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I'm switching from Tein SS to B&G's when they arrive sometime next week, how hard will the install be? Im hoping its a pretty easy swap just going from one full coilovers set to another, but I have not done suspension work in the past but will be learning this time...

After taking out and switching set-ups, will my alignment be screwed, or if I put it back the way I had it on the Tein, and go just about .5-1" lower in front, will that mess it up? What about camber, I have SPC camber kits all the way around (front and back). I know alignment shouldnt get messed up over .5"-1" BUT if I take one out and then install another I didnt know if that would throw it off....

Sorry for the newbie questions,

 
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The camber may not be that mess up but the toe will most likely change. You also need the bearing from your stock (should be on your tein already) and just swap it over. If you have any question just PM Mex. He will guide you to the right direction. It should be an easy job to do too. THe only problem is adjusting the height.

 
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Why would adjusting the height be a problem??

 
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whatcha doin with the teins?

 
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Any time you undo the crash bolts, you need an alignment.
Any time you change the ride height, you need an alignment.
When the camber changes, the toe goes with it severely.
It should all be a straight swap, then go get it all aligned.

 
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Yeah, thats what I was afraid...

You can change your ride height slightly and not need an alignment, as long as its real minor...

Yall think it would be worth it to get the lifetime alignment deal?

 
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But as long as you remove the crash bolts alignment will be off. Once you have an alignment done and you don't adjust the height every often, I don't see why you need a lifetime one. How much is it anyway? compare to reg alignment?

 
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Yeah I know what yours saying, I wasnt argueing about once the crash bolts are off, but slight ride height adjustment...Anyways- I think lifetime is liek $110 maybe and a regular 1 time is like $60 or so...Maybe? LOL

Im trying to find a good alignment place by me that will do lowered cars, the last shop that did mine did such a shitty-*** job, had them redo it twice after they said they had already done it 5 times...still wasnt great (wheel was slightly off...grrr) oh well, its over now.

 
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I had to dig up as much info on installing these coilovers as some people ran into some minor issues, but some preventive action will ensure you that your install goes completely satisfactory for the B&Gs once finished and after driving around for a while.

This is what I discovered:

B&G Installation notes:

1. Stock uppermounts must be used.
2. Lithium grease needs to be applied on spring contact areas (cup seperator/upper mounts.)
3. To prevent the rubber eyelit from trearing: Before tightening nut on bottom bolt for rear B&Gs, lower the car back on the ground first. Tighten nut back to spec.
4. The ends of the main springs have different diameters, and cannot/must not sit upside down.
5. Cut dust-boots to prevent them from tearing.

Some people cut some of the bump stop off but I took that out of my notes because some people didn't and had no ride quality issues.

The lithium grease is to prevent the coilovers from making noise. Unfortunately, B+Gs don't have anything to isolate the spring.

The rubber eyelit is located at the bottom of the rear strut. These things are made of different material for different struts, so you have to be careful on how you install it or else you'll be calling B&G to get you new rear struts. This would possibly be your biggest concern.

Cutting the dust boot vertically prevents it from catching onto the spring and ripping over time. This occured with my Hayames (V1s and V2s). You'd probably want to cut it twice.

 
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Thank you very much Slammed man.

Any other things you would recommend for me? Me and my dad will be doing the installation and tho he is amazing with cars , neither of us know much about suspension installation, and he espcially is not familar with "coilovers" and lowering cars, haha.

ThANKS!

 
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Check this out. You will find this to be priceless information... but don't let it intimidate you.

http://gametrax.net/springs/index.html

 
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Thanks I printed that off after I read it.

I think it should be easier than that since thats for the stock suspension... I dunno...

About how much time am I looking at for the install? Anyone wanna guess??

 
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Since you'll have help, probably no more than an hour and a half since you're doing it for the first time.

 
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Thats about what I told my dad but he was like yeah okaaaaaayyy...So im hoping it doesnt take too long..

I set up an appointment for an allignment for next Monday, but Im putting them on this Thursday (HOPEFULLY....) so hope it all goes well.

thanks for your help again!

