Rep Power: 0

ok.. here's my problem.. i don't think the guys at the shop know how to install these coilovers.. basically.. these are the set that i bought in taiwan, they didn't come with instructions so these tools don't know what to do.... here is my front strut assembly...



Ok.. as you can see in Figure A, that is the mount attached for the spring right?... now, what else needs to go on top of that? bearing plate and the base mount right? Also.. in Figure B, you can unscrew the bottom mount (control arm) and tighten it to wherever you want it.. what is that for? why would you want to unscrew the control arm?? I know that there are some out there like that (JIC for the RSX) but what exactly does it do?

So.. right now they're installed, but my steering is all over the place... whenever my tires get a chance to break loose (i.e. in the rain over puddles, over slick RR track plates, slippery road uphill) they have a mind of their own.. Like it will turn on its own sometimes.. kinda freaky.. but only when they break loose.. does anyone have any suggestions as to what i should tell the shop?? What to ask?

Thanks

 
Rep Power: 417

cant see the pictures... my steering was like that after i put on my rims...

 
Rep Power: 0

ok.. pic should work fine now... someone give some info on this please.. vnlil, i know you're the suspension man.. i hope you can shed some light on this..

 
Rep Power: 417

from the pic, ya it looks like thats all it needs, the base mount and bearing plate. so 10/11, 9 and 7.

as for the control arm, is there a bolt on the bottom of it to? or is it just on the top? if its only on top, maybe its so if it brakes you could rebuild it more easily compared to having it welded on? or maybe they're are advantages of it being higher/lower? doesnt seem like the case tho. how is it when you turn? maybe tie rods or tie rod boots arent good? sorry.. i have no clue.. just throwin out some ideas... you said JIC for rsxs had that for the control arm right.. i'll try to look into when i have time. what company is that from again?

 
Rep Power: 0

they're T'oser brand.. but they are a small company out of taiwan... they had to change the tie rod ends because whoever did my alignment used an impact wrench... he said that the tie rods are all fine... since there isn't much to them.. but my steering is just all messed up.. very very loose.. i've seen this same design on a few others, mainly the overseas companies.. so maybe that's why they don't know how to install them.. but now it's toooo low and way too shakey.. it doesn't have anything to do with spring alignment right.. because of the top spring mount, it just sits flat anyways.. but what sits ontop of the spring mount.. and the people that installed them wouldn't take the bearings out.. ahh.. i don't know.. i hope i find an answer to this soon though.. i'm gonna take it to another shop i think..

 
Rep Power: 417

here's one guys response to the locking thing right above the control arm
"To adjust the height of the shock body"

not exactly sure what the benefits of it are. i asked him... and he has yet to reply.

 
Rep Power: 318

I think all he needs is 10/11. Here's a pic of my B&Gs before I assembled all the components:

 
Rep Power: 417

after looking at it again, i dont think you need 7... but dont you need 9(the bearing plate)? cause something has to spin and number 9 is what holds all the little *****

 
Rep Power: 0

It adjusts the height without changing the suspension travel. Tighten it well, I know the Tein Flex's need about 135 lbs of torque to tighten them. That is hard esp with the locking perch wrench. The NEX perch never locked inplaced(lift side).

 
Rep Power: 0

Figure A is the bearing for the Mcpherson Strut. So all you will need are 10 and 11. Parts 13 and 15 are already in the picture. You will need the same parts for the rear.

What kit is this?

 
Rep Power: 0

Here is the link: JIC Magic

 
Rep Power: 0

your steering is loose because you have spherical bearing for your front struts. They give you precise steering. The play is probably from not tightening the bottom perch lock with the right torque settings. That is a benefit from buying the Flex ova the SS. The pillowball mounts give you camber adjustment, spherical bearing for your steering and no noise from the sleeved coils and the stock front upper mounts.

 
Rep Power: 318

I'm gonna have to check on that. Maybe this will cure the spring noises during low speed turns.

 
Rep Power: 417

i dunno, maybe you installed it right... you guys obviously know more then i do seeing that you guys have true coilovers. n no i'm not being sarcastic. i dont know too much about them.

 
Rep Power: 417

here what someone said

The adjustable lower spring perch allows you to adjust spring preload. Effectively, you can have a "stiffer" spring by using a lower spring rate. For street use, it's virtually useless...so yes, we don't need it there, but since coilovers came from the track, it still has those features associated with it. HTH.

so i guess when you adjust the height you should mainly use the one right about the control arm to keep a full stroke. but use the one right below the spring to control the spring load which i guess controls how soft/stiff the springs are. it probably can be used to adjust the height as well.

 
Rep Power: 0

wow.. lots of good information.. i took my car in again and they adjusted the height by moving the perch right above the spring. it moved it up a little but the biggest difference was that it rode soooo much nicer than it did... i'm gonna take it to a different shop and have them explain the whole thing to me.. From the looks of it, the control arm perch adjusts height while the spring perch adjusts ride stiffness, although that goes against what most other coilovers are like... but then again, those are considerably shorter than most others. I'll see if i can find out an answer sometime next week.. BTW, my alignment was sooo off, that i completey ate through my Dunlop A2's, like bald... oh well..

 
Rep Power: 0

oh.. and some of the other guys who have been having problems with thunking/clunking during backing out w/cranked wheel --> straight said that it was because the upper spring perch is either on backwards or rotated 180... i don't know.. just throwing out some ideas

 
Rep Power: 417

ya it does go against alot of coilover designs but it makes sense... regular true coilovers, your shortening the stroke. with this your not, and also you get to adjust the spring rate basically. besides the control arm looking a little weak, your coilovers sound good. how much did you get them for again?
n ya i got the information from members of clubrsx.com(i'm there often since our suspensions are different, lots of knowledgable members there). the JIC coilovers had the same deal, 3 locking things. but then the control arm looked much tougher like our stock ones.