considering new coilovers

[bcrdukes]

Let us know how they are after the install!

[Geof3]

I’m going with Feal coilovers. The boys at my local dealer recommended them look to be a good bang for the buck. Might do it toward the end of summer. I’ll be recovering from surgery for a few weeks.

[tonythetiger]

Originally Posted by bcrdukes

Let us know how they are after the install!

They came in today and I dropped them in the front along with every moving suspension part and the tie rods. It was smooth and by appearance, they are beautiful. If the tools supplied with the shocks are an indication, top notch. Heavy, well made and the shock are attractive. Can’t drop the car off stands for a few more days to test em out, but my hopes are high. Old struts were gone, I can compress them with my hands. I will post separate on my installation tips, learned a great deal, but overall, it was straightforward and easy, even in my 90 degree garage. Many of the YouTube videos seem to complicate this procedure. Hardest part was wiping the sweat out of my eyes.


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[maytag]

Originally Posted by tonythetiger

They came in today and I dropped them in the front along with every moving suspension part and the tie rods. It was smooth and by appearance, they are beautiful. If the tools supplied with the shocks are an indication, top notch. Heavy, well made and the shock are attractive. Can’t drop the car off stands for a few more days to test em out, but my hopes are high. Old struts were gone, I can compress them with my hands. I will post separate on my installation tips, learned a great deal, but overall, it was straightforward and easy, even in my 90 degree garage. Many of the YouTube videos seem to complicate this procedure. Hardest part was wiping the sweat out of my eyes.


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What spring rate is on them?
And at what installed length?
Where'd you set the ride height to?
I'm interested to hear your experience with them. I looked at them for a minute as well, but went a different route.

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[steved0x]

Originally Posted by maytag

What spring rate is on them?
And at what installed length?
Where'd you set the ride height to?
I'm interested to hear your experience with them. I looked at them for a minute as well, but went a different route.

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I looked at them too for my Cayman but wasn't able to find any installed experienced and I didn't want to be the first, but I know there are several 986 installs (some on this forum I believe) - from everything I've heard Feal is top notch.

[tonythetiger]

Originally Posted by maytag

What spring rate is on them?
And at what installed length?
Where'd you set the ride height to?
I'm interested to hear your experience with them. I looked at them for a minute as well, but went a different route.

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Maytag, I follow your posts and your experiences help many on this forum, myself included. You figure lots of stuff out and your racing. Thats really cool. Its flattering to be asked to pass my experiences to you, ill start with this and more to come once Im driving again.
They are listed at 6K/8K on spring rates with adjustable dampening, 1-32. I set them at 10 as this is a street car and 8 was recommended, so maybe a little stiffer. I set ride height 1/2 inch lower, pretty close to stock. Intentions were to replace my struts, because the original had 100K, 20 years and after removing them, its clear they were done. A Bilstein setup was easy enough, probably superior but would have been 1000 dollars more, so I went with Yellowspeed based on price. I also had some feedback from local guys that run tuned japanese street cars. Noone had anything bad to say.
My car would roll and pitch when I drove spirited and I am hopeful this flattens things out a bit. As good as the car handled with stock units, I cannot imagine what the future holds but I haven't driven the car yet since I am also replacing most of the plastic and the wheel wells. What did you use?

[maytag]

Originally Posted by tonythetiger

They are listed at 6K/8K on spring rates with adjustable dampening, 1-32. I set them at 10 as this is a street car and 8 was recommended, so maybe a little stiffer. I set ride height 1/2 inch lower, pretty close to stock. Intentions were to replace my struts, because the original had 100K, 20 years and after removing them, its clear they were done. A Bilstein setup was easy enough, probably superior but would have been 1000 dollars more, so I went with Yellowspeed based on price. I also had some feedback from local guys that run tuned japanese street cars. Noone had anything bad to say.
My car would roll and pitch when I drove spirited and I am hopeful this flattens things out a bit. As good as the car handled with stock units, I cannot imagine what the future holds but I haven't driven the car yet since I am also replacing most of the plastic and the wheel wells. What did you use?

I eventually went with the Ohlins, with a track spring/valve setup. I'm not sure what the 6k/8k means, because it doesn't seem to relate to what I'm accustomed to seeing for spring rates (But I'm not the pro). My springs are a 450/550 spring, with custom valving to match. (also adjustable)

there's a measurement that people use to set ride-height, based on the Porsche method. I'll attach an image. SPB rules say 90mm is the lowest you can go, but ALL of the racers will tell you that's too low, because once you get too low you get to the point where the LCA moves past horizontal and then you start to give-up camber (and everything goes out the window).

As a starting point, I set mine at 125mm front, 131mm rear (with 18" wheels). My setup guys said it was "pretty close". but of course some of this gets adjusted as further as they do your corner balance.

Looking forward to hearing how they ride!

[tonythetiger]

Originally Posted by maytag

I eventually went with the Ohlins, with a track spring/valve setup. I'm not sure what the 6k/8k means, because it doesn't seem to relate to what I'm accustomed to seeing for spring rates (But I'm not the pro). My springs are a 450/550 spring, with custom valving to match. (also adjustable)

there's a measurement that people use to set ride-height, based on the Porsche method. I'll attach an image. SPB rules say 90mm is the lowest you can go, but ALL of the racers will tell you that's too low, because once you get too low you get to the point where the LCA moves past horizontal and then you start to give-up camber (and everything goes out the window).

