Hey everyone! Just got some Zeal Function Xs coilovers with the rear true coilover setup. I also picked up a set of Battle Version camber arms and toe links. I just got a few questions and was hoping ya'll could help me out before I install. This is my first foray into suspension components so forgive the newbness

Question 1: This coilover setup is independently height adjustable, both front and rear(?). When I raise or lower the car, is there anything else I have to adjust on the actual coilover? I should be able to just raise or lower without having to adjust the dampening or spring tension right?

Quetion 2: Well I've read through lots of the DIY's for this install and I'm pretty confident I can do it. During the install, is there anything tricky or special that is more specific for my Zeals compared to other 'standard' setups? I don't have to 'pre-load' anything right? A straight forward swap from old to new?

Well I might have some more Q's later on, but these are some of the main concerns I have right now. Thank you all for any help and suggestions !

Take care

 

 

You should PM Chebosto, he recently adjusted my Function Xs coilovers for me. You could also ask Adam @ Z1 or JETPILOT.

 

Thanks for the tip dikspiel!

Take care

 

Great choice on the Zeals. I love mine and so will you.

Question 1: Zeals can be raised and lowered independent of piston stroke and spring tension since they have a separate threaded collars and lock nuts for both spring tension and height adjustment.

Question 2. Installing coilovers is pretty straight forward. If you've read through DIY guides, they pretty much cover everything you need. You might or might NOT have to take off the sway bar links depending on the ride height of your coilovers. But taking them off doesn't hurt, it's just an extra step that you might be able to save depending on your coilover height.

I've found out that if you have 2 jacks it makes installing everything faster. Use one to lift the car, and use the other to lift the suspension arm so that the bolts are easier to line up. Using jacks over muscle is a lot easier on your body.

You should NOT preload the spring. The spring has a certain spring rate and if you preload the spring, it changes that rate. Just tighten the lock nut snug with the spring and lock it.

 

Thanks zBear! Very informative post! That pretty much answers all my questions and then some! I'm glad to know I don't have to do any extra adjustments on the coils when raising/lowering the ride! Great tip on the floor jacks, luckily I just picked up an extra one a few weeks ago haha! Also, the spring preload tip is awesome! I figure I'll just tighten the sping lock to make sure it's nice and tight and leave it alone. Thanks again for all the insight!

Take care

 

One more thing.

Stock front struts use a "nut" to tighten the brake line to a "bolt" welded to the fronts strut.

Zeals are "reverse", at least mine are. You need to buy 2 "bolts" to screw into a "hole" in the Zeal front coilovers. You ONLY need to do this for the FRONT Coilovers.

Double check that before you start. But you can always you Zip Ties as a temporary fix.

Good luck!

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/24404134@N04/3823836185/" title="photo.jpg by tsintop, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2478/3823836185_e9cb05a02f_o.jpg" width="600" height="800" alt="photo.jpg" /></a>

 

YOU ROCK zBear! I've check my Xs coilovers and they look exactly like yours. The picture you posted has 1 bolt. I'm assuming you mean 1 bolt for each front coilover. Mine seems to have come with it from the factory. Here's a pic...


Also, here's some pics of the rear coilover with the extended dampening adjusters. Does it look properly installed?



Again thank you so much for taking the time to reply and help me out! It's guys like you that make being part of this community worthwhile! People helping people...what a concept huh I appreciate it zBear!!!

Take care

 

Nice coilovers

 

Still want to see a dyno on them, any Zeal damper for that matter. And I can keep my mouth shut for anyone sitting on some but worried about trade secrets and such.

Would be very interesting to compare to the Ohlins plots I have.

 

Lol, I think your first comment was directed to me . If we had a set here I'd have no objection to you testing them but we don't.

