rcdash

iTrader: (18)

With everyone getting ready for SEMA, it's not a good time to be in need of some help . My first experience with coilovers. I got the car back with the tein mono flex installed, pretty close to reference heights as specified in the instruction manual, but it's too low for my driveway and speed bumps in the area. So I need to raise it.

I've got this far: raise the car, take off the wheel. Now for the fronts and rears I presume I need to lengthen the spring length by lowering the spring seat lock and then the spring seat. Can anyone confirm that this is all that's needed? I have the 2 tools that comes with the Tein coilovers.

Finally Tein recommends torque locking the spring seat lock to 50 ft-lbs. How in the heck can I possible get a torque wrench in there? They give you special hand tools and there's no way to measure torque with those. The other confusing aspect is that they don't give a variable reference range for "C" (the distance between the spring seat lock and the bottom of the coilover) while they state that the "A" (distance from end of the piston to the bottom of the coilover) does have a variable range. The instructions basically suck. So if someone can tell me the right way to adjust height front and rear or point me to a DIY, that'd be swell.

Thanks in advance.

Z1 Performance

iTrader: (564)

main height adjustments should be done via the lower bracket of the coilover, not the spring collar. Use the spring collar method for cornerweighting and other small height adjustments (ie anything less than 1/2 inch)

you dont put a torque wrench on it, since you can't - just tighten it by hand using the supplied spanner wrenches..you'll feel when its tight as you won't be able to turn it anymore

rcdash

iTrader: (18)

Appreciate the response - thank you.

For the rear, with the spring separate from the shock, the ride height would be entirely determined by the spring collar, correct? So I'd have to do adjust that. The shock bracket would adjust the shock travel distance only in that case?

The instructions that came with the Tein strongly imply adjusting the spring collar (from the picture), but I can't be sure. Hmmm...

Z1 Performance

iTrader: (564)

I believe a rear mono flex has an adjustable dampener as well (I don't recall, its been months since I've seen one), but yes, given that the spring is not on the damper itself, you can easily do it via the rear spring collar. If you found yourself doing major changes, you could then set the dampener up to accomodate the new height setting, but given where you're going height-wise with the car (sounds like not too far dropped), you would be find to just leave the rear damper alone

rcdash

iTrader: (18)

Thanks. Okay, I think I've got it. Basically I don't want to adjust height by changing the spring preloading. I want to change the overall height of the coilover (for the front). For the rear, I have to change the height using the spring locks, but ideally I should adjust the rear shock length similarly so that the travel of the piston remains the same.

Let me know if I'm off base, but I think I've got this right now...

Z1 Performance

iTrader: (564)

you got it

rcdash

iTrader: (18)

Okay, I'm stuck. The lower bracket to adjust the coilover length in the front turns the entire coilover. I presume if it's all one piece that I have to disconnect the coilover from it's attachment to the lower control arm before I can adjust the lower bracket using the Tein wrenches.

Can anyone confirm this?

That 17 mm bolt that attaches the coilover at the bottom is on there d@mn tight. Starting to strip the bolt with a breaker bar. hmmm...

Z1 Performance

iTrader: (564)

Yep, you'll need to remove the 17mm lower bolt in order to spin the lower part of the front dampers. Probably was put on with air tools, as its a big bolt that has some decent torque to it

cubu

iTrader: (21)

my adjustment wrench has a square cutout for a socket wrench or torque wrench

rcdash

iTrader: (18)

Adam, thank you. I finally got it done. The front is now 1" higher and even on both sides. No more scraping on my driveway - yeah!

I did adjust the spring preload to the reference specifications specified in the manual after the height was adjusted to keep the other dimensions in spec. It all makes sense now that I know how everything fits together.

Not the most pleasant experience, but glad I got it done!

rcdash

iTrader: (18)

Ahh, crap is that what that is for? I guess I could use that now that I think about it. I just did it as hard as I could by hand. Man I don't want to take the wheels off again .

Adam, what's your vote - take the wheels off and torque it or just go with max elbow grease and leave it at that?

Z1 Performance

iTrader: (564)

If you want to go over it, there are worse things you could do I suppose, but you should be just find with good old fashioned elbow grease

Congrats - its a bit of a paint the first time, but you'll get it down to a quick and easy change the more you do it

DMK

iTrader: (6)

I've heard that another way to adjust the height it to loosen the lower damper locking nut and just turn the shaft with your hands to adjust the height of the damper. This way you do not have to unbolt the lower damper mounts or anything else.

cubu

iTrader: (21)

^ it is extremely difficult to turn it with the spring loaded... it surely doesn't feel good, and i think it is in the instructions somewhere to not turn the shaft if possible

cubu

iTrader: (21)

lol thats the first thing i was wondering about when i saw the cutout... you can use it next time!

Z1 Performance

iTrader: (564)

that ranks as among the worst advice I've ever read on here, sorry

there are 2 ways to do it - spring preload, or, loosen the lower mount damper bolts and spin the assembly

spring preload is a good way to adjust overal damper/spring interaction and to fine tune things (assumption being made that you understand the relationship between preload and dampening and are trying to achieve a certain goal). Preload is also the way to do minor height adjustments, and, it's used when cornerweighting

All other height adjustments (ie setting main height when new, raising or lowering for different seasons or events, etc) should really be done via the damper assembly itself, as this is the only way to keep stroke the same

cubu

iTrader: (21)

^ yeah, i think they tell you specifically to NOT touch that bottom nut

DMK

iTrader: (6)

Here is the method:

note there are three collars

fromt top to bottom they are:
1. spring perch
2. perch locking collar
3. shock mount locking collar

instructions:
if you haven't ****ed with 1 and 2 yet, don't touch them. leave them as they were set. they are adjustable for a reason, but its better not to bother with that until you know what you are doing.

if you have ****ed with 1 and 2, then go around on each corner and make sure that the spring is not loose when the car is jacked up. loosen 1 and 2 until the spring is free. then tighten 1 upwards until the spring is taut between the perch collar and the upper mount. finally tighten 2 against 1 to lock it in place.

you can do it with them on the car.

to adjust height, rotate #3 upwards. this unlocks the entire coilover body.
now with 1 and 2 tightened against each other, spin #2 with a spanner wrench. the spring will not compress or loose as long as the coil body is spinning along with the perch you are rotating with the wrench. the bottom mount (section under #3 - let's call it #4), will remain stationary since it is bolted to the car. as a result, the coil body will screw into or out of the bottom mount #4, raising or lower the car by changing the length of the shock body.

screw the coil body into the shock mount #4 to lower the car.
screw the coil body out of the shock mount #4 to raise the car.

p.s.
its possible to go lower by deleting #2 and #3 collars. that's only if you're crazy for lowness though.

the #1 perch can be used to adjust height by drooping or preloading the spring.