Coilover trouble

[ta22 3tgte]

Having trouble sorting out my struts, hope someone can help. I have these struts here http://www.toymods.net/forums/showthread.php?t=48374 and am turning them into coilovers using the HSD sleeve kit.
I have searched and thought I had found all the info, but it does not seem to match what I have.
I bought SW20 rear inserts, the sleeve kit and pulled it all apart, now from what I read the SW20 inserts should be 70mm shorter in the strut tube, hence why we have to shorten the strut, from what I gather the most common way is to shorten 50mm or so then use a 20mm spacer.
Well I slipped the insert in and it is only 47mm lower in the strut, if I shorten the strut 50mm I won't need to use a spacer at all, which is no problem, but I am worried that maybe the struts I have are already 20mm shorter and if I shorten them a further 50mm they will be way short which will affect the amount of droop travel they will have. I also don't want to run the car 70mm lower.
They have not been cut before, but one has been welded down on the base where the strut tube slides into the cast stub axel, the other has not been.

Can anyone give me a standard measurement from where the gland nut screws in to the cast stub axel?

Failing that has anyone got any ideas?

Cheers Brendan

[SilverRA23]

Probably a dumb question, but have you checked to see if there is a spacer wedged in the bottom of your strut housings already?

I can measure a set of housings I have at home for you tonight unless someone gets it done earlier.

[ta22 3tgte]

No dumb questions, all help appreciated. I removed the spacers that I installed years ago, which just consisted of a stack of fat washers, and have double checked in the bottom of the tube with a torch and had a poke around with some fencing wire, there are no spacers left in there.
It would be great if you could measure your struts for me, if I at least know they are different I can alter my measurements to suit. Maybe I will only need to take out 30mm.

Cheers Brendan

[SilverRA23]

Internally my RT132 struts are 400mm from the bottom to the top.

Externally measuring from the bottom of strut (including cast bit) to the top is 430mm

Hope that helps!

[ta22 3tgte]

Thanks for that, well my struts are exactly the same, 430mm externally and 405mm internally. Maybe the insert is longer than most?
I have checked the part# (the one actually stamped on the strut Insert) and it is correct, does anyone have any rear SW20 inserts laying around that they can measure the housing length so I can check that, I would assume they are all the same because they are designed to fit in the stock position (in an SW20).

Has anyone done this conversion, and can confirm what they actually did in terms of shortening the strut and spacing the insert?

Cheers Brendan

[w810sc]

It looks like you didn't get the short stroke inserts. Your best bet is to just shorten the strut so the inserts fit.

[ta22 3tgte]

I thought that was the idea of using the SW20 rear's, they are a short stroke when cutting the strut down to suit. Can you buy the SW20 rear inserts in a short stroke?

Anyway, I am just going to cut them down the 50mm, (that means I won't have to use a spacer at all) and suck it and see, hopefully it will have around 60/40 bump and droop at my desired ride height.

Will let you know how I get on.

[The Real Roadrunner]

Have you measured it all up properly? and what part number are your inserts?

Ive only ever had to cut around 40mm from the XT130 struts when using SW20 rears in them (i might have to double check for the exact figure)

and be sure when doing it that you have located the Gland nut correctly (when tensioed) as ive had to fix struts for ppl before when they havn't done there measurements correctly.

For a lowered vehichle i dont run a spacer.


cheers
Linden

[ta22 3tgte]

Thanks Linden, it's good to know i'm on the right track. I checked the other threads and people have been using ST204 fronts and ST185 fronts, so maybe they are slightly shorter.

I am using KYB AGX SW20 rears, Part # 765016.

To measure, I just slipped the insert into the unmodified housing, and using verniers, measured how far down the tube it sat. As per picture:


As you can see it sits 47mm down in the tube. I plan on using the gland nut supplied with the inserts as it slips over the top of the insert, which will keep it centered in the tube. The gland nut that was previously on the struts would push down on the top of the insert, which may allow some movement side to side, so I was hoping to eliminate this by using the supplied nut. These picture may help:





So to use the gland nut supplied I think I need to shorten the strut tube by around 52mm so that the insert will protrude just above the thread, this way the nut will slip over the insert and tighten down tight, stopping the strut from moving. If I was to use the old gland nuts, I reckon shortening the tube by around 40mm would be right. Either way the bottom of the insert will be hard in the bottom of the tube, so it wont matter to bump or droop whether they are shortened 40mm or 50mm as the insert will be in the same position, only the design of the gland nut effects the amount you need to cut down.

Does this all sound OK?

Cheers Brendan

["Z" UTE]

Brendan, it has been quite some time since I did this conversion, but there is a nagging thought that the "new" gland nuts were not the correct thread pitch. So see which one screws into the strut, and shorten the housing accordingly.

cheers Chuck.

[ta22 3tgte]

Hey Chuck, you know I thought I read in someones thread that the gland nut supplied with the SW20 inserts would not screw into the XT130 tube, but I checked it as soon as I disassembled my struts and it screws in fine, the thread pitch and diameter is the same as the original nut.

Cheers Brendan

["Z" UTE]

Brendan, yeah I remember a mate of mine coming round to source some gland nuts for this exact conversion. You got lucky. I would go with the setup on the LH side of the picture, as 50mm strut shortening definately sounds right with the SW20 rear shocks, as it is what myself and 2 mates have done with success. Hack the original spring support to pieces with a cut off wheel in the grinder, then remove what is left and tube with a total material removal of 50mm. Insert a support tube into the strut and weld together, linish off, and place your coilover threaded section on the strut, it should cover the welded joint, and act as a secondary stiffener to the strut if all is welded correctly.

cheers Chuck.

[ta22 3tgte]

Ok, for anyone interested and for future reference,
I shortened the strut 50mm, used the supplied gland nuts and no spacer, it tightened down perfectly. I used the HSD coilover sleeve kit, and with the car at my desired ride height, which is approx 50mm lower than standard, I have almost exactly 60/40 bump and droop. I also machined a step in the spring top hat so it sat lower and allowed more thread for the strut nut.

So it all worked out well, can't afford adjustable tops just yet, so just using the standard tops in the mean time, the finished product:



Cheers Brendan

[1JZ-Rolla]

Looks good Brendan. nice work

[roadkill]

Hi,

i had the same sort of issue with cutting the struts down. Though for me i had cut them down before i'd even ordered the inserts. I had cut out 50mm and ended up not using a spacer in the bottom at all. Unluckily though i had the nut that was the different thread so i had to get the original (finer threaded) nut machined down to fit the sw20 insert. It's all bolted in now but am yet to take it for a test drive. Gotta get the screamer pipe welded back in.

bEn