R U Lower? Uneven drop? Noises? Pics of Bushing Spacers/Isolators
07-16-2002, 11:34 AM
#1
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R U Lower? Uneven drop? Noises? Pics of Bushing Spacers/Isolators
I've been playing around with my suspension again.
As most of you guys know I got my hands on some B&G springs and installed them to get rid of the gap. These springs give just a slight bit more of a drop then H&R's but maintain the same near stock like ride....Only after I tweaked them. Here's the story.
The install went fine, noises were mininal and the drop looked great. It's a pretty even drop, maybe the rear sits just about 1/8 inch lower then the front. I can understand now why 5 speed Maximas drop may not look even with B&G springs. It's very hard to see on the heavier Auto tranny cars, but with 5 speeds being about 150 - 200 lbs lighter in the front end, the drop may not appear as even.
After driving around a while I did notice that the ride on not so friendly roads suffers a bit. On smooth highways it was excellent. That got me thinking a bit. A few members mentioned the bump stops so I investigated. As it turned out, the front only had about 1/2 of travel before I hit the bump stops and the rear....well lets just say I was riding on hard rubber. There was no travel left. So I took it all aprat and cut 2/3 of both the front and rear bump stops. The rears were a bit of a PITA because you have to cut the dust cover and glue it back together in order to shorten the bump stop. The dust cover and bump stop are one component. In the end I wound up with close to 2 inches of added suspension travel all around. I then took the car for a drive and revealed the true ride of the B&G setup. Nice and smooth, almost stock like with just a bit more firmness for awsome handling. Now instead of transmitting rough road surfaces into the body of my car, it's all absorbed by the suspension.
I highly recommend to anybody who uses any lowering spring to either trim the OEM bump stops or use the KYB dust boots and bump stops. They are already trimmed.
Next item up was the drop. As even as it looked, the rear could come up about 1/4 inch. I personally like a slight forward slant to the car for an agressive look. It would also allow me to put more weight in my car - such as people in the back seat and still have some suspension travel. So I began my search for some way to shim up the rear.
When the car sits on the ground the top 3 coils of the rear spring are collapsed. So I figured if I could shim up one coil I could get the 1/4 inch of ride height I was looking for. But I didn't want to isolate the coils from moving, just stop them from sitting on top of each other.
I took a look around my companys warehouse and much to my suprise I found these hard bummer bushings that looked like they were made exactly for this prupose. I took a handfull home and went to work.
This is what the spring looks like when the car is jacked up. Keep in mind the top 3 coils will totally collapse when the car is on the ground. Here you can see the trimmed dust cover/bump stop. If you look closely between coils 3 & 4 you can see where it was glued back together.
http://images.cardomain.com/installs...53_23_full.jpg
I chose the 3rd coil to install the bushings on because the top 2 didn't open up enough to fit the bushings on. These bushings are already split so install was very easy. You don't have to take anything apart. Just pry them open at the seam and put them on the spring. I slid the first one on and up around as far as it would go. I then put 3 more on for a total of 4 and spaced them out evenly around the coil.
http://images.cardomain.com/installs...53_24_full.jpg
I took the car off the jack and went for another ride. Things got even smoother and the car felt alive. Hard to explain but trust me on this one. You could feel that the rear suspension was alive again. When I got home I parked on level ground and indeed the back came up about 1/4 inch. This made the drop look agressive and gave me even more suspension travel in the rear of the car.
Look at the under carraige of my car compaired to the curb. You can see on the 2nd pic that the curb shows more in the rear.
Before
After
I also had a slight clank from the front springs when I went over certain bumps. It appeared that the front had 2 coils that would hit each other when compressed. I installed 3 bushings on the springs in the front as well. The coils I put them on were not collapsed while the car was on the ground so the ride height did not change in the front. The bushings just isoloate the coils from slapping into each other when the spring is compressed.
I now have a totally silent suspension system which rides awsome and gave me a really nice drop. It only took me 5 weeks to work everything out, but in the end I'm very happy with the B&G springs on AGX struts.
