All front coilover questions

[Sam-Q]

for any questions about choosing front coil-overs post them in this thread only, faults and issues are allowed to be posted as a seperate thread.

[Jonny Rochester]

The front springs I have been running are ID 65mm and 250mm long. The springs become a bit free when on the hoist. I am now thinking of using helper springs (or whatever you call them). Kings only list 2 helper springs in 65mm. Soft and hard. I guess I would get the soft ones plus suitable spacers.

Depending on your tyre, the bottom locknut can get very close to the tyre. For this reason I suspect some people run 200mm springs.

What springs are people running?

[Sam-Q]

I am running 200mm 4.9kg's. What inserts are you using Jonny?

[timbo]

Rough estimate here; 200mm, 7-8kg, 68-70mm I.D. Was told buy a mechanic in the know that they look like TRD items...

[slydar]

for such a light car if given the choice i would always use 200mm or less if possible. when i was buidling coilovers for people i was mostly using 7" (175mm).

try otomoto for the helper springs/spacers. heaps cheaper.

[anastasios]

Anyone had any experience with the Tein or Greddy AE86 kits?

[Jonny Rochester]

My front strut setup is/was:
AE86 strut cut down 40mm in the normal way, coilover kit welded on
Kings 250mm 375lb/" (~7kg/mm) 65mm ID springs
Cusco strut tops
KYB AGX adjustable shocks (from AJPS) on position 1 as they were new (4 positions)
"roll centre adjusters" about 30mm. Maybe Cusco, not sure.

This was awesome. It's worth getting those shocks.
I would have had a ~20mm spacer under the shock.
The only thing is the springs came free a bit on the hoist, to may go to helper springs, and maybe 200mm springs instead also.

(Praying AGX shocks wern't bent in crash, everything else was).

[Frak]

I use an 86 strut cut down 60mm, coilover welded on
380lb/in front springs
revolver top strut mounts
48511-AE031 TRD inserts, 5 way adj, I like setting 3 which is very close to 48511-AE941 Yellows(non adj which I have used before) (save cash buy yellows)
roll centre adjusters 45/50mm (can't remember)

[xero]

Anyone had any experience with the Tein or Greddy AE86 kits?

i have the greddy kit and rate it highly. but it does need swaybars, pandhard rod, 25mm+ RCA and urethane bushings to get the absolute best out of them.
i have a whiteline front adjustable swaybar and cusco 19mm fixed rear swaybar and its fucking excellent! cannot fault the handling at all, it is quite firm (8kg front and 6kg rear) but the adjustable shocks do provide quite a lot of adjustment and can change the handling characteristics quite dramatically (in a good way)..
they arent cheap, nor cheap to get the other stuff but its well worth it in my opinion.

[OriginalRabbit]

I have searched and read many coilover conversion questions. Watched lots of videos on youtube. I would consider myself fairly handy in the garage. There is one thing I've searched and searched and I can't seem to find the answer for.

What is the purpose of the t3 top hat? Is it necessary to buy a top hat? Maybe I'm not understanding since I havent pulled the suspension off to really look at it. Of course I don't want to do so because I'd like to have all the parts instead of just tearing in to it.

Just for record its a 1985 Corolla GTS. I'm building my own setup. I'll be using a short stroke shock, spacer, cuting down the strut tube, Ground Control Coilover setup (outsourced) thanks guy.

[briigo82]

Hey guys,

Im playing with an idea for my ae82 as it needs new front shocks. Ive got the front legs from an ae92 (pretty much the same as the ae92) and I want to see if TRD yellow short stoke AE86 shocks will fit in the tube. Im pretty sure width wise its ok but iIve tried it out with a set of full stroke shock inserts and they are a fraction too long in the body.

Does anyone have a pair of front TRD yellow (or what ever) short stroke shocks that they could measure the body length (from the seal to the bottom of the shock) for me please.

Help greatly appreciated :)

[Matt]

Kyb's are cheap man and a good shock... personally i'd just buy new ones to suit your ae82... email sales@gslrallysport.com for a price. You'd be surprised at how cheap they are especially if you mention you are from ae86dc.

Can you still buy TRD yellows new?

[briigo82]

Ive got the KYB's in atm, I replaced them when I bought the car 5 yrs ago, they're flogged out now. I want to try this because Ive found a cheap pair of TRD yellows, and theyre probably a more performance shock than the KYB.

