IMPORTANT UPDATE! - Zilvia.net Forums | Nissan 240SX (Silvia) and Z (Fairlady) Car Forum

Yoshi · 06-19-2002, 01:56 PM

This past weekend I killed my passenger's side rear coilover... How? Hitting a pothole. Shit u not. Granted it was a 4" deep, 8" diameter pothole, but still.

Driving my friend home, the roads where he is are Extra crappy. I couldn't see the hole in the dark and BAM! Fortunately he lived 30 feet from the pothole, so we limped to his place to check the damage... the shock was making a terrible metal-on-metal banging noise. Upon inspection, and jumping up and down in the trunk, we noticed that the shock shaftwas moving up and down INSIDE of the mount assembly. Very Bad. Without proper tools, I hobbled my ride home, and jacked it up in the garage.

After removing and dissasembling the shock, I noticed the mounting washer (a large 2" diameter steel washer that basically takes all the force from the ground, so either the washer bends/breaks or the shock compresses.

Aparently the score is Shock 1, washer 0.

the washer was bent into a cone shape, and the shaft went straight through it. So i flattened the washer again in a vice and knew I needed something to strengthen the washer.

It so happens that the washer that holds the bottom mount of the shock on the hub carrier is the PERFECT size! it's also thicker and bevelled, much stronger. SO I doubled up the washers, and put silicon sealant tween them so they wouldn't chatter together under load, put it all back and TA DA! all better.
I check the other side, and it was just starting to cone, so I did the proceedure on that side as well. (yes, I got washers to replace the shock mount ones)

Moral: It seems maybe the GC's are not as strong as they should be, but you can re-enforce the setup with stock parts <img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt='

'> Owners of AGX and Ground Control coils may want to check the status of your mount washers.
(note: I had my AGX's on the stiffest settings all around when this happened, so partially my fault for driving that way on surface streets)

HippoSleek · 06-19-2002, 02:50 PM

I've heard about lots of people putting in the wrong washer in the wrong place (or leaving it out entirely) in the front, but not in the back - and not properly using factory hardware. Just to specifcy - below is a blow up of a susp. (not GC, not even Nissan, but close enough I hope)

#14 is the beveled load bearing washer (that should rest atop the notch in the shock rod). Is that the one that coned? Or was it part of the mount - like #9?

It is a curious thing for these to go when installed properly, so I'm just a bit curious...  In either case, maybe it is a fair warning to all to get heavier, beveled washers if the factory ones are bending.

Yoshi · 06-19-2002, 03:53 PM

It's the load bearing washer similar to #14, but the way it fits inside the stock mount is why it fails... I'll try to dig up a drawing or take a picture... just looking at how it sits in the instructions makes you kind of wonder how strong it is.

I installed it verbatim with the instructions.

Also, the stronger washer was the factory bottom strut mount washer that I used for reinforcement of the GC provided washer (the one from GC is the one that coned).

HippoSleek · 06-20-2002, 06:29 AM

That makes perfect sense.  It is amazing how much load those little washers have to deflect.  I've known a few people who have left out or replaced that washer and ended up w/ nipples on their hood <img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':0'>  (be glad it was in the back).  

At any rate, I can't believe GC would supply a new washer for there.  That is an incredibly strong factory piece that I don't think should be replaced.  Was the one they supplied beveled to handle the load or was it just a flat washer?

Yoshi · 06-20-2002, 02:04 PM

As far as I can recall, there was no washer there originally, the shaft fit onto rubber mounts and the bumpstops aligned the bottom, after those, it attached directly to the mount. As far as I can tell, the new washer server to raise shock travel by .5 inches or so, probably to compensate for a lowered car... seems like a great way to use the stock mounts and minimalize cost, however the expense has become obvious.  If it was a thicker/reinforced washer, i'm sure it'd be fine. As it stands tho, it needs some help.

To their credit tho, it to a Awful Lot of force to cone it (it was just a large flat washer to begin with, not even 1/8" thick).

HippoSleek · 06-21-2002, 07:16 AM

Not sure that I understand you.  Are you saying that there was no #14-like washer stock?  There should be - and it should be a nice beveled one.  You'll notice that ridge on the shock shaft where that washer sits - that ridge holds that washer, which is the only thing really preventing the shaft from coming up through the mount when the spring compresses (considering that it might be easier to break through the rubber mount than compress the shock).

Yoshi · 06-21-2002, 09:35 AM

ah, I was mistaken, I looked at the leftover parts in my garage last night, and the stock washers look somewhat like the the front rims of an RC car (buggy fronts). Still though, the instructions made no mention of the stock ones just their washer *shrug*.

