What Else to Order With Your Coilovers: Camber Plates, End Links, Bump Stops and Studs
The coilover parts people forget until install day are adjustable end links, camber adjustment, alignment arms, bump stops and thread covers. Not every car needs all of them, and some come in the box. Check what your coilover kit includes and what your drop calls for first.
Install day goes wrong in a familiar way. The struts are off, the new coilovers are in, and the sway bar link will not reach. Or the car sits right but the camber is past what the factory bolts can correct. None of that is a kit problem. It is a planning problem, and a few minutes now fixes it.
Coilover Parts That Come in the Box
Before you buy extras, read the listing and the parts list for your kit. Brands package things differently, and some listings name extras in the title.
Upper mounts. BC Racing kits include camber-adjustable upper mounts on most applications. Other brands reuse the factory upper mount on some cars. The parts list tells you which you have.
End links. Some listings include them. Fortune Auto's listings for the 2011 to 2017 BMW 5 Series RWD (F10) and 2013 to 2019 3 Series RWD (F30) include front end links.
Cancellation kits. If your car has factory electronic dampers, the listing for that car may include a cancellation kit. Several KW BMW listings say "includes EDC cancellation kit." Öhlins lists its cancellation kits as separate parts.
Tools. Many kits ship with spanner wrenches for the locking collars and spring perches. Keep them with the car.
If the box covers it, do not buy it twice. For the coilover parts it does not cover, the sections below tell you when you need them and when you can skip them.
Adjustable End Links: When a Drop Calls for Them
The end link connects the sway bar to the strut or control arm. Its length was set for the factory ride height. Lower the car and the bar and the arm end up in a different spot relative to each other. The factory link can sit at a steep angle, bind, or hold the bar under load when the car is standing still.
An adjustable link lets you set the length to suit the new ride height. The goal is a bar with no preload when the car sits level with you in it. Whiteline lists universal adjustable links in several lengths. One example is the KLC140-235 Heavy Duty Adjustable Ball Joint Sway Bar Link Kit with a 10 mm ball stud. Measure your factory link and the ball stud size before you order.
When you can skip them: a mild drop on a car whose factory links still sit at a sane angle. Look at them with the car on its wheels. If the link is close to its original angle and nothing binds through travel, keep it.
Camber Plates and Camber Arms
Lowering a car changes camber. On most cars the wheels lean inward as the car drops. A little negative camber helps grip. Too much wears the inside of the tire.
On a MacPherson strut front end, a camber-adjustable upper mount is the usual way to add camber adjustment. That is why many kits ship with them. If yours does not, a camber plate or adjustable strut mount is the fix. Whiteline lists a front strut mount pair with camber and caster adjustment. Öhlins lists adjustable front strut mounts for cars such as the E46 BMW 3 Series, the E9X M3 and the WRX and STI. Öhlins lists those mounts per side, so order a left and a right. Our guide to suspension bushings and mounts explains the trade-off in noise and feel.
The rear is a different story on many cars. A multi-link rear usually sets camber through the arms, not the top mount. Whiteline lists parts like the Rear Upper Adjustable Camber Arm pair (KTA259) and camber adjustment bolt kits in 12 mm and 14 mm. BC Racing lists rear camber plates for BC Racing coilovers, but only for certain models. Call us before you order those.
A note on weight
Camber plates and upper mounts bolt to the body, so they are sprung mass. Changing them does not change unsprung weight. Unsprung weight is the wheel, tire, hub, brakes and knuckle, plus part of the arms, damper and spring. If you want less of it, look at wheels, tires and brakes.
Alignment Parts After You Lower It
Any ride height change alters camber and toe. Every coilover install needs an alignment after the car settles, even if you change nothing else. The question is whether the factory adjusters have enough range to bring the car back into spec.
On a mild drop, they usually do. On a bigger drop, the shop may run out of adjustment. Then you need parts like adjustable toe arms, camber arms or caster kits. These are performance suspension parts with one job: putting the alignment back in range. Whiteline lists all three for many platforms. Our guide to performance control arms explains how these arms change geometry and wheel travel.
A smart move is to book the alignment first and ask the shop what range your car has. Then decide on arms. Our guide to suspension geometry and alignment covers what to ask for and why.
