Swapping Springs/Disassembling adjustable length dampers...
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Swapping Springs/Disassembling adjustable length dampers...
For those of you complaining about things with coilover ride quality and want to do something about it, swap the springs... here we go.
You need all the tools necessary for the suspension installation (sockets, tie rod tool etc...)
A new set of springs that fit (there are 2.25 and 2.5 ID coil springs, as well as many lengths). You also need to know what rate you want. If its too stiff, you need to lower the spring rates. It just so happens I need 2.5" x 8" springs for the front, so thats what I bought. I went from 500 lb to 400 lbs... more on that later.
You also need a couple hours. I think I could have done it in 2 hrs if I didn't mess up the tie rod end, but we won't go there.
First things first... measure from where the bottom bracket of the coilover is to some fixed reference point, I used the bottom of the camber plate... either that or the bottom surface of the upper mount are wise locations to go from. Measure more than once to make sure you got it, then loosen the locknut.
I tried to just unscrew the damper from the lower mount, but the knuckle/a-arm don't have enough vertical travel to accomodate it (there's about 4"-5" of threading in the lower bracket.) They gotta come out of the car.
If you have camber plates, I recommend leaving the upper plate bolted into the car, and just remove the 4 adjuster screws that hold the 2 sliding plates together. That way you don't have to deal with lining up the 3 upper hat bolts later, you can just put the pillowball back in the slot.
Once its out, you can start unscrewing parts from the bottom. The lower mount, 2 lock rings, the lower spring collar, a spacer ring and the spring.
You'll find this to be a wonderful time to clean everything, take advantage of it. Wipe everything down before you re-assemble it. Put the new spring on (there is no upside down with racing springs), the spacer, the bottom spring collar, the lock nut, the bracket lock nut then the lower bracket.
Turn the bottom collar so the spring is tight, but not preloaded, then tighten the lock ring to it. Then get the length of the coilover close to what you had it set at before (the measurement you were supposed to take), and re-assemble it. Don't tighten it yet, you'll probably need to fine tune it.
Put everything back in the car. Now here's the deal. If you were good about it the first time when you installed it, you probably don't need an alignment since everything is going back the way it was. If you didn't pay much attention the last time you did it, get it aligned. Also align it if you're making changes to settings.
Back to what I said up top about the springs...
This is kind of general regarding use of EP3 coilover kits. The Si has about 400 lbs more over the nose than we do. Therefore they beef up the front springs considerably beyond what is needed in the Coupe/Sedan. I can now say this... if you're smart, just take 100 lbs off the front rates right off the bat, before you install them. Thats what I just did, it makes an enormous difference. The front of the car stays on the ground, it doesn't chatter under hard acceleration while cornering, its more responsive and the weight transfer feels better. I'm now using 400 front/560 rear, 25.4 mm front sway bar with a 22mm rear one. My car may finally be dead right. I took it out after I did it, played around. To keep myself from doing something dumb, I left the stock tires on so I knew long before I was in trouble... even on shitstones, the limits were raised. I'm happy... now all I need is a track day.
BTW: anyone in need of a set of 2.5x8x500lb springs... PM me.
You need all the tools necessary for the suspension installation (sockets, tie rod tool etc...)
A new set of springs that fit (there are 2.25 and 2.5 ID coil springs, as well as many lengths). You also need to know what rate you want. If its too stiff, you need to lower the spring rates. It just so happens I need 2.5" x 8" springs for the front, so thats what I bought. I went from 500 lb to 400 lbs... more on that later.
You also need a couple hours. I think I could have done it in 2 hrs if I didn't mess up the tie rod end, but we won't go there.
First things first... measure from where the bottom bracket of the coilover is to some fixed reference point, I used the bottom of the camber plate... either that or the bottom surface of the upper mount are wise locations to go from. Measure more than once to make sure you got it, then loosen the locknut.
I tried to just unscrew the damper from the lower mount, but the knuckle/a-arm don't have enough vertical travel to accomodate it (there's about 4"-5" of threading in the lower bracket.) They gotta come out of the car.
