Suspension modification

Posted: Thu Mar 17, 2005 1:27 pm Post subject: Suspension modification

It would be nice to have a sticky topic with people's feedback on what improvements will make the AE86 handle properly. So far information is spread everywhere around this forum making it hard to trace.

Obviously I'm not talking about details such as spring rates or rebound settings. These should be chosen by the driver depending on skill, car use, etc. I am more interested in certain issues that I have still not clarified in my mind like

Are adjustable 4-link rods necessary when lowering the car? Why? What will the difference in car handling/feel be with and without the upgrade? I remember reading something about the rods sitting at the "wrong" angle after lowering the car, but how does that affect handling?

How will difference in ride height between front and rear affect weight distribution? I'm guessing but wouldn't a lower front end mean more weight on the front tyres = more grip =less grip for the rear = oversteer?

I realise these may require comlete writeups from the more techniocally knowledgeable of you, but still they would be nice to have

Smile

Posted: Thu Mar 17, 2005 1:40 pm Post subject:

Dorito,

Well we need some way to manage that, especially when subjects get asked in parts its hard to get a sticky going.

I'll make this thread a sticky if people promise to post good information about suspention here! Smile

Posted: Thu Mar 17, 2005 1:53 pm Post subject:

great thoughts Dorito! Thumbsup

We need these info gathered in one topic !!!
Please help us not so well technically aspirated guys... Worship

Posted: Thu Mar 17, 2005 3:39 pm Post subject:

Please, add all these to "Articles" - I think this is the "Articles" section about.

Posted: Wed Apr 06, 2005 10:26 pm Post subject:

[Ivanhoe translation service:]
Tip for the front shocks: for some firmer dampening you can remove the original shock inserts (if you still have those) and refill them with 5w30 engine oil and reassemble..they should be a lot stiffer after that.

tip voor de voorshockers. ja in het nederlands:P
voor wat meer demping (zoals koni's) demonteer de originele dempers en laat de olie eruit lopen.
hervul ze met een 5w30 motorolie, en zet ze weer in elkaar.
Je hebt nu flink stuggere dempers, ik rijd zo al jaren rond .

ae86

Posted: Wed Apr 06, 2005 10:48 pm Post subject:

Nice try ae86 but only if we could understand that language... Blonde question

Posted: Sun Apr 10, 2005 9:51 pm Post subject:

...as for mod´s....

my car has:

sparco springs (-30mm) discontinued Blonde question

koni sport shocks (70% hardness adjusted)
prothane polyurethane bushings
front and rear strut braces...
t3 adjustable camber plates
t3 roll center adjuster´s (rca)

...i thing these are the basic mod´s that improve the car handling dramatically Cool

....of course, associated do wider wheels and good grip tires....

in my case, konig rewind´s 14x7 -9 ....

Moderator Joined: 13 Sep 2004 Posts: 1032 Location: Sweden

my front setup...

Moderator Joined: 13 Sep 2004 Posts: 1032 Location: Sweden

my rear set up...

KONI yellows set to 85% of max, twin swaybars

Posted: Mon Apr 11, 2005 1:11 am Post subject:

Hey guys when the car is lowered is it necessary that we install both the items i show in the picture? If yes or no please explain and name these items please... Worship

Posted: Mon Apr 11, 2005 1:15 am Post subject:

Alimonos; On the left you have an RCA(Roll center adjusters) and on the right you have a camber plate.
Both are from Technotoytuning.com.
You can read about RCA's here:
http://technotoytuning.com/t3_site_pages/faq/index.html#RCA
And about camber plates here:
http://technotoytuning.com/t3_site_pages/produc...amber_plates.html

I'm gonna go with a simular setup except for this beauties:

http://technotoytuning.com/t3_site_pages/produc...ont_coilover.html

And these for the rear;

Posted: Mon Apr 11, 2005 1:20 am Post subject:

Widar the RCAs are used only with adjustable coilovers right? Blonde question

Posted: Mon Apr 11, 2005 1:22 am Post subject:

Posted: Mon Apr 11, 2005 1:23 am Post subject:

Thanks a lot widar i 've found the answers in the T3 site... Worship

Posted: Mon Apr 11, 2005 1:24 am Post subject:

And Widar they are rrrrreally beautys... Drool

How much for them though...??? Sad

Posted: Mon Apr 11, 2005 1:31 am Post subject:

Posted: Mon Apr 11, 2005 1:40 am Post subject:

that's quite a lot of money.

