Hot tuning coilover installation

[Shteifen]

Im in the process of installing my Hot tuning coilovers which i got about 4-6 weeks ago. though i was going to get them in sooner but apparently not.
I NEED HELP
anyway,
im having a bit of confusion figuring out which parts i put in. and what i mean by that is, do i keep the strut mount and bearing? do i ditch the metal cone/dome type thing at the top of the coilover? cos at the moment with the nuts provided i cant see it fitting. i tried raising the height before i put it in and the nut shot off the top and the spring flew out, like the nut wasnt the right onw or somethin, and yeah i did have enough of the nut on the thread.

the nut that sits at the top of the coilover for the front, doesnt go far enough onto the thread to allow the strut mount and bearing to be tightened properly without bending tiny little tabs on the inside of the nut. are those just supposed to be bent back, or shoul i just use the old nut from stock suspension?

thanks for any help, i need it quick of you have any info thatll help!

-steve

[Mrk_Mickey]

I think you might need to take a few snaps of the certain parts you're talking about mate...I would assume that all parts that come with the coils should be included in the installation; I for one know that there needs to be nuts on the back even though they feel like they don't go on very well! The front ones definitely need nuts, otherwise they'll bounce out of the strut housing on any bump you go over!!

[Shteifen]

Ill try do that right now.

does anyone know of a DIY for these?

[peedman]

For my car pre aug 94 it goes spring > top hat (cone which came with coilover) > some mount > strut nut > rubber mount > 21mm nut

I think for post aug 94 it goes spring > top hat > rubber mount > strut nut

[thestu]

i just made sure i noticed which way it cam apart then did the same thing in reverse with the coilovers...

[Shteifen]

ok i think i figured it out. not how to post pictures, but the coilover thing.

first, i assume the strut mount bearing still goes inside the mount?
so that would be upper spring>top hat>bearing?strut mount>21mm nut.

im pretty sure ill use the nut that came with the coilovers, the tabs that are on the inside of the nut i think just fold back as you tighten it all the way down.

lets see how this goes! WOO!

ill try post pics of afterwards if i can firgure out how to post pictures. and ill put some up of before if i can find some.

thanks guys!
-steve

[peedman]

If u have a bearing then its post aug 94. The bearing sits inside the rubber mount and sorta has a taper so ur supposed to use the correct nut. The original one from the car should have a flat bottom so that the mount and bearing stay in place.

[Shteifen]

yeah ive got a 97 VR.

actually, the nut that came with the coilovers and the original nut that holds the bearing on are different shapes. the one that came with the coilovers has a flat bottom, where as the one that came stock has a tapered bottom. does that mean i have to take it all back off and use the old nut instead of the new one?

i really cant be stuffed but if i have to i will

-steve

[Shteifen]

ok, the fronts are in and look decent. they are about 3.5-4 cm from the bottom of the threads. thats got the front lip about 75-80mm off the ground.

now for the back.

im stuck again. got it in, but the shock absorber rod isnt long enough to get far enough through the mount to actually mount it properly. am i missing something? ive jacked up the hub so its closer but thats just moving the shock body and not the rod itself higher....

if i remove anything ot make the rod go higher, otehr pieces wont sit right.

any input would be wicked!

-steve

ps ya i know im taking along time, thats for one reason mainly. im in no rush.

[h100vw]

The piston has probably dropped into the shock, just pull it out and try again
A photo might help if you can get one.


Gavin

[Shteifen]

yeah i'd tried getting long nose pliers and pulling the rod up (beian careful not to rip threads off that is) but its at the top of its travel.




one of those pictures is of how much thread at the top of the rod is sticking through the mount. not enough is sticking through to get any of the mounting bits onto it.

the other pic shows how much shorter the whole thing is compared to the stock one. both rods in that pic are pulled as far up as possible.

-steve

[Golf Loon]

Surely in that pic it goes metal top hat, rubber mount, then through the car, rubber mount again, nut, then metal washer then other nut?

Reverse of how you pulled em out.

You can also wind the bottom seat of the coilover down to assist with fitting and adjust when they are in.

[Shteifen]

its got, metal top hat, rubber mount, a spacer type thing that sits inside the mount from stock, but its not exactly stuck... then nothing because the rod doesnt came up far enough to attach anything more.

perhaps i shoudl take this mount thing out?

ill try take another picture of this spacer

-steve

[Shteifen]

by take this mount out i meant take this spacer out. either way it didnt give me anymore room to attach other nuts or rubber mounts.
im completely stumped

i cant push the rod up any further cos the spring is already doing that so its not like i can get it any higher...has anyone else run into this problem with these or other coilovers?

thanks for any help

-steve

[Shteifen]

AHH!
i was trying to sleep and it came to me in a dream that i think i have the metal top hat and the cylindrical spacer thing in the wrong order. ill have to wait till romorrow to try it cos i cant be stuffed now, but i have the cylindrical spacer thing (which can be seen in one of the photos, the one with the two struts, new and old, its just above the new one to the right a little) on first then the top hat which is keeping it away from rod, so i dont have clearance to get the rod further through the mount hole.

am i right in thinking it should go Spring>metal top hat>cylindrical spacer which fits in the middle of the mount>rubber mount>nut>metal washer>nut?

if that doesnt work i dont know what will.

when i got the coilovers out of the box one side had the spacer bellow the top hat, the other on top.
the reason i figured it must go bellow the top hat was cos it felt like the top hat sat on it better that way. where as if the top hat goes on first it feels like the rod will punch a whole through the top hat...though i suppose it wont with the spacer on the other side along with the nut and what not...

hope im right cos my brain hurts now!
will try tomorrow and post more pics/problems, which ever comes first

ta
-steve