Coilover Modification - Yay or Nay

[Chris28]

Before you reply, think about what you are typing. I don't want dumb responses in here, only educated thought out pros and/or cons of my idea.

My coilovers (Tanabe Sustec Pro S-OC Type II) are dumb, they only allow for preload adjustment. The front is maxed out and I want to go lower, but I can't. Being maxed out means a lot less shock travel, as the shock is compressed before the spring even provides compression resistance.

With nice coils, you move the mounting bracket to compensate for how low you want to go...this is common sense. The shock tube is threaded to allow for the bracket to be spun up, thus effective lowering the "mounting point" of the shock. Since my brackets are welded onto the shock body, here's what I plan on doing.

Cut the bracket in half lengthwise and move it up 1/2" or 1", re-weld it to the bracket, and triangulate the ends so it is all still connected. This would be done by a professional, and all precautions would be taken to ensure it wouldn't break. If the same gauge metal is used and all structural bends are present, I don't see any possible problems that could arise.

I want some input to my idea, if anyone has experience with this kind of work then please chime in. I know of one Supra owner who modified his mounting points and nothing went wrong, he now has the ability to go a lot lower without "drooping." AE86 owners do something like this all day, they basically have to make their own coilovers.

Here are some images so you can understand what I'm thinking. Top is of my coilovers, bottom is my proposed plan. Red is new metal, possibly gusseted, and blue is weld.





Thanks.

[Xdisaster240sX]

why not just sell what you have and buy Stance, KSport or something like that? IMO I wouldnt trust rewelded coilovers
Modified by Xdisaster240sX at 9:07 PM 11/15/2009

[keith0486]

im with disaster240 dont risk it by cutting and rewelding them back together it will only make your chances of things breaking higher of a chance.

[duffman1278]

I don't see a problem with that, ASSUMING!!! It's welded by someone who is certified and knows what they are doing. Not some friend who has welded some random bs for his car and swears he's a legit welder.

[Xdisaster240sX]

^ What he said.

What do you plan on doing with the rear?

[MagikDragon]

I wouldn't do a staight cut like that unles you are planning on fish plating the weld lengthwise. that is a lot of weld to support with 2 little triangle pieces. Re think how to support it and I'd say go for it.

[S13k]

megan racing, dropped, done.

[spooled240]

you'll be fine. get it welded nicely and don't weld the shock housing or weld it for very long at least or you'll melt the seals inside the shock.

[Chris28]

The rears are fine, I like where it is now and I can still go about an inch lower in the rear.

How else would you think to support it? I was thinking gussets somehow, but as long as I kept all the bends in the metal (top and bottom) then I think it would still be able to take a load.

[Chris28]

Also...what is fish plate? I googled it but no one really provides a description haha.

[Justin35ll]

Might work, I wouldn't fully trust it though.And I have megan track coilovers and the shock body is spun down all the way and I even compressed the spring preload a couple more threads so i could make it lower.

The fenders only sit about flush with the top of the stock tires. I want them to go lower idk if tightening the preload is a bad idea to get lower.

My rear on the other hand still has about 7 - 10 threads to go down and its level with the tire now

[Chris28]

Yeah, I just want the top of my tire to be barely tucking the fender. Here's how it sit's now, it's low but compared to slammed cars it's pretty high.



Of course this is taken from below the fender at an upward angle so it looks a lot worse, but it's still really high haha. Maybe it's cause I have 16's...

[Xdisaster240sX]

Also...what is fish plate? I googled it but no one really provides a description haha.

(civil engineering) One of a pair of steel plates bolted to the sides of a rail or beam joint, to secure the joint.

[spooled240]

Might work, I wouldn't fully trust it though.And I have megan track coilovers and the shock body is spun down all the way and I even compressed the spring preload a couple more threads so i could make it lower.

The fenders only sit about flush with the top of the stock tires. I want them to go lower idk if tightening the preload is a bad idea to get lower.

My rear on the other hand still has about 7 - 10 threads to go down and its level with the tire now

you don't tighten the preload you loosen it so the car will go lower when you lower the car with your jack or w/e

my rears shock body adjustment is maxed and i had to loosen the hell out of the preload spring to the point where the springs are not even touching the top spring perches when the car is lifted lol my rear springs are 10kg's so they don't compress very much anyway

[Didderson]

I'm no welding expert but it may warp the casing for your damper to screw into. Definitely take the damper out of the coil (disassemble the whole thing) otherwise you'll cook the seals inside.

[DMan II-40]

After you cut that and weld those brackets and stuff on. Maybe you can add more to the bracket to make it stronger. Like an entire piece over it to make it thicker and stronger... like so (the shaded area would be entire piece of metal over that spot that was just welded).



Just an idea. Don't know much engineering properties.

[fastass]

I'm no welding expert but it may warp the casing for your damper to screw into. Definitely take the damper out of the coil (disassemble the whole thing) otherwise you'll cook the seals inside.

true. but if you set the welder at a lower burning temp and tack around it.. after you tack just burn in farther each tack

[MagikDragon]

Also...what is fish plate? I googled it but no one really provides a description haha.

(civil engineering) One of a pair of steel plates bolted to the sides of a rail or beam joint, to secure the joint.

