D.D.Anderson Posted March 10, 2014 Report Share Posted March 10, 2014 hey, I had a question i hope someone could help me with alittle. I have brought myself a pair of front springs for my B310 stock struts, so tired of the homemade shit the previous owner made with 200l, Bilstein and GolfMKII... The thing is, when it was installed, it fits just about perfect, but the laws in norway are one of the strictest... For the vehicle to pass EU test u gotta test the springs by grabbing it with your hand (while car is raised) and rip the shit of the spring with all your force to prove it stays there, if they manage to get it off, you won't pass... i know if you take enough force with grabbing, it will fall out, so i don't find any other solution then trying to get GOOD short strut inserts. Haven't measured stock lenght, so i hope someone can help me getting strut inserts that fits the stock struts and is shorter profile. here have a look. Quote Link to comment
ggzilla Posted March 10, 2014 Report Share Posted March 10, 2014 The strut "insert" is the shock absorber cartridge. The best insert with the smoothest ride and best control is the Nissan insert. Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted March 10, 2014 Report Share Posted March 10, 2014 When installed the spring has to be somewhat compressed when the strut is at full extension. If the new spring is too short, just cut some rubber doughnuts from old tires for spacers and stack under and over the spring when installing it. Alternatively you could trim around just above the lower spring perch and slide it up the strut and re-weld it on or clamp with split collars making the rid height adjustable after the inspection... Remove the strut and carefully compress and remove the spring. Using a 6" angle grinder trim around the base of the spring perch just enough to slice through above the weld... Tap spring perch up and off with hammer... Grind down the weld that secured the perch to the strut tube... This is so you can instal split collars that will clamp and support the lower spring perch making it fully adjustable up and down... Properly installed they will support 3 tons each or about three 510s Just compress the spring with a jack and tighten split collar... Total cost so far was $25 for the collars, and for that I get adjustable ride height. Once you get it where you want it what good are $600 coil overs? They're just along for the ride. Quote Link to comment
D.D.Anderson Posted March 10, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 10, 2014 The vehicle inspector won't accept that... they got a team of 4 inspectors to only find the problems... fx cutting springs here gives u up to 1500-2000$ fines if you get caught with it, + u loose ur licence and gotta take all classes over again... coilovers or heavy modifying means 1000$ and maby lose licence. They say its EXTREMLY dangerous... maby, but i still live today. Its allowed to get a shorter shock absorber cartridge, so i will try to get that, i also have the chance to change them too. Thanks for that adwise anyway mate :) Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted March 10, 2014 Report Share Posted March 10, 2014 A shorter cartridge doesn't change anything. You would need a shorter strut like from a 280zx, if you want to lower you ride height. You can use your top hat but you wold still have to cut your bottom spring perch off and weld it onto the 280zx strut tube once you have figured out your ride height. Once welded up and painted it would be impossible to tell it was modified. Well....aside from the massive caliper and vented rotor Quote Link to comment
D.D.Anderson Posted March 10, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 10, 2014 doesn't it? damn... then i have wasted my money... Quote Link to comment
D.D.Anderson Posted March 10, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 10, 2014 Wait a second... the strut tops, isn't it possible to rebuild the bowls that acts like "hats" on those springs under the strut tops? Do you understand what i mean? extend the spring "bed" that they rest on? im bad on explenations... Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted March 10, 2014 Report Share Posted March 10, 2014 Usually the cartridge sits on the bottom of the strut tube. A shorter cartridge needs to have a stack or washers under it to support it in place but you could still use it.The strut and the spring, however hasn't changed and the ride height won't either.Looking at those springs... If the red one is the new spring I can tell you now that it is thinner and has more coils that the light color one above it. This will give it a much lighter spring rate and it will collapse further under the weight of the car. Lighter spring rate. sits lower and easier to bottom out on bumps. Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted March 10, 2014 Report Share Posted March 10, 2014 Wait a second... the strut tops, isn't it possible to rebuild the bowls that acts like "hats" on those springs under the strut tops? Do you understand what i mean? extend the spring "bed" that they rest on? im bad on explenations... Well isn't this sort of like using a spacer to make the spring fit tighter? Quote Link to comment
D.D.Anderson Posted March 10, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 10, 2014 Well isn't this sort of like using a spacer to make the spring fit tighter? Well u might be right... but make it into a one piece, do you think a CNC operator can make this or something? Well what would be your suggestion? I gotta get this lowered, and legally... damn socalled "Vegvesenet" tries everything they can to "NOT" get it approved. It gotta be a "Replacement" that must be judged OR it must be "TUV" approved or other sertifications... Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted March 10, 2014 Report Share Posted March 10, 2014 Put the longer springs in for the inspection, change them out later. As I said your red springs are going to be much softer than the ones above them. May ride too low and bottom. 1 Quote Link to comment
