Education time before the install.. I have some newbie questions

Ive got the instructions from Torques site and theLG instructions.. but they make the glaring presumption that I know what Im doing..

My overall take on this project is that its no more difficult than changing out a set of shocks.... thats the easy part.. adjusting the coils is whats got me stimied...

Yeah I know I could ask them.. jand I jwill if I dont get any hepl here.. but knowing the fourm I know ther are guys who have the same queshtions that I have so answering them here spreads the knowledge around..

My Questions...
1. Ok... what are the benifits/downside of changing my spring preloads
1a. I presume that to change the preload I need to screw the base of the springs UP towards the top of the unit

2. Removing the coilover body from the lower A-arm and making the total unit shorter will - True or False
a. Lower the car's body
b. Raise the cars body
c. Screw everything up

3. How much spring preload is too much pre load.. Im assumming (dangerous I know) that if ther is already "Little or No" preload (as per the instructions) then Ive got to add some to get my car back to where it is now in height lowered on stock bolts..

So Im thinking Ill have to ..
1. Add a bit of preload into the springs AND adjust the bodys to be ?shorter? in order to match my current height of about 1" lower that OEM

 

Wow... no education going on here!

 

i just finished installing my LG's.. literally torqued my last bolt 15mins ago.

i did not touch the preloaded spring. i adjusted my height by turning the lower-cup only.
these coilovers come from LG with the correct preload for our cars. i used toques install as a guide as well.. and i believe he adjusted the preload because he wanted to go even lower than what you could do with just turning the bottom adjustment.

I would call LG.. get there take on it.

fwiw... you can get PLENTY adjustment out of the rears without touching the preload. the front i have bottomed out, and i think i'm close to the same height as i was with aftermarket bolts bottomed out.
(still need to drive the car.. but it won't leave my lift until the snow clears)
if you are looking for 1" lower than stock.. you should easily get that without touching the preload on the springs.

as for the install... it's pretty easy. I did shocks/brakes last year.. no harder than that.

good luck

 

He didn specify how much he screwed the cups In... How much more do I need to turn teh lower cup's

The problem As I see it is that if you want ito "twittle" with your settings and your rely on turnningthe lower cip.. you've got to remove your tie rod each time... or can the lower cups be adjusted while connected to the car?
because in teh instructions they say
Im not too confused by the job.. I does look simple..but that being said.... I just like the map to be accurate and understandable!

 

Send Toque a PM.. Im sure he will be more than happy to steer you in the right direction

 

I have my car quite low as you may know. Not everyone may want it like I have mine.

What I did...

My front coil over I screwed all the way into the lower cup. Then after the install I relaxed my springs even more than what LG's had originally set them to. That lowered me to the height I wanted.

My rear coil overs.... You can leave the spring tension as per LG's original setup. Just screw the shock up or down inside the housing once you install it. There is pleanty of room to go up and down. They don't bottom out like the front.

When I first installed mine I had my front too high, and my rear way too low. I made a TON of adjustments to dial it in after I installed them. It was my first attempt at anything this complex on my Corvette ever ! I just messed with it till it was right.

I hope this helps a little.
Toque

 

NOTE: Make sure the lower part is not connected to the lower control arm. By turning the shock inside the mount you may loose the top mount. If you have any questions concerning adjustments please do not hesitate to call the shop at 972-429-1963 or email us at sales@lgmotorsports.com

This is true. I don't remember if its the front or rear Coil over. I think its the front he is referring to. You have to be careful when turning the shock into the lower housing... to make sure your NOT loosening the top part of the shock from the upper mount at the same time. Its possible to do this (Been there, done that). I had all kinds of fun with my install.... All hell will break loose (literally) if your shock comes apart driving in this condition.

When turning your shock in the lower housing, make sure that the upper shock rod (part that goes into the shock) is NOT turning at the same time. Kinda hard to describe here...

Toque

 

Im not gonna go as low as you.. althought Id like to.. Ive got the driveway from helll...

But I do want ito go at least as low as I am right now.. lowered on stock bolts.. I believe got about a 1" drop then.. Im looking to go maybe anothert 1/2" lower...

So I should screw the bases in just a bit to start with.. leaveing the pre load where it is...

 

Thinking about this more I think it was my comment to Anthony at LG's that made him put in that warning about turning the shock into the base which will loosen it from the the top mount. Yea I called Anthony a lot when I installed my coil overs...

Keep in mind I'm just a super amateur at this stuff. I just have enough tools in my garage to make me dangerous... . I just jumped into it with both feet and worked on it till it was right. I'm no pro for sure.

I would leave the pre load where it is. I would turn the shock all the way into the base though in the front. If its too low for you then turning the shock out of the base you will not run the risk of loosening the shock from the top of the mount. Turning the shock down INTO the base is where you run the risk of loosening the shock from the top mount. Make sense ?

