What Do Coil Spacers Do? Everything You Need to Know?
Date Posted: 26 June 2022
The whole point of choosing to drive a 4x4 vehicle is its ability to tackle difficult terrain more effectively while providing a superior driving experience. Much of this is down to the height of the vehicle, the quality and size of its tyres, and the impressive clearance it has compared to the average car. However, there are always improvements to be made when it comes to the drive quality of a 4x4.
If you are looking to give your 4WD a bit of a boost without having to overhaul the vehicle’s whole suspension system, then suspension spacers may just do the trick. This post will provide an essential overview of these ingenious automotive components. We’ll start by explaining what coil spring spacers are before providing more details on how they work, the benefits of incorporating a coil spacer into your car’s suspension system, and the legalities you may need to consider when doing so.
What Are Coil Spacers?
Coil spacers, also known as spring spacers, provide an inexpensive way of improving the aesthetic of your vehicle by levelling it out or allowing for the fitting of larger tyres. Essentially, it saves you from having to change out the springs. Instead, these discs sit on top of the springs in a coil-equipped vehicle. As you might guess, coil spacers ‘space’. In other words, they lift your 4WD.
Strut spacers vary in size, ranging from 25–50 mm and are usually made from metal, rubber or polyurethane. Rubber spacers might be a bit softer but won’t rust, while a polyurethane coil strut spacer is recommended for greater longevity. There is also a price variation involved. Ultimately, it’s up to you to decide which is the best for your situation.
How Do They Work?
In essence, coil spacers give your vehicle a touch of lift without you having to change the springs on your current suspension. However, they won’t provide any extra wheel travel. With that being said, spring spacers are useful when it comes to levelling a vehicle or providing some additional clearance when you don’t have the budget to do a complete overhaul.
Suspension strut spacers are easy to install and are guaranteed to provide a set amount of lift. While there is nothing that can beat a properly tailored suspension unit that is built to suit your vehicle, spacers are a cost-effective first step in a vehicle build.
Why Do People Install Spring Spacers?
The main allure of coil spacers is that they are the most cost-effective way of upgrading a 4x4 vehicle’s suspension. However, these days you’ll find that some higher-end spring space systems rival traditional suspension systems pretty well.
At the end of the day, the lift provided by a coil spacer won’t fix all your suspension issues, especially if you aren’t satisfied with the quality of your ride. However, they are a good way to get the ball rolling when it comes to upgrading your 4WD vehicle.
Are Coil Spacers Legal in New South Wales, Australia?
It is completely legal to lift the suspension of your vehicle up by a total of 75mm, including the addition of larger tyres, without the need for testing and certification normally required for lifts over 50mm. It is, however, illegal to use extended shackles on the leaf packs. These are severely frowned upon despite doing a fairly similar job to that of coil spacers.
Our Final Thoughts on Coil Spring Spacers
In short, coil spacers aren’t for everyone. Whether or not you choose to install them on your 4WD vehicle will ultimately depend on what you are hoping to achieve. When considering suspension upgrades of any type, it is worth thinking about long-term costs, ride height, how you plan on using the vehicle, overall quality and the value of simply levelling out your 4WD.
On the flipside, it is also important to consider the downsides of any alterations you make to a vehicle. For example, spring spacers could do damage to other automotive components, such as the control arms and CV joints. So, while you’ll certainly gain some height and the ability to drive on bigger tyres, the use of suspension spacers may also impact on other areas of the vehicle. This could be detrimental to your overall ride quality and handling experience.
Whatever the case, the addition of coil spring spacers isn’t a straightforward decision. Even if you don’t plan on fully upgrading the suspension on your 4x4 vehicle, it is worth exploring the options available for your particular vehicle. This process will allow you to assess whether or not coil spring spacers will work for your intended purpose.
The knowledgeable team at Machter are happy to help with any questions you have about coil spacers and your vehicle. Get in touch today or browse our website for great products at competitive prices!
