danny_silva Posted September 30, 2007 Share Posted September 30, 2007 i gents!! im in the process of converting my bilstein stock shocks to adjustble ones!!! it is easy!! if it works out we can have stock shocks and stock springs and adjust the heigh of our car... if anyone is interest i can do a post with pics a results!! i thing it is a good way to have your car very low or not so low on a very cheap buget!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JODY T Posted October 2, 2007 Share Posted October 2, 2007 Hmmmm Ide like to see how you are doing it.. My only issue would be safety, with I guess the only way of testing would be to drive on the road... Are you adjusting by compressing the spring or shortning the shock itself... Either way Im not sure if it sounds safe... Surley the cost of a set of height adjusteable ones, outweighs the cost of damaging the car or your life... Just my opinion but ide like to see the development, good to think outside the box too! just be careful... JT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Posted October 2, 2007 Share Posted October 2, 2007 I would imagine that lowering the car on the stock springs would seriously affect the ride quality. Personally, I'd rather fork out for a decent set of springs as the bare minimum - these are not cars that deserve cheap bodge-jobs! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest DaveWilko Posted October 2, 2007 Share Posted October 2, 2007 I would imagine that lowering the car on the stock springs would seriously affect the ride quality. Personally, I'd rather fork out for a decent set of springs as the bare minimum - these are not cars that deserve cheap bodge-jobs! How about giving the man a chance? We don't even know what he has done. Are you talking about those weld in threaded tubes that convert normal struts to adjustable? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danny_silva Posted October 2, 2007 Author Share Posted October 2, 2007 thanks for the chance!! so far i have mine rear shocks to -15mm,-30,-45!! you can go more but i use 19" wheels so a set mine to -30mm!! u will still have the same quality that you had before because you are not cutting nothing!! i will do a write up for all of you!! please say what you think!! 1st you take your shocks out and by compressing the spring take them apart!! 2nd: you have a ring on the shocks were the spring sits!! right? turn the shock around so its facing the ground and slowly with a hammer push the ring down about 1.5"!!! if you are going to do this you will see that u have like a "clip" on the yellow part of the shock!! 3 step: you take your shocks to a manual turner and do external groves with 1.5mm thinck and only go 0.5mm deap!! You can space the groves like me!! from the original one i did 15mm and all 3 equal!! so i have from std -15mm, -30mm,-45mm!! finally you take the "clip" and move it to were you want!! them slowly you push back the ring were the spring goes!! MAKE sure the clip is in the ring so it wont came out!! fit your std springs back on and mount your suspension again!! Result: you have your car low, or very low and still runing with stock suspension!! If the japaneses did it 15 years ago and their still in our car it is safe!! I hope you all understand, my englis is not very good!! i will post pics of everything that im doing!! oh, and if you want or std setup just take the wheels of compresses the spring and put the "clip" back to orignal grove and voila!! Cheers Danny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustGav Posted October 2, 2007 Share Posted October 2, 2007 I'm not going to say anything yet... however I'm very interested in seeing how it is done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustGav Posted October 2, 2007 Share Posted October 2, 2007 Okay, ignore my first post.. The springs are tested over the length of the unit, and to the tension that they can take. Clamping a few coils together WILL not be ideal. Yes it will lower the car, however it will also completely screw up the spring rating, given that you now have three sections of tension in the spring; The bit above the compressed coil; the bit below the compressed coil; and the compressed coil itself. This is a BAD IDEA, the spring rate will also probably be too soft and you will end up bottoming out the dampner (Causing it to pop). Lower kits SHOULD come with slightly shorter dampners, otherwise the length of travel is severly affected. This is not a good idea in my opinion, you own a supra and as such don't do bodge jobs to it, spend the money and get decent springs or just don't do it. This is almost as bad as compressing and then heating the coils. But this is just my opinoin, feel free to ignore it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest DaveWilko Posted October 2, 2007 Share Posted October 2, 2007 Sounds like a clever idea to me. The groove is in the same tube and no deeper than the standard one so it isn't going to weaken it. Show us the pics! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homer Posted October 2, 2007 Share Posted October 2, 2007 You have to be ****ing kidding me Heard it all now *shakes head* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustGav Posted October 2, 2007 Share Posted October 2, 2007 Sounds like a clever idea to me. The groove is in the same tube and no deeper than the standard one so it isn't going to weaken it. Show us the pics! You reckon cutting into a spring is a good idea?? It does weaken it, of course it will, you have just cut into the overall structure of a single coiled piece of spring steel (or whatever they make them of) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest DaveWilko Posted October 2, 2007 Share Posted October 2, 2007 Okay, ignore my first post.. The springs are tested over the length of the unit, and to the tension that they can take. Clamping a few coils together WILL not be ideal. Yes it will lower the car, however it will also completely screw up the spring rating, given that you now have three sections of tension in the spring; The bit above the compressed coil; the bit below the compressed coil; and the compressed coil itself. This is a BAD IDEA, the spring rate will also probably be too soft and you will end up bottoming out the dampner (Causing it to pop). Lower kits SHOULD come with slightly shorter dampners, otherwise the length of travel is severly affected. This is not a good