RCE yellows, stock dampers - springs move

[Qadthane]

Perhaps this isn't a problem, but it seems worth asking.

I installed RCE yellow springs on stock dampers with Raceseng cascam plates for OEM shocks. (1 x M12 x 1.25mm Shock Nut / 15mm Spring Perch Bushing / 90mm Spring Perch)

I used a pass through socket and Allen wrench to make sure the top nut on the damper was tightened. I wasn't able to get a torque wrench on it using this configuration, but I can assure you that nut is tight.

After tightening and before installing them in the car, the springs move in between the spring perches. There isn't a ton of movement, but I can definitely wiggle/rotate them. I expected to need my spring compressor to get the top nut tight, but it was (without a doubt) tight before I was putting pressure on the spring.

Once I take the car off the stands the strut and spring compress and everything looks fine. I have driven it this way for a couple weeks now and it seems ok. I jacked it up the other day to change the oil and reached in to see if the springs still moved. They do; I can still turn them inside of the perches. I need to take it in for an alignment, but want to make sure there isn't something I have overlooked or some real issue that needs to be corrected.

The flip side of this is that the springs are shorter than stock and don't fill the distance between the perches until some weight is on them. That seems reasonable to me, but asking to make sure seems wise. It wouldn't be unlike me to worry a bit and over analyze.

[jawn]

@Racecomp Engineering

I should add, mine definitely don't do that, but I'm using stock top hats.

[Qadthane]

@Raceseng

Hopefully they will have some thoughts.

[Racecomp Engineering]

That's odd, there should not be play in the system as jawn said. The raceseng plates may change the upper spring perch location but I don't know for sure.

Feel free to send me some pics and I can have a look.

- Andrew

[Qadthane]

Thanks for the reply Andrew. The upper spring perch being higher than stock is exactly what it seems like. I was under the impression the Raceseng plates didn't change that from stock. I can't be the only person to try and use RCE Yellows, Raceseng camber plates, and stock dampers. Hopefully the folks @Raceseng can chime in.

[Qadthane]

I'll put this info here in case it pops in someones search later and can be helpful. The decreased stack height of Raceseng cascam plates when combined with stock dampers leaves more space than RCE Yellows fill when the dampers are uncompressed. There is roughly 1/8 of an inch of play when the suspension is unloaded; enough that the spring can easily be rotated all the way around leaving it in an incorrect position on the lower spring perch when the car is lowered off the jack. I went over everything again last night to make sure there were no issues with my installation causing this. Everything was correct.

tl;dr Raceseng cascam plates on stock dampers with RCE yellows leaves slop in the spring when the suspension is hanging.

[Racecomp Engineering]

Originally Posted by Qadthane

I'll put this info here in case it pops in someones search later and can be helpful. The decreased stack height of Raceseng cascam plates when combined with stock dampers leaves more space than RCE Yellows fill when the dampers are uncompressed. There is roughly 1/8 of an inch of play when the suspension is unloaded; enough that the spring can easily be rotated all the way around leaving it in an incorrect position on the lower spring perch when the car is lowered off the jack. I went over everything again last night to make sure there were no issues with my installation causing this. Everything was correct.

tl;dr Raceseng cascam plates on stock dampers with RCE yellows leaves slop in the spring when the suspension is hanging.

Are you able to run the raceseng plates with the OEM upper spring perch?

- andrew

[Qadthane]

Originally Posted by Racecomp Engineering

Are you able to run the raceseng plates with the OEM upper spring perch?

- andrew

I didn't actually try to re-install them that way. I did, however, get my old stock upper perches out last night and check the height. I am fairly certain that would work. The stock perch is noticeably taller than the Raceseng perch.

[Raceseng]

We tried to reduce the stack height as much as possible on the CasCam design.

Are the RCE yellow springs shorter in height than OEM springs?