Replacing Coilover Springs
#1
Replacing Coilover Springs
Quick question guys. I recently installed C/O's and just got my alignment done. Everything is working great except it looks like the springs on the rear are too short so every once in a while my springs "bottom out". In any case, I ordered some 200mm/10k springs. My question is, since my coils are already installed, is there a way i can replace the spring without undoing the control arms and f*ing up my alignment again?
#2
SPOOLN8
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Nope... they gotta come off to do the springs cuz you'll need to remove the strut from the car to get the spring off of it. What coilovers do you have? If they are designed for the Rx-8 I find it weird that they would bottom out... are you using the stock bump stops? Who did the install?
#3
Nope... they gotta come off to do the springs cuz you'll need to remove the strut from the car to get the spring off of it. What coilovers do you have? If they are designed for the Rx-8 I find it weird that they would bottom out... are you using the stock bump stops? Who did the install?
I actually posted my pics in this thread here: https://www.rx8club.com/forum/showth...wpost&t=201730
I was thinking that I may be able to just undo the bolt connecting the strut to the wheel hub, undo the spring perch and slide off the spring. A long shot but I really would hate to fubar my alignment again.... then again, since I am not changing my ride height, maybe there is a way to do it without mucking with the alignment cam on the LCR
#4
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Hmm, looking at your pics and considering I have stock struts, I can't really say if that is possible... the pictures look like you could slide the spring off the bottom of the strut but doing so while it's on the car... i'd say it'll have to be a trial and error thing to see if you can get that spring out.... gonna be very tight though.
#5
TNC
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Quick question guys. I recently installed C/O's and just got my alignment done. Everything is working great except it looks like the springs on the rear are too short so every once in a while my springs "bottom out". In any case, I ordered some 200mm/10k springs. My question is, since my coils are already installed, is there a way i can replace the spring without undoing the control arms and f*ing up my alignment again?
#7
It's Complicated
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This is a pretty common problem with the Stance GR's and the RX8. Many people have received 175mm instead of the 200mm springs. This was a problem that stance supposedly fixed a long time ago.
#8
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I think you could get the shocks out without taking out the control arm, but the thing is you have to get the ride height to be exactly the same as before for the alignment to work.
#9
Ah ok thats what I thought as I was under the impression that the only reason someone would unbolt the control arm would be if the ride height was changing. I have a local race shop that said they can go ahead and install them and get the alignment done for 100 bucks. That might be worth it since an alignment would cost me 70something dollars and this way i dont have to deal with it.
#10
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A longer spring will not change the overall length of the strut. Trust me -- I had to made the same change from 175mm to 200mm a few months ago.
OP- if you pre load correctly and re install the car will sit at the same height.
#11
If Pre Loaded correctly longer springs will not change the ride height. Ride height is adjusted at the bottom on the strut which his nothing to do with the top and middle perch collars.
A longer spring will not change the overall length of the strut. Trust me -- I had to made the same change from 175mm to 200mm a few months ago.
OP- if you pre load correctly and re install the car will sit at the same height.
A longer spring will not change the overall length of the strut. Trust me -- I had to made the same change from 175mm to 200mm a few months ago.
OP- if you pre load correctly and re install the car will sit at the same height.
I'm not saying that you are wrong, but I guess I will have to just see what happens when I try myself. Thanks for the heads up
#12
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They both are 6k spring rated... If you don't want to believe then fine.. find out the hard way.
I have the GR's too. Had the same issue.. I'm giving you the solution to the problem
Stance GR Spring Length at 6K (175mm -200mm) DOES NOT effect the overall strut length when pre loaded correctly. the new springs are about one inch longer and will sit about inch longer on the strut between the top an middle collars when pre loaded.
I have the GR's too. Had the same issue.. I'm giving you the solution to the problem
Stance GR Spring Length at 6K (175mm -200mm) DOES NOT effect the overall strut length when pre loaded correctly. the new springs are about one inch longer and will sit about inch longer on the strut between the top an middle collars when pre loaded.
Last edited by Pico; 07-27-2010 at 09:25 AM.
#13
They both are 6k spring rated... If you don't want to believe then fine.. find out the hard way.
I have the GR's too. Had the same issue.. I'm giving you the solution to the problem
Stance GR Spring Length at 6K (175mm -200mm) DOES NOT effect the overall strut length when pre loaded correctly. the new springs are about one inch longer and will sit about inch longer on the strut between the top an middle collars when pre loaded.