As a starting point, I set mine at 125mm front, 131mm rear (with 18" wheels). My setup guys said it was "pretty close". but of course some of this gets adjusted as further as they do your corner balance.

Looking forward to hearing how they ride!

So Im just quoting what is listed on the webpage for my stuff. I understand what they mean by spring rate, I can even translate...6K for 1mm of compression, 12K for 2mm, likewise 8K for 1mm in the rear, etc. That said, I have no experience or preference for what would be ideal for my driving. I left that to the manufacturer while remaining hopeful I am pleased with the result. I drive the car to trader joes or go to the pool, etc. Its pathetic.

I took the initial setting for damping as well and didn't want the car lower, but figured 1/2 an inch? What the heck, do it.

For your chart here, I take it these are the limits for height, as measured from the street up to the cross brace in the rear and the tension arm upfront. Are these limits on lowering or are they a setting you need to adhere to...in otherwords, your car cannot be higher then that?

[maytag]

They're simply the factory spec. They don't represent a minimum or a maximum. But they give you something substantial to look at when you measure where you're at.

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[tonythetiger]

Originally Posted by maytag

They're simply the factory spec. They don't represent a minimum or a maximum. But they give you something substantial to look at when you measure where you're at.

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yep, I'm a dummy sometimes. Now I understand these are stock heights and everything else you said falls into place. Seems my spring rate is a little light on the yellowspeed and better understand the importance. If I wanted a stiffer ride, stiffer spring. Let's hope this works out well for the street.
I went looking and didn't find this chart in the Bentley manual, what's your secret?

[bcrdukes]

maytag - His spring rates are listed in KG/mm, which roughly translates to 350lb front / 450lb rear (+/- 30lbs or so)

[maytag]

Originally Posted by bcrdukes

maytag - His spring rates are listed in KG/mm, which roughly translates to 350lb front / 450lb rear (+/- 30lbs or so)

Aaaahhhhh that makes sense. Thanks!

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[tonythetiger]

Pulled the rear struts moments ago and looking at them side by side. The new strut is MUCH shorter and doesn't have the mounts for my antilock brake sensor and brake wear indicator wires. The strut didnt stick out the bottom like the fronts...this is wrong!
reviewing ECSY post earlier in this thread (he bought the same coilovers) calms my nerves a little as he shows his rear and the new side-by-side and they look the same, but what about the wires?

Sanity check?

[gabedrummin]

Im using yellow speed easy inch lower than stock not a bad ride.

[tonythetiger]

Originally Posted by gabedrummin

Im using yellow speed easy inch lower than stock not a bad ride.

What about the wires?


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[steved0x]

Originally Posted by tonythetiger

What about the wires?


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Were there any clips or anything with the kit? Ohlins provide some that slip around the strut body and so did KSport, their style sandwiches in between the drop link pinch bolt. There may be 3rd party versions available.

For the height, it probably doesn't compress as far as the very soft OEM setup so loaded up it probably won't be as extreme as it looks in the unloaded state.

[tonythetiger]

Originally Posted by steved0x

Were there any clips or anything with the kit? Ohlins provide some that slip around the strut body and so did KSport, their style sandwiches in between the drop link pinch bolt. There may be 3rd party versions available.

For the height, it probably doesn't compress as far as the very soft OEM setup so loaded up it probably won't be as extreme as it looks in the unloaded state.

of course, no clips. You might be right about the compression, time will tell when I drop the car.

[tonythetiger]

dropped the car and everything looks fine...about 1/2 inch (13mm) lower which I planned for, barely noticeable. Car drives GREAT! night and day. No pitching in the turns, it stays flat, responds to the steering wheel immediately and feels really tight. This is the most significant change I have ever made.
I replaced every suspension component up front, already replaced the rear last year. I will have an alignment done later this week, but I think I "eyeballed" it almost perfectly. Neg camber and neutral toe in for the rear, front tracks straight and no scrubbing. Now I'm curious to see what my guy says about it when they put it on the "laser rack." Last remaining issue is anti-lock and brake-wear sensor wires. I could tie-wrap them to the strut but would like a better solution then that.
Another question...where the top meets the car, it is metal on metal. Do folks usually have a rubber gasket or something between the body and the strut?

[Gilles]

Originally Posted by tonythetiger

dropped the car and everything looks fine...about 1/2 inch (13mm) lower which I planned for, barely noticeable.

Congratulations!

Please keep in mind that after the springs settle and the car will end even lower (perhaps by another 1/2"..?) For this reason you may want to wait a few months before paying for a corner balancing.

However, this didn't happen without any kind of pics..
.

[steved0x]

Originally Posted by tonythetiger

Another question...where the top meets the car, it is metal on metal. Do folks usually have a rubber gasket or something between the body and the strut?

If you are talking about the very top of the strut, with the 3 threaded rods pointing up that go through the slots and bolted on top with the 3 nuts, no, it is metal to metal there both with the OEM strut tops and also the various aftermarket versions.