Strut spacers - will these work?

[Calan]

Does anyone know if any of these will fit our cars?

..::ARANOID FABRICATIONS:::...

If not, where can I find some that will?

I'm looking to level my car, and don't want to use spring spacers (i.e. change spring rate). I'm 1/2" low on the left front and 1/4" low on the left rear.

 

[TalonTsi31]

i just eyed them and they dont look like it to me.
i havent seen any for our cars either. but i am sure some one like JMF could make them.

 

[romeen]

Craig, it's hard to say if those will fit just by eyeballing them. But as long as the shape and inner/outer diameter are correct (or even close) you could probably make it work. If the stud hole pattern isn't correct just drill your own.

Energy Suspension makes polyurethane replacements in different thicknesses for the rubber spring isolators although I'm not sure if any of them are thicker than the oem one. Still, you might be able to improvise something using these.

Shock/Stabilizer Boots & Coil Spring Isolators

As mentioned, it would be very easy to have a machine shop fab you up something.

 

[Calan]

Thanks guys. I have the car torn apart for some other work right now... so I'll probably just drop the strut, make a template, and fab some up out of aluminum or steel.

 

[romeen]

Let me know how it goes. I need to do something similar for the ass end of my car.

 

[Calan]

Romeen... I'll probably just burn some 1/4" thick steel on our plasma cutter here at work. (I'll stack a couple and tack weld them to get the 1/2"). I'll try to burn a couple extras in case you want them.

 

[romeen]

Thanks Craig. But do you know if the "template" is the same between 1G and 2G? Are you going to replace the studs with longer ones? It's been awhile but I thought 1G's use 3 studs and the 2G's use only 2(?)

 

[PieEyedPiper]

This might not even be relevant, but, on my 2g I used to have some lopp-sidedness going on and I was interested in spring spacers to correct the isssue. Defiant calls it "listing" and both Jtoby and Defiant agree that 2g's naturally seem to lean to the left when lowered.

I suffered with this until I installed my SPC upper control arms. Now my 2 front wheels have less than 1/8" difference in ride height. This also changed my rears, having balanced the fronts, it brought the rears in line to less than 1/4" difference in ride height. I find this about as perfect as its going to get. Even with GC's I doutb I could improve much on that.

I understand that 1g's have an entirely different suspension design but perhaps some of your control arms are worn out/damaged and thats why your car has a lean?

Or maybe you know exactly why it leans and your only option, for a multitude of reasons, is to look into the spacers.

 

[romeen]

In my case I just want to raise the entire rear of the car up just a bit. The stock suspension has the rear slightly higher than the front which according to jtoby is important for optimal handling. For some reason my car sits even front and rear. It was like this with my previous Prokits and is still like this with my current H&R's.

I need to look into the possibility of leaking rear struts (not even sure if this would affect static ride height) since I have been hearing small whooshing sounds when the rear suspension compresses. But only while driving. When I push down on the rear corners I don't hear anything at all.

Anyway, sorry Craig for getting a bit off topic.

 

[Calan]

Mine sits the same front/back with Prokits as well (errr... on one side...and theoretically on the other )

I may get by with the stock KYB AGX studs if I don't go with more than a 1/4" spacer, but it's borderline as far as getting at least one diameter's worth of thread into the nuts. Anything thicker and I'll definitely have to change studs.

Here's the spacer size for my 1G:

Round ring... 4-1/2" ID, 6-1/2" OD... 1/4" thick.
3 bolt holes ... 7/16" dia at 90 degrees apart, on 5-1/2" bolt circle.

 

[sillyme]

those spacers are just a band aid for worn shocks/struts or saggy springs. if you're really picky on how high your car is all around. get some ground control coilovers or full adjustable coilover with spring and shocks. also it could be worn bushings. remember 1g and 2g have totally different suspension geometry.

 

[romeen]

Mine sits the same front/back with Prokits as well (errr... on one side...and theoretically on the other )

I may get by with the stock KYB AGX studs if I don't go with more than a 1/4" spacer, but it's borderline as far as getting at least one diameter's worth of thread into the nuts. Anything thicker and I'll definitely have to change studs.

Here's the spacer size for my 1G:

Round ring... 4-1/2" ID, 6-1/2" OD... 1/4" thick.
3 bolt holes ... 7/16" dia at 90 degrees apart, on 5-1/2" bolt circle.

Unfortunately my car is at the body shop right now. But from what I remember the rear has only 2 studs. I've been wanting to upgrade to Koni's anyway so maybe I'll just wait and see if that has any affect on the rear height.