idea in my opinion, you own a supra and as such don't do bodge jobs to it, spend the money and get decent springs or just don't do it. This is almost as bad as compressing and then heating the coils. But this is just my opinoin, feel free to ignore it. That was my first thought too mate but if you think about it, you aren't altering the spring or the length of it, just the lower spring seat. Its the same principle as coilovers but with less adjustability. You are right about the dampers but 2 or 3cm shouldn't do any harm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustGav Posted October 2, 2007 Share Posted October 2, 2007 You have to be ****ing kidding me Heard it all now *shakes head* EXACTLY.. you have seen the shed, it sits high, not even I would consider bodging springs this way, the car can sit high for all I care before I do that kind of rubbish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest DaveWilko Posted October 2, 2007 Share Posted October 2, 2007 You reckon cutting into a spring is a good idea?? It does weaken it, of course it will, you have just cut into the overall structure of a single coiled piece of spring steel (or whatever they make them of) He isn't touching the spring. The lower spring seat is removable and sounds like it is held in place with a circlip. He is just making a few additional lower grooves to lower the spring seat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danny_silva Posted October 2, 2007 Author Share Posted October 2, 2007 no, i respect what you are saying!! But,im not clamping nothing!! and im not even changing the ratio of the spring!! my car still feels the same as it was before! its just closer to the floor!! lol.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustGav Posted October 2, 2007 Share Posted October 2, 2007 you aren't altering the spring or the length of it The way I read it and correct me if I'm wrong, but he is taking about putting a clip on a few coils.. That is altering the length of the spring to me.. It alters the entire physics of the way the spring works. Its the same principle as coilovers Not even close You are right about the dampers but 2 or 3cm shouldn't do any harm Wait until you hit an expected bump, I can say this from experience, I had a golf mki that I lowered the 'budget' way (I was 17 and stupid)... 1 week later, hit a pothole and the dampner popped where it hit the bottom of its travel. If you are really considering doing this, then be warned, and don't expect to see the above guide in Technical anytime soon (Awaits Ian C's comments ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustGav Posted October 2, 2007 Share Posted October 2, 2007 He isn't touching the spring. The lower spring seat is removable and sounds like it is held in place with a circlip. He is just making a few additional lower grooves to lower the spring seat Okay, I stand corrected on that aspect of it then.. I must have mis-interpretted, apologies. I'd still be concerned with the possible issues with running normal springs with a height difference due to the travel issues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danny_silva Posted October 2, 2007 Author Share Posted October 2, 2007 And yes davewilko!! you know want i mean!! that is exacly want im trying to explain.. i just did extra groves on my yellow pipe from the shock were i can more the circlip and lower the base were the spring sits!! It is exacly the same as std but lower!!! lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest DaveWilko Posted October 2, 2007 Share Posted October 2, 2007 If you fit lowering springs with standard shocks it will reduce the damper travel too. He isn't being stupid about how much he is lowering it. If he was talking about 10cm I would be horrified butthe amount he is talking about isn't unusual for lowering springs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nic Posted October 2, 2007 Share Posted October 2, 2007 This is basically how the 3 stage height adjustable TRD struts work. They use Bilstein dampers with 3 grooves in the damper 10mm apart, the spring seats can be positioned on either of the 3 grooves to basically lower or raise the ride height as desired. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustGav Posted October 2, 2007 Share Posted October 2, 2007 If you fit lowering springs with standard shocks it will reduce the damper travel too. He isn't being stupid about how much he is lowering it. If he was talking about 10cm I would be horrified butthe amount he is talking about isn't unusual for lowering springs Lowering springs also have a higher tension rating, which means they provide more resistance than standard springs, so they are less likely to bottom out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest DaveWilko Posted October 2, 2007 Share Posted October 2, 2007 Apology accepted Gav. No offence was taken anyway Sometimes a calming influence is very necessary where 'inovative' mods are posted lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danny_silva Posted October 2, 2007 Author Share Posted October 2, 2007 wich takes our quality riding as well... they are more stiffer!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobSheffield Posted October 2, 2007 Share Posted October 2, 2007 Why do we keep seeing this desire to mod 'on a budget' If you have a budget and cant afford to lower it, then dont lower it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustGav Posted October 2, 2007 Share Posted October 2, 2007 Apology accepted Gav. No offence was taken anyway Sometimes a calming influence is very necessary where 'inovative' mods are posted lol Oh innovate away... I do on the way home and speak to another supra owner about the wacky ideas. (Some of which will hopefully work, some are just plain wacky)... If you are going down this route, then I'll probably suggest getting hold of an old bilstein section, have a look at the thickness of the section which you plan on cutting into, and make sure you have enough wall thickness, so you don't compromise the structure of the dampner too much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustGav Posted October 2, 2007 Share Posted October 2, 2007 wich takes our quality riding as well... they are more stiffer!! They are stiffer to prevent the dampner bottoming out... deja vu` Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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