jmai86 Posted January 10, 2010 Share Posted January 10, 2010 Just wanted to share my s13 coilover install into my 71. This is a beautiful and easy setup for the Z. it allows for height range of a nice 1.5"-2" drop to on-the-ground low. All while maintaining maximum shock travel and comfort. I'll have pictures up soon, but for now here's cliffs on what I did: - bought cheap e-motor s13 full coilovers for 400. - bought 2 extra front perches for 100 (e-motor rear perches are aluminum, no good. just use 4 front perches for all corners). - removed strut/hub assemblies - chopped off strut tubes, left about 1" of tube. if you have dead shocks, you don't even have to remove the shocks! saw-zall! - press on s13 coil perches onto 1" of strut tube (PERFECT fit. 2" ID on the perches, 2" OD on the Z strut tubes! - weld the perches for redundancy - re-assemble, using stock Z top hats -adjust ride height. Easy, effective, modern coilover option for $500. Other s13 coilover brands may have different perch ID sizing, I don't know. Other brands may have steel perches all around too. Just take some measurements Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RB26powered74zcar Posted January 10, 2010 Share Posted January 10, 2010 Yep... got to see this in pictures! Sounds awesome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turboHLS30 Posted January 10, 2010 Share Posted January 10, 2010 Sounds cheap and easy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rturbo 930 Posted January 10, 2010 Share Posted January 10, 2010 Absolutely need a write-up with pics for this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffer949 Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 I really need some pictures of this!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xylemer Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 Subscribed..... I have really been thinking about doing the same thing. I know it is not an option for everybody, but this maybe what I need to see to help make my decision. Please post some pics! Thanks, -Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffer949 Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 Ya last night i started looking at s13 coilovers and honestly i cant believe no one has done this to my knowledge it looks pretty straight forward Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kris.Is.Awesome Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 Here's just a generic S13 setup- Did you cut the 'ears' off of the fronts, or leave them there? What did you do with the rear mounting points? Just let them 'chill' inside the strut tubes? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr jdm Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 Kris, the bottom part of those coilovers, that bolt to the hub, and the subframe. They are threaded. What I think he did was just unscrew them off, then he installed them like you would diy ground control coilovers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reintr0ducing Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 i was just about to attempt something like this... i was thinking of welding on the serialnine weld on strut tubes and then just threading on a set of coilovers, but those things are expensive ($260/pair). http://www.serialnine.com/index.php?cPath=104 your way is MUCH cheaper. lol. good thing i don't have to be the guinea pig. lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kris.Is.Awesome Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 Kris, the bottom part of those coilovers, that bolt to the hub, and the subframe. They are threaded. What I think he did was just unscrew them off, then he installed them like you would diy ground control coilovers. So he removed the threaded sleeve? Turning his what should be preload adjustment into his ride-height adjustment. That's a no-no in my book- especially if he just welded the threaded section onto the strut housing. Yeah- it'd work. But I would think they'd be aluminum, and if not welding to an actual strut/shock wouldn't be too friendly on the guts. Maybe I'm misunderstanding something here. Now the Serial Nine weld-on tube is awesome, and would make it possible to use just about any coilover with the S30, so long as it's a 2" piece, with the same thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NismoZ Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 I think he needs to post some pics... i would like to see this $500 dollar setup.Also would like to know how it rides. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr jdm Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 Someone will explain it better. He can still adjust his ride height without preload adjustment, just instead of spinning the sleeve with the ears, you have to spin the whole hub to the desired height, then you bolt up the coilover. Theres a pic to explain what he did, (arizona z car pic) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NismoZ Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 He can still adjust his ride height without preload adjustment, just instead of spinning the sleeve with the ears, you have to spin the whole hub to the desired height, then you bolt up the coilover. ^This is correct... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmai86 Posted January 11, 2010 Author Share Posted January 11, 2010 Unfortunately, I did not take pictures during the install. It is however _very_ straightforward. I'm setting ride height today so I'll post pictures of the setup tonight. And the coilovers I bought are only height adjustable, not damper adjustable. To raise/lower I simply loosen the top nut, and spin the shock body by hand. You don't have to unbolt anything else or spin the hub to raise/lower. Preload is adjustable as normal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reintr0ducing Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 Unfortunately, I did not take pictures during the install. It is however _very_ straightforward. I'm setting ride height today so I'll post pictures of the setup tonight. And the coilovers I bought are only height adjustable, not damper adjustable. To raise/lower I simply loosen the top nut, and spin the shock body by hand. You don't have to unbolt anything else or spin the hub to raise/lower. Preload is adjustable as normal. where did you get the perches from? would these work? http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Weld-On-Steel-Perches-for-Adjustable-Coilover-Assembly_W0QQitemZ380180978170QQcmdZViewItemQQptZMotors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories?hash=item58848d59fa#ht_693wt_1068 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kris.Is.Awesome Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 Someone will explain it better. He can still adjust his ride height without preload adjustment, just instead of spinning the sleeve with the ears, you have to spin the whole hub to the desired height, then you bolt up the coilover. Theres a pic to explain what he did, (arizona z car pic) I believe you're wrong. He removed the threaded sleeve that the actual shock body threads into- making the collars that actually touch the spring control the ride height. The ride height is adjusted by rotating the shock body, making the preload independent from ride height. Unfortunately, I did not take pictures during the install. It is however _very_ straightforward. I'm setting ride height today so I'll post pictures of the setup tonight. And the coilovers I bought are only height adjustable, not damper adjustable. To raise/lower I simply loosen the top nut, and spin the shock body by hand. You don't have to unbolt anything else or spin the hub to raise/lower. Preload is adjustable as normal. Typical S13 coilovers have height, and spring preload adjustment, as seen in the photo above, and even in the Arizona setup. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MREDDLE Posted January 12, 2010 Share Posted January 12, 2010 Sub For pictures!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr jdm Posted January 12, 2010 Share Posted January 12, 2010 I think we meant the same thing, I'm just bad at explaining these kind of things. I hope jmai post pics of his setup though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rimal310 Posted January 12, 2010 Share Posted January 12, 2010 i was just about to attempt something like this... i was thinking of welding on the serialnine weld on strut tubes and then just threading on a set of coilovers, but those things are expensive ($260/pair). http://www.serialnine.com/index.php?cPath=104 your way is MUCH cheaper. lol. good thing i don't have to be the guinea pig. lol. wait, so does that mean you don't need the rear strut tube anymore? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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