Need help with Gixxer_drew suspension!
#17
Pit Crew
"I didnt have to cut any of the sleeves. I took all my shocks to the local machine shop to have a grooves cut 2.5" below the bottom bilstein groove and slid the whole sleeve right over it."
If you were referencing my photos, those are for a Mazda Miata setup.
#19
Pit Crew
I hope this Helps
The coil-over sleeves have a step __!-- that the shocks snap ring is designed to sit on. When you "cut" the end off of the coil-over sleeve they are having you cut off the step. Then slide the coil-over sleeve until you get to a taper __/---, and the snap ring then sits on the taper. To me that is a lot of load on something that was not designed to carry the load.
I have attached some photos below:
You can see in the photo above the physical "step" for the snap ring to sit on.
The sloped area is harder to see in a photo.
Basically the coil-over sleeves are designed to make circular contact with the shock body at two location along their length.
On one end there is a ramp up and a ramp down then on the other end there is a step up and a ramp back down. With the cut the coil-over sleeve method you are cutting off the step and ramp .
Last edited by flash9; 05-21-15 at 12:49 PM.
#20
If you are unsuccessful in finding a machine shop, for the cost of shipping the shocks to CA and back to TX as well as the $10 cutting fee per shock you could just have Bilstein do it for you.
I have done this for my two Mazda Miatas, but had them do the work BEFORE shipping the shocks thus saving the money on the shipping.
BTW - How do people move the snap ring on these shocks?
Please take a couple photos on where the Coil-Over Sleeves sit on the shocks once the new snap ring grove is cut.
I have done this for my two Mazda Miatas, but had them do the work BEFORE shipping the shocks thus saving the money on the shipping.
BTW - How do people move the snap ring on these shocks?
Please take a couple photos on where the Coil-Over Sleeves sit on the shocks once the new snap ring grove is cut.
Well I finally did find a machine shop to cut the new snap ring grooves but I got them back later than I hoped and wasn't able to install them this past weekend. I wish I could tell you an easy way to move the snap ring but the machine shop moved them down for me when they cut the new grooves. I did buy additional snap rings just in case I messed them up somehow but of course I didn't end up needing them due to this. The part number is 2522880 just in case anybody does end up needing them.
#21
Pit Crew
Thanks for the Update
Trust me man that's what I was trying to do but seeing as bilstein has had the ak1242's on back order for most of this year and my shocks were done for I had to buy the only ak1242's I was able to find stateside. Like most people looking at this setup the H&R coilovers seemed to fit my needs best initially but seeing as they have been discontinued for over a year and the only place I could find a set was from germany this is the route I had to go.
Well I finally did find a machine shop to cut the new snap ring grooves but I got them back later than I hoped and wasn't able to install them this past weekend. I wish I could tell you an easy way to move the snap ring but the machine shop moved them down for me when they cut the new grooves. I did buy additional snap rings just in case I messed them up somehow but of course I didn't end up needing them due to this. The part number is 2522880 just in case anybody does end up needing them.
Well I finally did find a machine shop to cut the new snap ring grooves but I got them back later than I hoped and wasn't able to install them this past weekend. I wish I could tell you an easy way to move the snap ring but the machine shop moved them down for me when they cut the new grooves. I did buy additional snap rings just in case I messed them up somehow but of course I didn't end up needing them due to this. The part number is 2522880 just in case anybody does end up needing them.
Also a photo of the shocks (front and rear) with the coil-over sleeve installed, would be great.
I will not be getting to this for quite a few months so no rush but I know it is easier now then once they are on the car.
BTW - Bilstein is also back ordered on the NB Miata Shocks, and I choose to have the place in AZ, I bought them from, ship them to CA for Bilstein to cut the new snap ring and move it to the new location.
#22
Drew, I ended up using 10" springs all around on my 2K sc400, 500lb front and 350lb rears and the ride is amazing using eibach ers springs/bilsteins for supra.
I wouldnt trade this setup for any coilovers on the market today!
Thank you!
Oh I also had a shop put another groove on the bilsteins 2.5" below the factory groove to acomodate for a longer springs with no problems, and everything is very solid!