I have the GR's too. Had the same issue.. I'm giving you the solution to the problem
Stance GR Spring Length at 6K (175mm -200mm) DOES NOT effect the overall strut length when pre loaded correctly. the new springs are about one inch longer and will sit about inch longer on the strut between the top an middle collars when pre loaded.
Now I just need to find a nice quick way to replace the spring without having to remove the whole assembly
edit: sorry I didnt mean to come across like I was disregarding your solution
#14
I think you can do it. You can unbolt the damper top and bottom so that it's at least loose in there.
Then you should be able to tilt it enough and room the lower spring perch and locking collar so you can slip the spring off. Then slide on the new spring and reverse the order. As long as the damper doesn't need to me completely out of the car you should be able to find an angle in there where you can get enough space to slip the spring out.
Who did you buy the coils from? This is something I took care of for our clients at no charge because they should all come with 200mm.
In all honesty the 175mm at 6k doesn't have enough stroke to support the RX8's weight. There's too many coils and they are too thick. I measured, did the math, reported to Stance.
THEY SHOULD NEVER BE SOLD WITH THEIR 175mm springs. The GUYS WHO WANT TO SLAM THEIR CARS CAN DO 175mm IN A HIGHER SPRING RATE.
AT 6kg you must go with 200mm.
Rishie
Then you should be able to tilt it enough and room the lower spring perch and locking collar so you can slip the spring off. Then slide on the new spring and reverse the order. As long as the damper doesn't need to me completely out of the car you should be able to find an angle in there where you can get enough space to slip the spring out.
Who did you buy the coils from? This is something I took care of for our clients at no charge because they should all come with 200mm.
In all honesty the 175mm at 6k doesn't have enough stroke to support the RX8's weight. There's too many coils and they are too thick. I measured, did the math, reported to Stance.
THEY SHOULD NEVER BE SOLD WITH THEIR 175mm springs. The GUYS WHO WANT TO SLAM THEIR CARS CAN DO 175mm IN A HIGHER SPRING RATE.
AT 6kg you must go with 200mm.
Rishie
#15
I think you can do it. You can unbolt the damper top and bottom so that it's at least loose in there.
Then you should be able to tilt it enough and room the lower spring perch and locking collar so you can slip the spring off. Then slide on the new spring and reverse the order. As long as the damper doesn't need to me completely out of the car you should be able to find an angle in there where you can get enough space to slip the spring out.
Who did you buy the coils from? This is something I took care of for our clients at no charge because they should all come with 200mm.
In all honesty the 175mm at 6k doesn't have enough stroke to support the RX8's weight. There's too many coils and they are too thick. I measured, did the math, reported to Stance.
THEY SHOULD NEVER BE SOLD WITH THEIR 175mm springs. The GUYS WHO WANT TO SLAM THEIR CARS CAN DO 175mm IN A HIGHER SPRING RATE.
AT 6kg you must go with 200mm.
Rishie
Then you should be able to tilt it enough and room the lower spring perch and locking collar so you can slip the spring off. Then slide on the new spring and reverse the order. As long as the damper doesn't need to me completely out of the car you should be able to find an angle in there where you can get enough space to slip the spring out.
Who did you buy the coils from? This is something I took care of for our clients at no charge because they should all come with 200mm.
In all honesty the 175mm at 6k doesn't have enough stroke to support the RX8's weight. There's too many coils and they are too thick. I measured, did the math, reported to Stance.
THEY SHOULD NEVER BE SOLD WITH THEIR 175mm springs. The GUYS WHO WANT TO SLAM THEIR CARS CAN DO 175mm IN A HIGHER SPRING RATE.
AT 6kg you must go with 200mm.
Rishie
Edit:
Drove the car to work today. About a 15-20 minute highway commute, w/ some city driving and some speed strips (the longer speed bumps). Heard some coil compression maybe once or twice, nothing serious at all though, just a slight clink and clank. I expect that this should be ok as long as i dont fly 80mph over a obscene bump.
Last edited by paimon.soror; 07-28-2010 at 06:39 AM.
#16
Installed the new springs today. Just a heads up for anyone looking to replace their springs. You do NOT need to remove the dampers to do the job. All you really need to do is to unbolt the damper from the wheel hub, and loosen the supporting nuts on the top so that you have some wiggle room as Rishie stated.
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