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| Does flipping over the strut top mounting plate change the Fiero's rear height? (Page 4/6) |
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lateFormula
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NOV 28, 10:31 AM
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| quote | Originally posted by Steven Snyder:
Does any shock available for a Fiero even have position-sensitive damping? I seriously doubt it... |
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Monroe SENSA-tracs??? Monroe claims that this line of shocks + struts have position sensitive damping.
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theogre
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NOV 28, 11:21 AM
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| quote | Originally posted by Steven Snyder:
Does any shock available for a Fiero even have position-sensitive damping? I seriously doubt it... |
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Yes.
| quote | MONROE Sensa-Trac SHOCKS & STRUTS:
Unique Groove Tube - PSD
Precision tapered grooves in the pressure tube perform like an additional stage of valving for optimum ride tuning. |
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Source: Monroe Web site
and Monroe's Technical Support Shock Absorbers
Maybe some others uses this plan and Monroe makes them for other brands, like NAPA...
Edit to add
Gabriel's "G-Force technology" for 84-87 front and rear, 88 rear only[This message has been edited by theogre (edited 07-21-2014).]
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ag9123
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JUN 15, 01:38 PM
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Mind if I revisit this one? 
In the pic at the top of the post, I would say that the strut with the flipped hat would lower the ride height.
That's what the picture clearly shows. The distance from the upper mount to the knuckle is less, hence a shorter "installed" length.
The only other variable I see would be that the flipped hat would cause more spring preload when assembled.
Would that extra preload negate the lower ride height of the flipped hat?------------------
1984 Indy Fiero
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Blacktree
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JUN 15, 06:37 PM
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The photo can be misleading, because your car doesn't drive around with the springs uncompressed.
The weight of the car will compress the spring to a certain height. The preload from the spring perch doesn't affect the spring rate of the spring. So the spring will still compress to the same height, no matter which orientation you install the spring perch.
So for example, let's say your rear springs compress to 8" with the weight of the car on them (this is just a rough guess). With the weight off them, maybe it's 11". And maybe flipping the strut hats changes it to 10.5". That's OK, because the springs will still compress to 8" with the weight of the car on them.
The actual benefit from the spring perch flip is to get the strut piston back in the "sweet spot" after lowering the suspension.[This message has been edited by Blacktree (edited 06-15-2016).]
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Patrick
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JUN 15, 08:50 PM
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Patrick
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JUN 16, 09:26 PM
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| quote | Originally posted by Patrick:
...my '88 Formula that hasn't had the top plate flipped over. If you have a good eye you'll notice that if the top plate was flipped over, the "knob" would hit the flat edge of the grill. A little trimming of this area would be required.
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And just for the heck of it, that image can now be compared to this one taken 2 1/2 years later... with the top plate flipped. Notice how the grill has had to be trimmed.
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ag9123
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JUN 17, 04:21 PM
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And now for the question we've all been waiting for! Did the ride height change at all or remain the same?
In other words, did the increased preload compensate for the shorter installed height?
I understand the original purpose, to move the strut piston closer to the "sweet spot" in the travel.
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1984 Indy Fiero[This message has been edited by ag9123 (edited 06-17-2016).]
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Patrick
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JUN 17, 05:43 PM
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| quote | Originally posted by ag9123:
And now for the question we've all been waiting for! Did the ride height change at all or remain the same?
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Yes, the ride height changed... because rear lowering springs were also installed. 
| quote | Originally posted by ag9123:
...did the increased preload compensate for the shorter installed height?
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As has been previously mentioned (in a variety of ways), the "increased preload" on the springs has no bearing once the struts are installed. The weight of the car compresses the springs well beyond that "preload" position. So for example (and I'm picking numbers out of the air here), if the weight of the car compresses 15" springs down to 10", it doesn't matter if the top mounting plates were restricting/compressing the length of the springs to 14" or 13" or 12". That "preload" on the springs of the uninstalled struts is completely overcome (and nullified) once the weight of the car has compressed the springs more than what the top mounting plates alone were doing.[This message has been edited by Patrick (edited 06-17-2016).]
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pmbrunelle
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JAN 29, 12:41 AM
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When flipping the strut plate, the bottom surface of the bumpstop moves up as well.
Does this create the potential for the tire to hit/rub the plastic wheelwell liner, or perhaps other issues? 84-87 toe-link hitting the frame rail? My Fiero is covered in snow; can't look now.
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Patrick
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JAN 29, 01:31 AM
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One of my favorite threads from way back. Sorry, I don't have a definitive answer to the most recent question. 
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