How To: Coilovers and strut tube modification (with pictures!)

[Moto-Mucci]

That doesn't mean you should use HD's...

[mo diesil]

i used hd's on y slammed e30 and they rode fine aswell. 2 inch shortened with gc camber plates.

[Goya20]

doing mine tomorrow let u guys knw how that went

[einstein57]

What I read somewhere is that it increases surface area contact with the outer tube allowing the shock to use the outer tube as a heat sink.

By all means it makes sense as a shock absorber converts motion energy into heat energy by means of liquid/gas/mechanical friction. But do they really get that hot?

And yes, two metals in contact for long period of time without some sort of corrosion inhibiting substance could become chemically welded.

This is true as told to me by my father who is a master tech. But it does not apply to bilstein sports/hds as they are inverted and the actual shock housing is partially exposed to open air. Also the oil is bad for the bumpstops. The bilstein instructions tell you to not use oil.

[tonywonder]

gah i guess i should take my struts out and put oil in there then...

[5Toes]

What struts are used for this Bilstein Sports?

[Goya20]

FINISHED, took me forever without having a vise but the whole thing came out sweet the ride is good, pics coming up later.

[Oolop]

What struts are used for this Bilstein Sports?

what do you mean? Bilstein Sports ARE shocks (not struts).

[5Toes]

Shocks and struts are the same??

[Oolop]

Shocks and struts are the same??

um, no, not really

http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSAT8DHQw1V-nUT3xpkguXyh5W2wj4Yvz6qNxxTl3pXDyCYrdrU

the ones on the left are shocks, to the right are struts. see the difference?

E30s have shock inserts for the fronts.

regular shocks for the rear.

[AbsorbantNut]

Shocks and struts are the same??

Not quite.

[einstein57]

This is a rode less traveled. I'm not going to give away my trade secrets on how i shortened the bilstein sports. Every part of my coilover setup is offered for sale by me.

First we shorten the strut tubes 1.9" and add a collar along with AKG sway link tabs. Welding done by Chris Castro of Castro Motorsports.







Pics installed with my GE camber plates and coilover dust boots. 6" #300 springs






Rear installed with GE tall RSMs 4" #800 springs (14lbs of boost and a stereo system makes the car squat hard)







Rear all the way down and fronts all the way up. Will be switching to 7" springs

[tonywonder]

those rear mounts are a great idea. i have to measure mine to see if ill need them for full travel. chris does a great job on those front strut housings recently got mine done.

[Ayman]

are those your own GE coilovers?

[einstein57]

Yup. Pre production models. The mass produced units will not be red and gold. They will consist only of the colors found on the hood emblem (black sleeves to hide dirt in the nooks and crannys, silver adjusters so you won't mar them and make them look crappy, blue springs cause I like them)