How do I home brew coil overs?

[stimpy]

I've made up my mind that my next set of tires I'm getting for the rear are going to be 255/50/16's. I know that 245's will shred on the strut plate, and I do want to have the capability to lower it properly later on. So I want coil-overs. My dad owns a tire & service center and I'm sure he has the equipment needed to fabricate a set, I don't know if any of his guys has the experience. Anyone know of a good step by step DIY how-to?

[Dirty Sanchez]

Rodney Dickman was working on something. I don't know how far along he is. Here is a quote from him when he posted back in February:
"I'm looking at having rear struts made that will have the threads already in the strut tube for an adjusting nut so one would not need to use the threaded sleeves. These would include the aluminum adjusting nuts. You would need to find a spring of your choice. They seem to be easy to find in many height/pound ratings. I watched a friend do the tube over thing and I did not like how that looked and the sloppiness of the tube to the strut and how the tube sat on the lower mounting parts. This project will take several months to finish if I do go thru with it. This would make switching to rear coil overs very easy.
------------------
PLEASE NOTE MY NEW ADDRESS

Rodney Dickman's Fiero accessories
7604 Treeview Drive
Caledonia, WI 53108
(262) 835-9575

www.rodneydickman.com "

[Dirty Sanchez]

Here is a link to how Fierohoho did his: http://www.fiero.com/forum/Forum2/HTML/046456.html

[eHoward]

You measure the struts. Both the OD of the tube and the desired height of the perch. Then you buy the appropriate size. http://www.colemanracing.com/catalog/in ... ath=49_427 seems to be popular in the fiero world. You really could buy just about anything metal. You don't need that supplier. Don't buy plastic civic ones. Guess spring rate at around 300lb/in. Buy eibach or hypercoil(better) springs. If you've got money to spend, you could buy 275 and 325 also. Height of the coil that most people go with if I remember right is 10 inches.

file to fit.

Done.


I'm sure Will or JM will have more fiero specific details.

[donk_316]

Here is a link to how Fierohoho did his: http://www.xxxx.com

I dont think a link to THERE for something that was asked HERE is appropriate. Who the fuck wants to do what someone called "fierohoho" did anyways.
Let me know if im out of line

Anyways, dont be cheap. buy the HMS coilover kit for stock struts. Its all there, you pick the spring rates and no homemade mickey mouse crap plus its not expensive.

[stimpy]

Anyways, dont be cheap. buy the HMS coilover kit for stock struts. Its all there, you pick the spring rates and no homemade mickey mouse crap plus its not expensive.

Linky?

[donk_316]

http://www.heldmotorsports.com/coilk.htm

there you go Stimpification. I run these and so does alot of other folks.

[stimpy]

Here is a link to how Fierohoho did his: http://www.fiero.com/forum/Forum2/HTML/046456.html

Oh SHIT! How did I ever miss that thread? That's some Afro-Engineering going on in that thread if I have ever seen it. And the dude's a cop, too.

Here's as far as I've gotten so far...

Great documentation+ for ya.-
MasterTunerAkimoto

But it's five pages long. Something's gotta get good in here.

[Dirty Sanchez]

You could go cheap or do the held kit. In the end you get the same results. Don't shoot the messenger. :crybaby:

[Shaun41178(2)]

You wouldnt' be a fiero owner though if you spent the money to do it right.

[rockcrawl]

I've been using 12" springs, 250-300lb/in depending on the engine in the car. Springs are about $40 each. You can get progressive rate springs for just a bit more than linears, but I've never tried them. I use a lathe to cut the stock perches off, but it can be done with a hand grinder. 5" threaded sleeves will work, or 7" if for some reason you want to use short springs. Use silicone adhesive/sealant to hold the sleeves onto the strut body like HMS does, or roll them on over O-rings of the apropriate size. Cut some 2.5" exhaust tubing about 1.5" long and tack it to the stock upper strut hat to center the spring. Drill a few holes and use nylon ties loosely to keep the spring from unseating when the car is jacked. Buy some Prothane spring isolator pads, or cut your own from thick rubber. Don't forget to put the rubber bumpers on the shafts before assembly.

[eHoward]

You're all fancy now with your lathe and your series one. I'm jealous.

I use a lathe to cut the stock perches off, but it can be done with a hand grinder

[The Dark Side of Will]

I'm running stock Fiero top plate and stock Fiero bump stops with the strut boot cut off. Other than that, just sleeves and springs.

