For gearheads, there are many things you can do to let the world know that your passion includes things like cars, trucks, parts, engines and so on. You can do things like buying a t-shirt that represents a brand you love.
You can use those parts on your vehicle and put some stickers in the window representing brands or things you like. You can also have a tattoo artist ink you up.
Getting a tattoo is about the most fanatical way to represent your love for something. In this case, people that are into the mechanical workings of vehicles might get a tattoo representing that. They might get a tattoo of a car or a spark plug. These are things that represent your love for the automotive industry. However, one tattoo we have been seeing a lot of is the coilover tattoo.
In this post we are going to talk about what a coilover is and what it represents to those that have the tattoo. By the end of this post, you should have a better understanding about what a coilover is and what it does for the car. We also hope you get a better understanding as to why someone might want this tattoo on their body. The coilover tattoo has fast become a hit with gearheads and we will talk about why.
What is a Coilover
You might be asking yourself what a coilover is. It’s not a traditional car part term. In fact, coilover is short for “coil spring over shock.” The coilover includes a shock absorber and a coil spring encasing it. These are put together prior to installing the part, and they are replaced when there is leaking from the shock absorber. T
he nice thing about the coilover is that it allows for adjustment of preload and ride height. It does this by using a threaded spring perch that is similar to a nut. The stiffness is adjusted by changing the spring with another spring with a different spring rate.
The coilover type of spring placement is a part of the MacPherson strut suspension system. As a longitudinal constraint, this uses a design of an anti-roll bar.
There are two different kinds of coilovers that should be noted. One is a slip on and the other is a full coilover. The slip-on style of coilover is mostly just adjustable springs while the full coilover is matched up with a shock that comes from the factory.
People might wonder what good is a coilover. As we said before, it is a way to adjust the ride height and it makes it easy to change the springs without messing with the ride height. You can also corner balance your vehicle.
Coilover Tattoo Meaning
So, one might ask what a coilover tattoo means. Well, it seems to be pretty simple when we talk to those that have this tattoo. In almost all cases, it is a representation for their love for cars. By getting the coilover tattoo you are saying that automobiles aren’t just a hobby for you but a way of life. It is a big commitment to get a tattoo and when it involves car parts, it means there is a deep affection.
However, there are some alternate meanings for this tattoo or meanings that are coupled in with the coilover tattoo. Because there are some balancing features of the coilover, the argument can be made that the coilover tattoo also represents the way working on cars balances the person out.
This would give the coilover tattoo dual meanings. In one way, automobiles are your passion, but it also keeps you balanced out.
Not only does it symbolize love and balance, it also represents your ability to devote yourself to something. As all tattoos do, it is a life long decision (in most cases). Not everyone is able to devote themselves to a passion or even make the decision to get a tattoo. Let alone a tattoo that is so specific.
There may even be other meanings for the coilover tattoo but much of it will be up to you. Also let us know if you have any suggestions for meanings on this tattoo.
Coilover Tattoo Variations
The coilover tattoo seems self-explanatory. It is an obvious image and there aren’t many other versions on it. However, we have seen features or images added to the coilover tattoo to add meaning for the person wearing it. Below are a couple versions we have seen.
Coilover Tattoo
The good old-fashioned coilover tattoo. Very simple and effective. There is no question of the message you are trying to send with the basic coilover tattoo. Obviously, adding colors and other shading around the tattoo can make it pop more but for the person in love with the automotive field, this is a solid tattoo to go with.
Ripped Skin Coilover Tattoo
One of the very popular ways to get the coilover tattoo is by having a ripped skin version of this tattoo. In this tattoo, it looks as if the skin is tearing away or being opened and there is a coilover under the skin.
This is a great to represent your love for cars and parts. To say that if you were dissected, you would find car parts in there, is one of the best ways to represent your love. The ripped skin tattoo always boosts the feeling of what you are trying to convey as it is saying that you are made of whatever it is you have the tattoo of.