Bump Stops: Check Before You Buy
A bump stop is the rubber or foam cushion that keeps the damper from bottoming out. It sits on the damper shaft or the body. When a car hits its bump stops over normal bumps, the ride turns harsh, no matter how soft the damping is set.
Check your kit's parts list to see whether bump stops are included before you buy new ones. Trimming or swapping a bump stop changes how much travel you have, so do it only with a reason.
How close you ride to the bump stop depends on the damper, the spring rate, the preload and the car's weight. On full-length kits, you set ride height at the lower mount, and the spring perch sets preload. On sleeve kits, the perch sets height and preload together. Dropping a sleeve kit lowers the perch and pushes the damper deeper into its stroke at rest. Whiteline lists bump stop bushing kits for specific cars. Confirm yours on the product page.
Wheel Studs and Spacers
A coilover kit does not touch your hubs, so it does not call for new wheel studs by itself. Studs come into it when you add wheel spacers to fix fitment after a drop. A spacer pushes the wheel out, and the factory studs may no longer reach far enough into the lug nut.
We do not list wheel studs or spacers. If you go that route, buy them from a wheel specialist, and have them fitted and torqued to your carmaker's spec. Wheel studs are safety parts. Do not guess on thread length or engagement.
Before you buy spacers at all, check whether camber or ride height solves the problem. Many rubbing and poke issues come from height and camber, not offset.
Covers, Socks and Small Add-Ons
The threaded body is what makes a coilover adjustable. Grit and road salt on those threads make the locking collar hard to turn and can wear the shaft seal. A cover keeps the threads cleaner between services.
We list the Coilovers.com Coilover Sock in 3 mm water-resistant neoprene, in a 2 pack. Fortune Auto lists protective coilover covers sold in pairs at 14 inches long. If you drive through winter, read our coilover winterization guide too. A cover helps, but it does not replace cleaning the threads.
A few other parts earn a spot on the list:
Swift Springs. Swift Springs SPEC-R springs are an upgrade option on most BC Racing fitments. They ship standard on HM and ZR Series kits on most fitments. We list a Swift Springs full set (4) for BC coilovers and a half kit (2).
Rear damping extensions. BC Racing lists rear damping extensions that let you adjust rear damping from the trunk. They help on cars where the rear knob hides behind trim. They are not available for every model, so check with us.
EDFC. On supported TEIN kits, the EDFC controller lets you change damping from the cabin. It is a TEIN-only add-on, and compatibility is specific to the car and damper.
Frequently Asked Questions
What coilover parts should I order with my kit?
Start with the kit's parts list. Then think about adjustable end links if the drop is big, camber adjustment if your kit lacks it, and covers if you drive in winter. Book an alignment either way. Ask us before you order arms or plates.
Do I need camber plates with coilovers?
Not always. BC Racing kits include camber-adjustable upper mounts on most applications. Some kits reuse factory mounts. If the drop pushes camber past what the factory bolts can correct, a camber plate or adjustable strut mount solves it.
Do I need adjustable end links when I lower my car?
On a mild drop, often not. On a bigger drop, factory links can sit at a steep angle or preload the sway bar. Adjustable links let you set the bar with no preload at ride height. Check the links with the car on its wheels.
Do coilovers come with bump stops?
Many do. Check your kit's parts list before buying new ones. If the car crashes over normal bumps, it may be riding on them, and that is a setup question to solve first.
Do I need extended wheel studs for coilovers?
Not for the coilovers themselves. Extended studs come into play when you add wheel spacers. Studs are safety parts, so buy them from a wheel specialist and have them fitted and torqued to spec.
Are coilover socks worth it?
On a car that sees rain, salt or gravel, yes. A sock keeps grit off the threads, so the locking collars turn when you need them and the shaft seal sees less dirt. Keep cleaning the threads every season.
Do I need an alignment after installing coilovers?
Yes. Any ride height change alters camber and toe. Let the springs settle, then align the car. If the shop runs out of adjustment, that is when camber arms or toe arms make sense.
Want a Parts List for Your Car?
The right extras depend on your chassis, your kit and how low you want to go. A short call sorts it before install day.
Call 1-800-460-9106 with your VIN, your kit and your target ride height. Confirm fitment for any part on its product page too. We carry BC Racing, KW, Fortune Auto, Öhlins, TEIN, Whiteline and more. We will tell you what is in the box and what you still need. Free shipping across Canada on most kits.
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