Suspension Tuning: Weapon R Coilovers

When a performance enthusiast first sets out to customize his or her vehicle, the factory springs are usually the first to go. It's almost a universal truth that a lowered car equates to a sportier car, and most people seem to agree with this line of thinking. However, people can't seem to agree upon the best method to achieve the aggressive look.

Some people opt for the high-dollar cost of adjustable-perch shocks, some for the low-buck method of basic lowering springs and others for the no-buck method of cutting coils (which is very dangerous and should never be done).

While adjustable-perch shocks allow for a small range of adjustment, the cost can be prohibitive; they often need to be paired with a set of lowering springs to realize maximum performance potential. Lowering springs are a less costly affair, but don't provide the driver with any range of adjustment other than the spring manufacturer's preset ride height. This is where a coilover system comes to the rescue. By providing a range of height adjustment with a performance-rated suspension spring, one can have the best of both worlds. However, a full threaded-body coilover kit can run well into the $1,000 territory--an investment that the first-time enthusiast oftentimes can't readily afford.

Weapon R recognized this problem and attacked it head-on. Instead of building a complete shock assembly with an adjustable perch, it created a threaded sleeve that slides around the existing shock. This design allows for an almost infinite range of height adjustment without the high price of a full coilover system. By pairing the sleeve with a set of rate-specific performance springs, Weapon R produced the ultimate convergence of affordability and function--Circuit Pro coilovers.

Weapon R's Circuit Pro kit comes with a cold-forged polished aluminum collar that is threaded to allow the perch to be adjusted to the desired ride height. There are two sets of springs included: the main springs and the keeper springs. Both sets are cold wound from high-tensile, chrome silicon steel to ensure maximum rate consistency and are powdercoated for durability. The main springs are used for the bulk of the suspension duties, while the keeper springs add the extra progressive-rate quality for spirited driving conditions. The kits include the necessary spacers and washers to ensure proper shock alignment and a pair of spanner wrenches to allow instant changes of ride-height.

To illustrate how easy it is to properly upgrade your suspension to its full potential, we acquired a set of Circuit Pro coilovers for the ever-popular Honda Accord and forwarded them to Jeff "Jeffro" Olekosow at Pann Auto Performance in San Diego, Calif., a veteran installer of these threaded sleeve coilover systems. Bust out your tools; we've got the how-to to get it done.