fk coliover problems help asap

[r55rdk]

i bought my fk coilovers on the group buy and getting them fitted tonight. a mechanic i know is doing it for me and when begining to fit the front suspension he says it will not fit with the original renault top mount. does anyone know if these kits are meant to come with a new top mount? help please

 

[r55rdk]

bump

has anyone else got fk's and had a problem?

 

[Turkish]

Was the mechanic Female? Vague diagnosis if you ask me. Have you got any pics of the front strut? as its fairly idiot proof to fit them on a clio.

 

[Matta_88]

thats what i thought ^^ :S

 

[r55rdk]

he says the bolt you put on top of the rod that goes through the spring and through the top mount there is not enough rod sticking into the engine bay for it to screw into without being dangerous. did everyone else keep there original renault top mount?

 

[Turkish]

I get the distinct impression he's talking about the threaded part of the strut not winding enough threads up into the upper half (part you can see when you lift the bonnet) of the strut top mount. My guess is the muppet has either A, left the transport nut on when assembling it or B used the transport nut instead of the small one on the OE strut that he should be using or C thinks he has to put the transport nut ontop of the whole assembly.

 

[r55rdk]

thats exactly wot i meant. i thought it looked easy to fit and i did my last set i just took it to him because he can get the tracking and all done for me. thought it would be easy. gonna go see him now.

 

[Turkish]

Basically the only thing he should be using with the new front struts are the little "hats" or upper springplates that come with the coilovers. Everything else be it nuts/bolts/shims/mounts etc you swap from the original struts. The nut on the top of the coilover assembly is there to keep it all together while its being transported and should be removed before fitting. Then you just take all the parts off the original struts and refit in the same order on the coilover and it should be fine.

 

[Fred@BTM]

amateurs, pah!!!

this is the correct order of assembley starting from the bottom up

BIN the large transport nut

aliuminum gold painted top cap of coilover
OE renault bearing (the correct way up)
OE rubber doughnut
OE brass spacer
OE 17mm nut (approx 3mm tall, its tiny)

job done

if he still can't do it, tell him "Loony and Fred say you are stupid"

 

[Turkish]

No wonder the motortrade has such a bad name when there are monkeys like that working in it, lol

 

[r55rdk]

just been to see him. told him about the transport nut. that was the problem. gonna post some pics though of the top of the strut cos he still says there is not enough thread coming through to be completely safe. it is a lot less thread than my old suspension he says he's gonna locktite it or something.

 

[Turkish]

The nut is pretty big so if he was actually getting the top half of the mount to go on at all then i'd fairly safely say he'll get it tightened enough now.

 

[Fred@BTM]

the thread top should be level with the nut, it won't stick out at all like your old suspension, do not use loctite on it!

 

[Fred@BTM]

and the top nut cap should be done up by hand NOT by airgun!

 

[Turkish]

This bloke isnt a tyre/exhaust fitter by any chance is he? Sounds about as mechanically inept as the local kwikfit chimps.

 

[r55rdk]

does this look right?

 

[Fred@BTM]

yup thats normal!

 

[Turkish]

Looks about right to me.

 

[r55rdk]

cool. wot would happen if he puts loctite on it? would i never be able to get a new suspension again :S . he's a proper mechanic has a subaru track car and everything. the kit didn't come with any instructions so ill put it down to that. wot should i do about the camber, what has everyone else set theirs to?

 

[edde]

cool. wot would happen if he puts loctite on it? would i never be able to get a new suspension again :S . he's a proper mechanic has a subaru track car and everything. the kit didn't come with any instructions so ill put it down to that. wot should i do about the camber, what has everyone else set theirs to?

About 1.4 is isn't bad depends I'd personaly prefers more

Locktite is just going to hold the top on tigh its just means its tigher to get off no problem otherwise.

 

[Turkish]

Put it this way it'd be a right c*nt to get off. Usually takes an airgun to get them off as it is, loctite on them would mean it just spins and spins and wont loosen. As for no instructions a decent mechanic should be able to suss something as straight forward as that.

Personally about -1.5 to -2(max) degrees of camber for a good compramise for the road. Too much will just leave you destroying the inner edge of the tyre because you are riding it all the time.

 

[Fred@BTM]

don't bother with loctite, seriously its not needed

1.3 - 1.5neg is what i set to (by eye!)

 

[Middo]

lol, spot on it is too

 

[r55rdk]

whats best for reduced tyre wear. don't fancy splashing out on new tyres anymore than i do at the mo. cheers

 

[Andy_J]

amateurs, pah!!!

this is the correct order of assembley starting from the bottom up

BIN the large transport nut

aliuminum gold painted top cap of coilover
OE renault bearing (the correct way up)
OE rubber doughnut
OE brass spacer
OE 17mm nut (approx 3mm tall, its tiny)

job done

if he still can't do it, tell him "Loony and Fred say you are stupid"

this is how i set them up without even really thinking about it... realised the transport nut was massive and just copied it over from the oe setup.

I always knew i was good!!

 

[Andy_J]

don't bother with loctite, seriously its not needed

1.3 - 1.5neg is what i set to (by eye!)

mines about -1 just now but was at around -2ish for track banter.

 

[christurbo]

I set my camber to as much as it would go [to see how fast I could take some bends] and it nearly ripped the ds out!!! Horrendous noise!

Mine are now set less hardcore and are fine for the track.

Now:- [actually I think I have put less neg camber on since these pics:-]

Oh and beware - when you adjust your camber you will prob need to do your tracking. My steering wheel was out for a while - now as straight as a die.

 

[Andy_J]

holy mofo, thats aggressive.. you must go thru some tyres!

 

[christurbo]

I dont drive it around that much [as its always at Yozzasport! lol] its mainly for the track but I do go out for a blast at weekends!

As I said I think - but cant be sure - if it put less neg camber in it since then.