Fitting tips/guide for H&R coilovers?

[Ally]

I'll be fitting my H&R coilovers on Wednesday night, had a look in the box yesterday and there's no instructions whatsoever :S. I'm reasonably competent(!) when it comes to things like this and have confidence I can fit them correctly (also have help from my fiancee's dad and his tools).

Is there anything I need to be careful of, or any tips anyone can give? Basically, anything that could cause us problems!?

Also, roughly how long did it you all to fit them? (although that'll be in perspective by your mechanical ability ).

Cheers
Ally

 

[Fred@BTM]

rear easy

you have to bin the lower OE rubber

front easy aswell, the hard part is getting your ride heights correct, i always set the drivers side front 5mm higher than the passenger side

 

[Turkish]

for the top mounts at the front you'll want a swan neck spanner or a socket you can get a spanner on (so you can get an allen key down it to stop it spinning the piston rathet than loosening) or better still an airgun. The adjuster/rear spring platform usually causes issues for people due to the size too. Apart from that its all easy enough. I'm pretty certain the lack of instructions is to do with TUV approval in germany.

 

[dick]

rear easy

you have to bin the lower OE rubber

front easy aswell, the hard part is getting your ride heights correct, i always set the drivers side front 5mm higher than the passenger side

that coz ur a fatty fred?:evil:

 

[Fred@BTM]

no fattys i use 10mm!

 

[LegoHead]

I'll be fitting my H&R coilovers on Wednesday night, had a look in the box yesterday and there's no instructions whatsoever :S. I'm reasonably competent(!) when it comes to things like this and have confidence I can fit them correctly (also have help from my fiancee's dad and his tools).

Is there anything I need to be careful of, or any tips anyone can give? Basically, anything that could cause us problems!?

Also, roughly how long did it you all to fit them? (although that'll be in perspective by your mechanical ability ).

Cheers
Ally

give me a call if you get stuck, I managed to get them on myself after asking loads of questions on here.

 

[Ally]

Cheers folks. I managed to fit the Apex springs that are on at the moment myself - I'm guessing fitting the coilovers will just be a little bit more work. Only worry I've got is if any of the nuts/bolts have seized on (2.5 years old), but that's why I've asked the fiancee's dad for his help with his air tools :evil:.

Still haven't decided on a ride height yet - I know the reaction I'll get for this - but it'll be slightly higher than it currently is on the Apex. I just need a bit more clearance for ventures over uneven ground when I'm away mountainbiking...

 

[Brown.]

go to a local kwik fit or garage and ask them to loosen off your strut tops.... they will have a special pupose socket, and a pnematic pistol wrench.... that the hard part....i was on ages trying to do my driver side
front....gave up and got it loosened ...free of course....garages respect ya if ya got a decent car lol

 

[Ally]

give me a call if you get stuck, I managed to get them on myself after asking loads of questions on here.

Better have your mobile switched on lol. Cheers Dave.

 

[manicmonkey]

http://rapidshare.de/files/29487201/How_to_lower_a_Clio_Mk2.doc.html

tada

 

[Dan Page]

watch ya dont pull them drive shafts out too....

 

[LegoHead]

Better have your mobile switched on lol. Cheers Dave.

wednesday night I'll be doing orange wednesday thing at cinema.lol.

 

[Ally]

wednesday night I'll be doing orange wednesday thing at cinema.lol.

I'm sure Rebecca won't mind you nipping outside to answer you mobile every 15 minutes

 

[Andy_J]

I done my FK's without asking, i just followed the good old haynes manual. it is pretty easy, hardest part is setting the front camber.

 

[Ally]

Well that was easy

Fitted my H&Rs last night and it took all of 2hrs 10mins (would've been under 2hrs if my fiancee's dad paid more attention to the order he removed the bits from the top of the front strut lol ). I'm going to give it until next week and a few miles and then get the alignment checked.

I'm being a wuss and have them set at 600mm front and rear at the moment (measured from the wheel arch to the ground through the centre of the wheel) - that was with 65mm of thread left at the front, not sure how much was left on the back. But it's sitting at a nice height, higher than with the Apex -40s I had on before which was 590mm front, 585mm rear.

Just a couple of Q's:

1. Will they settle a bit over the next few weeks? I like the height as is and would like to try this for a bit (recommendations I found on here were for 600mm front, 610mm rear).

2. Is it normal for a tiny bit of metal-to-metal rattly-type noise from the rears? I think it's the spring where it contacts the bottom platform (obviously the original setup had a rubber damper bit between the spring and platform which stops this).

3. Any suggestions for alignment/tracking check in Central Scotland? I've heard good things about Progrip in Bonnybridge (Falkirk) and CLCM in Sighthill.

Not given it hell yet, will wait until I've had the alignment checked over before I have some fun :evil:

Oh, and cheers to Dave3141 for not laughing at my silly questions when I spoke to him last night...

 

[steve740]

Any pics mate?

 

[Ally]

Not yet but TBH it looks similar to what it was before ;-)

 

[Ali]

You bought H&R's!!! Not bad son.

 

[Ally]

Aye, the FK groupbuy went a bit pear-shaped but Gary @ Rimstyle sorted everyone out with alternatives, and I went for H&Rs

You'll think the height is ghey though, it's 10mm front/15mm back higher than the apex were ;-)