Modifying Bilstein Shocks

[Kostamojen]

So did we find someone with the correct upper spring perches to do this yet? I'm about ready to try it.

[JoeHK]

Originally Posted by Kostamojen

So did we find someone with the correct upper spring perches to do this yet? I'm about ready to try it.

Also still waiting, since it's winter time now i'm not in ahurry. We'll see what Racecomp has to offer soon



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[strat61caster]

Originally Posted by Kostamojen

So did we find someone with the correct upper spring perches to do this yet? I'm about ready to try it.

Well you'd probably want camber plates in the front if you didn't want to deal with making an adapter for OE top hats anyway so that should be relatively straightforward if you're willing to spend for the Raceseng and a minor inconvenience to figure out if other brands will mate up (vorshlag, beatrush, whatever)

The rears again you've got Raceseng that should accept a smaller diameter spring quite easily although it won't be a perfect fit you'll want some level of compression on the spring to make sure it doesn't shift when unloaded into a bad position or budget for tender/helper springs (whichever are supposed to completely collapse), upside is you'll be 100% that the hardware all mates up. (Nut on the top of the shock, shock shaft to bearing/bushing, bottom of the top hat to the top of the damper shaft)

I've just realized that Beatrush makes rear top hats specifically for 60mm and 65mm ID springs but I have no idea how well the top nut will mate and center the shock in the pillowball bearing/bushing with the B14, looks like they're made for KW's. Worth noting this site lists that it fits an 86 as well as various WRX's (makes sense given the heritage) so you may be able to find more robust catalog investigating parts for those cars or a better solution on NASIOC.

https://www.rallysportdirect.com/par...lowball-mounts

http://www.raceseng.com/shock-top-re...ubaru-brz-2013

Personally I've got Raceseng CASCAMs up front so the spring perch can be swapped and I'll be trying an adapter ring for the rear OE top hats and as I'm not going low they should be adequate.

Edit: Could also get in touch with Robispec, he did a set of rear tophats for KW V3's and may be able to undercut raceseng or rallysport with a simpler design he's already worked out but since it's a custom job I doubt it'll be that much cheaper.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Robispec/180542078631882
http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=37158

And Mooresport has something as well, but again not clear on all the specs so you'd have to call and they're the same price range as Raceseng and Beatrush.
http://www.mooresport.com/indexe.php...ble-top-mounts

[Kostamojen]

Theoretically, since both the KW's and the Bilsteins are designed to use stock tophats, wouldn't KW upper spring perches work with the Bilsteins?

[strat61caster]

Originally Posted by Kostamojen

Theoretically, since both the KW's and the Bilsteins are designed to use stock tophats, wouldn't KW upper spring perches work with the Bilsteins?

You're right, for some reason I thought that the KW's came with their own rear top hats and the shafts were different sizes, seems like they're the same so that Beatrush top hat I linked should be a good fit assuming you want 60 or 65mm ID springs.

[Kostamojen]

Originally Posted by strat61caster

You're right, for some reason I thought that the KW's came with their own rear top hats and the shafts were different sizes, seems like they're the same so that Beatrush top hat I linked should be a good fit assuming you want 60 or 65mm ID springs.

Now to find someone that sells those front sprung perches separately....

(I want to test this on the front coilovers first with the stock tophats)

[JoeHK]

For me most importantly are the front shocks too
So need to find a solution for there first


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[Kostamojen]

Originally Posted by JoeHK

For me most importantly are the front shocks too
So need to find a solution for there first


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I actually want to try linear up front and keep the progressives in back, to test it out and see how it works. Right now its mostly the front that doesn't cooperate, but the rear of the car is quite nice. Of course that will probably change as soon as I try this, but I always like doing one thing at a time for testing purposes.

[JoeHK]

Originally Posted by Kostamojen

I actually want to try linear up front and keep the progressives in back, to test it out and see how it works. Right now its mostly the front that doesn't cooperate, but the rear of the car is quite nice. Of course that will probably change as soon as I try this, but I always like doing one thing at a time for testing purposes.

For me it's mostly fitment problems in the front lol, don't worry, no crazy stance shnizzle, the wheels are 9,5 squared and with the 44 offset they hit the springs up front, that's why i'd like linear springs so if only front is possible and handling is still good that's how i'll be doing it


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[Kostamojen]

BTW Racecomp confirmed the KW front upper spring perches fit the Bilsteins and listed them on their website:

http://www.racecompengineering.com/i...bled-sets.html

I bought a pair and found some ~225lbs springs to try up front. Racecomp has some 280lbs springs listed too that they say work just fine, but im going to test it with the 225's first and see how it is and go from there.

[JoeHK]

Originally Posted by Kostamojen

BTW Racecomp confirmed the KW front upper spring perches fit the Bilsteins and listed them on their website:

http://www.racecompengineering.com/i...bled-sets.html

I bought a pair and found some ~225lbs springs to try up front. Racecomp has some 280lbs springs listed too that they say work just fine, but im going to test it with the 225's first and see how it is and go from there.

Be sure to let us know what your findings are


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[strat61caster]

Originally Posted by Kostamojen

BTW Racecomp confirmed the KW front upper spring perches fit the Bilsteins and listed them on their website:

http://www.racecompengineering.com/i...bled-sets.html

I bought a pair and found some ~225lbs springs to try up front. Racecomp has some 280lbs springs listed too that they say work just fine, but im going to test it with the 225's first and see how it is and go from there.

That looks like an awesome solution for keeping the OE top hats, the OE upper spring perches are basically the same thing as that: big stamp steel cups so these should work great.

[burdickjp]

Originally Posted by strat61caster

That looks like an awesome solution for keeping the OE top hats, the OE upper spring perches are basically the same thing as that: big stamp steel cups so these should work great.

That is a very good deal.

Didn't Subaru make some competition 60mm spring hats for the impreza that were inexpensive?

Crap. I didn't realize you guys were on the hunt for spring hats. You can get the from nearly any suspension manufacturer. Eibach makes 60mm hats, and 60mm springs to suit, but like I said, that's a good deal from racecomp.

[strat61caster]

Originally Posted by bur****jp

Eibach makes 60mm hats, and 60mm springs to suit, but like I said, that's a good deal from racecomp.

Link for the hats? I'm still on the hunt for a cheap easy solution for the rear top hats... Right now it's either Raceseng or custom spacer, Beatrush would be good but I'm not doing 60mm springs and it's just as expensive as the Raceseng.