Coilovers not low enough - Zilvia.net Forums | Nissan 240SX (Silvia) and Z (Fairlady) Car Forum

EDz s14 · 10-02-2008, 07:22 PM

I have the Tein HAs, old model of the SS. The height is adjusted from the spring preload or droop. But I am maxed out on the spring droop and I want to go lower about an inch. Is there a way that I can do this? I asked Tein about removing the helper springs because when they sit flat it is about an inch, but the told me not to. Will shorter coil spring drop the car? I really dont want to change coilovers because I like how these ride.

iHeartTheTouge · 10-02-2008, 07:23 PM

i dont know much about tein, but i dont think they're known for going real low. if your looking for low Stance and Powered by Max are the way to go. they arent too expensive either

hotlavaflow · 10-02-2008, 11:32 PM

My Teins don't drop me as low as I wanna be either (in the front, the rear can slam) I have HKS springs on them and I'm only 1/2" away from niceness so I'm just going to remove the bottom collar.

huffandpuff00 · 10-02-2008, 11:55 PM

the tein flex will go LOW

EDz s14 · 10-03-2008, 08:15 PM

hotlavaflow- do your HKS springs make a difference in height than the tein springs or are they the same height?

jspaeth · 10-03-2008, 08:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EDz s14

I have the Tein HAs, old model of the SS. The height is adjusted from the spring preload or droop. But I am maxed out on the spring droop and I want to go lower about an inch. Is there a way that I can do this? I asked Tein about removing the helper springs because when they sit flat it is about an inch, but the told me not to. Will shorter coil spring drop the car? I really dont want to change coilovers because I like how these ride.

putting shorter springs on those dampers will screw them up....they are designed to have a certain stroke or whatever, so when you shorten the spring, you are fundamentally changing how that shock is gonna work

sultan · 10-03-2008, 08:21 PM

my tanabes had helper springs and they didn't go low enough, removed the helpers and i have 2" of spring droop. no problems, still wish it could go lower

Driven08 · 10-03-2008, 08:35 PM

I have Tein flex coilovers but I have like 1.5 inches droop in the rear/ I had to do that in order to tuck a little bit of my tire. Thats only in the rear.Should i buy new rear springs?Longer ones?

Ben G · 10-03-2008, 08:46 PM

tien ha's just don't go as low as other coilovers a lot of people seem to have problems with that

hotlavaflow · 10-04-2008, 12:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EDz s14

hotlavaflow- do your HKS springs make a difference in height than the tein springs or are they the same height?

Actually the HKS springs are longer. Supposed to increase ride quality and handling on really low rides. It's a bitch getting them on there.

Silverbullet · 10-04-2008, 09:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jspaeth

putting shorter springs on those dampers will screw them up....they are designed to have a certain stroke or whatever, so when you shorten the spring, you are fundamentally changing how that shock is gonna work

it will be moving on a different range, and most likely that range will or come close to bottoming out.

I would be more concerned about the suspension geometry that is being fucked up from slamming the car anyhow. Many of the suspension systems that have been designed can only lower your car so much for a reason. Nismo products give you a good idea of how low you can go without dropping the roll center into the ground. Unless you get adjustable control arms to fix the geometry, the lower you go after a certain point, the crappier your car will handle believe it or not.

racepar1 · 10-04-2008, 09:40 AM

Why does everyone want their car slammed? I don't get it. If you remove the helper springs the springs will un-seat anytime the suspension becomes un-weighted, which will most likely be pretty often if you are already as low as they can go. Shorter springs will do the same thing. You will also lose precious suspension travel, especially in the front, and that "ride" that you like so much will go to shit because you will bottom the shocks on every bump. Bottoming the shocks wears them out faster. You are trying to do something that the coils were not designed to do. If you really have a hard-on to go lower you should get a set of coils that are designed to be able to go lower.

EDz s14 · 10-04-2008, 02:59 PM

haha my car is not even close to being slammed, the 1in drop that I want to do will only tuck the tire in about 5mm. I just want to know if there are other alternatives that I can do, but I guess it will lead to other problems. So........ anybody want to trade coilovers?

FRpilot · 10-04-2008, 03:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by racepar1

You are trying to do something that the coils were not designed to do. If you really have a hard-on to go lower you should get a set of coils that are designed to be able to go lower.

like airbags!! woot

sileighty83 · 10-04-2008, 03:30 PM

I have the Tein HE drift specs and they are maxed out as well...not as low as i would want either...but none the less great suspension

Chernobyl · 10-04-2008, 06:07 PM

Get a fatter girlfriend.

jk.. is it the front or the rear that you want lower? I'm going to guess the fronts.

The HAs didn't come with camber plates on the front, so putting a set of camber plates will allow them to be lower since the plates usually have a thinner profile than the stock upper strut bearing deal. Give that a try.

