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Old 10-02-2005, 10:27 PM   #1
blackie
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Default Installed coilover suspension, how high should i set my car before i get it aligned?

Whats the best performing height to set my 03 wrx to? my suspension mods are NEX coilovers and solid endlinks, and my tires are 235/45/17's. thanks
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Old 10-03-2005, 12:14 AM   #2
Arnie
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I'd even venture to go higher, 14.5F/14R. It really does depend on the spring rate and available bump travel. Most coilovers have very little bump travel and even guys with very stiff rates like the Flex's have gone up from previous heights such as 13.5F/13.5F up to Myle's recommendation. The Flex's have very little bump travel and at that height, most had found they were hitting the bumpstops more often than not, leading to mid turn bump understeer. So go perhaps a bit higher to allow some settling to around Myle's initial recommendation. BTW, these heights are wheel hub center to bottom of fender. These are the best way to measure ride height as they are absolutely independent of any wheel/tire combo.
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Old 10-03-2005, 12:58 PM   #3
blackie
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Ok great! thanks for the info, also is their any recomendations on the kind of camber i should run in the front and in the back before i pay to have the allignment done?
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Old 10-03-2005, 01:15 PM   #4
Arnie
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do you have camber plates? alignments are a pretty personal thing and are dependent on your driving needs and the tires you are using. the autoxers usually max the camber bolt and the camber plate out, set the front toe to a couple of mm's out then back the camber plate off till you get to zero toe, that will then be the street setting. ideally its good to have rear camber bolts or plates in the rear to fine tune rear camber as well. Rear camber, once again, dependent on how you drive. autoxers usually like less negative camber in the rear than in the front so they have a very loose rear end. for street and road course, usually a bit more neg camber in the rear than in the front for more stability.

so for example for a safe street setting:

F -1.5 camber, zero toe
R -1.7 camber, zero toe
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Old 10-03-2005, 01:39 PM   #5
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I would second everything Arnie has said with a "if you auto-x" caveat:
Try and get your street settings for toe to around 1/16" toe in per side up front. That way when you move the plates to full or near full negative camber at race venue you will effectively be seeing appropriate levels of toe out in front WITHOUT being extreme.

I had a setup thread somewhere that showed how we did it...too lazy to find it however...sorry.

found it: http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/show...ight=alignment

BriDrive

Last edited by BriDrive; 10-03-2005 at 01:44 PM.
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Old 10-04-2005, 02:24 AM   #6
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If you do nothing else.........at least listen to these guys THEY actually know what they are talking about.

Me, well I am just some old fatt dude..with PS2 specs in a PDA.....

NAh, these are the Guru's of NASIOC. ( really) . THey offer alot of info for people who need non-baised direction.

Myles

944 turbo guy LOL
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Old 10-04-2005, 03:18 AM   #7
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Ah myles, you should have just stayed 944 Turbo Guy, at least then, we'd still have respected your opinion!

And heck, what do I know, I drive a Festiva!

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Old 10-04-2005, 11:41 AM   #8
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One more question, whats the best way to raise the car with these coilovers? meaning should i raise the car with the ajustable lower base of the coilover or by the lower spring perch adjustemnt part??? on mine i can raise it either way it looks like, does it matter?
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Old 10-04-2005, 11:56 AM   #9
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if you raise it on just the perch you will also adjust preload- might be better to leave that part alone if you're not adjusting strut rebound/damping.


i mainly wanted to say 'nice festiva'
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Old 10-04-2005, 12:03 PM   #10
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Use the lower threaded portion of the shock body. Don't use the lower spring perch.
Most coilovers I have seen will yield approximately 2 mm of rideheight per each full turn on the lower body. Follow the threads of course; screw out to raise, screw in to lower. When installed on the car, this is generally done with manufacturer's included "spanner wrenches" which allow you to effectively rotate the entire upper threaded shock body in or out by latching on to the collar below the lower spring perch collar.

I am however, admittedly not familiar with NEX rigs. Consult the manual or get an experienced hand to help you out.
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Old 10-04-2005, 12:28 PM   #11
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hmmm.... ok im learning more and more, thanks. if the car seems bouncy or overly damped, how should i adjust the the spring part or the preload to help correct the problem? Im aware that these NEX coilovers are low budget and some of the roughest feeling available so i know i cant completely get rid of all the bouncy feeling, but what eles could i do to help eleiminate some of the the bouncyness or overdamped feeling???
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Old 10-04-2005, 01:02 PM   #12
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Do they have dampening adjusters?
As far as pre-load goes; it can vary by manufacturer and particular spring...A good rule of thumb is: loosen lower collar and then retighten lower collar about a half turn after the collar becomes snug to the spring. To tight with the pre-load and you are effectively increasing spring rate. Also, experiment with tire pressures.
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Old 10-04-2005, 01:30 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by blackie
hmmm.... ok im learning more and more, thanks. if the car seems bouncy or overly damped, how should i adjust the the spring part or the preload to help correct the problem? Im aware that these NEX coilovers are low budget and some of the roughest feeling available so i know i cant completely get rid of all the bouncy feeling, but what eles could i do to help eleiminate some of the the bouncyness or overdamped feeling???
When you say 'bouncy' - do you mean, you hit a bump and the car keeps oscillating up and down for a while before you're stable again? Or do you mean that the car is really stiff and it's ker-slam every time you go over a bump?
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Old 10-04-2005, 10:36 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Arnie
Ah myles, you should have just stayed 944 Turbo Guy, at least then, we'd still have respected your opinion!

And heck, what do I know, I drive a Festiva!

LOFL..................you're right..................

mw
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Old 10-04-2005, 10:52 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Handsdown

i mainly wanted to say 'nice festiva'
thanks man! I autoxed this thing a few months ago for the first time since '91(we used to autox this car way back in the day) and did okay. Even beat Vikingmoose in his WRX on his first run . Course, that was his first autox ever.
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Old 10-04-2005, 11:39 PM   #16
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B'AH!!!! Why'd you have to tell 'em that?!?!?! That's not supposed to be public knowledge.

PS - I'm much better now.
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Old 10-04-2005, 11:46 PM   #17
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Old 10-04-2005, 11:52 PM   #18
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I know, it is pretty funny. I've accepted the fact that I'm just slow.
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Old 10-05-2005, 02:57 AM   #19
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Adjust the lower spring perch so there is just a touch of tension on the spring with the suspension at full droop. Then adjust ride height by adjusting the strut body in the lower knuckle. Also, the 13.5-14" from axle center to fender lip is good.

But what do I know, I use to race this (before the STi):



Chris H.
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Old 10-05-2005, 04:03 AM   #20
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And I had a similar Yokohama sticker across my windshield as well. Loved the A008's!
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