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Need more advice on coilovers.


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I apologize if this question is redundant but I don't have time to search all of the archives as I am at work and don't have a computer at home but I wanted to put coilovers on my 77 with Tokiko Illumina adjustable dampeners and urethane bushings, now I plan on lowering the car only about an inch but the shop that I will probably have do it strongly recommends a 2 inch sectioning in case I ever decide to lower it I have the travel avalable, my question is if I only lower the car 1 inch will 2 inches of sectioning leave me with not enough extention? This will be a total street machine with other suspension mods down the road(sway bar kit/ strut tower braces maybe adjustable control arms) and in a couple of yrs. a chev. V-8 conversion any more advice before I decide what to do would be greatly appreciated :D

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You will find people who susbcribe to this and those who don't. I don't. I think sectioning the strut assembly is a serious issue and I'm working on something that will eliminate this very thing right now. My reasons are this: The Z struts are designed and valved for the Z. People use VW Rabbit and MR2 strut inserts that weren't designed for the weight and suspension of the Zcar. My top hat design will do away with the current isolator and allow you to gain about an additional inch of strut cartridge stroke, allowing you to lower the car two plus incehs without losing the dampening.

 

Stay tuned...

 

Mike :D

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Guest silverbullet

I also had wondered about the internals of the cartridges that were from another car, if I have to I can stretch my repairs out for another 3 or 4 months but I have to get something on the car by fall as it is getting dangerous to drive, any ballpark ETA on your solution Mike?

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You will find people who susbcribe to this and those who don't. I don't. I think sectioning the strut assembly is a serious issue and I'm working on something that will eliminate this very thing right now. My reasons are this: The Z struts are designed and valved for the Z. People use VW Rabbit and MR2 strut inserts that weren't designed for the weight and suspension of the Zcar. My top hat design will do away with the current isolator and allow you to gain about an additional inch of strut cartridge stroke' date=' allowing you to lower the car two plus incehs without losing the dampening.

 

Stay tuned...

 

Mike :D[/quote']

 

looking very forward to this. if it works out, i'm sure i will be one of the many to purchase it.

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I just found out !

Or, would you perfer that I pretend not to know until you suprise me. :D

 

Sounds go to me .

 

Hey, just food for thought.

I only have about 1.5 inches of front shock travel with stock strut housing and uncut after market springs(Motorsport, and I DO NOT RECOMMEND them)(they are to soft).

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Guest Zed Nugent

Oh no , I was just about to order coilovers, pull and cut my struts.

But this sounds intresting , too many decisions........

Keep us posted on yer progress pleeze............

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Hey! Wait a minute there Carrow. There is more than one Doug on this board. He must have been talking about my zed! :D

 

Mike, Are you doing front and rear? Can you use them without coil overs?

How much? Will they have sperical bearings?

 

 

Doug.....las

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  • 5 months later...
You will find people who susbcribe to this and those who don't. I don't. I think sectioning the strut assembly is a serious issue and I'm working on something that will eliminate this very thing right now. My reasons are this: The Z struts are designed and valved for the Z. People use VW Rabbit and MR2 strut inserts that weren't designed for the weight and suspension of the Zcar. My top hat design will do away with the current isolator and allow you to gain about an additional inch of strut cartridge stroke' date=' allowing you to lower the car two plus incehs without losing the dampening.

 

Stay tuned...

 

Mike :D[/quote']

 

Mike,

Did you ever get anywhere with this. I am going to the welder today for my struts so I can get my coil overs on. I am very interested in getting that nice low stance with out cutting the strut tube and using another cars insert. I am going with a 1.5 to 2 inch drop for now, but may want more later. Let me know. Thanks. :D

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Guys, if you use a camber plate then you'll drop the height considerably without sectioning the struts. The rubber insulator at the top of the strut is really tall. I think if I remember properly my Ground Control "road race" camber plates dropped the car 1 to 1.5 inches by themselves. Then you have the threaded sleeve to adjust height on top of that, and apparently you can go about 2 inches from there before you need to consider sectioning the struts, according to the prevailing wisdom.

 

I agree with the shop in the original post that you should get a shorter insert, just in case you decide to go lower at a later date. You then would not need to purchase new struts, just section and reinstall the inserts minus the spacers.

 

I honestly do not know about the valving on the struts being different for different cars. I know that Tokico Illuminas are thought to be good to about 275 in/lb springs, any stiffer than that and you need Konis or better.

 

Jon

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