I installed my tanabe gf210's at the local body shop. It's been about a month since the installation, but it doesn't seem my 8 has 'settled' into the new springs. It doesn't look like the other 8's with the gf210's.. It's on standard shocks. Here are pics to show you what i mean

Before


After about 2 weeks


should i take it back to them? Are the springs adjustable? I still have the original receipt for the job they did on the car. Any help would be much appreciated.

 

Did the shop preload the springs before they tightened all the suspension down?

 

i don't know if they did.. i guess i should call them to find out. I told them i wanted the 1.4 back 1.2 front drop

 

Its all them dam stickers on your car sorry man had to. But your kick a$$ vatar makes up for it

It will take time for them to settle. It also depends on how old your 8 is. I had a 04 AT with 48K miles when I installed my GF210's so the oem shocks where old and seen a lot of days.
I've had them on my 04 MT for about a year now. It took time for them to settle.
You can pre load them and let your car sit over night like that but dont for get to tighten the bolts!
What I did was drive on the freeway home from my friends house (hes the one that installed them for me). When I got home i pre loaded had 4 people sit in my 8 then left the bolts lose over night. Got up and tightened them. That helped a lot!

Did you read my ATTN Tanabe spring owners therad? Look for it in the Wheels, Tires, Brakes & Suspension section.

 

why would you drop the front more then the back? the front has more fender gap then the back stock? also, the shop cant choose how much the car drops, springs drop it what springs drop it. only way to adjust or choose is buy getting coilovers

 

Leave the bolts loose over night then tighten them... i should really try that. My car's an 05 MT with around 25000 miles on it.
HAHA sorry about the decal if you don't like them, i work at kinkos and i make them for free when i get bored at work. How long did your car take to settle (approximately) and how much did it settle? I heard it should only take like a month or smth

I meant 1.4 inches in the back and 1.2 inches in the front. Ok thanks, so the mechanic can't really do anything about it then huh. It's not like he can tighten up the springs more or anything? Cuz then i'll just let him be. I just thought he did a shoddy job or smth

 

well i mean not really. the bolt that holds it all together is either tight, or loose. you want it ALL the way tight. and im sure thats what he tightened it too. i think you still misspoke when you meant to say 1.4 in front and 1.2 in back.....

about the stickers, i forgot your the guy with rotary ghost! i was thinking after seeing your thread, about doing something like that to mine... not sure what i want it to say, couple ideas. but i went to a local fedex/kinkos and they said they couldnt make that type of banner. =\

i wouldnt mind a banner that said "RED DEVIL"

 

that almost looks higher than stock. are you sure he didn't switch the front and rears?
check your sways, make sure they're pointed in the right direction

 

it just looks higher then stock because he is running tiny profile tires, those look like 19s which means hes got 30 series sidewalls... skinny tires always make fender gap look worse

 

damn.. hahaha i really don't know what i'm talking about then i guess, i just read what the tanabe manual said. But yeah anyways, the bolt SHOULD be all the tightened, but if i leave it overnight untightened then retighten it in the morning, it should settle a bit more? Whatever, i guess i'll give it a shot.

Yeah this is rotary.ghost in the flesh. HAHAHA whaaaaaaaat all kinkos can make cut vinyl banners. Let me know if you're serious about getting one man (pm me for more info) and i'll definitely get it done for you.

doesn't it? It's really been annoying me. I don't think he switched them cuz the front looks stock as well. I'll check the sways this weekend when it gets a bit warmers. Thanks for the help

 

they're actually 18's.... =]

 

1. what does the sways have to do with anything?
2. the preloading thing, worth a try. i didnt do it with my teins but worth a shot. however the fronts are easier to access the top bolt then the rear, the rear you have to remove to get to the bolt, atleast for tightening purposes.

 

well, i'm not sure about the length/rate of the tanabes, but it still could happen. if he switched the rears (longer spring, but stiffer) and the front (shorter spring, but stiffer) I could imagine it happening. the same spring that lowers 1.2 inches in the rear probably won't lower 1.2 if used in the front.
as for the sways, i would check it asap... it takes about 5 secs anyways. if they've been on backwards for a month, I'd imagine your endlinks are bent to hell.

 

wow 18's.. lord your speedo must be off :P
def check the sways just to make sure they arent the wrong way, although im not sure how this would affect ride height.

how much did you pay to have them installed and where did you take it?

 

i never messed around with the sways tho.. does the shop have the remove it to install springs?

 

i paid them too much, let's just keep it at that. they're a local body shop here, right next to where i work.. conveniently. how much does a spring job normally run?

 

Well, imagine the sways pointing in the opposite direction and how the endlinks would be oriented. You'd be riding on your endlinks, which would probably raise your rears a good inch or two (dunno, just a guess, maybe someone with more suspension knowledge can chime in)
You can't preload the rears.

 

don't have to remove, but you have to disconnect the endlinks and swing the sways away. Maybe they didn't swing it back all the way.

 

ooh i see. I guess i'll check the endlinks/sways this weekend. Also, you said you can't preload the back springs? that kinda compromises the whole project cuz i want an even drop for the back and front (even as in at the same time)

 

let me rephrase. preloading only applies to the front. if everything is installed properly, it'll be pretty even.
my drop is 1.2/1.2
https://www.rx8club.com/attachment.p...4&d=1226270135
i think the tanabes drop a bit more in the front, but it should look something like that

 

wow clean ride bro. anyways, so i shouldn't bother preloading the back? just the front? i want my car to look like that....

 

there's nothing to preload in the back

 

gh8st, the Tanabe GF210's will not slam your 8 and your car only 25000 miles on it so I'm thinking the shocks will have something to do with it.
At any rate, pre load them. Sounds like the shop had your car on the lift and tightened the bolts well your wheels where hanging down.
Its not hard to do. Takes about one min pre wheel.
Let me know if you need help.
-Gil

 

you guys are all so helpful. Thanks for the help guys, i'll try preloading my car tomorrow after work, leave it over night, see how it looks in the morning after retightening the bolt. I'll keep you guys posted. thanks again

 

Around $200. $300 if they include an alignment afterwards...

As for the preloading, loosen the TWO Control arm bolts on each side in the front. Drive over a speedbump or just down a driveway and back. Let sit overnight, and tighten back up. Give it another two weeks to settle.

It's weird that your rear is still so high though...