If anybody is interesed in these bushings PM or email me and I'll try to put together a kit for sale.
ENJOY THE RIDE!
Tom
As most of you guys know I got my hands on some B&G springs and installed them to get rid of the gap. These springs give just a slight bit more of a drop then H&R's but maintain the same near stock like ride....Only after I tweaked them. Here's the story.
The install went fine, noises were mininal and the drop looked great. It's a pretty even drop, maybe the rear sits just about 1/8 inch lower then the front. I can understand now why 5 speed Maximas drop may not look even with B&G springs. It's very hard to see on the heavier Auto tranny cars, but with 5 speeds being about 150 - 200 lbs lighter in the front end, the drop may not appear as even.
After driving around a while I did notice that the ride on not so friendly roads suffers a bit. On smooth highways it was excellent. That got me thinking a bit. A few members mentioned the bump stops so I investigated. As it turned out, the front only had about 1/2 of travel before I hit the bump stops and the rear....well lets just say I was riding on hard rubber. There was no travel left. So I took it all aprat and cut 2/3 of both the front and rear bump stops. The rears were a bit of a PITA because you have to cut the dust cover and glue it back together in order to shorten the bump stop. The dust cover and bump stop are one component. In the end I wound up with close to 2 inches of added suspension travel all around. I then took the car for a drive and revealed the true ride of the B&G setup. Nice and smooth, almost stock like with just a bit more firmness for awsome handling. Now instead of transmitting rough road surfaces into the body of my car, it's all absorbed by the suspension.
I highly recommend to anybody who uses any lowering spring to either trim the OEM bump stops or use the KYB dust boots and bump stops. They are already trimmed.
Next item up was the drop. As even as it looked, the rear could come up about 1/4 inch. I personally like a slight forward slant to the car for an agressive look. It would also allow me to put more weight in my car - such as people in the back seat and still have some suspension travel. So I began my search for some way to shim up the rear.
When the car sits on the ground the top 3 coils of the rear spring are collapsed. So I figured if I could shim up one coil I could get the 1/4 inch of ride height I was looking for. But I didn't want to isolate the coils from moving, just stop them from sitting on top of each other.
I took a look around my companys warehouse and much to my suprise I found these hard bummer bushings that looked like they were made exactly for this prupose. I took a handfull home and went to work.
This is what the spring looks like when the car is jacked up. Keep in mind the top 3 coils will totally collapse when the car is on the ground. Here you can see the trimmed dust cover/bump stop. If you look closely between coils 3 & 4 you can see where it was glued back together.
http://images.cardomain.com/installs...53_23_full.jpg
I chose the 3rd coil to install the bushings on because the top 2 didn't open up enough to fit the bushings on. These bushings are already split so install was very easy. You don't have to take anything apart. Just pry them open at the seam and put them on the spring. I slid the first one on and up around as far as it would go. I then put 3 more on for a total of 4 and spaced them out evenly around the coil.
http://images.cardomain.com/installs...53_24_full.jpg
I took the car off the jack and went for another ride. Things got even smoother and the car felt alive. Hard to explain but trust me on this one. You could feel that the rear suspension was alive again. When I got home I parked on level ground and indeed the back came up about 1/4 inch. This made the drop look agressive and gave me even more suspension travel in the rear of the car.
Look at the under carraige of my car compaired to the curb. You can see on the 2nd pic that the curb shows more in the rear.
Before
After
I also had a slight clank from the front springs when I went over certain bumps. It appeared that the front had 2 coils that would hit each other when compressed. I installed 3 bushings on the springs in the front as well. The coils I put them on were not collapsed while the car was on the ground so the ride height did not change in the front. The bushings just isoloate the coils from slapping into each other when the spring is compressed.
I now have a totally silent suspension system which rides awsome and gave me a really nice drop. It only took me 5 weeks to work everything out, but in the end I'm very happy with the B&G springs on AGX struts.
