How to make rear coil-overs using factory struts, with pics. (Page 11/49)
cptsnoopy JUL 24, 02:14 PM

quote
Originally posted by cptsnoopy:
where is the best deal on 7" adjustable sleeves?

mcaanda pointed me towards coleman racing products. $58.80 plus shipping for two 7" adjustable sleeve kits.

http://www.colemanracing.com/

[This message has been edited by cptsnoopy (edited 07-24-2004).]

Flyguyeddy JUL 24, 03:12 PM
it appears that everyone oughta have one of these on there coilovers so as to avoid having to work there springs back into alignment after you raise the vehicle....

http://www.colemanracing.com/section/index.htp?id=1123

Will JUL 24, 07:19 PM
Unecessary if you do things as I have...

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'87 Fiero GT: Low, Sleek, Fast, and Loud
'90 Pontiac 6000 SE AWD: None of the Above

Luck, Fate and Destiny are words used by those who lack the courage to define their own future

GSXRBOBBY JUL 27, 03:07 PM
?
Will JUL 27, 10:43 PM
The way I did things, when the car's jacked up the springs don't come down far enough to come off the center bushings in the top plates.

------------------
'87 Fiero GT: Low, Sleek, Fast, and Loud
'90 Pontiac 6000 SE AWD: None of the Above

Luck, Fate and Destiny are words used by those who lack the courage to define their own future

cptsnoopy AUG 01, 05:51 AM
I was looking at the pieces that came off the stock strut and I remembered someone mentioning that the rubber bushing in the top plate may not be designed to handle the up and down stresses from the strut rod. I figured that must be why there is a washer on both sides of the top plate. If I put the washers in the same place with my coilover spring installed it looks like it would work ok but will the top of the spring slide to one side or the other? I decided to cut a 1" strip of 16gauge metal and weld it on to retain the top of the spring. This will also make the lower washer stronger. I am using all the stock parts with this one addition and minus the dust boot. This should put the shock bumper at the stock height also. In case the top of the spring is a little lower than it could be, the adjusting sleeve should have plenty of room to handle the difference. This setup is for stock suspension height at this time. I am guessing that if I want to lower the car I will just lower the bottom of the spring.

this is what happens to a perfectly good brand new strut when you don't know what you're doing...
I am posting these pics to show what the inside of a KYB strut looks like. and how thick the tubing wall is.
EDIT: I cut this strut in two after I accidently nicked the strut tube with the dremel cutoff disk. It did not break in two...

[This message has been edited by cptsnoopy (edited 08-01-2004).]

Jake_Dragon AUG 01, 09:48 AM
I would never buff the purch weld all the way off the strut.
Here is what I did on my coil overs
First thing I did was score the weld on the purch side all the way around the strut.
Then I cut the part of the purch that goes around the strut so the large back half could be removed by hitting it with a hammer.
This let the back half of the purch come off the strut and left all the weld on the strut. I then did the same thing to the front of the purch.
Then I took my sleave and slowly ground down the weld till it would slid over the strut, I didnt have to take that much off the weld and you cant see it when the sleave.
I am using Helds kit but the same would apply here.
cptsnoopy AUG 01, 02:27 PM
Not a bad idea. I used a dremel cutoff to carefully cut the perch the first time. Not carefully enough because I cut into the tube about .030". I did not like the look of that. So I figured to chock that one up for expensive training and went to the family shop and used the bench grinder. I ground down most of the weld and perch at the weld and without cutting the perch just tapped with a hammer until the perch cracked all the way around at the thin spot. Then, just used the grinder to carefully remove the excess weld material. I was curious how much tubing wall was left on the bad one so I cut it all the way across. The gas pressure in these struts did not seem to be very much. The tubing wall was a little thicker than I imagined but why risk it? Live and learn I guess. I just wanted to share so hopefully no one else gets to learn this one this way.
Will AUG 01, 04:19 PM

quote
Originally posted by cptsnoopy:

I was looking at the pieces that came off the stock strut and I remembered someone mentioning that the rubber bushing in the top plate may not be designed to handle the up and down stresses from the strut rod.


You're misunderstood what I said. I said that the center bushing is designed to handle ONLY the forces from the strut rod, and NOT the weight of the car. The washers are there so that if the bushing fails the car doesn't lose all damping on that corner. If you look at a stock strut, the spring presses against the top plate, NOT against the center bushing. Any coil over setup needs to copy that design.


quote
I figured that must be why there is a washer on both sides of the top plate. If I put the washers in the same place with my coilover spring installed it looks like it would work ok but will the top of the spring slide to one side or the other?

NO. Look at this picture:

There are ABSOLTUELY NO PROBLEMS doing things this way. The possibility that the spring may move up to 3/16" in any given direction is a COMPLETE NON-ISSUE. IRRELEVANT. The only time the suspension is ever unloaded enough for the spring to come off the plate is when the car's jacked up, but unless you've got the car ridiculously low, there wo NOT be a problem with the spring coming off the center bushing.


quote



This setup will put the entire weight of the car on the center bushing. I do not think that this is wise.

------------------
'87 Fiero GT: Low, Sleek, Fast, and Loud
'90 Pontiac 6000 SE AWD: None of the Above

Luck, Fate and Destiny are words used by those who lack the courage to define their own future

cptsnoopy AUG 01, 05:11 PM
hmmm, is there a .gif for humble, or maybe just stupid? Thanks Will, I get it now. So all I really want is to shave down the large washer enough to support the bumpstop and not touch the spring? I'd throw you another plus if I could...!