Ben's 4A-Ge Ae71

[B-Lugg]

I got everything made up today.

$1000 in parts and labour later and they're in.

 

IMO - they got lazy and cut the strut way to short without measuring it all up correctly, the the spring to be captive in the hats, it has to be wound all the way up - hopefully converting to a spring hat and camber top combo will fix this a little bit. Please share experience with this :).

 

I bolted it all in with the RCA's and it does already feel incredible to drive - even without adjusting the shocks and wheel alignment and stuff.

 

I ended up having to chop half of the dust guard off the strut due to it fouling on the LCA. Annoying.

 

Photo of said wound up captiveness.

 

EDIT: Next time I am 110% going with a bolt in package from shockworks/AJPS or something - I don't think building them is much worth the ʞ©$ɟ around for saving a hundred or two.

Edited February 6, 2014 by B-Lugg

[B.L.Z.BUB]

If you want to lower it and keep the springs captive youll need helper springs. How much did they take out of the strut?

[B-Lugg]

I think they took the length of the sleeve off the strut or so... I told them I wanted the spring to be captive at around the half way mark on the sleeve. As the spring doesn't sit on the top hat too well, I think I might get a little more length on the tube by getting proper hats.

 

Any knowledge on the pros and cons of helper springs? They seem like they would put the spring rate well out of wack.

 

EDIT: I've done some research an understand them to my regular internet noob level.

 

Does anyone know of somewhere that sell them as a kit? I've found that lovell and king makes the springs but I would like everything in a pack w/ locators and everything.

Edited February 8, 2014 by B-Lugg

[styler]

Yeah what you have is type 1 diy adjustable coilover, type 2 is a factory base height adjustable coilover and changes ride height without changing damper stroke.

Its difficult to get the type 1's set up correctly with the correct components, lengths, spring rates and fabrication... and on top of that most diy camber tops or aftermarket

are just as difficult as well ie don't work out the box. A solution exists of type 2 AE86 gear including camber tops from factory with maybe some additional modifications

to fit it to the ke70/ae71 chassis. I believe the new NCOP allows for adjustable suspension pending specs, one spec may be the spring must remain captive at the lowest

point of the bottom perch position.

[B-Lugg]

She's been in the wars the last few days.

 

Popped a tyre a week before planning to replace all rubber and alignment! Annoying.

Rear wheel cylinder let go, replaced that today - I now know how drum brakes work.

 

I bought some helper springs to bang in to the coilovers which will get me piece of mind!

 

I just want to get the ride dialled so I can enjoy it!

 

TL;DR

 

Helper springs and camber tops purchased.

Edited February 14, 2014 by B-Lugg

[LittleRedSpirit]

Helper springs just crush flat when the full weight of the car is on them and defer the rate to the stiffer spring below it, but they allow the shock to fully extend on an unweighed car which keeps your spring captive, and helps keep 4 wheels on the road, by allowing unweighted areas of the car to rise without popping a wheel like you see in all those classic race photos, which is actually an undesirable characteristic.

[B-Lugg]

You wouldn't believe how long I had to look for a decent explanation for them... The 'Crush flat' function of the spring was completely left out in most articles - that's why I was confused with the spring rates.

 

So I believe helper springs is just to hold the spring captive (Crush flat) and Tender springs is to create a progressive spring rate (Stay coiled with a firm rate). At least that's what I've got from it.

 

Thank you for the explanation regardless. Had be stumped for a little while for something so basic.

Edited February 15, 2014 by B-Lugg

[B-Lugg]

New stuff! Coilovers will be coming out for the last time to be painted and put together for the final time. I've decided to go with RE001's all round for grip, so that should be happening this week!

Edited February 15, 2014 by B-Lugg

[Seventy]

Are they BC camber tops? Were you able to order just the camber tops by them self through BC?

[B-Lugg]

Yeah they are, with the ball bearing type spring hats.

 

I bought them off a private seller - To my knowledge you can buy them separately to the coilovers though. There are a few websites online that I have seen selling S13/180 tops by themselves anyway. Expensive gear though!

[Seventy]

Okay cheers, cars looking good btw!

[B-Lugg]

The car is now a couple of washers and bolts away from being a whole bunch of fun.

Edited February 22, 2014 by B-Lugg

[B-Lugg]

I got pissed off today and put my coilovers in with the stock strut tops and hsd spring tops.

 

I went for a cheeky spin on the new set up and tyres, it was great. A little scrubbing so I will have to roll the guards a tiny bit.

 

HOWEVER - It seems I now have two problems

 

Before I pulled it off the road to build the coils a tapping noise started from the rear of the car, I thought it was just the exhaust fouling on the diff as I was running 13" wheels due to running stockies. The tapping/knocking noise will only be noticeable as slow speeds and will become faster as my speed picks up, it also is extremely noticeable as I'm turning a corner (Car park corner or exiting street speeds). For this reason I'm kind of expecting it to be a diff related problem? The tapping is definitely coming from the rear of the vehicle.

 

The second problem is the gearbox crunching, pretty self explanatory. It won't happen at every shift, just every now and again. Only seemingly when shifting at medium to high speeds from 2 to 3

 

 

I can't work out if the two problems are connected or both my box and diff are failing simultaneously...

Edited February 24, 2014 by B-Lugg

[B.L.Z.BUB]

Remember when I had these issues on my car? Pretty sure the KE70 gremlin has jumped ship to your car.

[B-Lugg]

Remember when I had these issues on my car? Pretty sure the KE70 gremlin has jumped ship to your car.

 

You had similar issues in yours? Completely unaware.

 

I'm starting to get pretty damn moody with the car at this point... lol