Front coilover fitting advice

[The Bear]

Calling Loony/Fred here!

Finally got my front bits through from Ktec at the start of the week and had a go at fitting them yesterday as I had the day off. I fitted one side but it doesn't seem right to me.

I held the new shock up through the bonnet and spun the top cap on a bit to hold it in place, then did up the two bolts on the bottom. Lowered it down and tightened the top cap up.

But when I came to tighten the top nut under the bonnet it doesn't tighten up properly for some reason. The thread doesn't stick out very far in the bonnet (compared to the original) even with the car lowered back down, and the nut just spins the piston/rod in the new shock even by hand it spins that freely.

I'm wondering if I've assembled the top right. I put it in exactly as it came in the box:

The lower nut on top of the 'tin hat' has been tightened down as much as possible, and the large original Renault donut shaped 'rubber stop' is sitting on top of that immediately in contact with the chassis hole.

There isn't even enough room to put the very top nut in the picture on the top of the thread once the top cap is spun back on, as like I said the thread doesn't come through the cap very far. Probably 5mm thread visible. Plus the top cap just spins by hand with the shock's piston spinning as well.

Where have I gone wrong?!!

 

[The Bear]

Anyone able to help?

 

[Fred@BTM]

yeah, you need to remove the nut holding the tin hat on

dude, you should've came to me

do you know how to setup the camber???

 

[Fred@BTM]

with that nut on, you CAN'T mount the top mount bearings correctly = bad

order goes (working from bottom to top)

"tin hat"
top mount bearing
rubber doughnut
brass spacer
original renault retain nut

then you fit to strut turret for underneath

then the final top nut/cap goes on from above

 

[The Bear]

Thanks for the help Fred!! I would've come to you but wanted to have a bash fitting them myself since the rears were pretty straightforward. It's all good learning experience too! Once I can understand exactly what bits go in what order I should be able to do it ok.

I take it the 'top mount bearing' (thin donut shaped bit), 'brass spacer' (hollow hat shape bit - which way up does this sit?) and 'retain nut' are the bits off the top of the old shock? Lol! You have to bear with me til I get it right in my head!

I'd have another go today but it's been pi**ing down here.

Don't know about the camber setup but if I were to guess, you'd loosen the nut off the back of the top bolt and slide it back/forward in the slot rotating the unit around the bottom bolt?

But as soon as I've got them fitted it'll be off for a proper laser alignment near where I work anyway, so they'll set the camber to exactly what I want. I read that Loony has 1.5 degrees neg camber which he recommends as a decent setting for trye wear/handling?

Cheers again.

 

[Smokey]

I am about to finish work for the day and will take some pics when I get home to show you mate.

Smokey

 

[Smokey]

Here you go mate

Tin Hat
Bearing
Doughnut
Original thin retaining nut

 

[The Bear]

Nice one Smokey.

 

[The Bear]

Well, I got them fitted this morning/afternoon, exactly in the order that Fred said to assemble. Though the top caps still turn along with the piston in the shock even though they are done up tight, and the thread doesn't stick out of the top cap at all - it's flush with the top cap. Does that sound right?

Been for a drive and all seems ok, apart from when taking a turn and hitting bump I get a loud squeak/creak. Also going over a big enough bump I get a bit of a clunk from either side.

It is pretty low at the minute so I'll raise it a bit and see if it still does the same. If it does I might ask Fred if I can go over and him whip em out and put them in again to make sure I did it properly. (If that's alright with you Fred? You'd be paid obviously!).

Anyway I'll see tomorrow when I've had a fiddle with the height. Looks nice at the minute though!!

 

[Smokey]

This is how it should look mate

Can you not hold the top bit while you tighten the nut?

 

[The Bear]

That's what I did. Since there was none poking out to grip I had to use an allen key inside a deep socket which was turned with a spanner. It's as tight as my hands can get it but still turns with the rod inside the shock.

It's physically impossible for it to sit any higher unless I leave out the rubber donut or possibly the bearing, as all the bits sit on a lip on the top of the rod which is a set height from the top.

 

[Fred@BTM]

thats normal on the FK's, you got it correct!!

 

[The Bear]

Good to know. Hopefully raising it slightly at the front will stop the noises!

 

[The Bear]

Success! Raised both fronts 10mm and gave it a stern test over some of the ****tier roads round here and not a peep out of them. Yesterday's drive was with a mate in the front though. May have to lower it another 5mm see if I can get away with it now!

Cheers for all the help guys.

 

[clio__chris]

Though the top caps still turn along with the piston in the shock even though they are done up tight, and the thread doesn't stick out of the top cap at all - it's flush with the top cap. Does that sound right?

mine is the same

has been for about 10 months now since fitting

it wont come off as long as its screwed on a bit - they tighten with use....

 

[The Bear]

Nice one Chris. At least helps puts my mind at ease!

 

[caymanr26]

any pictures of the car with them on?

 

[The Bear]

Not yet. Was going to wash it today and do some but it rained then I couldn't be bothered!

I'll take a couple tomorrow at work, after I've had another play with the front ride-height.