Setting up your coilover this way??

[xpinoyxmk]

Has anyone seen the MCA DIY on setting the coilover the "correct" way?

Heres the link:

http://mcablog.com/?p=409

It seems like everything said in the DIY makes perfect sense but the fact that they used the spring seats to lower the car just doesn't sit right with me.

Just acquired some new D1 D-max's and set them up the normal way I was taught.

What are your thoughts?

[az_240]

I was always told to preload the coil spring about 1/8 to 1/4" so that leaves out drooping the spring/lowering by spring seat. I've wondered about this though since that leaves very little "droop travel" for when the weight is lifted/shifted from the shock... like when you see herrafrush guys 3 wheeling into their driveway.

For drifting where spring rates are generally higher maybe it doesn't matter as much but I know for something like rally it would make a difference in grip.

[Def]

They are right, what you read on Zilvia is wrong.

Most shocks tend to work better in the middle of their stroke range due to a variety of factors.

[slideslidegnarslide]

i would just do what ever the company recommends. my fortune autos specifically said to be sure to run spring preload especially in the front or the coils will not function properly.

[xpinoyxmk]

Originally Posted by Def

They are right, what you read on Zilvia is wrong.

Most shocks tend to work better in the middle of their stroke range due to a variety of factors.

Do you have any evidence to back this up?

Its not that I don't believe you, just that I would like to see some proof.

Was debating on setting my coilover up like this when I drop my 180sx to the floor.

[Sleepy_Steve]

Originally Posted by Def

They are right, what you read on Zilvia is wrong.

Most shocks tend to work better in the middle of their stroke range due to a variety of factors.

This, asked some koni reps / enginerds about it a while back at some event and they said the same.

Anyways, I noticed improvements in the handing (read lap-time) on my front end when I just dropped the spring perch down an inch on each side to make the shock work in a more desirable area of it's stroke, then I added a couple more inches to one side in an attempt to improve corner-weights.

[5280VertDET]

The following DIY will go through how to find the correct position for your base (bottom mount) on your aftermarket shockabsorbers. It is unfortunately commonly thought that the base is for adjusting the car’s height, however that is very wrong. Hopefully after reading this you will understand the proper use for an adjustable base.

Isn't also used for this? I understand that this write up is for the best position for performance, but it is used for height adjustment too; right?

This is an awesome DIY too!

[Def]

Originally Posted by xpinoyxmk

Do you have any evidence to back this up?

Its not that I don't believe you, just that I would like to see some proof.

Was debating on setting my coilover up like this when I drop my 180sx to the floor.

If you're "dropping your 180sx to the floor" who really cares if your damper is working a bit better?

And if you want evidence or "proof," look for yourself. I hate having to write a research paper for every post I make on Zilvia because the real info goes against the popular "community groupthink."

Either take it for what it is and do your own reading, or keep doing stupid stuff because you want to be spoonfed every bit of info.

[xpinoyxmk]

Originally Posted by Def

If you're "dropping your 180sx to the floor" who really cares if your damper is working a bit better?

And if you want evidence or "proof," look for yourself. I hate having to write a research paper for every post I make on Zilvia because the real info goes against the popular "community groupthink."

Either take it for what it is and do your own reading, or keep doing stupid stuff because you want to be spoonfed every bit of info.

Because I don't want my car sliding into a wall, want all the bits of grip/handling I can get. When I said I would be dropping it to the floor, thats with the proper suspension setup/geometry.

Don't usually post here and when I do, its because I've researched and couldn't find anything. Maybe its cause I'm searching for the wrong stuff, I don't know, thats why I posted on here to get some information.

I don't give a shit about the "community groupthink" anymore. I only come on these forums to learn/research stuff.

[az_240]

Originally Posted by xpinoyxmk

When I said I would be dropping it to the floor, thats with the proper suspension setup/geometry.

This does not exist without extensive body work.

[xpinoyxmk]

Originally Posted by az_240

This does not exist without extensive body work.

Ok, maybe not that low lol

[jr_ss]

Originally Posted by xpinoyxmk

Ok, maybe not that low lol

Just look into what MCA does with their car and that's all the proof you need. They are a legit company with a very fast car.

[Nick@Fortune-Auto]

I was asked to post in this thread. We recommend that our customers set spring pre-load to 1/8 of an inch or 1/4 inch on McPherson applications. The main reason for our recommendation is noise, spring bind, and avoiding over stroking of the shock. We have also found that running our radial bearing mount without any pre-load is not as effective at keeping spring bind and noise down. Furthermore if there is no pre-load set on the spring it WILL make noise when going over uneven pavement and undulations.

Now all the being said, I would like to address what MCA claims about the advantages using the spring perch to lower the vehicle. Having both droop and bump travel has advantages on performance and actual longevity on the shaft seal of a shock absorber. But ITS NOT THAT SIMPLE! However this must all be done in moderation. Unfortunately on a mono-tube shock absorber, if you over lower the car with the spring perch your risk 1. hitting bump stops and 2. Over stroking the shock and making the piston crash into the floating divider piston that holds all the nitrogen. If the shock over strokes hard enough the floating divider piston can un-seat and then nitrogen will aireate into the damper. This will make the shock cavitate, feel squishy and overall have a "blown shock" feeling. This can be very easy to do on chassis that have short stroke shocks like a brand new WRX or the rear of a S13 for example. This is not an issue on twin tube shocks since there is no floating divider piston. This is how so many European shock manufacturers such as KW get away with lowering car via the spring perch. However mono-tube shocks are a whole different story.

If you really want the added performance and ride quality from added droop and bump travel. I would recommend running tender or assist springs. Here are the following reasons why you should run assist springs on a mono-tube shock: 1. They are "dummy proof". 2. Its hard to over stroke most shocks with assist springs. 3. The springs will have less bind on McPherson applications such as the S-Chassis. 4. The springs overall will make less noise on un-even pavement conditions.

At the end of the day, this is why we recommend spring pre-load. In short, its dummy proof in a way and prevents people from damaging their shocks. It also cuts down on spring bind and noises. Can you lower the spring perch to get added droop and bump travel? Absolutely!! Just be smart about it! For most long mono-tube shocks that have plenty of stroke (4-7 inches), I would not add more then .75 - 1 inch of droop and bump travel. For short stroke shocks (2-4 inches), I would recommend not adding any more then .25 to .5 inches of droop and bump travel.

If you have Fortune Auto shocks and want to run added droop and bump travel. I recommend the following:

Fortune Auto equipped S13: Front: Swift Tender springs (No preload) Rear: Lower spring perch no more then .3 inches.
Fortune Auto equipped S14/15: Front & Rear: Swift Tender springs (No preload)

The reason why we do not recommend a tender spring on the rear of a S13 is because the shock is physically small. So there are only 3.6 inches of total stroke and (2.8 inches of usable stroke with bump stop). If the shock over strokes it will easily be damaged. We do not warranty over stroked shocks!

[Fuego]

Do you have MCAs? If you tell them what you're doing with the car, they'll ship it with the optimal settings for you. Being as successful as they are I wouldn't fiddle with it too much.