Weld on coilover strut questions

[dogan]

Hey guys, I'm about to start cutting my struts to convert them to coilovers. but I've got some questions before i start butchering things!

I've got celica st185 agx shocks that are going to be used in my ae86 struts.
Because the body length of the celica shock is 332mm and the standard ae86 shocks body length is 402mm, a difference of 70mm. If I cut 40 mm off the casing Il need to place a 30mm spacer in the bottom of the strut? Is that right?

What can be used to make a spacer?
Also where abouts do I weld the coilover sleeve?

I have searched and in most of the threads I've read there are people who have used the spacer ontop of the shock and others put the spacer underneath. Why do people do them ontop or beneath?

[Sam-Q]

are you sure it's not 60mm difference?

How much gap are you going to have from the top of your tyre to the adge of the gaurd? or ground to sub-frame behind the front wheel?

Weld the collar on so it's just off the very end of the strut

[ke_70]

the only thread you need.

http://www.hachiroku.com.au/forums/viewtopic.php?t=4197

[dogan]

Doesnt the amount i cut depend on the difference in the length of the 2 shocks bodies? standard being 402mm, celica agx being 332mm. 402-332=70?
From what ive read, once 40mm is cut, the gap between the guard and the tyre will be 40mm less? that leaves a small gap between the tyre and the guard if any gap at all.

should the spacer be a snug fit to the edge of the strut? or should it fill the inner middle bit?


thanks for that thread!

[Skylar]

Think about it this way, the amount you cut from the strut tube has nothing to do with the lowering of your car. That's determined by where you weld the adjustable sleeve to the struts and where you set the spring perches and the height of the springs.

Are you measuring down the middle of the struts? You know there's a taper down there right? Maybe that's why you have the 10mm extra on top of the 60mm everyone's saying is the difference.

Now, the cartridge sits on the taper at the bottom of the strut. Maybe that's what your spacer should look like? If you were really picky you'd make the cartridge sit on all the lower surfaces being the outside, the inside and the raised ring. I just used a bit of tube on the outside to space my AGX's.

[H8CHIR6KU]

reading that thread he used ra60 struts. i have some of them. does anyone know where i can buy those sleeve kits for the ra60 struts

[Sam-Q]

Think about it this way, the amount you cut from the strut tube has nothing to do with the lowering of your car. That's determined by where you weld the adjustable sleeve to the struts and where you set the spring perches and the height of the springs.



thats completely wrong, if this then we wouldn't have to bother with shorter body lengths on our inserts. I worked out that the body length should be shortened 2/3 of the distance that the car is lowered from the original height- not the stock sagged height. This is so the valve body inside the damper is in the middle where it works at an ideal and even rate in both directions. When the valve body goes up one end it is meant to become less linear in response and become harder, or so some companies claim. Can also keep springs captive but this is a bonus only as it can be achieved with helper springs alone.



H8CHIR6KU: RA60 struts as far as I know are just a 51mm diameter like all other toyota, well except ke70. Wtach out of geometery issues with the ra60 struts, PM me for more on that.

[dogan]

I'll chuck the shocks in and measure it tonight.
If the spacer sits on the outer bit like yours is skylar, does it have to be minus the tapered bit in length?

[ke_70]

as long as the shock tightens down you should be right.

[Skylar]

thats completely wrong, if this then we wouldn't have to bother with shorter body lengths on our inserts. I worked out that the body length should be shortened 2/3 of the distance that the car is lowered from the original height- not the stock sagged height. This is so the valve body inside the damper is in the middle where it works at an ideal and even rate in both directions. When the valve body goes up one end it is meant to become less linear in response and become harder, or so some companies claim. Can also keep springs captive but this is a bonus only as it can be achieved with helper springs alone.



Dogan said this:
"From what ive read, once 40mm is cut, the gap between the guard and the tyre will be 40mm less? that leaves a small gap between the tyre and the guard if any gap at all."

What I said was in regards to that. All I'm sayin' is that cutting the strut by X doesn't lower the car by X. You can lower the car by cutting the spring perches off and weld them back on lower down the strut, you haven't cut any of the strut but the car is lower. You could run 18" tall springs with the height adjustment wound all the way up while cutting 60mm out of the strut. Car doesn't get lower(assuming shock shaft had the length.)

People cut 40mm then run a spacer(s) to locate the piston where they want it in the cartridge. Say, car with 8kg springs, 40mm cut, the piston's about middle of stroke/about 1" either way from middle depending on where the sleeve is adjusted to at the time, would it really matter for 95% of people here not having the piston spot on in the middle cartridge? Most people would be happy enough that the car handles better than before.

[dogan]

Yep turned out to be around 60mm :)

So Sam, if i was aiming to lower the car by, lets say, 50mm? the ideal length to cut the struts would be around 32mm? plus a 28mm spacer?

[Sam-Q]

skylar: I see, you where only talking about one aspect where as I read it such that you where saying that was all that was relevant, miscommunication.

dogan: 50mm lower than what it is now? because your car would probably already about 30mm lower than stock from sag. I really suggest you just chop the complete 60mm out. This will suit a car that has the edge of the gaurds level with the tops of the tyres.

[marvis]

Man up, cut 60mm, no spacer and run the sleeve around 1-2cm from the top.

[dogan]

Best advice ever, that's all that i needed to hear haha

[blair]

i have what you have.

i have 40mm cut and a ~40mm spacer in the TOP.

it works well.

[ke_70]

whats the point of that? wont that bottem out easy?

[Sam-Q]

I completely agree with Marvis, for once the lazy option is the best one

[blair]

whats the point of that? wont that bottem out easy?

Not even close! i run 9kg and rails are <80mm...

i had a spacer in the bottom perviously and blew a few pairs of shocks so thought i'd get it in a better stroke range...

I didnt make the struts so can only work with what i got.

Yes if i were to make them i would probably just do full cut... but depending on free hieght of springs it may be hard to get it high enough for roady...