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2G How to adjust / setup coilovers / set ride height the correct way / With helper springs.

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In this article I will go through the proper way to setup coilovers and ride height, but for this to happen helper springs need to be used! NOT tender springs with higher rates! A helper spring is flat coils and normally very low lb rating, mine are 4lbs and can squash in my hand. This is not just 2G specific neither, will be the same process on most cars.
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While this is what i have done for my race car its not just limited to that, it can be used for street drivers aswel who like corners!

Doing this is to achieve a few main things, but not limited to

1* it will give you more shaft travel on rebound which helps with droop.
2* setting up this specific way can stop any wheels hitting the fender, (hits bumpstop before fender)
3* work this correctly and you can control camber gain a bit better. (You can work this out and it will never gain as much)
4* along with the added droop it will keep more tire in contact with the road at more if not all times. Stops jacking of the wheels.

Possibly a few other advantages i forget to mention.

First main thing you will require is to check your current coilovers for shaft length, you need to make sure you can add a helper spring and what length spring, many companys offer various lengths but i opted for a 4" helper which compresses only about 1.3mm less then a 2" helper so i had the added length because i could.

Once you worked out your space then you need to get your helper springs and if you dont have room then going down height on main spring size will allow you to use a helper spring, also dont forget the seats
to sit inbetween the 2 springs, (some modification might be needed on these seats) some seats may touch the coilover spring seats due to the lip, so take this into consideration for reference i am on an 8" height main spring.

The process of correctly setting up is a bit lengthy and checking is the interesting fun part but its worth it.

**The end goal here is to get the wheel close to the fender while touching the bumpstop, full details below**

*****Now onto the process*****

Adjust the shock to its softest rebound setting! Then loosen all the locking retainers/rings on the coilover and then remove the shock from the car, remove the upper mount and remove the spring. After you removed the spring place the upper mount back on and install on the car.

Install your wheel of use and raise the wheel up with a jack via the lower arm until you are close to the fender with a small gap, ( this gap is your safety gap! So make it as bit as you want as this gap is backup from hitting the bumpstops)
Once up check the shaft length and location of the bumpstop, you likely will need to lower the lower shock mount attached to the knuckle or lower arm, this will make the gap between the fender and wheel larger but this is ok, and in doing so means you can now raise it up further and use more shaft length, adjust this till you gave a good safe gap and the bumpstop is touching the upper mount! Removal of the wheel might be needed to check this if you cannot see it, (afew times i might add)
**( tech tip )** ideally keep in mind the amount of MM you adjust the lower mount by because you can use this to lower the spring perch by the same amount and be quite close to final ride height, not perfect but close
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With that done and you are ok with that then lower the wheel and lock the lower mount on the coilover as thats now your new mount setting, (keep in mind on a 2G with shock mounting on the arm you dont need alot of thread in the lower mounting but a shock thats attached to the knuckle (Mcpherson) will need more thread engagement for strength!

With this side done you can pretty much measure that and mimic these results on the other side.

Once you done that stage you will want to start getting the main spring and helper installed, for this you will need to lower the spring perch to fit both of these springs in place. Once fitted dont lock the spring perch as you will need to adjust this to fine tune final ride height but the upper mount and mounting points can all be done up.
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Do this to this point on all 4 corners then place the car back on all 4 wheels (use 2 nuts only as you will to remove them later to do up the spring perch after final ride height is adjusted.

Allow the shock to settle as now using more shaft length it does take a bit more time to compress more.

Always check ride height from a solid chassis point and ways the same location at all times, so a bolt or rail this will now be your 1 place to keep checking from.

Adjusting ride height is as simple as now jacking the car up a small amount to allow the helper spring to untension.

Raise height is doing the perch up the shaft
Lowering height is going down on the shaft
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After adjusting check heights again by allowing the car to settle for a bit and checking your datum points for ride height.

Final step is once all is setup to your heights then remove the wheels and lock the spring perches in place and reinstall all wheels and nuts!

Then you are done! Go for a test drive and see how it feels. Doing this will not effect alignment or toe unless you are adjusting the ride height a good amount.

If anyone has any issues or wants some assistance with there progress please feel free to contact me and i will help as best as i can.

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