[OriginalRabbit]

Ive got the KYB's in atm, I replaced them when I bought the car 5 yrs ago, they're flogged out now. I want to try this because Ive found a cheap pair of TRD yellows, and theyre probably a more performance shock than the KYB.

Are they short stroke shocks?

[jay70]

the trd inserts everyone uses for the front are ae92 ones aren't they?

[OriginalRabbit]

Ive been reading where a lot of people use sw20 kyb shocks. I see some people say they use the front ones some say rear.

What is it? Do I use sw20 rear shocks for my front coilovers?

[briigo82]

Are they short stroke shocks?

Nope ;)

[anastasios]

Hey guys,

Would like to hear some thoughts on my front AE86 coilover strut setup before I take it from the ke70 and put into the ae71.

At the moment the strut fits a 332mm KYB ST185 Excel G shock part number 365077, with no spacer at the bottom.

I would like to run TRD blue 48511-AE031 with a 20mm bottom spacer.

Does anyone know or can measure a TRD blue shock to tell me the cartridge length?

Is it bad to be running such a short shock with no spacer in the bottom?

[marvis]

This should help you.

http://www.trdparts.jp/english/list_shock-cartridge.html

[marvis]

Ive been reading where a lot of people use sw20 kyb shocks. I see some people say they use the front ones some say rear.

What is it? Do I use sw20 rear shocks for my front coilovers?


The front ones are slighty longer. Rears are shorter and stiffer.

I'd recommend the rears.

[anastasios]

This should help you.

http://www.trdparts.jp/english/list_shock-cartridge.html

wow thanks, never seen that section!

what are your thoughts of running no spacer at the bottom?

[marvis]

If the strut casing has been cut 60mm it's no problem, usually for lower cars then normal though. I have done this previously.

[anastasios]

So apparently a few people do run ae86 strut cut 60mm like my current setup.

Now when looking to install my cusco camber plates, I have a feeling my upper hat is not right.

I have a Ground Control weld on sleeve with collar, AJPS 8kg spring and shock as mentioned above.

http://www.ae86drivingclub.com.au/dcimages/2/7/5/522891.jpg (http://s11.photobucket.com/user/anastasios/media/20131222_090151_zps2441d065.jpg.html)

Top of shock

http://www.ae86drivingclub.com.au/dcimages/2/7/5/522892.jpg (http://s11.photobucket.com/user/anastasios/media/20131222_090224_zpsde5dc284.jpg.html)

Upper hat, is it meant to move up and down the shaft?

http://www.ae86drivingclub.com.au/dcimages/2/7/5/522893.jpg (http://s11.photobucket.com/user/anastasios/media/20131222_090726_zps7f75ad63.jpg.html)


which looks different to the current Ground control upper hat

http://www.ground-control-store.com/images/fullsize/8030_fs.jpg

spacer provided with camber top

http://www.ae86drivingclub.com.au/dcimages/2/7/5/522894.jpg (http://s11.photobucket.com/user/anastasios/media/20131222_090753_zps27ffcefa.jpg.html)

however when i put the camber top on there is about 4mm of play where the camber top can move up and down

http://www.ae86drivingclub.com.au/dcimages/2/7/5/522895.jpg

Now if i use this spacer which i was using with oem strut tops I am able to tighten the top and not have play.

http://www.ae86drivingclub.com.au/dcimages/2/7/5/522896.jpg

Is there any better way to do this?

[marvis]

The top hat shouldn't move up and down the shaft. Ya fucked it.

[anastasios]

Spoke with mca and he said its fine.

[drift kid]

Yeah the upper spring perch is fine to move up/down but the camber top should be bolted solid on the strut so as to let the spherical bearing do the pivotal movements

[anastasios]

if I have the spring captive it will only move down the shaft on full droop

[drift kid]

Exactly, you could introduce a small helper spring to make sure it is allways captive if you'd like also

[AJPS]

The top hat shouldn't move up and down the shaft. Ya fucked it.

nah, that is fine marv

[marvis]

Not best practice though? I've never seen them like that.

[drift kid]

I have never had a problem with them setup this way, can't see why it would be bad practice

[assassin10000]

Needs a sleeve in the bearing so bearing is fully captured.

Top hat can have play on shaft up/down, once loaded it will be ok. Or run the thicker spacer if your worried about it.

Andrew