Lowering springs question

[Guest]

ok I bought a set of these to check out..
A couple of questions..

So what is holding the spring in place? The dust boot?
Doesn't the top cap just bounce around?
How much load did you put on it?

[FestYboy]

well to start, the spring is being held in by the pressure of the car during normal operation.

the caps DO bounce around and I'm coming up with a fix for that tomorrow. one thing i would have done had i known earlier was to take and cut both springs at 8.5" instead of one in half which gave me 7" x 2. this would have held constant pressure on the helper caps while the suspension is unloaded during driving, but i wanted to try to use just one set to do all 4 corners. I'm thinking that I'll remedy this when i get more $$, for now I'll take out a coil of the soft end of the red ones to keep some pressure on the helpers at all times. the change in ride height will be minimal seeing that those coils are bound when loaded.

as far as the load on the springs: in the picture you're seeing a half tank of gas and full size spare plus tool bag and full interior. to test it, i first stood on the back bumper and measured without the helpers and then did the same with them installed, there's about an inch difference (i weigh 135) i also bounced on it and before i could bottom out, now i can't.

[FestYboy]

^^
sorry about that... ops: i tried to get it into the side bar but couldn't get it small enough. i changed it around so that it matched what my car looks like now but i should have asked first.

[Guest]

I am going to collapse the spring and sit an engine in the back.. My system weights as much if not more.. Since that will be ride around weight, it should be alright, maybe take a few coils out, but would probably look funny as hell all jacked up from no weight in the ass end..

[FestYboy]

Well, you shouldn't have to cut anything if you don't mind wasting some of the helper, as long as you just plan on using them for the rear. as stated before, figure on 8.5" of helper spring. to get a more accurate guesstimate, measure the loaded spring height and add an inch of helper to that measurement, this should get you in the ballpark without making it look jacked.

-Arty
new sig to come soon..... without infringing on anyone else's work this time

[Guest]

ok I installed a set and love the firmness and will be buying another set for the front since I will be putting the heavier BP in later.. I will also have to cut both sets at least by 3 coils.. The way it is now (uncut) it's way way too high, like 6" between the top of the tire and the wheel opening lip. I then stuck 700+lbs on the back and it went down to 1.5" of clearance between the top of the tire and the wheel opening lip but didn't bottom out.

I may have installed mine differently also.. My caps were silver and didn't have the lip on the outside edge.. With a little coaxing the caps fit snuggly in each end of the FMS springs. That was tricky.. compressing the helper spring that is 3" longer than the FMS spring down far enough to slip a cap between the end FMS coil. It's going to be even more fun taking them apart to cut the coils, but should be easier to put back together afterwards.

I may have to change this though. When I cut the coils, the oem cap that sits on the boot/bushing was installed inside the helper spring at the very top coil. It was a real tight fit, but with a couple of screwdrivers and patience I got them there.

I test drove it today with 200lbs. of weight in the back and a passenger riding with me and never heard a peep from them and we were both listening for noises.

Well, It's 7:18am Gotta go pull everything apart..

[FestYboy]

got pics of your work?

the plan was to work on eliminating the noise yesterday but the garage got in the way... so i tore it apart. you can blame dad for this :x

I'm surprised that you installed the whole spring!!! :shock: now granted, I'm not putting as much weight in the back, but as you see Scrappy, he's JUST touching the helpers. So the FMS springs are doing all the work until there's more weight added. i should have added more coils but this was the first time doing anything like this.

about the helper cap: is there a wide one and narrow one like my set? i noticed that if you place the wide one on top and then place the bumper/bushing over that (after cutting the dust boot), the bumper will keep the spring engaged. the only thing about that is you have to cut several coils out before doing this. you MAY have some noise if the suspension is completely unloaded but i doubt that will happen unless you're on a lift. you see, the cap shouldn't ever touch the helper spring unless you're bottoming out, but the bumper is still between the cap and cup so there shouldn't be any noise.

[FestYboy]

bump^^^

[Guest]

Yeah, cut 3 coils out and even though it's not quite so high, it's still too high even with a load on it.. I will pull it apart this weekend and take another 2 coils out. both of my caps are the same size, but the hole in the middle of the caps are different one is smaller than the other if that's what you're talking about. The bodyroll sucks though I even made my own rear strut bar. I think that once it's right for my intended added weight, it will be ok. I still have a custom made pipe to put into the rear beam if I need it..

[FestYboy]

Yeah, cut 3 coils out and even though it's not quite so high, it's still too high even with a load on it.. I will pull it apart this weekend and take another 2 coils out. both of my caps are the same size, but the hole in the middle of the caps are different one is smaller than the other if that's what you're talking about. The bodyroll sucks though I even made my own rear strut bar. I think that once it's right for my intended added weight, it will be ok. I still have a custom made pipe to put into the rear beam if I need it..

yeah, i took the cap with the smaller hole and fit it in the center of the bumpstop. you know how i said that i cut the dust boot and flipped it upside down, well i also trimmed the lower part of the bumpstop down so that it would fit through the cap w/ the smaller hole.

about the body roll, you'll have to increase the front spring rate or stiffer roll bar, that's where all the roll happens.