Coil Over assembly..., I just gotta be sure Options

[tygaboy]

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

[ChrisFoley]

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.

[914forme]

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.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif)

The only reason I used a cut down shock top mount was A I had a bunch of them, B I liked the look. C I had just gotten a new toy so it looked like something good to part on my metal lathe. In reality I should have cut it with the horizontal bandsaw, 20 seconds max, instead of hours, assembling the lathe, cleaning it, checking all the tolerances, and then finally using a parting knife and doing these two pieces.

Chris just so you know, my threads would go father up if I could have done it, that is what I needed to use the hats and not bind on the raised pickup.

The stock hat has the clearance built into it all ready. My Colmans have a spacer that fits over the shaft, that is why I have a positive seat. That came with my Bilsteins. My Koni's I don't think have it, but they are currently buried so I would have to dig them out to see.

Here is the clearance the stock hat has.



In my case this is what my hat did.



So I wanted to use the hats I had, like the spring engagement, so I made this spacer to match the distance the stock hat gave me.



Yes the the monoball bushing spacer thingy is oriented in the wrong direction in this picture.

This is the clearance I ended up with, that ball has reached it's limits with out hitting the raised tower.



It is very close but you can still slide past it.

That is why I did what I did, you might have something completely different, only way to know is test it out and see what you get. Since your raised pickups are welded in, I would add something that would leave a mark on contact and pit them through their paces. Make adjustments from there.

I guess I could have also milled a relief in the colmann hat. That would have meant I had to setup the new mill, and a rotary table, etc...

I am now on the hunt for a larger Mill and Lathe. I use the lathe more than I care to admit. Even to the point of making parts, that yes a stack of washers would have built in a fraction of the time.