Front strut/sping hardware
Front strut/sping hardware Going to replace my QA1s with some SLP Bilsteins or Koni 4/3, haven't yet made my mind up as to which. Cost isn't so much the factor, I really want some thing thats fun to drive on the street. The car has Hotchkis sway bars and every other piece of after market suspension. I wont ever road race it, I just want some thing thats a blast to drive. I'm using an SLP Level II front springs, also have the same SLP Level II spring in the rear already on the car. I want to basically take all my new parts and build complete new front strut assemblies. That way when I do the install, I can pull the entire old assembly off and replace it with a brand new one already set up. No reusing old parts or any thing like that. Just makes thing simpler. So far I'm thinking I'll need the following to acomplish this.
Strut - Koni or Bilstein
Spring - SLP Level II
Strut Mount - ordered a pair of Monroes already
Coil Spring Mount - Heard these called lower strut mounts, I see Monroe has some for about $11.
Hardware - What hardware will I need, dont want to reuse rusty hardware. The bottom strut bolts are fine as are the tops. Any thing on the assembly I may need?
Strut - Koni or Bilstein
Spring - SLP Level II
Strut Mount - ordered a pair of Monroes already
Coil Spring Mount - Heard these called lower strut mounts, I see Monroe has some for about $11.
Hardware - What hardware will I need, dont want to reuse rusty hardware. The bottom strut bolts are fine as are the tops. Any thing on the assembly I may need?
I'm doing the exact same thing pretty much. Have two complete Koni/coilover/upper mount assemblies fully assembled and ready to swap in sitting next to me right now.
For the lower strut mount, are you referring to the whole perch or just the spring isolator? Either way, it depends whether you get Koni's or Bilsteins. Bilsteins do not include the dust boots, bumpstops, perches, or lower isolators. You're supposed to reuse all that off of the stock assemblies(which I guess you don't have). Koni's include everything except the lower spring isolators as far as I know. If you need a set of those let me know, I have no need for them since the coilovers eliminate them.
For the top, don't forget the trapezoid piece. I think it was called the upper strut mount insulator. Most replacement upper mounts do not include them. It stops the strut from pulling out the center section of the upper strut mounts, which aftermarkets are known to sometimes do anyway. Most autoparts stores won't have them listed but jegs/summit/autozone have them.
For the lower strut mount, are you referring to the whole perch or just the spring isolator? Either way, it depends whether you get Koni's or Bilsteins. Bilsteins do not include the dust boots, bumpstops, perches, or lower isolators. You're supposed to reuse all that off of the stock assemblies(which I guess you don't have). Koni's include everything except the lower spring isolators as far as I know. If you need a set of those let me know, I have no need for them since the coilovers eliminate them.
For the top, don't forget the trapezoid piece. I think it was called the upper strut mount insulator. Most replacement upper mounts do not include them. It stops the strut from pulling out the center section of the upper strut mounts, which aftermarkets are known to sometimes do anyway. Most autoparts stores won't have them listed but jegs/summit/autozone have them.
I was actually refering to just the perches, sounds like with the Konis I would need the two isolaters you mentioned and thats it. I'm leaning toward the Konis, all the reviews seem to indicate they're what you want on a F-car, Sam seems to have them on sale also. Seeing as I'll never road race the car, they very well maybe over kill and the SLP Bilsteins will be the way to go. The SLP Level II rates are 300lb front, 115 rear, from what I have read they were made to work with the Bilsteins though I am sure they would do great with the Konis. I don't want to lower the car any, stock may be goofy and not the best looking or handling, but I want ground clearance for the urban jungle, i.e City of Houston.
Last edited by BizZzatch350; Mar 8, 2010 at 09:58 PM.
Well, the Koni's won, ordered a set from Sam. So it looks like I'll need the upper and lower insolators. I ordered the strut mounts, so I'll see what I get with them. This is what I see on Rock Auto:
Coil Spring Insulator
Strut Bearing Plate Insulator
When I get home I'll break out the trusty service manual and see what all I need.
Coil Spring Insulator
Strut Bearing Plate Insulator
When I get home I'll break out the trusty service manual and see what all I need.
Last edited by BizZzatch350; Mar 9, 2010 at 01:08 AM.
I dont know about all that Raf, it's still a long ways off, good thing is I have all or most the parts, bad thing is, I have to install them. Still have to do the T56 conversion, Ls1 PCM/coil packs and put a a/c back in it.
