Can I get a confirmation of what else, if anything, I need as I assemble the coil over kit?
Is there some sort of bushing/washer that lives on the shaft UNDER the top spring hat that supports it?
All I got was the plastic washer that slides down the shaft and sit on the shock body.
I watched this video and nothing is mentioned or used.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGIrZ1sJVdc
It just seems like there'd be something more so I figured better to ask and be safe than sorry.
Thanks in advance.
Chris
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Tangerine strut tops, you have 2 of the spacers that fit into the mono ball. You might need a spacer to keep the shock from binding against the tower.
hat
Spacer -yours if needed
Chris's spacer
Monoball
Chris's spacer (2)
Then nut
Can't see the top spacer due to the angle but it is there
Stephen,
Right, I'm good on what goes on top of the hat, after it's installed.
I'm wondering if there something that goes on the shaft BEFORE the top hat.
The shaft has a couple steps at the top and the top hat doesn't sit on that shaft in a very convincing way.
Does that make sense?
Bump Stops
Sort of.
You could add a bump stop, that slide down to the lowest step.
Then the spring plate, it just sits down to the point where it hits the next step, then everything else.
If your springs are not long, it will not feel very good, until it is in the car, I zip tie my springs to the hat, and will be running tenders just to make up the difference when in full droop mode.
My car used to sit super low, don't think I would ever hit full droop before something else stopped the movement.
Could always add limiting straps etc....
I will most likely change over to a 12 to 14" spring just to make sure I am father down the sleeve on the coil overs. My old ones where about an 1.5" from the top.
I can go out to the shop and take pictures is that the rebel racing kit? I also have a set of Colemann racing units, I like the hats on them better. No slot to slip over the shaft just a simple drilled hole, leaves you with a bit more of a positive feel.
I hate the CLUNK sound my springs make when they seat themselves back in place.
I need to solve the issue eventually.
OK, I'm not doing a good job of explaining my problem... the one about the shock, that is.
In my case, the top hat shaft hole seems like it's not the correct size.
You can see in the original pic, there are two steps in the shock shaft.
As I slide the hat onto the shaft, it contacts the first step.
I get that the spring is supporting the car but that little lip is taking the load from the shaft and is serving as the clamping location as I tighten the top nut.
I talked with Tony (Cracker) this morning and he patiently listened through my ranting. In the end he said what I think answers my question:
The step in the shaft should be riding up against the lower stepped spacer (that comes with the Tangerine kit) that fits into the spherical bearing.
This would suggest that the hole in my spring hat isn't correct and needs to be opened up to slide past those steps.
Stephen, does your spring hat contact anything on the shaft?
I ask because in your pic, you show no threads coming past the top nut. That's the same thing I was seeing. It could be yours isn't fully assembled but I just wanted to ask.
Here's Tony's car. He's running the same Koni yellows as me. Note all the threads... Something ain't right in my set up.
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You're saying your top hat never hits a stop on the shaft-so it would fall all the way to the damper body if there was no spring?
My Coleman tops are the same. I'll grab a picture for you.
Yeah, they don't have any stops. I think they might be this way to avoid scuffing the damper shaft since the springs are relatively self aligning as they compress.
As an aside-it's kinda nice having an office I can keep car parts under the desk.
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You're welcome.
If you think about it, they don't really have to transfer any load in that direction anyways so it probably doesn't matter how they sit. Erring on the side of caution and having some extra threads stick out doesn't seem like a bad idea though.
These ones I have will be running with a tender spring because I'm not really a fan of having everything move around anyways.
Yes, open up the hole in the tophat to slide freely on the shock shaft.
IMO there should be a steel washer setting on the step of the shock shaft so the aluminum spacer doesn't take all the load against that narrow lip.
In Stephen's picture it looks like he found a way to utilize a cut-down stock bushing sleeve for that purpose.
In the past I've used the steel washers which are embedded in the oem bump rubbers.
Ultimately you want the tophat as close to the spherical bearing as the assembly will allow - without the tophat ever binding against the base of the shock tower - and at the same time having the shock shaft installed as high as possible without hitting the underside of the deck lid.
Thanks Chris Foley. I figured something was in need of a mod.
I have a set of stock shocks and I'll pull them apart to see if maybe I'll go with your steel washer approach.
Thanks to everyone for the help!
Chris
Stephen, if you had bored the id of your sleeve for clearance on the shock shaft below the step, you could have extended the shock further without losing the space between tophat and the shock tower.
OTOH, if the shock never bottoms with the existing arrangement, there's no added benefit.
Here's my (current) final solution assembly:
- open the hole in the spring hat so if slips over the shaft
- remove the rubber from the stock under hat bumper
- spring goes on
- hat goes on
- custom, no rubber stock "washer" goes on (it has a nice step/recess that perfectly fits on the shaft step!)
- custom spacer goes on (spaces the hat down to prevent it from contacting the underside edge of the Tangerine Racing raised tower)
- Tangerine Racing spacer goes on
This slides up into the shock tower, then the spherical bearing and upper Tangerine Racing spacer go on, then the Al cap and nut
I'm going with helper springs (they arrive tomorrow!) and then this part will be done, de, done DONE!
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Chris - Unlike you, I have never called Foley for help...liar, liar, pants on fire!
I'm actually surprised he still answers the phone...from my number!
Tony
If only I could bill you guys for phone consultations the way lawyers do...
And here's the final final, with the helper spring and divider.
OK, OK, it's not final: For you sharper-eyed, the divider is in upside down...
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