If anybody is interesed in these bushings PM or email me and I'll try to put together a kit for sale.
ENJOY THE RIDE!
Tom
07-16-2002, 11:57 AM
#3
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Originally posted by mitch33x
Glad to hear you fixed the noises. I assume you are gonna keep the BG's instead of swapping H&R's in? Btw, your car looks great...
Glad to hear you fixed the noises. I assume you are gonna keep the BG's instead of swapping H&R's in? Btw, your car looks great...
I think I'll keep these for a while.
07-16-2002, 12:00 PM
#4
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2000
Posts: 2,529
Tom,
The ride height difference in the rear is pretty clear with those isolaters you got. I think that biggest benefit from these for anyone who's lowered would be when you have passengers in the rear. you probably will have harder time bottoming out in the back with those. Good stuff!
Kevin
The ride height difference in the rear is pretty clear with those isolaters you got. I think that biggest benefit from these for anyone who's lowered would be when you have passengers in the rear. you probably will have harder time bottoming out in the back with those. Good stuff!
Kevin
07-16-2002, 12:41 PM
#7
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Originally posted by mzmtg
My only thought is that the springs may eventually cut those bushings.
But, if you have a good supply...
My only thought is that the springs may eventually cut those bushings.
But, if you have a good supply...
The application these are actually made for are industrial pipe and tubing support systems. These hold high pressure hydraulic lines in place. Some systems go up to 10,000 PSI. They isolate shock and vibrations from systems so there manufactured with extreme forces in mind. Only time will tell.....
07-16-2002, 01:12 PM
#11
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Originally posted by Dave B
Sounds like a good idea. I might have to give it a shot. What is the gap like with the spacers in? I've got Intrax springs the rears have about a 1.25" gap (ie very low).
Dave
Sounds like a good idea. I might have to give it a shot. What is the gap like with the spacers in? I've got Intrax springs the rears have about a 1.25" gap (ie very low).
Dave
07-16-2002, 09:54 PM
#12
Not DAVEB the parts guy
Join Date: Aug 2000
Posts: 8,555
Well I did it and it does help. I went to Autozone and bought a set of 3/4" strut bushings. I made a cut in the bushing and slide them over the 2nd to last upper coil. This little mod gave me about 1/2+" more gap in the rear and odviously more wheel travel (2" gap). The ride is better over rutted surfaces and bigger bumps. I don't know how long the bushing will hold it's shape though. It did feel like a heavy duty durometer rubber. This should suffice until I get the upper struts mounts that give an extra 3/4" travel.
Dave
Dave
07-17-2002, 05:39 AM
#13
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Originally posted by Dave B
Well I did it and it does help. I went to Autozone and bought a set of 3/4" strut bushings. I made a cut in the bushing and slide them over the 2nd to last upper coil. This little mod gave me about 1/2+" more gap in the rear and odviously more wheel travel (2" gap). The ride is better over rutted surfaces and bigger bumps. I don't know how long the bushing will hold it's shape though. It did feel like a heavy duty durometer rubber. This should suffice until I get the upper struts mounts that give an extra 3/4" travel.
Dave
Well I did it and it does help. I went to Autozone and bought a set of 3/4" strut bushings. I made a cut in the bushing and slide them over the 2nd to last upper coil. This little mod gave me about 1/2+" more gap in the rear and odviously more wheel travel (2" gap). The ride is better over rutted surfaces and bigger bumps. I don't know how long the bushing will hold it's shape though. It did feel like a heavy duty durometer rubber. This should suffice until I get the upper struts mounts that give an extra 3/4" travel.
Dave
Glad it helped you out.
01-21-2003, 10:14 AM
#15
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Originally posted by Lime
Tom all these old posts have you with the B&G ... who has those now?
Tom all these old posts have you with the B&G ... who has those now?
I'm stopping for coffee at your place Saturday morning. At lease be dressed this time will ya please.....
You still wanna play with your intake a lil?
01-21-2003, 11:31 AM
#16
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