Coliovers for dummies (me)

[SUNNY Z]

Ok, so i have the strut housings sectioned, perches welded on, spacers to make the shock tight yada yada.

 

Can someone PLEASE tell me how to stack the bearings/ washers/ strut isolators (rubber?) nut because i'm clueless. The bearings are much bigger ID than the shock rod - do i need a spacer? Is the bearing supposed to be sandwiched between two washers?

 

I'm a total newb to coilovers, so please take it easy on me.

 

These are for a 78 280z for what thats worth.....

 

Thanks

[cockerstar]

Which coilovers are you using?

[brianZortiz]

http://forums.hybridz.org/index.php/topic/105031-gc-coilovers-unanswered-questions/page__p__982788__fromsearch__1#entry982788

 

this is for 240z early 260z. I am guessing it should be the same, and the coilovers are Ground Control.

[SUNNY Z]

http://forums.hybridz.org/index.php/topic/105031-gc-coilovers-unanswered-questions/page__p__982788__fromsearch__1#entry982788

 

this is for 240z early 260z. I am guessing it should be the same, and the coilovers are Ground Control.

 

Thanks. Now WHY don't they just include that handy little drawing with the rest of the S H I T????

 

And yes they are ground control.

Edited March 26, 2012 by SUNNY Z

[SUNNY Z]

SO this is a total skull @#$%.

 

Here's the literature that came from ground control, and the stack corresponding

 

 

Which has the washers on the wrong side according to the post earlier.

 

OR, Do I stack it like the pic above, and find some washers that fit around the strut rod?

 

 

Pulling my hair out here. Any help?

Edited March 27, 2012 by SUNNY Z

[SUNNY Z]

No replies? I guess I'll start bugging vendors then..... Sigh.

[kaito]

Follow the pic that came with the kit. You need to shim it so that it turns freely when the to strut nut is tight. On top of the bearing is fine too, that's how I did mine and it works fine.

[SUNNY Z]

Ok, so now my next question: How do I get that nut tight? There's no way to hold the rod short of vise grips (no bueno), and use an impact?

[thehelix112]

Is this for the stock strut tops? If so, drilling and tapping the D shaped holes worked well for me.

 

Dave

[johnc]

Ok, so now my next question: How do I get that nut tight? There's no way to hold the rod short of vise grips (no bueno), and use an impact?

 

Jesus Christ dude... Grab the shaft with your hand after dropping the spring as far as possible. Then hit it with the impact. That should give you 15 to 20 ft. lbs. Or you can go buy a strap wrench. Or if its a HZ/BZ3099 there are two flats at the top that will fit a thin 16mm open end wrench.

[RebekahsZ]

You need some sleep sunny. Take a couple days off project then come back to it. I went thru this too. Use an air impact wrench and grab the shaft with your hand but with a rag so you don't lose any meat. The nut doesn't have to be that tight. Just snug. I just bought some steel to try to make a wrench thin enough to fit the flats on my tokikos next te I tear down but it seems be doing fine just impact wrench tight. All you need washer wise is for the top seat to rotate on the bearing when the stock insulated is on. Mock it up and if the seat rotates you are good. In the back it doesn't need to rotate but it needs to rest firmly on the big rubber washer that takes the place of the steering bearing that you have up front. The washers are needed because you are using stock mounts-ground controls instructions don't seem to make sense because they assume you will use camber plates. I had custom top seats machined but they really aren't any better than what you have there. Take a break and call me if still fighting with it 256-366-4685 central standard time.

[SUNNY Z]

Jesus Christ dude... Grab the shaft with your hand after dropping the spring as far as possible. Then hit it with the impact. That should give you 15 to 20 ft. lbs. Or you can go buy a strap wrench. Or if its a HZ/BZ3099 there are two flats at the top that will fit a thin 16mm open end wrench.

 

Well that was unnecessary. I don't do this S H I T for a living. I don't know how tight it needs to be.

 

 

You need some sleep sunny. Take a couple days off project then come back to it. I went thru this too. Use an air impact wrench and grab the shaft with your hand but with a rag so you don't lose any meat. The nut doesn't have to be that tight. Just snug. I just bought some steel to try to make a wrench thin enough to fit the flats on my tokikos next te I tear down but it seems be doing fine just impact wrench tight. All you need washer wise is for the top seat to rotate on the bearing when the stock insulated is on. Mock it up and if the seat rotates you are good. In the back it doesn't need to rotate but it needs to rest firmly on the big rubber washer that takes the place of the steering bearing that you have up front. The washers are needed because you are using stock mounts-ground controls instructions don't seem to make sense because they assume you will use camber plates. I had custom top seats machined but they really aren't any better than what you have there. Take a break and call me if still fighting with it 256-366-4685 central standard time.

 

Thanks

[johnc]

I don't know how tight it needs to be.

 

RTFM. Read the ******* manual. Don't just flail around in the garage, get pissed, and then post here. Settle down and do some research. 1,000 guys on HybrdZ have done this and posted how to do it - some even included pictures.

[SUNNY Z]

I'm not even going to give you the jollies of responding to that.

[TheMission]

Much respect to RebekahZ for the response. I'd take that up Sunny. With a little research and some small encouragement, you'll be fine.

[RebekahsZ]

Let's all cool down and stop the swearing. Johnc has been a big help to me-I asked him the very same question about a year ago and he walked me thru it or I would still be fighting my coilovers. He is my go-to when it comes to this stuff but he likes to be brief, kind of like my profs in med school. Sometimes when I am getting bent out of shape on my project I use the pm function to a specific mentor to keep my frustration. I think of the advice I get from my mentors as pearls, but I am also amazed by the intensity and commitment of the younger guys. Let's take a little break then get back to wrenching'.