Tips for installing coilovers?

[raicuandi]

Any tips for installing coilovers? Any Excel-specific issues people usually have?

[Crazy Dave]

What brand? What type of strut tops? From memory some struts had issues with hitting the anti-roll bar. Otherwise should bolt straight in.

[raicuandi]

HSD coilovers, as temporary until I get some real rally suspension. They seem that they will fit just fine, at least at the front, and they also have that little nut for the bracket that holds the brake line.

Unfortunately, I weakened/damaged my wrench on the 2nd nut, and couldn't have finished the job anyway. Will have to buy a longer one (a breaker bar) and will probably succeed next weekend. Looks like I don't even have to remove the brakes.

On the upside, I had a chance to test what I was suspecting for some time: uneven braking force. I used some weight to hold the brake paddle half-way, and tried to turn the front wheels by hand (while the car was jacked up). Definitely easier on the left, which confirms why my car is slightly pulling to the right under heavy braking. Actually, this isn't an upside at all :)

Oh well, I'll have another go next week!

[shake]

I'm guessing that you have 6kg F and 3kg/mm R springs supplied with your HSD's. Set the damping to full soft and go up from there. They have 15 adjustments and they are set to 5th hardest when supplied.
I have a set on my excel which i use on blacktop only. They work well for me though you will probably find that the travel isn't good enough for what you need.
Do you have acess to some scales (400kg ones, you'll need atleast 2)?
If not jack the car one end at a time, lower it slowly (with the jack) and adjust (jack, adjust, jack, ajust etc.) the length on the struts untill they both contact the ground at the same time when you lower it down to the ground.

[shake]

Re the brakes, sounds like the lines need to be bleed properly. Check the rotor thickness verses the online DBA catalogue of usable rotor thicknesses. Also check your pads aren't shot.

[raicuandi]

Thanks for the tips! :D They are helping me a lot!

Yep, those are the springs. Don't have scales, so I'll use the jack method. That means I have to keep taking and putting the wheels back on repeatedly right?

[shake]

Unfortunately, yes.

[raicuandi]

Thanks again! They're all installed now. I think somebody reported they had to take out the rear sway bar when installing some DMS's, and I can see why as it gets in the way, but you can still do it if you push on the drum with your knee using your body weight. I got my ride height pretty even but not good enough because my working surface isn't flat enough. Installing wasn't difficult, just tiring and time consuming...

I was also a bit more delicate with the socket ratchets and they stopped breaking. Bought two backups just in case hehe :slap:

[HMCA]

[QUOTE=raicuandi;13276].

Unfortunately, I weakened/damaged my wrench on the 2nd nut, and couldn't have finished the job anyway. Will have to buy a longer one (a breaker bar) and will probably succeed next weekend. Looks like I don't even have to remove the brakes.

QUOTE]

All suspension bolts and nuts should be tensioned with a tension wrench, we won't let an apprentice or anyne else for that matter near a bolt without one.

bolts doo stretch by being over tightened expecially on Excels!!!

Mick

[raicuandi]

I meant when undoing the nut not tightening it, but thanks for the heads up I'll have it all checked properly. :)