BUT here in holland there's a company that can deliver coilover kits (or make them from your shocks, they place a tube on the shock with thread on them and some other stuff to make it complete) for 600 euro or so.

NOT an ideal way imho, but a friend of mine had to do it (because his Celica struts wouldn't fit to his Starlet without them)

Posted: Mon Apr 11, 2005 1:55 am Post subject:

1325$ ??????
plus shipping costs.... Crying or Very sad

too expensive to be ours my dear... (talking to my car men) Crying or Very sad

Posted: Mon Apr 11, 2005 11:22 am Post subject:

Then make them yourself...buy loose coilovers from paradise racing, shorten your struts and rest the coilovers on new small perches (those coilovers are aluminium I think, welding them on directly is probably not a good idea). You can choose whatever shock you like, KYB AGX, Koni yellow, Tokico HTS...you name it, as long as it's short stroke. Get the strut sandblasted and anodised/painted and it will look nice enough.

Posted: Mon Apr 11, 2005 4:09 pm Post subject:

@Ivan: It obviously makes sense financially, but there's another issue. Safety. I don't have a fully equiped garage or access to welding equipment. And even if I did, it would be foolish to start my welding career on my front struts. So I have to take them to a suspension-shop. But how can I trust that they are well built and I won't end up in the gravel (or even a tree) with on collapsed strut? So T3 suddently starts to look like a cost-efficient solution Smile

Posted: Mon Apr 11, 2005 4:44 pm Post subject:

T3 dont do superhuman welding, so you can probably find someone that can make a very strong weld just like theirs. Why should you have to go to a suspension shop, other shops that do work on metal should be perfectly able to cut the struts to a certain length of your choice and weld them back together.
I can understand your point of view though..

Posted: Tue Apr 12, 2005 10:37 am Post subject:

The original strut housings are made from seam tubes. So your welding (professional welding, don't start teaching yourself on struts) is strong enough. But there is another option - replace the whole tube and use only bottom part of assembly. Exotic - but possible. I chose the first option and now my housings are shortened and welded clear and strong Smile

Posted: Tue Apr 12, 2005 12:36 pm Post subject:

There are coilover sets for sale that have threads for the nut at the end. If you buy those you only need to cut the strut a certain amount and weld the coilover on. They are more expensive though..

Iketani Joined: 25 Apr 2005 Posts: 43

what do you think of the D2 coil over kit

http://www.horsepowerfreaks.com/sale/D2/Suspens...Coilovers/part/RS

we can stil get to the old price 999,-

what do you think i dont get what short stroke mens got any links where i can read about it ?

Posted: Mon Jul 25, 2005 8:49 am Post subject:

Werz,

Short stroke means that you have a shorter shock obsorbers then stock. The stock ae86 shocks don't have enough travel left when you lower your car because of their lenght. Especially with gas struts this becomes a problem. Using normal sized ae86 shocks with stiffer springs will also mean that your spring comes loose when your car comes offf the ground and that is an MOT failure, atleast here in holland.

The solution is to use shorter shocks (hence the name short stroke) like AE92 shocks. You need to modify the struts by removing about 4cm out of the struts so the shorter shocks will fit. This way you can lower the car alot more and or install stiffer springs without getting into trouble.

Read this for more info:
http://www.club4ag.com/faq%20and%20tech_pages/S...%20Conversion.htm