Winner winner chicken dinner!!

You can weld this plate over the seam of your new weld to make it stronger.

[Lonismos14]

I wouldnt chance that bro unless you dissasemble the whole shock, now i dont kno any thing bout coilovers and dont have none. But i do have four years of experience with welding. If you could get a professional welder to burn about half way through on each side, a total of four beams on each side you might be good. if that is still i would get the welder to do (oxyaselen welding) or (stick welding) i know i spelled it wrong. So that way you know you have a real good penetration. If they mig or tig it i garuntee it will crack. You got to remember this is going to get pounded on every day. Go with either of the two and your golden.

[Chris28]

you don't tighten the preload you loosen it so the car will go lower when you lower the car with your jack or w/e

my rears shock body adjustment is maxed and i had to loosen the hell out of the preload spring to the point where the springs are not even touching the top spring perches when the car is lifted lol my rear springs are 10kg's so they don't compress very much anyway

Unless his preload adjustment is from the top down, then he can compress the spring before it touches the top perch.

My fronts and rears don't touch the tops when the car is off the ground either haha.

I'm going to put some more thought into this, I think it should be fine as long as I reinforce it properly. While googling bracing techniques I came across a lot of good ideas on 4x4 forums. Some people shorten/lengthen their frame rails without consequence, and those are really important haha.

After you cut that and weld those brackets and stuff on. Maybe you can add more to the bracket to make it stronger. Like an entire piece over it to make it thicker and stronger... like so (the shaded area would be entire piece of metal over that spot that was just welded).

http://i52.photobucket.com/alb...a.jpg

Just an idea. Don't know much engineering properties.

That's a good idea. I might do that but with a diamond shaped plate. That way there won't be a straight line where the weld could crack.

I think the bracket it far enough away from the tube that the heat won't affect it. As long as quick passes are made and it's allowed to cool down between passes it should be fine. I'll consult my fab guy later, if it gets done he'll be the one doing the welding.

[adrianfromthecastle]

dude... I'd say ditch the idea.

First off, if you do do this... you've pretty much lost the worth of these coilovers.

second... i dunno, it sounds really sketchy... but don't forget these brackets practically support the whole front end of your car. By welding, you're subjecting them to warping, rusting, and or possibly damaging the dampers

here's my 0.02:Save up an extra $400-500... sell them for what they're worth... imo ~$500-600. buy yourself some dmax coilovers.call it a day.

[Chris28]

Yeah, that's the another con. I can sell them for around 500 bucks, then save up another 400 and get myself some Fortune Auto coilovers. If I modify them no one will want to buy them.

I don't think I'd be doing it, but if anyone else has anything to say regarding the integrity of doing this please post up.

Thanks for all the responses.

[Azrial]

Ya I am thinking it could work. But I would weld on some support. I am thinking if you sell those and just go buy some other coil overs you might save a whole lot of headache. If your not going to weld them and you are paying someone else to custom fabricate on your coil overs you may end up spending what it would cost to just play it safe and buy new ones. Plus if they do break on you that could be very bad.

[matt_240sx]

Yeah, I just want the top of my tire to be barely tucking the fender. Here's how it sit's now, it's low but compared to slammed cars it's pretty high.



Of course this is taken from below the fender at an upward angle so it looks a lot worse, but it's still really high haha. Maybe it's cause I have 16's...

lol my car sits that low on megan racing lowering springs

[BMAR240SX]

When you slam your car like everyone else you mess up the suspension geometry as far as steering. Your tie rods are going to be pointing up along with your control arms too

[Chris28]

Aftermarket tie-rods and tension rods are next

Not sure if it matters but around the time of me getting new coils I'll also be getting modified knuckles, it will change the tie rod angle a little bit.

[spooled240]

dude... I'd say ditch the idea.

First off, if you do do this... you've pretty much lost the worth of these coilovers.

second... i dunno, it sounds really sketchy... but don't forget these brackets practically support the whole front end of your car. By welding, you're subjecting them to warping, rusting, and or possibly damaging the dampers

here's my 0.02:Save up an extra $400-500... sell them for what they're worth... imo ~$500-600. buy yourself some dmax coilovers.call it a day.

adrian's right, these coils (at least the fronts) will be worthless after you modify them. Plus the fact that this mod might not be as fail proof as the original design...

I have modified things in the past thinking it was the best damn idea ever then about half way into the project i realize that i'm just fking things up lol

If I were you I would just sell these and get another set or just get another set of fronts that will go lower.

edit: OR just get some 17's and AERO then you will be "lower"

[Chris28]

edit: OR just get some 17's and AERO then you will be "lower"

Dude...next summer. 17x10 +25 (might throw a spacer on there, we'll see), version select type II or type VI, fresh paint, and some slammage. Now it's just debating whether I want typical so-cal drift style aero or if I want type x aero.

Either way It's going to look sick when it's slammed with fresh paint.

[spooled240]

type x used to be the cool thing that no one knew about but it's getting popular really fast =/ same with the jdm s14 kouki bumper, about half the kouki's you see out here have that bumper

[kc240guy]

just cut the springs like everyone else does, trust me it's real safe. J/k