 

Oh no, honestly it wasn't. I'm sitting on dyno's for Kw Variant 2, Bilstein Pss9 and Ohlins PCV to name a few. But I had to promise to not show them or discuss them in public or privite. Shop owner that did the runs does a lot of business in miata revalves and is super paranoid that I might share his secrets and the one's I have dyno's for. He revalved my Bilstein coilovers so that's the connection. We aren't on speaking terms now, so no more free dyno's for me. And I can't afford $25 per run on each setting per damper. But, I'm keeping my word, even though I'd like nothing more then to start a dyno thread with the plots I have. Still if someone has some, I never saw them

 

Gotcha. I think I know of the shop that you are speaking of, I believe I've been on their website sometime ago. Rhymes with Rat hat?

I need to order myself a new set of Ohlins very soon as the set I purchased for myself we ended up selling to a customer who needed them quickly. I'm looking forward to picking up a set of DFVs as all the cars around here that I know with Ohlins are only running PCVs so I'd like to see if there is any noticeable difference. Orrrrrrr maybe I'll get myself a set of Zeals as well

 

^Doesn't Jetpilot have dyno graphs of his Zeals?

Take care

 

Nice coilovers!! I wish mine were still nice and shiny.



JETPILOT has the awesome race spec Zeal Super Function A. I think he asked Endless for dyno graphs but I don't think they were ever posted. You can try PMing him to see if he has them.

I'll be getting my Zeal Function X rebuilt soon by Endless, so I'll ask them if they can dyno them.

But my butt shock dyno says the Zeal Function X kick *** and are much better at handling high speeds than my current KW V3 setup.

 

One last thing.

Seeing your pictures reminded that you need to drill access holes in your rear strut bar for your rear coilover extenders.

I used a 1 3/8in diamond tipped hole saw bit. It's about $20 for the bit from your hardware store. It's simple and you get the perfect sized circle.

If you don't you want to buy the bit for the one time use, I guess you can just use a standard steel drill bit and widen the hole as you go.

Either way, you SHOULD file down the rough edges of the metal or it will TEAR UP the plastic on your Extenders. Also use an air gun and blow out all the metal shavings that you just created.

I also use Scotch Blue Masking Tape to hold down the extenders underneath the plastic panel. You don't need to, I just use it because it helps hold down the extenders while I put the plastic panel back and keeps it from moving while I'm driving. If you do use tape, don't use the cheap stuff or it will leave gummy residue once you take it off.

Enjoy!

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/24404134@N04/3828370540/" title="3828359696_21fec74d47_o by tsintop, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2575/3828370540_d62baf1959_o.jpg" width="800" height="600" alt="3828359696_21fec74d47_o" /></a>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/24404134@N04/3828365922/" title="4409ef4a-7395-4e25-bd7b-768c37db45a4_300 by tsintop, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2624/3828365922_fa6d347186_o.jpg" width="300" height="300" alt="4409ef4a-7395-4e25-bd7b-768c37db45a4_300" /></a>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/24404134@N04/3828402144/" title="c93dd0f7-9755-45d2-b2f2-7dbb108eeafa_300 by tsintop, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2453/3828402144_0c68afff0e_o.jpg" width="300" height="300" alt="c93dd0f7-9755-45d2-b2f2-7dbb108eeafa_300" /></a>

 

Haha zBear, you more helpful than I can say! Yeah, I just detailed my coils with Chemical Guys Synthetic Detailer and a coat of JetSeal109, then another wipe down haha! Gotta keep 'em lookin' fresh!

Congrats on your rebuild as well! Hope things come out great! Let us know! And about the drilling in the rear strut bar to accommodate the rear extenders, well the Zeals are goin' on this...

No rear strut bar !

But I'll still have to drill into the inner trunk to allow access to the adjusters. Thanks for all the tips though! I appreciate it man!!!!

Take care

 

Sweet coilovers!!!
And that is one very clean G!
Can't wait for pix of the drop!

 

You can't change the spring rate without changing the spring. You can change preload, but rate is fixed unless you replace or shorten the spring.

Javier