Evening all,
I'm thinking if making my own coilovers with the rally design kit to experiment with different spring rates as i have a spare set of struts lying in the garage.
I was planning on using the dampers from my existing KW shocks and springs kit (standard length inserts i believe).
My question is... is it worth getting shorter shock inserts or stick with the standard length?? and also i want to keep the ride height i currently have which is 60mm down and also want to know what length springs to get.
cheers,
josh
Not ideal really, one of the main benefits from the coilover conversion is being able to drop the steering arm height to help bump steer. Not only that but struts that have been shortened 25mm still need a 5.5 (w/tender) to even achieve a 60mm drop.
So if you'd put springs from a normal coilover on it, you'd have to have the perch lower on the strut and chances are it'll be bottoming out the damper out before it gets a chances to work. Running them lower will end up blowing them, kw's budget range aren't known for longevity anyway. Then you're getting into the fact the dampers will be out of their ideal working range, meaning even if they aren't bottoming out it'll ride like shit.
My advice would be get some decent shortened dampers (body and stroke) and sell on the kw kit.
I have home made ones on mine. I've cut off the steering arms and re-welded them back on an inch lower down. In hind sight I should have moved them 2 inches!
I used the rally design kit too.
I'm currently using Koni yellow inserts but they are too long really, when you jack the car up the springs are loose. I have attempted to get hold of shorter shocks but any I've found are custom-made jobs and cost more than a set of Gaz coilovers!
Here's a pic from when I made them:
(http://derby.polog40.co.uk/photos/coilovers1.jpg)
sorry i meant to add that i would be lowering the steering arms,
@ phil where is an ideal place to purchase shortened dampers ive noticed you used to sell gaz shortened dampers would these be suitable for diy coilovers??
problem is, normal "shortened dampers" for a mk3 wont do (well they will do but the springs will be loose when jacked up), the shocks I have are already the shortest ones Koni do in their standard range (which are advertised for use only with 60mm or lower lowering springs) but they are still too long for these. The only options I found was to get some shocks modified which plenty of companies do but it's not cheap.
I asked Gaz about sourcing the dampers they use in their Gaz coilovers but they informed me that they are wet-shocks assembled into the strut so you can't just buy inserts.
Why not fit 'helper' springs like you get on all other coilovers to take up the slack when that car is jacked up?
because they'd make the car higher up, these ones dont go all that low which is fine for me. As I said, I shouldve lowered the steering arms more.
I will make another set one day!
Jose, dampers are difficult to source as Hayes has said most use the strut as the tube to keep oil capacity up. Gaz don't even like doing the standard body length inserts. The budget TA coilies are the same, can only assume the same from KW with their lack of response. H&R don't make shocks, their budget lot is farmed out and the coilovers are now Koni monotubes.
I can get Bilstein B8 monotubes inserts custom shortened, they're great dampers but have the price to match (£350). Still cheaper than the £1000+ equivalent from H&R.
To be fair Hayes, if you aren't running that low a shorter spring could gain you more damper travel, you would have to shorten/stiffen the main spring, and chuck on a tender. What are you running at the moment? 7"?
7" at the moment, I didnt see a shorter one on rally design, to be fair I've not done much research on that though. I have another set of struts and some of the steering arms that PPS used to do (possibly still do, I'm not sure?) so I'll make another set with lower arms one day. Without spending about 3 hours with a dremel and a hell of a lot of tiny cutting discs carefully cutting through the welds on the existing steering arms! This time I'll just hack them off.
I did get a price some time ago for a set of bilsteins modified with a shorter body (so I could shorten the actual strut length too), short piston rod and re-valved to increase the damping. I can't remember the exact price but it wasn't a million miles off the price of a full set of gaz coilovers for a pair of front shocks.
Quote from: Phil on November 30, 2012, 10:12:41 AM
I can get Bilstein B8 monotubes inserts custom shortened, they're great dampers but have the price to match (£350). Still cheaper than the £1000+ equivalent from H&R.
I'd be interested in these as a replacement insert for my kw's. Are these available in any spec (within reason)?.
I cant remember off the top of my head the insert length on the originals. I'll have a gander tomorrow.
Quote from: hayesey on November 30, 2012, 10:12:41 AM
I have another set of struts and some of the steering arms that PPS used to do (possibly still do, I'm not sure?) so I'll make another set with lower arms one day. Without spending about 3 hours with a dremel and a hell of a lot of tiny cutting discs carefully cutting through the welds on the existing steering arms! This time I'll just hack them off.
I have thought about making some. One day when I have some spare time i'll have a go. I think making a jig first is the way to go. As regards removing the old tube i reckon slit the tube next to the fillet welds then take a 6mm hard-disk to the weld until very close, flush it down with a new 40 grit flap-disk or sanding disc. punch and hammer should pursuade the tube out. Failing that a hacksaw blade in a handle , like what is used to cut seat posts out of cycle frames.
.. or if your feeling rough, a 9 inch grinder with a slitting disk right through the weld. ;D
That price doesn't include re-valving just body and stroke shortening, the B8s will be good for a decent road going spring rating as is, although I wouldn't put them with any track day springs without re-valving.