New suspension, pics, I'm stoked.

[VanIsleDSM]

So I bought this car just over a year ago and I changed the timing belt with all oils seals on the front of the engine, the clutch, flywheel, all supporting stuff.. BG in the tranny, heavy shock in the t-case and rear end. I just threw on a set of 235/45/17 proxies and now I just got this in the mail... wohoo for Canadian dollar.

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Can't wait to take out the sportline/tokico combo, it's just too low for my liking.. now I can set it how i like

Any hints or tips? I'm thinking I may just have it taken somewhere to have the springs put on the shocks, but then again maybe not, just don't want to spring my head off. What about the snap ring? I only plan to lower it about 1.6-1.7" I suppose, that's a total estimate, all I know is I'll be bringing it up slightly from what it is... which position would be best?

..so anyway with all this prep.. a good brake fluid flush and I think I'll be ready for the driver training course in the spring

..now time to make it more powerful.

 

[Artago]

wohoo for the Canadian dollar.

Yeah.

 

[dsmulla]

Second, the Canadian dollar!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[talonTSIDriver]

Any hints or tips? I'm thinking I may just have it taken somewhere to have the springs put on the shocks, but then again maybe not, just don't want to spring my head off. What about the snap ring? I only plan to lower it about 1.6-1.7" I suppose, that's a total estimate, all I know is I'll be bringing it up slightly from what it is... which position would be best?

After you have it all installed, find a shop that does corner-weighting. One of the main advantages to coil-overs is the ability to have the car corner-weighted.

 

[VanIsleDSM]

Balance the weight side to side and cross corner? why couldn't you do that with any suspension?

..I dont' want to add any weight though, maybe once I actually start autocross and if I see the need.

 

[mavisky]

With normal springs you have to do it with physical weight in the car, but there's only so much you can move around within reason. With the coilovers you use the threaded perches to jack the weight from one area to another.

 

[VanIsleDSM]

oh.. I gotcha..

I hope it'll still sit pretty level? right now it isn't on the the sportlines... it's lower on the left side for sure.

I don't think I need a shop for this though? How about a truck scale at night? I've weighed my car there before..

 

[cioc]

VanIsleDSM,
A truck scale will tell you total weight or at best be able to tell you the front vs. the rear distribution if you pull only half your car on the scale. It shouldn't be used to corner weigh your car though. For that you need an individual scale under each tire. Make sure you sit in the driver seat while this is done or put your equivalent body weight in the seat. I had this done on my car a couple of years ago and it made a noticeable difference in how the car handled.

 

[Zero Bar]

VanIsleDSM,
A truck scale will tell you total weight or at best be able to tell you the front vs. the rear distribution if you pull only half your car on the scale. It shouldn't be used to corner weigh your car though. For that you need an individual scale under each tire. Make sure you sit in the driver seat while this is done or put your equivalent body weight in the seat. I had this done on my car a couple of years ago and it made a noticeable difference in how the car handled.

I wouldn't use a truck scale, they are built to measure 80,000lbs and aren't built to be accurate to more than within 100lbs if that.

You'll like your setup, I hear good things about the Konis.

 

[talonTSIDriver]

I installed a set just like the setup you have on an 86 omni glh, so far the guy loves his suspension on his omni.

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The truck scale in my area reads at 20lb intervals and is just one big single scale. You need 4 scales and the idea is to get the same weight on all 4. Now its really hard to get the exact same weight on all 4, but you want to strive to achieve balance. The idea is to get the same amount of traction to each wheel at all time. Each tire will only hold so much traction so by putting equal weight on each corner, you will maximize your tire's grip amongst all 4 wheels.

 

[mavisky]

I wouldn't use a truck scale, they are built to measure 80,000lbs and aren't built to be accurate to more than within 100lbs if that.

You'll like your setup, I hear good things about the Konis.

Use a truck scale at a scrap metal or stone company as they'll be very accurate.

 

[VanIsleDSM]

I don't think there's a shop on the little rock I live on that will do this.. maybe though.

As long as the truck scale is equally inaccurate with all of it's measurements then it shouldn't matter... I dunno it's better than nothing right?

Nobody mentioned the snap right yet? which slot should I use? should I try to compress these spings myself on the shocks or just have that part done?

 

[eclipsh]

Changing springs is easy as pie. You need the spring compressor tools to do it ($20 or so). Places like Autozone or Checker will loan them out for free. Expect to spend a few hours to get everything right but there is nothing too tricky about it all.

 

[mavisky]

Shouldn't need a spring compressor with these. Mine literally fall off. I've got like 12" of free travel and an 8" spring. No compression there for sure.

 

[talonTSIDriver]

Shouldn't need a spring compressor with these. Mine literally fall off. I've got like 12" of free travel and an 8" spring. No compression there for sure.

yup, same here. coilovers usually dont require a spring compressor.

 

[matthewdesigns]

Here's a page about corner weight calculating, from a great site devoted to autocrossing setups. And the guy who put the site together drove a Talon AWD, so everything he learned relates directly to our cars

http://farnorthracing.com/autocross_secrets11.html

 

[eclipsh]

Shouldn't need a spring compressor with these. Mine literally fall off. I've got like 12" of free travel and an 8" spring. No compression there for sure.

True enough for the new stuff but a spring compressor will probably be needed to pull apart the old set to grab the upper mounts for the front and rear unless the springs on the car now are a 2" drop.


Edit:.... which they are.... so yeah, probably won't need spring compressors. I can't be sure with the sportlines but yeah... you'll have a stupid easy time doing all this. No special tools required.

 

[VanIsleDSM]

sweet.. good news, Canadian Tire lends out a compressor, so I'll just put one on the springs to be safe when taking off the upper mounts.

About that snap ring.. the rear shocks have 2 places for it, and the front only has 1 spot.. what's with that? I suppose I'll just leave it where it is..

 

[tsiboosted]

I installed a set just like the setup you have on an 86 omni glh, so far the guy loves his suspension on his omni.

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The truck scale in my area reads at 20lb intervals and is just one big single scale. You need 4 scales and the idea is to get the same weight on all 4. Now its really hard to get the exact same weight on all 4, but you want to strive to achieve balance. The idea is to get the same amount of traction to each wheel at all time. Each tire will only hold so much traction so by putting equal weight on each corner, you will maximize your tire's grip amongst all 4 wheels.

How stiff are the springs that come with that Ground Control kit? Do you know the rating on them? Thanks.

 

[eclipsh]

You can pick the rates of the springs if you buy directly from them. 375/250 is supposed to be a good street setup. I think that is what Pagosa DSM has on his and it rides nicely. My 450/375 setup is a bit stiff for the street (concrete sections are bouncy as hell) but it isn't unbearable for me. I just wouldn't drink my coffee on anything but the smoothest sections of road. The cornering is very stable though.

 

[tsiboosted]

eclipsh - Thanks for the input on that.

 

[talonTSIDriver]

How stiff are the springs that come with that Ground Control kit? Do you know the rating on them? Thanks.

Those went on an omni GLH which weighed like 2200lbs total. The rates on that was 350/225 (I think, somewhere in that ballpark).