I have NEVER had a problem with the springs unseating or any such inconvenience. The stock bump stops, at least the ones I have, are an ever so slight interference fit inside the springs. They hold the springs up when i jack up the car. Nothing else necessary.


I'm running 325x12 springs.

[stimpy]

You could go cheap or do the held kit. In the end you get the same results. Don't shoot the messenger. :crybaby:

Well, the difference between Fierotwinkie's jacked up swap meet crap and Held's kit is what, $40? Sure, he found the stuff on the cheap and paid less, but you can't assume that you'll find that stuff at the flea.

In other news, I forgot what total hardcore Fiero porn that Held website is. Let's see, the Slalom suspension with Hal coilovers, 88 cradle with Koni coilovers, 12" brake kit...
(fwap,fwap,fwap)

[THE PUNISHER]

These honkies don't know what the fuck their doin.

I built mine Cheap.

www.speedwayparts.com

get the carrera coilover sleeves that are 2" in Dia , these are polished aluminum and $35 per side

Carrera 10" springs are $55 each , also polished , any rate you want. I have the 500Lbs bad boys , probably too harsh for street , I wouldn't get anything too short as it will just bottom out the strut. I ha 390's on the car that were 7" tall and my 500's that are 10" tall ride much better.

Cut off the perch carefully..don't get too much heat in the strut

Put them together

have fun.

[Jinxmutt]

My buddy just bought a set of coilovers for his civic. Below the coil sleeve there is an additional 'spring' that helps to aways keep pressure on the sleeve. This way when you jack the car, the spring doesn't fall out of the top 'hat' piece. I don't see why you couldn't use this type of setup for a fiero as well...

[eHoward]

carrol smith says if you must carrry the weight of the spring around with you, you might as well use the damned things.

If your car happens to go air borne and the car goes to full droop, you're going to want all the spring you can get when it comes down to earth.

Adjust the perch so that the spring doesnt rattle loose.


Helper springs aren't a bad idea though if you've got the cizzash. Surprsied to see you recommending an expensive solution Jinxmutt.

[Series8217]

Hey Stimpy, I made coilovers for my 88 and it was real easy. The hardest part is removing the spring perches without cutting the strut body. You just have to cut very slowly/carefully. What struts do you want to use? Your current ones?
I used 12" springs in mine from Summit. They were like $40 each. Tons of spring rates available. I have plenty of adjustment with my full length Coleman Racing sleeves. www.colemanracing.com
I adjust my coilovers until the spring is snug with the top plate with the car in the air, and it ends up at the perfect ride height. Could easily go lower without any spring unseating problem; that spring doesn't have anywhere to go anyway.. Plus you'd have to get your car a coupe feet in the air to have a problem.. then you have other problems!
My coleman racing sleeves including snap rings that go in the top of the sleeves to lock it against the strut body.. then you can just use silicon sealeant to prevent water from going in and rusting stuff.
For bump stops I used shock bushings from the Help! section at Autozone, as the stock ones are too big.
Anyway, I've got a big vice and a few angle grinders, I would just need to buy some grinding wheels if you want to make your own you could use my stuff and I could help you out. Let me know.

[notyourmomma]

would these be any good or just overpriced? (yes, I own a Fiero... yes, that was me picking up pennies in the parking lot...) http://www.ground-control.com/application_guide.htm
Part No. 6505.01 Fiero (rear only) 84-87 $199

[Doug Chase]

would these be any good or just overpriced? (yes, I own a Fiero... yes, that was me picking up pennies in the parking lot...) Ground Control.com
Part No. 6505.01 Fiero (rear only) 84-87 $199

I own them. They'll work on an '88, too, even though that isn't listed on their site.

There are a couple caveats. Good or bad, you pick. 1) If you just order this part you'll get a short sleeve that is designed to sit on a strut with the stock spring perch still attached. 2) If you tell them that you plan to cut off the perches and want a sleeve that fits the full length of the body they'll supply you with the correct part. 3) If you tell them that this sleeve is going on Konis (larger diameter) they'll machine it out to the correct ID for you.

So if you want to save every last penny you can probably find the parts elsewhere and build them on your own. In this case the information above will be very helpful. If you don't want to spend several hours screwing around on the computer finding and purchasing parts, and would rather pick up the phone and have a quality product at your door in a few days, this is pretty hard to beat. Time = money, right?