2tone

iTrader: (3)

here are pics of mine, there's no stock pic, but there is a "before-preload" that was right after the shop installed, and then the "after-preload" is the full car shot, you can tell the front end is lot lower than it was.

added note: when i look at my car from the side now, i can't see the green springs between my tire and fender, like you can in the first pic, so clearly it dropped after i loosened and retightened the bolts like jedi was trying to explain...

Aipex8

iTrader: (1)

This is how I preloaded my springs while doing my S-Tech install also. There's a very good DIY by MazdaManiac on installing Tokico shocks on this forum that really works for any shock/spring install. Check it out:

https://www.rx8club.com/showthread.p...ghlight=tokico

Here's what my 8 looked like right after the install, no "settling" time needed:

NgoRX8

iTrader: (1)

yea i believe rubber bushing is the lesson learned here.

A.Mair

Everyones with s tech's does look lower than mine fo sho. I'm gonna give it a month and then see how it looks.

Aipex8

iTrader: (1)

Why give it a month? Why not give it 10 minutes and have a lowered 8?

Mikeluvs8

what are you doing baking a cake? you dont have to wait 30min!!! i could understand if you got urethane bushings then yeah pre load is a must but in this case the bushings are rubber, the control arm will only drop down so low.and if your so worried about damaging the rubber bushings the you should of thought twice about lowering your car cause your stock struts take a toll as well.

dmc27

Why is every post such a giant issue when the guy is just trying to help Don?

rglbegl

this thread is entertaining

But to keep on the subject . . .

I put my teins s-techs in, and set it. Then after the springs settled, I loosened and re tightened the control arms again. Made a world of difference.

Mikeluvs8

well what do you think im doing?

A.Mair

well the thing is i understand both agruements, imagine always working on something and never having to pre load it springs before putting them on. If you have a look at Mikeluvs8's car youll see how low it is, he didnt pre load his and its really low, then i understand other ppls opinion when they say you need to and you adjusted with the bolts after.
But its the thing called 'universal truth' there are somethings that are always right like the world is round...but then for pre loading some ppl do it some way and some ppl do it different, and both parties are going to bump heads and never agree.....so it just goes round in circles.
Mikeluvs8 installed my springs and he said they will drop, the reason why i am going to give it a month is because hes a friend and i trust him.....im not being so narrow minded to ignore anyones advice im just going to wait a month first and see what will happen..........if it doesnt drop as much as i want i will then take other members adivce like jedi's, altspace, ngo's etc

El Nerdo

Instead of posting my opinions on this, I'll just quote an old friend of mine - (Surprised you didn't think of this Jedi54 )

"You must unlearn what you have learned." "Once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny, consume you it will..."
&
"You will know when you are calm, at peace. Passive. A Jedi uses the Force for knowledge and defense, never for attack. "

"Try not. Do or do not, there is no try."

lesper4

iTrader: (3)

ok so you give it month and it settles or you preload them and it settles = same out come but much quicker or you give it a month and it does not settle (who is the smart one?)

rglbegl

My Nomination for "post of the year"!!!!!

2tone

iTrader: (3)

well said!! i mean seriously, it's a known issue with getting springs installed. the tein s drops a specified amount, there's no reason to wait a month for them to settle to that amount! sure they will settle in a month or two, but why on earth would you WAIT when we're telling you, and showing pictures to prove it, that you can lower it correctly in 10 minutes!! i'm not saying to doubt your friend, but good god, you paid to get your car lowered, why not just take these few simple steps to get it done today and have your car look and handle like it's supposed to? your loyalty to your friend's friend does not go unnoticed, it's just a little silly and stubborn in my opinion.

anyway, do it or don't, but just know your springs are not fully settled, and if you decide to wait it out and you're not sure if it's lowered correctly, come back to this thread to see our pictures of a fully lowered tein s drop, or post some measurement pics of where your car is in a month so we can see if you still need to take our advice or not. i promise i won't say 'we told you so'

Juice

iTrader: (1)

Exactly!! Eventually it is going to settle to the proper height. But why wait??? If someone said that they would give you 5 dollars a month for 10 months or 50 dollars what would you take?? Seems pretty clear cut to me. It is a 17mm bolt. There are 2 on each side. Turn the wheels to the left and loosen the bolt on each side you can reach. Turn the wheels to the other side and undo the other two bolts. Drive back and forth a couple of times. Then Tighten

Juice

iTrader: (1)

Damn 2tone beat me to it!

