Excellent - I'll definitely take a set when they're ready.

 

Does anyone know how much negative camber you can get by installing the coilovers with built in camber plate?

 

When I had the bee-hive spring (like the stockers) in front, I was limited to about -2.2 degrees because the spring would hit the inside of the shock tower on the driver side. Passenger side went farther, FWIW. With the cylindrical springs, you can go farther. Don't know the limit, I'm happy at about -2, as my car does mostly street work.

Matt

 

I'll know Thursday when the car is finished with the final setup. If you buy the Megans, you can move the allen screws/bolts to different holes so that the range of camber is increased. The springs are also very narrow...I imagine that 2.5 degrees is possible...I asked the tech to check this for goofs and giggles.

 

...Between 2 and 2.5 degrees neg camber is possible. FYI

These worked out quite well on a very chilly and cloudy 37-40 degree F day at LRP.

Only one issue; the guys that corner weighted the car did not use the threaded sleeves up front to adjust ride height. Passenger spring is not snug between upper and lower perch. - it rattles a lot. I'll snug up the spring and lower it back properly - measuring the difference with a digital micrometer.

 

I preloaded my springs by setting the spring height in the front to 150mm and rear 175mm. You want to corner balance using the height adjustment, not the spring preload, I believe. I have the front dampening set at +20 from soft in the front and +16 in the rear. Seems a little harsh in the front so I may back off a little as a test. I really like how flat the car corners, but I haven't taken it on the real twisties, yet. Soon...

Steve

 

Exactly SRTech! That's Why I'm so bugged; He changed suspension travel and spring rates by adjusting the spring perch rather than the height adjustment

 

I have tried searching through the thread but couldnt find it....

What exactly is the coating on these? Will they hold up to harsh salt conditions?

 

I usually just spray these sorts of things with diesel fuel before winter; the fuel evaporates and parafin remains - an old farming trick for equipment left in the fields for winter. Easy to clean in spring, or not.

 

The Dampers have a combination of Hard Anodizing for the Aluminum parts and the Steel parts like the brackets are Powdercoated. They can hold up, but it's responsibility of the Owner/Operator to keep them clean and maintained.

Yeah, people always adjust from the wrong spots, I wonder why that is?! Michael, if when the dampers were loose they ruined the gaskets then let me know so I can get new spring gaskets to you.

 

They're loose at almost full droop - really undulating terrain. Was not a problem on the track or enroute to and from. I just happen to go out to dinner and the parking lot is stone and soil with deep ruts. That's where I heard the noise. I checked it out when I arrived home and that was the source.


If you want to send out a set that would be great. Charge me, this is not your fault. I've had three really bad corner balancing experiences...very costly.

 

It's not your fault either though? Why would I charge you? What, got me mistaken for a Corporate-Money Machine that cares nothing for the customer?! I am SHOCKED!!!

 

but as long as im responsible with keeping them clean, i should be fine running them in the winter (here in ohio where the salt is pretty intense for part of the year)?

How often should one clean them during the summer (no salt) and during the winter (salt)?

And thanks for all of your help....it's really appreciated.

 

I guess it all really matters about how often you drive your car and how bad the salt gets caked on. If you can, give it a spray through the spokes daily; but try to clean them once a week through the winter. Over the summer during normal use you usually just have to keep them clean about once a month.

 

You're too funny Okay, send away. I appreciate your good will!

 

Meb will finally get a good CB when he comes to my house for our small CB party....

 

Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaa baby

 

How did you know you wanted the springs preloaded to these measurements? Is this measurement from the top to the bottom of the spring? If so, my fronts (at least the one I have sitting here at my desk) are set to 150mm from the factory. Is everyone else consistent with these settings?

I know setting these up is a matter of user preference, but I need some kind of baseline starting point. I hate to say it, but the instructions in the box are really bad. They give no indication of how these might be set for a Mini and have no discussion of how to setup coilovers.

 

I'll be interested to see Michaels shocks.
I'm not sure that this preload thing is a great idea, unless you are setting up a race car for every track. For road driving I just don't see it. Even for typical club racing or DEs it's not really applicable unless you have a crew

 

I measure between the spring perches. I went a little tighter because I don't want the springs to rattle at full droop. I've seen two sets of fronts and three sets of rears and they all varied a little so I went with the tighter dimensions. The rears also had to be reset after the updated perches were sent. These springs were all from the first run of Megans.

Steve

 

The preload is just to make sure there is no slack in the springs at full droop.

Steve

 

Are you saying the springs should be loose, or just snug, before installing in the car?

Looks like my question was answered before I was done typing it.

 

SRTech has is correct.

The idea is to snug the springs up just enough so that they do not lose contact with either the upper or lower perch. Basically, you can had tighten the bottom perch and that will give you enough to keep the spring in place at all times. I then used a digital micrometer to make sure left and right were exactly the same - for front and rear. Make sure that the lower perch and the lock ring are well tightened against one another.

ADJUSTING RIDE HEIGHT AND CORNER BALANCING

Loosen the lock ring above the lower sleeve. Then go back to either the spring perch or the lock ring below it; since these are tightened against one another you can use the special tool to rasie and lower the car here - and this is per design. Turn the spring perch counter clockwise to lower and the lock ring clockwise to raise. That's it. Hopefully you have small hands.

Onasled, I agree with you! Adding more spring load equally side to side increases the spring rate - shorter springs. Asymetric spring loading may be great for tracks with more right handers than left for example. But this requires a completely different setup for each track and corner balancing and alignments etc. I have, or had just enough load on the springs until 'others' messed with my setup...I also forgot to buy adjustable endlinks as you know...duh I should have thrown a bunch $10.00 bills out the window while driving I95 - I hate me sometimes.

 

Maybe a little off topic, but I now have an appointment to have my car corner balanced late next week. I'm thinking I should also install rear control arms and front and rear adjustable end links prior to having the alignment and corner balance done. I was looking at the Alta product.

Is it critical that I do all of this before I do the corner balance? Or can I install this other stuff later? How much negative camber are you guys running in the back? I think stock is -1 degree.

 

You can corner balance without the adjustable end links, but when the swaybar is reconnected, you will most likely have difference in length side to side that will preload the bar. It won't be too much of a problem on the street, but I would get the end links as soon as possible.

Steve