With the coil overs out of the car you can turn the shock either way to see if you can loosen it from the top mount. It will give you a better idea about what I'm taking about...

Hope this helps.
Toque

 

See.. thta s what Im talking about..

So.. the trick way would be to start adjusted low and adjust the height UP makeing the unit longer..vs trying to bring everything down makeing it shorter.. thats a great insight

Thanks...

 

Your welcome... Play with them a bit before you install. That will give you a better understanding about what I'm talking about...

Good luck !
Toque

 

According to LG you should def remove the lower part of the assembly from the lower control arm.

the fronts... bottom them out in the cup.

the backs.. you will have to play with. It's really not too bad to adjust afterwards. you need to remove the lower bolt, tie rod and sway bar. you can then manuever the assembly to the side and "twist" it to make your adjustments.

I'm all the way bottomed in the front.. and have about 1.75" of threads showing on the rears. I didn't touch the spring preloads.. hope i don't have to.
I have NOT driven the car yet.. i am pretty sure it's going to settle some.

As it sits.. i'm at 27 1/4 (from fender to floor) in the rear, and 26 1/2 in the front.

I think Toque has given alot of people confidence to install these on their own. It's not difficult, but his write up and his generous help to everyone encourages alot of us to do stuff like this ourselves.- thanks Mark

 

Toque madmatster .. thanks allot...
and thats precisley what I was/am trying oto avoid...

I want to put it together ONCE and not thrash about.. or find the most efficient way of adjusting them....

Totally agree.. Thanks Mark...

I'll post back my results and experience when done

 

Your welcome !
Its the Engineer in me who documents everything at work, and some of it spills into my home life too... (drives my wife nuts sometimes).
I'm NO pro for sure, but I'm ok with a set of tools. I did a ton of "dialing" in after my install. Glad I could help !

PS.... I want a lift like yours !

Happy New Year everyone !



Toque

 

It's my dads.. I come over to use it when i have a project. his 63 is now in another garage and stranded there as we got nailed with a blizzard this week.

it does make life ALOT easier.

 

Well I sure am late to the party on this one.....I thought this forum was suppose to tell me I have threads going on asking me questions....


Anyway it looks like Mark hit the nail on the head.

I try to have these pretty close when you guys get them to only have to make a few adjustments depending on where you want your own car.

Now someone had asked about spring vs shock length and without making a 2 page reply I will give you the short way. By doing it via shock length you do not change the static spring rate so the car does not change ride quality vs ride height. That is the short answer...let me know if you want the long one .

If you, or anyone, has something or thoughts on instruction changes, please let me know. I need to update them and I have a list of stuff to change already. Not hurting my feelings at all, if I can make it easier for everyone then that is what I will do. Need a different picture? Let me know as well.




Happy New Year guys! Cars look great!!

 

Anthony.. thanks.. the instructions are pretty good it was just mainly that last bit about not having the lower part of the assembly connected.. it was unclear wheather you were refering to the front or back or both...

The "Common" assumption of most folks is that you can raise or lower the car "easily" after the system is attached to the car VS having to remove the Tie rod and shock base

MadMaster.. thanks for the images.. your car is nearly EXACTLY where Id like my car to be.. maybe just a bit higher

 

Just finished putting mine on last night and seems to be ok. I am really really low (about the same as toque) I am getting a loud smash/clunk noise from the front when I hit a bump. Anything to check for? I know everything is tight. Also I have about a half inch of no preload on the fronts which I don't like at all (the springs and top hats come apart and if that happened while driving (hitting a big bump) they certainly wouldn't go back into the same/correct position. Wish the shock bodies were about a half inch shorter.

 

If your as low as I am, then I would jack up your shock stiffness a little. I'm set at 9 in the front and 9 in the rear. I have hit some significant bumps when I used to have it set at 7/7, and I scuffed the inner fender a little with my rear tire. I have not scuffed anymore with it set to 9/9. It still rides like a dream at 9/9 and corners like a bat outa hell !

If your as low as I am, and the spring preload is relaxed like mine, then I'm not surprised your top hat and spring can come apart when the car is lifted. That's why I installed a helper spring in mine. It happened to me when I installed mine (). That way when I have my car lifted the helper spring puts pressure on the top hat to hold everything in place. I have my car on jack stands 3 or more times a month detailing so I needed to add the helper spring. The helper spring is only needed in the front.

The helper spring is YELLOW in the below pic. Anthony at LG's can get you ones to fit.

Toque



Toque

 

My suspension is set to max stiffness (12?) cause I was worried about slamming the wheel into the fender. I will call Anthony Monday thanks!

I was also a little worried if maybe my sway bar/endlinks are hitting something cause I'm so low, but if you haven't noticed anything like that either than it's probably just my top hats coming apart.