see no reason to purchase these coilovers when there are better alternatives available -- notably directly from KW without the stop ring.

Needless to say, when my Ledas get back from reconditioning, the Mopar Stage 3's are coming off the car.

If you would sell the S3s, PM me. I'm pretty sure my S2's are blown (or at least the rears).

Kevin_GP · Post by **Kevin_GP** » Thu Jul 13, 2006 12:11 am

Silver ACR wrote:Just an update...

I called the KW office in the US and their rep claimed that replacement springs for these units are available from DC in several different spring rates. I could find nothing in the Mopar Performance catalog, but I'm checking this out with DC.

That said, I can see no reason to purchase these coilovers when there are better alternatives available -- notably directly from KW without the stop ring.

Needless to say, when my Ledas get back from reconditioning, the Mopar Stage 3's are coming off the car.

Cant you just use a standard spring like qa1, with a 2.5 inch diameter and whatever lenght and spring rate you want? Or did you try to get them from mopar to preserve your warrentee? Ive been thinking of getting softer springs for the street, and I was just going to get a set of qa1 i think.

Louie · Post by **Louie** » Wed Jul 26, 2006 11:49 am

yea i can definately attest to poor handling from loss of suspension travel.

i had my car so slammed that even tho i had 4 inches of travel on my coilovers i only had about one inch before the entire front suspenion binded up. car handled likei crap.

if you actually go under your car and take some measurements of the control arms, you're better off keeping the front around the stock height. any lower than about 1/2 and inch in the front and you're already tucking your control arms upward.

what i always wanted is what they make for my new car.

http://www.maxrev.net/index.php?location=RCAreview.htm

DannyBoy · Post by **DannyBoy** » Wed Jul 26, 2006 11:56 am

Screw Mopar coilovers.

I have Mopar Stage II's and I have 2 blown ones already after about 2 years, and mine were not set that low AT ALL.

I called the place I bought them from and each replacement coilover is like 480. Fuck that.

2k2patriotblueneon · Post by **2k2patriotblueneon** » Wed Jul 26, 2006 5:52 pm

Mopar S3s.....a year still running strong. Thats enough for me since the stock struts didn't last that long at stock height for me. Handles sweet too....furthermore NY is nothing but potholes.....so if they were gonna blow they would have already done so. I am a happy customer. Quality product, nice drop, and still don't break myself every time I hit a bump.

sullygully · Post by **sullygully** » Thu Jul 27, 2006 12:16 am

Just spend the extra cash and by the Easystreet air ride kit. These are 9 way adjustable struts, with an air bag in place of a spring. Handles just as good as coilovers, but allows you to adjust the "spring" rate with a flip of a switch. $1899 for the complete kit from www.airbagsource.com.

This is the best investment i've made to my car.

Wisher2 · Post by **Wisher2** » Thu Jul 27, 2006 11:03 am

Louie wrote:yea i can definately attest to poor handling from loss of suspension travel.

i had my car so slammed that even tho i had 4 inches of travel on my coilovers i only had about one inch before the entire front suspenion binded up. car handled likei crap.

if you actually go under your car and take some measurements of the control arms, you're better off keeping the front around the stock height. any lower than about 1/2 and inch in the front and you're already tucking your control arms upward.

what i always wanted is what they make for my new car.

http://www.maxrev.net/index.php?location=RCAreview.htm

Yeah I have the same suspension as you did... At first I pre-loaded the springs and dropped the body to the point that I had about 1/4 inch of travel until my tires were mauled by the fenderwell....I raised the body back up to about an inch above my tire and then dropped the spring perch 1/2" so stiffin up the suspension a little...I have had them for like 6 months now....They handle like a dream and my car sticks hella good