If you have camber plates, I recommend leaving the upper plate bolted into the car, and just remove the 4 adjuster screws that hold the 2 sliding plates together. That way you don't have to deal with lining up the 3 upper hat bolts later, you can just put the pillowball back in the slot.
Once its out, you can start unscrewing parts from the bottom. The lower mount, 2 lock rings, the lower spring collar, a spacer ring and the spring.
You'll find this to be a wonderful time to clean everything, take advantage of it. Wipe everything down before you re-assemble it. Put the new spring on (there is no upside down with racing springs), the spacer, the bottom spring collar, the lock nut, the bracket lock nut then the lower bracket.
Turn the bottom collar so the spring is tight, but not preloaded, then tighten the lock ring to it. Then get the length of the coilover close to what you had it set at before (the measurement you were supposed to take), and re-assemble it. Don't tighten it yet, you'll probably need to fine tune it.
Put everything back in the car. Now here's the deal. If you were good about it the first time when you installed it, you probably don't need an alignment since everything is going back the way it was. If you didn't pay much attention the last time you did it, get it aligned. Also align it if you're making changes to settings.
Back to what I said up top about the springs...
This is kind of general regarding use of EP3 coilover kits. The Si has about 400 lbs more over the nose than we do. Therefore they beef up the front springs considerably beyond what is needed in the Coupe/Sedan. I can now say this... if you're smart, just take 100 lbs off the front rates right off the bat, before you install them. Thats what I just did, it makes an enormous difference. The front of the car stays on the ground, it doesn't chatter under hard acceleration while cornering, its more responsive and the weight transfer feels better. I'm now using 400 front/560 rear, 25.4 mm front sway bar with a 22mm rear one. My car may finally be dead right. I took it out after I did it, played around. To keep myself from doing something dumb, I left the stock tires on so I knew long before I was in trouble... even on shitstones, the limits were raised. I'm happy... now all I need is a track day.
BTW: anyone in need of a set of 2.5x8x500lb springs... PM me.
Last edited by Boilermaker1; Nov 24, 2004 at 09:56 AM.
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Originally Posted by Boilermaker1
This is kind of general regarding use of EP3 coilover kits. The Si has about 400 lbs more over the nose than we do. Therefore they beef up the front springs considerably beyond what is needed in the Coupe/Sedan.
Anyhow, good writeup - if I didn't have plans I might do the same, since I have the KW coilovers from the EP3 on my car....
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Originally Posted by opto_isolator
Or just swap in a K20 - problem solved!
Anyhow, good writeup - if I didn't have plans I might do the same, since I have the KW coilovers from the EP3 on my car....
Anyhow, good writeup - if I didn't have plans I might do the same, since I have the KW coilovers from the EP3 on my car....
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From: PhILLy, Pennsylvania, US
Rep Power: 334 what does 400 front 560 rear translate into using KG measurements? Was your rear spring shorter then your front spring? Do all coilovers use the same diameter spring?
I have D2 racing coils.
http://www.7thgencivic.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=185160
In my other post^^^, i reported banging or bottoming out of the rears. I think its becuase I got sent a really short spring ( After initially getting a reallly tall spring which made lowering the car impossible) . WIth my car being low as it is (.5 inch gap all around), and the spring being so short. It seems to bang over bumps. So do you think a different spring would fix it? I currently have 6 K front and 8 K rears.
I have D2 racing coils.
http://www.7thgencivic.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=185160
In my other post^^^, i reported banging or bottoming out of the rears. I think its becuase I got sent a really short spring ( After initially getting a reallly tall spring which made lowering the car impossible) . WIth my car being low as it is (.5 inch gap all around), and the spring being so short. It seems to bang over bumps. So do you think a different spring would fix it? I currently have 6 K front and 8 K rears.
Last edited by AzNmiKex215; Dec 12, 2004 at 07:44 PM.
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Joined: Jul 2002
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From: Washington DC
Rep Power: 424 Translated... 7.15K/10K I didn't measure the rear springs but there are differences between brands. There's a couple different diameters (2.25 and 2.5 are the most common... and you need to figure out what length they're supposed to come with, changing the length, even using the same spring rate, will make the car react different.
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