Mikeluvs8

well regardless pre load or not, you still got to wait for the springs to settle.

Juice

iTrader: (1)

yeah, they will still need to settle but with preload the settling will go unnoticed because it is very little if any at all. The preload does the settling for you. It will maybe go down 2-3mm which is something you would never notice unless you measured daily. I'm not saying that one way is better, but I know what worked for me on the 3 different setups I've had on my car. Either way, the end result is the same, all I'm trying to say is why would you wait if you could have the drop today? Not to mention, the car still needs to be aligned, and running around for a month waiting for them to settle isn't very good for your tires.

Mikeluvs8

not really, settle= breaking in of the springs when the springs are broken in then you will get the lowest settings possible.
you can lower the car with out messing with the allighnment, but you might have to play with the toe adjustment alittle.

Juice

iTrader: (1)

I understand that new springs will still settle a little, but it won't be much at all if any. If new springs settled more than a couple of MM then every new car would get lower after a while which is just not the case. I know mine sure didn't. You don't have to mess with alignment settings, but lowering the car by a good amount will increase the camber. This leads to uneven tire wear on the insides of the tire. I'd show you pictures of what my tires looked like after having the S-techs on for 6 months without an alignment, but I don't think I have any. Don't think that I am attacking your work or anything, all I'm saying is that I see absolutely no reason not to preload.

DOMINION

Bone stock 2004 non-sport suspension the day we got her.



TSW 18x8 & 18x8.5 stock suspension non-sport. Uber wheel gap lol




3 Weeks after Mike installed my Tanabe Springs no pre load.






Need I say more? Yes? OK, A lot of guys have after market shocks and springs so you opinion dont count lol Why? Shocks and lowering springs will make your ride lower than my car and Don (English dude) car cuz we have stock shocks.
-Gil

English dude, just give it time to settle.

Juice

iTrader: (1)

I never had aftermarket shocks when I had my S-Techs. So I guess my opinion does count! I've also adjusted my coilovers about 20 times and everytime I got the desired effect (being lower) instantly by preloading.

Like I said, one way or another the end result will be the same. You had to wait 3 weeks, I didn't have to wait at all. Of course it is going to settle eventually, how long the wait is can be debated. ALL THAT I"M SAYING IS WHY WAIT???

This is like the 3rd time I've said this. I'm done repeating myself. Do whatever you wan't to do DonJuan. Just know that it could already be done.

A.Mair

i dont have the tools to adjust the bolts in the front two wheels anyway, so thats why i am not doing it. I got mike to install it cus i dont have a clue where to start. I understand what jedi said to do and yeah its easy but if i dont have the tools then i cant do it. Its not about a smart choice or a dumb choice either lesper i cant do it full stop. Im not buying the tools, look at gilberts (dominions) its dropped nice now and it looks good, i have the patience to wait.........so i will

Mikeluvs8

my buddie and i also did the same with coilovers, he has the tein basics, no preloading, and the day of the install with no time wasted.

NgoRX8

iTrader: (1)

this is more apparent to springs on stock shocks. coilovers are often a different size (shorter) than the stock setup and therefore provide for the lower because you need to adjust the lower control arm (lifting it up). it allows the coilover to bolt up, but also, by adjusting the control arm, it helps preload (like the car is already on the ground).

nevertheless, sometimes preload won't matter as it should reach the right drop sooner or later. except for some like my friend. haha better sooner than later.