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79 210 Coilover Suggestions?


JacobBieg

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Coil overs do not allow you to lower indefinitely. Any lowering moves you closer to running out to strut travel. This can be reduced by (I assume raising the vehicle isn't an option?) ...

 

1/ increasing the coil spring's 'spring rate' or stiffness. If you are using the stock spring or rate, probably around 100 pounds per inch, (lb./in.) you can buy replacement coils that are 175 to 220 lb/in. It's hard to know what will be right for you without being too stiff. Stiffer spring will resist being compressed and the body travels less distance on bumps and dips.

 

 

2/ Inside your strut is an oil bath damper or shock absorber. The damper prevents sudden compression of the coil spring by offering resistance to compression and rebound by forcing hydraulic oil through small valves or holes. In the past it may have been drained and replaced with a dry self contained insert. If it's been replaced all you can do is replace it again (if needed) with something firmer. If it has the original oil filled ones, you can empty out the watery thin hydraulic oil and replace with a higher viscosity 20W motorcycle fork oil. This is what I did and for $15 a liter (enough for three struts) the thicker oil is much harder to push through the stock valving and provides a firmer ride. 

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On 11/28/2021 at 12:46 PM, datzenmike said:

Coil overs do not allow you to lower indefinitely. Any lowering moves you closer to running out to strut travel.

 

Coil overs alone can't fix your bottoming out. If you want to go lower you'll need shorter struts. If you can live where you are for height then stiffening the spring and firming up the damper is the way to go. The thicker oil is $15 or new inserts about $100 and the coil can be trimmed or new coils (carefully selected) for a sizeable increase in spring rate. I think the springs alone should fix your problem.

 

Maybe the coil on your coil over is weaker than the stock spring. Measure the diameter of the coil, outside to outside, measure the thickness of the wire accurately and count the coils that are not touching each other. Only the ones that are free to move. Get those three measurements and I can work out your current spring rate. Accuracy is important. From this we will have a direction to go. 

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  • 3 weeks later...

If you buy replacement coilover SPRINGS in a stiffer rate, you will need to measure the overall UNcompressed length of one of your originals, so you get the same length.  You might be able to measure without disassembling.........jack up the front, if the coilover spring is loose at that point, just measure it!  If it is still tight, you need to loosen the adjuster OR pull one off.  OR simply go buy a NEW complete set of whatever you find available.

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But a stiffer coil will not compress the same amount as the stock one. A stiffer coil the same length will need the bottom perch moved lower down the strut tube. So strictly speaking, a slightly shorter coil would move the bottom spring perch higher and away from the tire tread or sidewall. ???

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