I installed H&R coilover recently and i have been enjoying it for some time.

However, I was checking around the strut nuts today and found that driver's side is somehow spinable with bare fingers sometimes. (sometimes it just won't move... wtf?)

I have IE adjustable plates on and I have seen some posts about nyloc nuts doesn't even get fully threaded on the shafts, which is my case indeed.

Here is how I installed:

IE Plate with 1 IE washer under the strut nut and 2 IE washers underneath the bearing. and 1 big OEM washer underneath of everything, on top of the spring hats.

When I visually look at the strut nuts, I can about 2~3 threads of nyloc portion unthreaded.



The passenger side nut seems to be threaded on tightly (won't move) even though nyloc portion is free like the driver's side.. Any ideas? I really don't feel like removing the whole damn thing again

 

JMHO, but it sounds like your stack height is all jacked up... I haven't seen the H&R's installed, but does the nut have enough clearance inside the bearing?

I'd definitely remove the big OEM washer from the mix...

 

THe IE camber plates are the problem - I has these. Use only one nut under, not two. I know what the instructions might have said, but the folks at IE made a change and not all know about it. I checked the articulation of the plate and there was never any contact at nearly 2 degree neg camber.

The nylock nut will not thread all the way with the removal of this washer...it will just barely catch the top of the nut.

also, while you are at it, double check the number of working coils on the front springs. I gave my kit back because there was only one working coil. Look thru the wheel...

 

Ahhh
OEM washer shouldn't have been mixed into it huh..?
I did tighten the thing a few days back and it seems fine for now and i will see if it gets loosen again.

Meb// In another thread, you suggested 2 washers underneath the bearing because with only 1, the plate will bind.. so the newest option is to use 1 underneath and another underneath the nut? and NO oem washer of any kind right?

Is it possible to just swap them out without take the shaft off from the completely? I had some horrible issue with the bottom of the shock not slipping into the front control thing.. i was thinking about drop the end links and disassemble the camber plates and work on it as is... not possible?

 

you used IE and instructions in the same sentence.

I actually needed two washers under the ball joint on my Bilsteins - one caused the bottom of the block to rub on the upper perches. Instructions would have been nice...emailing IE wasn't much help either

 

i emailed ireland a while back before installing it and never received a response

o yeah pgt, since you worked on mini suspension for a bit, do you think its possible to take a washer out underneath the nut ( I dont think that nut is necessay... or is it? ) without take off the whole setup? just like dropping endlinks and disassembling the top of the IE camber plates.. since I got small hands lol

 

if you center lift the car, put it on stands, disconnect the swaybar endlinks, maybe. you need to get full droop on the suspension to have room. to be honest, once you do that, you're only two bolts away from taking the whole thing out and it will be a lot quicker to do that than fight with tools in the limited space.

 

i would love to take the thing out but last 2 coilovers (different brands) i installed somehow NEVER went in smoothly... i had to hammer that in for 5 minutes each side with full force so i'm scared to take it off again ugh

 

ahh, you don't know the trick!! you have to talk dirty to them, just like your woman.

"you got to jiggle it, just a little bit"

 

i talked so much dirty stuffs to it, it got pissed off more
its just different level of resistance. nasty nasty

i tried both ways. jiggle the bottom part in first, didn't work so well
bolt the top, jiggle the bottom late on, didn't work so well either

 

best way is to spray a little WD40, chug a beer and let it seep in, then hit it with a BHF (deadblow kind). Then, wiggle the hub carrier side to side....should allow things to drop easily. Oh...remove the pinch bolt first....might help

 

taking it off doesn't scare me as much as putting that junk back on :impatient
i almost lost my mind that day working on that thing

 

I have 10 hours vested in my latest swap and it's not done yet. I feel your pain.

 

IE has two different sets of instructions...presumabley to work with Bilstein and H&R. I believe that H&R have a shorter piston so one washer under is sort of necessary. Two, as PGT indicated is better simply due to contact potential. But you'll keep dealing with a loose nut...

Re the H&R kit...This is a poorly design kit in mu optinion. The work required to simple get the damper to fit into the knuckle almost made me go mental !!! And, the brake flange is at the wrong level...and the spring travel noted above. I was ready to drive to their office in Calif. I was so pissed!

In any event, if you do not track your car you may not feel or notice some of these problems.

 

Lol I thought I was the only one with fitting the crap into the knuckle. So you did have to crazy issue too huh?

I won't be tracking my car so on the street its better than all the other setups i have been through! Thanks for the advice

 

Yes, the ride/handling compromise was the best I ever experienced.