Suspension Upgrade Journey
Part 6 - Coilovers and Camber Adjusters
14th April 2003
On this night, I bought a AE86 racing front suspension
The coilovers comes with a 8 kg/mm coil, helper springs (to hold the main coil in place when the car jumps), adjustable coil heights, camber adjusters (pillow ball), ventilated discs, calipers, racing brake pads??? and finally control arms.
I do not know what each item is made by (i.e. TRD or Cusco or whoever) but this suspension setup came from a racing AE86 half-cut that have all items meant for racing.
Originally the mech. wanted the brake pads back, but release it to me after some brain-washing session. Since I do not have AE86's brake pads on my existing car and he needs to take out another set of brake pads from his own car. All simply too much work, so he gave up. :) Before that the mech. took it out and clean it to check what make were they before releasing it to me :). I can't make out any printing on it, perhaps the mech. does and notice it is not that "racing" and surrendered it to me???
The mech. was kind enough to install the entire suspension for me without charge. It was not in the deal. :)
Since the bolt is extra long, the existing nut to secure the sport rim does not have sufficient internal space to go in far enough to hold the sport rim. Therefore the mech. again, was kind enough to give me a set of spacer without charge. :)
After everything was installed, he had a quick check on the alignment and found the left wheel far out and adjusted it for me. Quick one by eye :) better than none, as it was out by some 10 degrees.
He also found out that the tires are touching the mud-guard when turning, therefore helped me adjusted something on the bottom to move the wheels further forward.
So, all in all it was a good deal, a couple hours of good company and conversion. By the way, he is very clean and neat on work.
Ride Feel
It was very bumpy. My rear coil is some 6.66 kg/mm (I think, may be more). The absorber is: -
TRD KYB 48531-14080
setting 4 has compression 83kgf and rebound 32kgf
short stroke, OIL, 8 Way
height - Max = 502mm, Min = 337mm
Current setting at maximum no.8 . I don't know what is the compression and rebound at this stage. I think this is the cause of the trouble. As describe previously in Upgrade Front Absorber to TRD
I then quickly adjusted it back down to 6, which was much better, (the lesson learned from 911 Zentrum Absorber Testing) but the alignment was way out, no real drive testing could be done..........
Aftermath
15th April 2003
I took the car for tires balancing, camber adjusting and wheel alignment in the late morning.
The tire-man set the camber at -0.5 degree, because I told him for high-ways on straights mostly.
After all these was done, I drove to work........ hehhehhehhe. After work I also drove to Mr. Kuan's workshop and then home. .......... hehehehhehehhehhe
Another thing, now that I've change the front suspensions again, the vibration is different.
But something else is also different, but felt the same. They were the rubbers and bushings. They help to make the entire car solid, feel a hell lot more confident. Come to think of it, the previous trip at top speed's confidence, might have high % contribution from these new bushings.
Hell since they are so low-cost, mind as well change them every year. Then you'll feel like you have a new car every year :)
Sure good lah :)
I don't knowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww, it is not that bumpy to me ??? I can't even use the word accept, because they simply feels fine on the road.
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