Coilover strut length

[timbo]

Blokes,

I am looking at a pair of bare AE86 struts already converted to coilovers using a steel sleeve. My theory is that it will be all-round cheaper to buy these and use the Tokico HTS adjustable inserts, camber plates, brakes I already have on the car than buying a whole coilover setup. This would leave me with a spare unmolested pair of struts and TRD springs and I would only need to buy coilover springs and tophats.

My dilemma is the overall height of the coilover strut is 365mm from the top of the bare strut to where the LCA mounts on. Does this sound about right? I'm trying to work out how much would have been cut from them to determine whether they will need a spacer for the insert. I have tried to find out the uncut length of a AE86 strut with no luck... From what I have read the majority of people cut out 40mm and use a 20mm spacer and this seems to be the most appropriate setup.

Thanks in advance,

Timbo

[Sam-Q]

how much gap do you want between your tyre and the guard when the car is on level ground- ie: how low will it end up being?

[blair]

Just went and checked for you bro :)

mine are 390mm from top of strut to where lca/rca mounts. I have a 25mmish spacer for ae92 trd yellows.

So i'd say @ 365, they were cut to not run a spacer at all. (60mm cut)

Only real world reason i can see for running spacer is to make sure it doesnt TOP out (if your car is super high) (when the spacer is in the BOTTOM - when its in the top like i am doing with my new agx's it acts exactly the same as full cut apart from loosing the bottom 20mm or so of stroke, which if i need to use with my 8/9kg springs i have bigger things to worry about!!) Or if you wanna be able to rais it up a fair whack.

[ke70dave]

mine run the same shocks as blair (i gave him a spare that was in mine) but mine have no spacers at all. so they are 335mm.

so mine sound like the same as what you are lookin at timbo. seems to work fine, plenty of droop and plenty of compression.

[kaibeecee]

365mm sounds about normal. TRD blue would be OK.

HTS are short tho. are they 102r's tim?

[Anthony]

Yeah TRD blue or yellows will work fine with that. Its a bit on the short side for a casing but will be OK if youre setting your car up pretty low. Even AGX body length is 338mm so that might just drop in as well.

[timbo]

geeze thanks for all the replies guys!

thanks for checking blair, haven't has a chance to check mine!

pete, im not exactly sure what model the shocks are, i'm going to have to pull them out prior to make sure i can use them.

sam, dave and anthony, as for ride height, fkn slammed pretty much. the car is rough enough as it is (speedbumps pot holes etc) so super low doesn't worry me too much.

[Sam-Q]

if it's slammed then you should run 60mm shorter stroke inserts with no spacers

[timbo]

well i bought some coilovers. the inserts are 5 way adjustable with white writing on red. are these trd? and the springs are teal with andodised blue top hats. sorry i can't get photos, i need to borrow a family members camera...

[timbo]

well i found one laying around on the coffe table here at the folks.... here it goes:

http://www.ae86drivingclub.com.au/dcimages/3/1/1/3/59897.jpg

http://www.ae86drivingclub.com.au/dcimages/3/1/1/3/59898.jpg

http://www.ae86drivingclub.com.au/dcimages/3/1/1/3/59899.jpg