I need to make some ride height adjustments on the front coilovers. Any of you guys running this suspension set up have any luck adjusting the shocks with out fully removing them. Any tools available? The hole from the top of the frame looks real small. I dont really want to split the ball joint to make an adjustment.

Thanks Rich

I need to make some ride height adjustments on the front coilovers. Any of you guys running this suspension set up have any luck adjusting the shocks with out fully removing them. Any tools available? The hole from the top of the frame looks real small. I dont really want to split the ball joint to make an adjustment.

Thanks Rich


Rich,

That has been the complaint. I had to remove mine to make an adjustment, and so has everyone else I've spoken with. Cool system, but that part is a pain.

ATS now has one that can be adjusted on the car.

http://www.t56kit.com/main.html

Jody

I have the QA1 on my X11 and find it hard to adjust as well. I believe they offer a thrust berring kit through summit for like 25 bucks that is supposed to make it easier to adjust. kit has 2 berrings and several washers.

Hey Rich,
Do you have a dse Front suspension package? The reason I ask is that I am thinking about buying the speed kit 3 from them which includes the coilover conversion. If this is a pain to adjust I may consider other options.
Johnny K

I do have all of it, not sure what there packaging now, but dont be so quick to change your mind. There stuff is high quality and there support is awesome. The car drives incredible. On the other hand as Jody mentioned you may want to call ATS and talk to Teetoe, there doing some super nice stuff as well.

Jody,
Would you expect the shock to be more difficult to adjust compressing the spring rather than releasing the tension(under load). What Im trying to say is, I believe I over compressed it when I initially built the subframe. That would lower the car to much( correct me if Im wrong) . Im thinking I may be able to get away with backing off the spanner nut, do you think this is possible?

Jody,
Would you expect the shock to be more difficult to adjust compressing the spring rather than releasing the tension(under load). What Im trying to say is, I believe I over compressed it when I initially built the subframe. That would lower the car to much( correct me if Im wrong) . Im thinking I may be able to get away with backing off the spanner nut, do you think this is possible?


Should be easier to back it off as you said. I would also lift that tire off the ground to remove any load off the shocks. The big problem is even getting any type of wrench in there to do it on the car. The adjustment nut usually is stuck inside the subframe and you simply can't adjust it without removing the shock, which of course necessitates splitting the lower ball joint.

Jody

Wouldn't "overcompressing" the spring preload raise the car?

Wouldn't "overcompressing" the spring preload raise the car?

yes, the higher up you move the spring on the shock the higher the ride height will be.

Jody

Rich,

That has been the complaint. I had to remove mine to make an adjustment, and so has everyone else I've spoken with. Cool system, but that part is a pain.
Jody

confirmed. it can't be adjusted on the car. I can do a side in 38 minutes. I'm a slow learner and it took me several tries to get my ride height precisely as I wanted. :)

IF I was a track guy, I could see this being a limitation of this system...BUT not being a track guy, once the ride height is set, there is no need to adjust anymore.

It drives nice. There are other options out there, but the difficulty in adjusting really doesn't bother me.

Scott

Ive have Qa1 kit with the bearings and spanner wrenchs. Once the cars off the ground and the wheel is turned in the correct position and your on your back, it adjust fairly easy. I dont have a problem getting the Qa1 spanner wrenchs in there. In fact I was really surprised on how top notch everything is. Adjusting the shock can be done with the car on the ground and the wheels straight. The hardest thing is getting the sides to match. After looking at the car for awhile your eyes start playing tricks!! Good luck friends..