D.D.Anderson Posted March 10, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 10, 2014 Put the longer springs in for the inspection, change them out later. As I said your red springs are going to be much softer than the ones above them. May ride too low and bottom. I could get standard ones too, same red but higher, would that be better? Ride height 540mm with 13 wheels - Is the other option from pedders. Quote Link to comment
bananahamuck Posted March 10, 2014 Report Share Posted March 10, 2014 Do they pull you off the road to surprise inspect or is this a scheduled yearly thing. If yearly what is wrong with what Datzenmike suggested? 1 Quote Link to comment
ggzilla Posted March 10, 2014 Report Share Posted March 10, 2014 Since your goal is not maximum lowering, a shorter strut tube will not help. If your goal is to limit suspension drop (extended length with body jacked up) then maybe a short-stroke insert cartridge will help. It doesn't need to be a short cartridge. Fx the golf cartridges are short but have a long stroke. No one here faces this exact problem, we don't cut springs so far that they can fall out, or we safety wire them (bind them) to the spring cups. To my knowledge there has never been an accident caused by this. Of course your bureaucracy knows best. Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted March 10, 2014 Report Share Posted March 10, 2014 A shorter travel strut will work as it limits how far the wheel will drop at full suspension travel, however, keep in mind that too much will have the front wheel leave the ground like going off a ski jump when going over bumps. I'm exaggerating for effect but it's true. If by standard you mean a stock replacement B-310 spring that is the same height but stiffer then yes. This should get you a pass on inspection. The spring rate is dependent on coil diameter, wire thickness and number of coils. Just buying a random coil is likely to get you in a worse position. Myself I would get a set of stock replacement coils for a B-310. They will fit and pass inspection. After, you can shorten the stock coil to get a lower ride height and a stiffer spring. This is good for a couple of inches only as too low risks bottoming the strut and damaging the insert inside. Quote Link to comment
D.D.Anderson Posted March 11, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 11, 2014 Do they pull you off the road to surprise inspect or is this a scheduled yearly thing. If yearly what is wrong with what Datzenmike suggested? They stop cars they think are "Cool", only low and special cars gets stopped all the time, especially mopeds, because of what we call "Trimming", upgrade engine for power. They are here in town to stay on guard every day.... They did stop a T-Ford last year because of supercharger.... Most popular is chopped off Mercedes C230, 190, 300 Diesels to be low, dark windows... Install turbo in non turbo car.... If you get caught, then u gonna get it... Quote Link to comment
D.D.Anderson Posted March 11, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 11, 2014 A shorter travel strut will work as it limits how far the wheel will drop at full suspension travel, however, keep in mind that too much will have the front wheel leave the ground like going off a ski jump when going over bumps. I'm exaggerating for effect but it's true. If by standard you mean a stock replacement B-310 spring that is the same height but stiffer then yes. This should get you a pass on inspection. The spring rate is dependent on coil diameter, wire thickness and number of coils. Just buying a random coil is likely to get you in a worse position. Myself I would get a set of stock replacement coils for a B-310. They will fit and pass inspection. After, you can shorten the stock coil to get a lower ride height and a stiffer spring. This is good for a couple of inches only as too low risks bottoming the strut and damaging the insert inside. Thanks for the information. I will try to visit our local CNC workshop, industry that makes any kind of parts from 10 grams to 32 tonns. They could create a pair of those spring upper cups, that is extended, to make spring more captive, my mate cut off his springs by 2 rounds, lower then my red springs. He sure aren't bottoming with he's b310 sedan when i was told to hit flat pedal on a speedbumb, i had 80km't when i hit it, we did 1-1/2 meter wheele and hit ground, and for STRANGE resons, no bottoming.... must be impossible. So i will try this out, since nobody else has tried, and i will inform you all about the discovery, positive or negative :) someone must give it a shot for science! If my way doesn't work, i will try your recommendations. Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted March 11, 2014 Report Share Posted March 11, 2014 Cutting the spring makes them stiffer. Bottoming the strut by jumping will fuck it up and should be avoided. 2 Quote Link to comment
D.D.Anderson Posted March 12, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 12, 2014 Cutting the spring makes them stiffer. Bottoming the strut by jumping will fuck it up and should be avoided. Yeah but not legal... sad thing. well i have to test it, installing it, and then put some weight on car to see the strut progress... If it doesn't work, im fuck'd up. I can't ride stock hight or the homemade coilovers... Im about to go nuts on the laws we got... can't even make a spring fabric to copy the stock springs but a bit shorter either... would be a dream. Quote Link to comment
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