need RSR rear coilover help

Shuie · 06:45 AM

Need some coilover help. Here are two different rear RSR coilover shocks

The first pic is the shock that I have in my garage. So what is the black hat on the 2nd shock? Do I need that, or is the washer all that is intended to go between the rubber stop and the nut on top of the shock.

edit
after looking at the pics side by side, Im thinking I need it.

okay, so where do I get it. SMART racing sells the same cap for the green shock. Does anyone recognize my shock and know if the same kit will fit it?

TIA

MuffinMan · 03-13-2005, 08:14 AM

It's hard to see in the picture, but is that just a dust cap? If so, the cap is sitting on the same "ledge" that the washer would be, so it's essentially functioning as a washer, itself. I just installed RSR rear shocks without coilover springs, and I used the metal dust covers from my old Bilstein shocks. The stock dust cover is too large to use in conjunction with coil over springs, though.

MuffinMan · 03-13-2005, 08:17 AM

Or is the black piece just another variation of the silver piece on your shock?

Shuie · 03-13-2005, 08:57 AM

Maybe it is just the dustcover. I guess I could cut an old dustcover from a conventional shcok and install it between the washer and the nut if I need to to have something there. Maybe I dont need to do anything. Anybody know for sure?

KobaltBlau · 03-13-2005, 11:23 AM

I think it's a machined aluminum spring hat. I have seen them somewhere but just searched around and couldn't find a source. As to whether you need them or not, I don't know.

Shuie · 11:40 AM

I went out to the garage and looked again and Im back to thinking I dont need something like the black cap thats on the green shock.

The silver piece on the top shock is a spacer. The nut holds the spacer in place. The round plate the captures the spring has no machine work that indicates a cap might sit on it. Initially, it seemed like too much force over too small an area, but I guess not

Is this right?

Jeff Alton · 03-13-2005, 11:37 AM

I think it is fine the way it is. My stuff from TRG does not have a spacer, although I wish it did, and the upper purch just fits against the rubber piece with a washer in between.

Jeff

cstreit · cstreit's Garage

Yeah, it's a variation on the same theme. I actually like yours better because it leaves more room for play in the shock during travel.

This is for an upside down setup on an early car with the narrow shock towers... What MuffinMan said is correct and your conclusions are on.

Hope this helps!

Jeff Alton · 03-13-2005, 04:46 PM

I actually have a slight rubbing problem on my rears and they do not have that spacer (84) So the problem is not just the early cars. I have already mounted the helper springs on the top (smaller OD) and that helped a little but now I am going to fabricate a similar spacer.

Jeff

Shuie · 03-13-2005, 06:47 PM

Thanks guys! I appreciate the help!

Whooohooo! Cant wait to start welding in rear crossmember supports

Jeff Alton · 03-13-2005, 09:04 PM

Show some pics of what you weld in. I have to do mine while the motor is out shortly and the 3.6 is going in.

Jeff

Jim2 · Jim2's Garage

Shuie, the large diameter of the black spring perch provides a cavity for the rubber bump stop. This allows the threaded collar to be adjusted for a lower ride height yet sustaining a reasonable amount of shock travel before bottoming out on the bump stop. By comparison, the shock with the spacer sleeve located above the upper spring perch will not permit as much travel when the car is lowered, before bottoming on the bump stop.

Jim

cstreit · cstreit's Garage

Jeff, here's some pics of what I did:

See this thread:

http://moto-delta.com/v-web/b2/index.php?p=12&more=1#more12

and here:

http://moto-delta.com/v-web/b2/index.php?p=8&more=1#more8

Jeff Alton · 03-17-2005, 10:15 PM

Chris, thanks. But, no fair, I am not going to end up with a cage!! Looks pretty well braced to me though.

Jeff

Shuie · 03-18-2005, 04:47 AM

Thanks Chris. Nice work.

Quote:

Shuie, the large diameter of the black spring perch provides a cavity for the rubber bump stop. This allows the threaded collar to be adjusted for a lower ride height yet sustaining a reasonable amount of shock travel before bottoming out on the bump stop. By comparison, the shock with the spacer sleeve located above the upper spring perch will not permit as much travel when the car is lowered, before bottoming on the bump stop.

Jim, Im not sure I see what you are saying here. Are they red shcoks less adjustable than the green due to the length of the spacer? It looks like the spacer and the black perch serve the same function

Jim2 · Jim2's Garage

Shuie, though both arrangements serve the same purpose in terms of an upper spring perch, the total travel (Free Length minus Compressed Length) will be less for the shock with the spacer. Perhaps it's not an issue, but this is why the black perch is designed the way it is.

Jim

ipapilot · 03-18-2005, 07:03 PM

I'm sure this has been discussed a million times, but has anyone seen a failure of the upper spring perch on a coilover conversion that was not reinforced. There is a car here locally that has been running rear coilovers for 15 years and has 935 bodywork running monster slicks with no reinforcement. This car is capable of obscene g's and shows no sign of fatigue. I only ask because Shuie and Catca both talked about needing to get their weldong done.

Jeff Alton · 03-18-2005, 09:27 PM

I just want to weld with my new welder!!! But really, I am guessing here, but I would bet the "need" to reinforce came from the fact that when the factory put coilovers in the rear of some RSRs they gussetted the upper mount with a couple of triangle plates. So, others must have thought it was required. But, I would like to know too if anyone has actually seen a car with failed or torn mount.

Jeff