S/R Struts GC coil overs

[Sir William]

I’m going to assume that you can get your springs off first for this.

Now we have a bare strut.

The first thing to do is knock that silvery cap off at the top. I’ve got an old cut down screw driver that I use to knock things out it has been cut so that it has a flat end. Using light to medium hits go around the cap until it can be removed.
http://img168.imageshack.us/img168/8015/p00049hm1.jpg

Place the cap to the side as seen in this picture.
http://img139.imageshack.us/img139/1549/p00050gs2.jpg

With your GC kit you will have received rubber rings that are used to keep the sleeve from rattling around and from getting a bunch of crap inside (it’s a bit larger in diameter than the strut). I choose to use good ole’ duct tape here instead. 2 winds should be enough.
http://img241.imageshack.us/img241/2301/p00051cj5.jpg

Next, slide the sleeve into position. I chose to leave the stock strut perches on.
http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/320/p00052el0.jpg

You do have the option of cutting the perch if you think you’re going to be “slamming your ride”
http://img168.imageshack.us/img168/319/p00055ni7.jpg
http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/1322/p00056yc4.jpg

As you see here, I put the GC adjustment perch into position.
http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/8978/p00053uy3.jpg

Place the spring into position.

My next step was to put on a stock “cut” (meaning I actually made it smaller) “bump stop” You can choose to do this or use none at all and put the top cap over the spring.
http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/7509/p00054kh9.jpg

Next is to put the whole assembly onto the strut mount, and reinstall the nut.
http://img410.imageshack.us/img410/7789/p00057fw2.jpg

Picture of a completed SR Strut and GC coil over…. Ready to be installed onto vehicle.
http://img168.imageshack.us/img168/3198/p00058iy9.jpg

Just remember to put the strut onto the correct side with the brake line tab facing front.

There you go…. That was easy, wasn’t it.

PS used camera phone… hence the crappy pics.

[nlsolja123]

I though you had to cut the thrust bearing or whatever it's called?

[Sir William]

nope, as you see nothing needs to be cut. You can however as stated cut the perch to have the option of slamming your ride

[ZX2 Sleeper]

Very nice writeup! I need to keep your steps in mind when i go to do this. You made it look soo easy!

Now your just wrapping the duct tape around the bottom of the strut below that metal ring you took off?

[Sir William]

Very nice writeup! I need to keep your steps in mind when i go to do this. You made it look soo easy!

Now your just wrapping the duct tape around the bottom of the strut below that metal ring you took off?

I wrapped the duct tape down by the spring perch (where the sleeve goes). They give you these little rubber "O" rings but they are crap... Wrap it so that the sleeve doesn't rattle around and dirt can't get between the strut metal and the sleeve.

[nlsolja123]

those are small compared to factory

[inis]

I didn't see it in the picture, but on the front you HAVE to put the steering bushing back in.

[sergeant_kyle]

Ok, so on the Ground Control website when i go to choose which strut i will be using, do i select stock, Tokico Premium Performace, or Tokico Illumina if i am going to use the Tokico ZX2 S/R struts?

[Sir William]

IMO I'd go with the S/R strut! That's what I did.

[sergeant_kyle]

I agree but what do i select from the website? It does not have the option of selecting the Tokico ZX2 S/R Struts so which one do i select for the S/R Struts?

[gamma500]

Can you lend some light on the choice of strut to pick from the GC Website..?....I talked to a GC distributor and he didn't have a clue.

[sergeant_kyle]

I just ordered the ones that said stock from the GC website seeing as how the s/r is a stock option and the tokicos are stock on the s/r. I will let you know what happens when i get them in and try to assemble them.

;)

[corby_baby]

I just ordered the ones that said stock from the GC website seeing as how the s/r is a stock option and the tokicos are stock on the s/r. I will let you know what happens when i get them in and try to assemble them.

;)

your going to get stock struts (also tokicos) i imagine. the tokicos on s/r are shorter fyi

[sergeant_kyle]

Yeah, i ordered Tokico ZX2 S/R struts from another website and the GC coilovers from the GC Website. I went out on a limb and chose the "stock" option on the GC website seeing as how the Tokico ZX2 S/R struts were stock on the ZX2 S/R. I started by taking the perches off with my dremel tool and now i am left with just a bit of metal where the perches were welded on to the strut. I started trying to get it all set up off the car so i could just unbolt the factory stuff and put this in but it turns out GC sent me a wrong top hat so i called them up and bitched them out. They sent me another one for free and now my front tophats slide all the way down and rest on the springs. I hop this is supposed to be this way but i guess i will find out when i try installing them on the front of my car here this weekend...

[gamma500]

So what was the correct part number for the GC setup/tophats to fit your S/R Tokico's ?..or what do you ask GC for ?

[aprophetofone]

369-3584 140

thats the spring rate for the s/r struts. put that in where it says desired spring rate.

[sergeant_kyle]

The correct ones are the ones for the "stock" struts. Apparently the one that didn't fit was mistakenly sent to me as they were only off by micrometers. They looked very similar but didn't fit. Anyone else that has a problem with the top-hats not fitting, i suggest you call GC up and tell them that the shit don't fit and you want a new part sent out to you right away. I did and they sent it to me for free and didn't ask for the wrong one back.

Also, i put the stock bump-stops back on the strut before installing them on the car and found that if i was at the lowest setting on the coil-over, the setup was very bumpy and i hated it. So i raised the car back up about halfway up the sleeve and noticed the car rode much better. I guess the shock was not able to perform with that long ass bump-stop in the way. I will have to take and cut them down in half or something when i get a chance.

On another note, i decided to cut the stock perch off and when i did there was only the weld marks left on the strut. This left what should be enough metal on the strut to hold the sleeve but i noticed that on the rears it maybe was cutting it close so i am going to find someone to cut me a steel ring to go over this and provide a little more support. I don't think I'm going to weld it but i may put a bunch of JB Weld on it to keep it in place.

I liked how low the car was but unfortunately in Minnesota, the roadways are very poor and the freeways suck for low-pros on a lowered car. I will post some pics when i get the car all shined up and clean.
d0789123d

[sergeant_kyle]

The correct ones are the ones for the "stock" struts. Apparently the one that didn't fit was mistakenly sent to me as they were only off by micrometers. They looked very similar but didn't fit. Anyone else that has a problem with the top-hats not fitting, i suggest you call GC up and tell them that the shit don't fit and you want a new part sent out to you right away. I did and they sent it to me for free and didn't ask for the wrong one back.

Also, i put the stock bump-stops back on the strut before installing them on the car and found that if i was at the lowest setting on the coil-over, the setup was very bumpy and i hated it. So i raised the car back up about halfway up the sleeve and noticed the car rode much better. I guess the shock was not able to perform with that long ass bump-stop in the way. I will have to take and cut them down in half or something when i get a chance.

On another note, i decided to cut the stock perch off and when i did there was only the weld marks left on the strut. This left what should be enough metal on the strut to hold the sleeve but i noticed that on the rears it maybe was cutting it close so i am going to find someone to cut me a steel ring to go over this and provide a little more support. I don't think I'm going to weld it but i may put a bunch of JB Weld on it to keep it in place.

I liked how low the car was but unfortunately in Minnesota, the roadways are very poor and the freeways suck for low-pros on a lowered car. I will post some pics when i get the car all shined up and clean.

[sergeant_kyle]

Damn barcode scanners making me double post....