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How to lower a W-Body ( Gen 1, Gen 1.5 )


19Cutlass94
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Looks like a good set of parts. I'll call Bob in here so he can confirm. Looks like you can get the springs cheaper on summitracing though, for $40 instead of $60.

 

And yeah, KYB GR2's will be absolutely necessary.

 

I came across a few sources of information saying that the summit springs aren't very good compared to the hyperco. The summit I took to believe is cheaper chinese stuff. and the hypercos are built for racecar performance spec (stock cars and sprint cars). I'm not saying this is true just what I read.

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PM replied. I believe my price is way way way more than fair.:thumbsup:

 

Aside from mounts, the exact parts that are needed are this!!!

 

-Strut housings, modified. Easy enough to do.

-2 Coilover Sleeves - A1-12457-TK - $36.80/pair

-2 Coilover Adj Nuts - A1-12460 - $25.74/pair

-2 ES Spring Isolators - 9.6103r - $17.99/pair

-2 10" 2.5" ID Coil Springs - HAL-10-xxx (spring rate) - $79.90 to $99.90

-1 Thrust Bearing Kit - HAL-7888-109 - $25.95

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Total $190.38 to $210.38

 

Best of all!!! You can buy one part at a time instead of dropping that cash at once! Great for people who dont make alot like me:thumbsup::thumbsup:

 

I don't think the sleeves you listed on here have a large enough diameter to fit over the strut assembly body. you might want to double check that.

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If you take the sleeves to a machine shop they can be bored out, I did mine myself

Crappy Cell phone pics

zz2.jpg

zz1.jpg

IMG_2649.jpg

 

I'm not particularly fond of that rear upper mount idea, it works, but I would be concerned about putting all that load on the mount that way. Now that being said no one seems to have had an issue with it, providing your rear mounts are in good shape, I guess you would be safe.

The Held rear mount allows the spring to be mounted higher too, dunno if there is any real advantage to that or not.

CIMG2281.jpg

The only thing I would change about that mount is the part that the spring seats around, I would taper the end so that if the spring comes unloaded, it will re-seat properly. I never had a problem with it unless I had the car jacked up, then I would have to go around and make sure the springs were seating correctly.

 

Jamie

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Seems only like 4 of us on the forum give a damn about being able to take a corner faster than a fricken school bus!!!

 

(Me, Andrie, You, Adam)

 

So because Im not going with spherical rod ends and bars means I dont care about handing? lol. Im still doing a front end setup and might be down for some control arms ad those mounts.

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I listed the correct ones. Ive installed those sleeves on 3 cars so far no problems.

 

Do you sand or machine the inside or the strut body itself?? I used an outside caliper to measure the strut body and only the 2.170 look like they fit. It would be nice if these fit though; they are a bit longer.

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If you take the sleeves to a machine shop they can be bored out, I did mine myself

Crappy Cell phone pics

 

I'm not particularly fond of that rear upper mount idea, it works, but I would be concerned about putting all that load on the mount that way. Now that being said no one seems to have had an issue with it, providing your rear mounts are in good shape, I guess you would be safe.

The Held rear mount allows the spring to be mounted higher too, dunno if there is any real advantage to that or not.

CIMG2281.jpg

The only thing I would change about that mount is the part that the spring seats around, I would taper the end so that if the spring comes unloaded, it will re-seat properly. I never had a problem with it unless I had the car jacked up, then I would have to go around and make sure the springs were seating correctly.

 

Jamie

 

Regarding the mount height, there is definitely enough travel back there. At the ride height I'm sitting at, I can hit a speed bump at 50mph and not bottom out. The front is a different story.

 

So because Im not going with spherical rod ends and bars means I dont care about handing? lol. Im still doing a front end setup and might be down for some control arms ad those mounts.

 

Anyone who sits inside my engine bay gets sick. Its proven. Look at Bob for example? He's nuts about 3800's! I'd only expect you to get nuts too in one way or another.