 
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If you're looking for the time it takes to swap them and level them, I'd say way more than an hour and a half. It took me 6 + another 4 or 5 to level the car side to side then front to back. Its not hard, it just takes a while. Leveling it was even with setting everything even side to side before I installed it. If you get lucky and everything is right when you install it, you're golden but its doubtful you'll be happy the first time.
Lets put it this way... don't make plans to do something afterwards.... just plan on a whole day and if there's time left, then go have fun.

 
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Haha, Riley told me approx where to put the threads on it... That should help.

I plan on doing it after work (i get off at 3) on Thursday, pick it up from UPS, and then go to dinner with friends... Haha hope it all works out...

 
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Let us know how it goes

 
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Where did you order yours from out of curiousity?

 
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The guy above your post ^^^

Just noticed your sig, what IYO is wrong with JIC-Magic?

 
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lol, sorry. I should've clairified that my question was for 2K2EXCOUPE.

JIC-Magic had some issues with Nissans in the past. The welds on one part of the coilovers were breaking. It had many Silvia drivers in an uproar. On top of that, JIC has poor customer service.

 
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Gotcha, I love my JIC FLT-A2's.

 
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I believe JIC makes an excellent product, but the reason behind the words of my sig is that there's not really a true "quality" company. Everyone has their flaws.

 
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That can be said for most businesses not just suspension manufacturers. But that is another topic

 
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Not to hijack the thread, but do full-coilover systems have a settling period like normal springs? I mean I waited a week and a 1/2 before getting my alignment when I had my eiback pro-kit installed. Just wondering.

 
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Just curious, but why are you going from an Adjustible Damper coilover (Tein SS) to a non adjustible damper coilver (B&G)? Handling wise the SS should out perform the B&G pretty easily....

 
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^^^ I'm sure he's gonna say that its because Teins don't go low enough. Just an educated guess though.

On the other hand, you'll never find anything that works perfectly. Konis leak too, its not just coilovers. Its just something to deal with, as long as its not effecting you at the moment, then its nothing to ruffle feathers at. Customer service on the other hand, is at a minimum in this industry. There's only 3 places I've found where I've been truly satisfied with the service....
Tire Rack
Comptech
Hondawerx

 
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Boilermaker is right, they did not go low enough

The B&G's have speed sensitive damper on the s3 version I bought, which is enough for me. I must say just the little I've tested my B&G's so far I am completely happy.

UPDATE: Install went GREAT! Thanks to Riley for the help!!!

Only thing that went wrong is B&G didnt include my wrenches!!! AHHH, so I had to adjust them before I put them on with the spring uncompressed...I am lower than I was on Tein SS and level right now, just not as low as I will be.

Thank you Jeff at Street Level Performance for your help also... (leaving feedback right now, please do the same.)

 
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Good. Any pics?

 
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Not yet- Im not sitting as low as I will be since I dont have my wrenches to lower it anymore...YET...

I need some updated pics tho I know- I will have some coming. I am getting a new digi in a week or so that will be fun

 
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I'm not saying that there should be a perfect product as there won't be one. It was just a simple observation I made in terms of quality made products. It certainly hasn't stopped me from purchasing or wanting certain products.

From my experience, I take customer service seriously. A lot of people will overlook it's benefits if they find a quality product so they don't have to deal with customer service. But when it comes to certain issues for companies, there should be customer service instead of resorting to the BBB or suing, especially for expensive suspension products. If there's no customer service, it shows just how much a manufacturer will back their product without taking the consumer in consideration, and that's B.S. since the manufacturer cannot run into every possible issue. It's only natural that type of service is at a minimal these days because frankly, no one cares so long as they get their payment. But as a consumer, you do want to get what you paid for - you won't truly know what you get until after enough time has passed from your own experience.

IMO, Hayame/SPW has 3rd class coilovers, but the vendor who sold them to me has excellent customer service, and he will most likely have my business again thanks to his support. I won't ever deal with another Hayame product ever again. Their quality is soon to drive down it's reputation in the future. They've provided good customer service but they are liars, always saying that their product was going to be in or when the customer would have it. They would rather give misleading information to bring the hopes up of the customer by saying "soon" or "next week" knowing that parts that come overseas can take AT LEAST 3 weeks to arrive. I won't even go into them telling me to drill when I later learned they were responsible for the design.