Anyone wanna buy my old stock shocks?  They still work great <img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt='

'>

06-19-2002, 03:53 PM	#3
Yoshi Post Whore! Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Washington Age: 48 Posts: 3,003 Trader Rating: (1) Rides Gallery: Yoshi Feedback Score: 1 reviews	It's the load bearing washer similar to #14, but the way it fits inside the stock mount is why it fails... I'll try to dig up a drawing or take a picture... just looking at how it sits in the instructions makes you kind of wonder how strong it is. I installed it verbatim with the instructions. Also, the stronger washer was the factory bottom strut mount washer that I used for reinforcement of the GC provided washer (the one from GC is the one that coned). __________________ www.360realms.com/S13-S15

06-20-2002, 02:04 PM	#5
Yoshi Post Whore! Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Washington Age: 48 Posts: 3,003 Trader Rating: (1) Rides Gallery: Yoshi Feedback Score: 1 reviews	As far as I can recall, there was no washer there originally, the shaft fit onto rubber mounts and the bumpstops aligned the bottom, after those, it attached directly to the mount. As far as I can tell, the new washer server to raise shock travel by .5 inches or so, probably to compensate for a lowered car... seems like a great way to use the stock mounts and minimalize cost, however the expense has become obvious.  If it was a thicker/reinforced washer, i'm sure it'd be fine. As it stands tho, it needs some help. To their credit tho, it to a Awful Lot of force to cone it (it was just a large flat washer to begin with, not even 1/8" thick). __________________ www.360realms.com/S13-S15

06-21-2002, 09:35 AM	#7
Yoshi Post Whore! Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Washington Age: 48 Posts: 3,003 Trader Rating: (1) Rides Gallery: Yoshi Feedback Score: 1 reviews	ah, I was mistaken, I looked at the leftover parts in my garage last night, and the stock washers look somewhat like the the front rims of an RC car (buggy fronts). Still though, the instructions made no mention of the stock ones just their washer shrug. Anyone wanna buy my old stock shocks?  They still work great <img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=''> __________________ www.360realms.com/S13-S15

06-19-2002, 01:56 PM	#1
Yoshi Post Whore! Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Washington Age: 48 Posts: 3,003 Trader Rating: (1) Rides Gallery: Yoshi Feedback Score: 1 reviews	This past weekend I killed my passenger's side rear coilover... How? Hitting a pothole. Shit u not. Granted it was a 4" deep, 8" diameter pothole, but still. Driving my friend home, the roads where he is are Extra crappy. I couldn't see the hole in the dark and BAM! Fortunately he lived 30 feet from the pothole, so we limped to his place to check the damage... the shock was making a terrible metal-on-metal banging noise. Upon inspection, and jumping up and down in the trunk, we noticed that the shock shaftwas moving up and down INSIDE of the mount assembly. Very Bad. Without proper tools, I hobbled my ride home, and jacked it up in the garage. After removing and dissasembling the shock, I noticed the mounting washer (a large 2" diameter steel washer that basically takes all the force from the ground, so either the washer bends/breaks or the shock compresses. Aparently the score is Shock 1, washer 0. the washer was bent into a cone shape, and the shaft went straight through it. So i flattened the washer again in a vice and knew I needed something to strengthen the washer. It so happens that the washer that holds the bottom mount of the shock on the hub carrier is the PERFECT size! it's also thicker and bevelled, much stronger. SO I doubled up the washers, and put silicon sealant tween them so they wouldn't chatter together under load, put it all back and TA DA! all better. I check the other side, and it was just starting to cone, so I did the proceedure on that side as well. (yes, I got washers to replace the shock mount ones) Moral: It seems maybe the GC's are not as strong as they should be, but you can re-enforce the setup with stock parts <img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=''> Owners of AGX and Ground Control coils may want to check the status of your mount washers. (note: I had my AGX's on the stiffest settings all around when this happened, so partially my fault for driving that way on surface streets) __________________ www.360realms.com/S13-S15

06-19-2002, 02:50 PM	#2
HippoSleek Nissanaholic! Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: elsewhere Posts: 2,081 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	I've heard about lots of people putting in the wrong washer in the wrong place (or leaving it out entirely) in the front, but not in the back - and not properly using factory hardware. Just to specifcy - below is a blow up of a susp. (not GC, not even Nissan, but close enough I hope) #14 is the beveled load bearing washer (that should rest atop the notch in the shock rod). Is that the one that coned? Or was it part of the mount - like #9? It is a curious thing for these to go when installed properly, so I'm just a bit curious...  In either case, maybe it is a fair warning to all to get heavier, beveled washers if the factory ones are bending.

06-20-2002, 06:29 AM	#4
HippoSleek Nissanaholic! Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: elsewhere Posts: 2,081 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	That makes perfect sense.  It is amazing how much load those little washers have to deflect.  I've known a few people who have left out or replaced that washer and ended up w/ nipples on their hood <img src="http://www.zilvia.net/f/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':0'>  (be glad it was in the back).   At any rate, I can't believe GC would supply a new washer for there.  That is an incredibly strong factory piece that I don't think should be replaced.  Was the one they supplied beveled to handle the load or was it just a flat washer?

06-21-2002, 07:16 AM	#6
HippoSleek Nissanaholic! Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: elsewhere Posts: 2,081 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	Not sure that I understand you.  Are you saying that there was no #14-like washer stock?  There should be - and it should be a nice beveled one.  You'll notice that ridge on the shock shaft where that washer sits - that ridge holds that washer, which is the only thing really preventing the shaft from coming up through the mount when the spring compresses (considering that it might be easier to break through the rubber mount than compress the shock).