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So if we made a mount like that to fit in the front, would that be sufficient? I know you have to allow for that thrust bearing in there somewhere. But a poly/delrin/rubber bushing on the top of the strut rod should be fine, correct?

 

If such a mount would suffice for the front, I can get the bolt pattern figured out over the weekend, and i could have a quote on getting plates laser cut by Wed.

 

I'm going to say $10 each for plate, $15 for the pieces of pipe, $20 for PC, I might be able to swing a full set of 4 mounts (minus bushings and thrust bearing), front and rear, for $250

 

Jamie

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The only thing I would change about that mount is the part that the spring seats around, I would taper the end so that if the spring comes unloaded, it will re-seat properly. I never had a problem with it unless I had the car jacked up, then I would have to go around and make sure the springs were seating correctly.

 

LOL i just aim for the hole in my driveway to get the one that comes out seated again. Sounds horrible, but its a sound I am familar with

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The only thing I would change about that mount is the part that the spring seats around, I would taper the end so that if the spring comes unloaded, it will re-seat properly. I never had a problem with it unless I had the car jacked up, then I would have to go around and make sure the springs were seating correctly.

 

LOL i just aim for the hole in my driveway to get the one that comes out seated again. Sounds horrible, but its a sound I am familar with

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LoL I know the loud CLUNK you are referring to! I got it the first time I dropped the car down... My brother and I had just let the car down and were standing around admiring our work when it popped, scared the shit out of both of us at first!

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LoL I know the loud CLUNK you are referring to! I got it the first time I dropped the car down... My brother and I had just let the car down and were standing around admiring our work when it popped, scared the shit out of both of us at first!

 

Strange...my Regal hasn't done this yet...

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I repeat, the a1racing sleeve I posted fits, no mods needed when put on the front. On the rear, kyb strust must be used. Gabriels are too big and I don't know aboot monroe.

 

rob buddy, forgot aboot you! Didn't realize you ome on here much of any these days.

 

jamie if you wanna make mounts with bushings for strut attatchemnt, go ahead, they are gonna wear out quick.

 

I'm going a better route, but a bit more expensive.

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I repeat, the a1racing sleeve I posted fits, no mods needed when put on the front. On the rear, kyb strust must be used. Gabriels are too big and I don't know aboot monroe.

 

rob buddy, forgot aboot you! Didn't realize you ome on here much of any these days.

 

jamie if you wanna make mounts with bushings for strut attatchemnt, go ahead, they are gonna wear out quick.

 

I'm going a better route, but a bit more expensive.

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I really think the standard KYB mounts for the rears are perfectly fine. I can't see a reason to need anything more unless you really want the wheels tucked back there, at which point you'll be scraping every time you go over a speed bump.

 

The front bushings wouldn't bother me if they lasted a year. Doesn't look like it would take more than 30 minutes to replace them both. That is of course, if you could mass produce said bushings.

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How are they going to wear out? The ones in my rear one are fine 2 years on the car... If your referring to the steering motion of the car, keep in mind that the strut rod will rotate in the strut body, the spring will rotate on the thrust bearing. There should be no reason for wearing out prematurely, any more so that a stock mount. So either I'm missing something, or a bushing up top will suffice...

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How are they going to wear out? The ones in my rear one are fine 2 years on the car... If your referring to the steering motion of the car, keep in mind that the strut rod will rotate in the strut body, the spring will rotate on the thrust bearing. There should be no reason for wearing out prematurely, any more so that a stock mount. So either I'm missing something, or a bushing up top will suffice...

 

I think a lot of that is because of my held mounts. The bushings were completely gone when I got them, so he had to make me new ones, and supposedly they don't last very long.

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Mine are fine. I could see them wearing prematurely if they weren't tightened properly and could move slightly, then they would wear for sure... But installed correctly they shouldn't wear prematurely.

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