I did not cut the 7"coilover sleeves either, just slide them over the shock and were good to go!
Here you Go! I love when it goes my way!
Enjoy the pics
Recomend for anyone who drives semi aggressive!
I wouldnt trade this setup for any coilovers on the market today!
Thank you!
Oh I also had a shop put another groove on the bilsteins 2.5" below the factory groove to acomodate for a longer springs with no problems, and everything is very solid!
I did not cut the 7"coilover sleeves either, just slide them over the shock and were good to go!
Here you Go! I love when it goes my way!
Enjoy the pics
Recomend for anyone who drives semi aggressive!
http://www.supraforums.com/forum/sho...=1#post8669695
Can you measure the distance from the "top" of the shock (ie where the piston comes out) to the new snap ring location?
Also a photo of the shocks (front and rear) with the coil-over sleeve installed, would be great.
I will not be getting to this for quite a few months so no rush but I know it is easier now then once they are on the car.
BTW - Bilstein is also back ordered on the NB Miata Shocks, and I choose to have the place in AZ, I bought them from, ship them to CA for Bilstein to cut the new snap ring and move it to the new location.
Also a photo of the shocks (front and rear) with the coil-over sleeve installed, would be great.
I will not be getting to this for quite a few months so no rush but I know it is easier now then once they are on the car.
BTW - Bilstein is also back ordered on the NB Miata Shocks, and I choose to have the place in AZ, I bought them from, ship them to CA for Bilstein to cut the new snap ring and move it to the new location.
#23
Pit Crew
When I did this for a different Miata three years ago, the Bilstein dealer just had Bilstein pull them out of their inventory in CA and do the work, then they covered the shipping.
How many miles are on your car?
Not trying to delay you and longer than you have already waited, but It is my understanding the upper mounts can degrade and you might want to consider getting some Moog upper mounts for the front and rear. You do not want to do this job twice and these are supposedly an item that does age.
Last edited by flash9; 05-21-15 at 12:46 PM. Reason: Correct the spelling of "supposedly"
#28
Hey fellas, extremely sorry for the late reply. Yes I did get everything installed back when I said I would but unfortunately it turned out the worst way imaginable. Car sat at gravedigger height with no room to go down while keeping preload. I had a contingency plan in place in case this happened which was just to use the tanabe springs that came on my car with the bilsteins but unknowingly SC specific rear springs don't work with supra shocks so that threw a wrench in everything.
So being as this was my daily at the moment I just had to ride 4x4 status till I sorted it out it seemed. Well the great flood of 2015 happened a day or so after here in Houston and since I was 4x4 I thought it would be at least ok to go down the street in my neighborhood. Unfortunately the next day I found out that wasn't the case as I heard some strange noise coming from my transmission tunnel and come to find out that I need to replace my driveshaft now. At this point I was fed up with the car and just left everything as is till the day came where I had time and money again.
Well that day has come so I'm just back here looking for advice or ideas on how to get this working properly. Seeing as I've already dropped too much on this setup I'm just trying to find the cheapest way possible to get it working properly. My cheapest option seems to be either getting 8" hypercoils for the front and hoping that sorts things out or just getting B&G lowering springs and selling off the coilover sleeves. Any help or ideas would be greatly appreciated.
So being as this was my daily at the moment I just had to ride 4x4 status till I sorted it out it seemed. Well the great flood of 2015 happened a day or so after here in Houston and since I was 4x4 I thought it would be at least ok to go down the street in my neighborhood. Unfortunately the next day I found out that wasn't the case as I heard some strange noise coming from my transmission tunnel and come to find out that I need to replace my driveshaft now. At this point I was fed up with the car and just left everything as is till the day came where I had time and money again.
Well that day has come so I'm just back here looking for advice or ideas on how to get this working properly. Seeing as I've already dropped too much on this setup I'm just trying to find the cheapest way possible to get it working properly. My cheapest option seems to be either getting 8" hypercoils for the front and hoping that sorts things out or just getting B&G lowering springs and selling off the coilover sleeves. Any help or ideas would be greatly appreciated.
#30