10-02-2008, 07:22 PM	#1
EDz s14 Leaky Injector Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: SoCal Age: 35 Posts: 114 Trader Rating: (2) Feedback Score: 2 reviews	Coilovers not low enough I have the Tein HAs, old model of the SS. The height is adjusted from the spring preload or droop. But I am maxed out on the spring droop and I want to go lower about an inch. Is there a way that I can do this? I asked Tein about removing the helper springs because when they sit flat it is about an inch, but the told me not to. Will shorter coil spring drop the car? I really dont want to change coilovers because I like how these ride.

10-02-2008, 07:23 PM	#2
iHeartTheTouge Zilvia Addict Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Glen Allen, VA Age: 36 Posts: 602 Trader Rating: (6) Feedback Score: 6 reviews	i dont know much about tein, but i dont think they're known for going real low. if your looking for low Stance and Powered by Max are the way to go. they arent too expensive either __________________ Slide 'n Hide -'72 240z LS1 project

10-02-2008, 11:32 PM	#3
hotlavaflow Zilvia FREAK! Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: BKLYN NYC Posts: 1,263 Trader Rating: (23) Feedback Score: 23 reviews	My Teins don't drop me as low as I wanna be either (in the front, the rear can slam) I have HKS springs on them and I'm only 1/2" away from niceness so I'm just going to remove the bottom collar. __________________

10-03-2008, 08:21 PM	#7
sultan Zilvia Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Allen, TX Posts: 202 Trader Rating: (4) Feedback Score: 4 reviews	my tanabes had helper springs and they didn't go low enough, removed the helpers and i have 2" of spring droop. no problems, still wish it could go lower __________________

10-02-2008, 11:55 PM	#4
huffandpuff00 Zilvia Addict Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: oregon Age: 39 Posts: 835 Trader Rating: (9) Feedback Score: 9 reviews	the tein flex will go LOW

10-03-2008, 08:15 PM	#5
EDz s14 Leaky Injector Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: SoCal Age: 35 Posts: 114 Trader Rating: (2) Feedback Score: 2 reviews	hotlavaflow- do your HKS springs make a difference in height than the tein springs or are they the same height?

10-03-2008, 08:35 PM	#8
Driven08 Post Whore! Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Riverside, SoCal Posts: 4,810 Trader Rating: (354) Feedback Score: 354 reviews	I have Tein flex coilovers but I have like 1.5 inches droop in the rear/ I had to do that in order to tuck a little bit of my tire. Thats only in the rear.Should i buy new rear springs?Longer ones?

10-03-2008, 08:46 PM	#9
Ben G Zilvia Junkie Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: 951 Posts: 586 Trader Rating: (4) Feedback Score: 4 reviews	tien ha's just don't go as low as other coilovers a lot of people seem to have problems with that

10-04-2008, 09:40 AM	#12
racepar1 Post Whore! Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Simi Valley, CA Age: 42 Posts: 9,006 Trader Rating: (106) Rides Gallery: racepar1 Feedback Score: 106 reviews	Why does everyone want their car slammed? I don't get it. If you remove the helper springs the springs will un-seat anytime the suspension becomes un-weighted, which will most likely be pretty often if you are already as low as they can go. Shorter springs will do the same thing. You will also lose precious suspension travel, especially in the front, and that "ride" that you like so much will go to shit because you will bottom the shocks on every bump. Bottoming the shocks wears them out faster. You are trying to do something that the coils were not designed to do. If you really have a hard-on to go lower you should get a set of coils that are designed to be able to go lower.

10-04-2008, 02:59 PM	#13
EDz s14 Leaky Injector Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: SoCal Age: 35 Posts: 114 Trader Rating: (2) Feedback Score: 2 reviews	haha my car is not even close to being slammed, the 1in drop that I want to do will only tuck the tire in about 5mm. I just want to know if there are other alternatives that I can do, but I guess it will lead to other problems. So........ anybody want to trade coilovers?

10-04-2008, 03:30 PM	#15
sileighty83 Zilvia Addict Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Socal Posts: 742 Trader Rating: (11) Feedback Score: 11 reviews	I have the Tein HE drift specs and they are maxed out as well...not as low as i would want either...but none the less great suspension

10-04-2008, 06:07 PM	#16
Chernobyl Zilvia FREAK! Join Date: May 2003 Location: Denver, CO Age: 42 Posts: 1,563 Trader Rating: (6) Feedback Score: 6 reviews	Get a fatter girlfriend. jk.. is it the front or the rear that you want lower? I'm going to guess the fronts. The HAs didn't come with camber plates on the front, so putting a set of camber plates will allow them to be lower since the plates usually have a thinner profile than the stock upper strut bearing deal. Give that a try.