My turn for my suspension build up thread
 

My turn Glazedham :)

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Out with the old....

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In with the new....

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I also want to thank Billy at Re-Speed for his excellent customer service and rockauto.com for their super fast shipping.

looks sweet....let us know how it rides, handles, and how installation was.....what spring rate are you using?

The new spring rates are 300# front and 175# rear.

This is a dump question.. The fronts.. those are dampers, as opposed to the full strut you removed, which has the attachment point for the front wheel. How do you integrate those into the suspension? I guess it's hard to explain by typing, but I'm interested in this setup, but don't see how they're actually installed or how much of the old strut you're required to re-use.

The new front struts are actually inserts that go inside the stock strut housing.

OK.. thanks for clearing that up. How did you decide on a spring rate and what not? Those are the Illumina shocks? Ok.. time to get back to planning my complete suspension overhaul. I'm also planning on removing the entire rear axle to sand it and repaint it.

AHA! Well done good sir! I accept your challenge! :D

Haha, see I told you your struts were rustier than mine.

Your ball joints look exactly like mine too. Completely rotten. :(

Only thing I see missing is upgraded sway bars. Good choice on parts.

Safety note. You need some pads under your jackstands or they will sink the first time it rains. 1/2-3/4" X 12 X 12 plywood works well.

i place my order last week monday for the respeed coil over kit. billy(who every answers the emails) said i should use 220 to 225 spring since my car will be mainly be a dd. i got the springs tuesday of this week. the coil over part should come soon he had it sent out to be machined to work for my sa.

when i got the box i thought it was the coil over part not the spring but then i opened the box i thought i got the wroung springs cause there so short. but after seeing you pic i guess i got the right stuff.

cant wait for the summer to drive on my new setup. i guess there a bunch of us who are doing a complet setup.

What do you recommend for sway bars Scott? I was thinking about getting the RB front bar and keeping the stocker in the back. I really like the Respeed bar, but my wallett isn't thick enough to afford Billy's awesome parts...

Jamie

It's already rained a few times since it's been on the jackstands. I don't think they'll sink in anymore than they already have on this spongy ground.

I do plan on upgrading the sway bar, but for now I just want to get her back on the road. I like the re-speed unit too. I did get some new polyurethane end links for the interim.

I bought the ST front and rear sway bars before I even started building the widebody. I've been quite pleased with them, the rear bar is adjustable too. I'm not the one to ask for a comparison though, these are the only bars I've had on a first gen besides stock.

How much did this setup run? I will soon be looking to do my suspension and need to get a ballroom price.

Thanks!

Does anyone else have this Re-Speed rear coilover kit?

any progress on the swap? going with braded stainless brake lines?

Yes, about 20 sets so far.

Did you have questions about it?

-billy

pics please billy iam gonna be ordering it in a few weeks.

Progress today... I got the old struts disassembled, pressed out the old ball joints and pressed the new ones in. Found out my brake rotors are too thin, have to order new ones.

Yeah, the rear kit didn't come with directions... I know they're simple enough, but just so I have it straight... Obviously the adjustable collars go on top, right? Do they just sit on top of the spring or do they get secured somehow? And do I need to cut or remove the stock bump stops?

post pics as you install please i need to see what i got my self into.

Will do. I just finished disassembling everything. So now comes the fun part of putting it back together with all the new parts.

i kinda hate you its been cold as hell so i haven't been able to take any thing off my car and i wake up today and its snowing.

You got it. The "dog leg" end of the springs sits on the stock spring seat on the rear end and the adjustable collars sit on the top of the spring and over the stock tapered tower that the bump stop mount to.

The bump stops will be determined by how low you go with the car. I personally would not lower the car that much.

-billy

can you post pics billy.

Ha, well don't hate too much. Except for Tuesday and today, it's been in the 30's and rainy, so it's slow going for me too.

where did you pick-up your set-up from? I have been searching for a good coilover set as well as some sway bars for mine

Billy at ReSpeed is the man to talk to for both. I have several of his products on the widebody.

thanks for the info about respeed. Are there any shops like them located in the southern cali area?

looks like a well thought out setup =)

For someone to install the coilovers or purchase from? If you need some help with the install, ask in your regional forum. As for purchase, ReSpeed is the best place to buy. I've done the coilover install on an SA, along with swapping the struts over to FB ones. It's not that hard of a job, just a bit of grinding and welding. Spent more time prepping and powdercoating the oarts than doing the mods.

mainly to purchase, because I do like to do as much of the work myself . . . then I can only blame myself if something goes wrong. I think the only place I found out here so far is MazdaTrix. I will look in the Regional for more listings.

Progress... strut housings painted and assembled, control arm bushings & ball joints done, tie rods.

Almost ready for re-assembly, still waiting on new brake rotors to come in the mail.

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Looks great, keep it up

where did you buy the ball joints?

www.rockauto.com

when you removed the old springs did you use a spring compression tool,if not how did you remove them.

did your coil over kit come with a spanner tool to adjust them. i didnt get a tool and was wounding how i could make one.

DISCLAIMER: USE SPRING COMPRESSORS FOR SAFETY!

Anyway, I didn't use spring compressors this time. I just zipped off the top nut with an impact wrench, while aiming the strut away from myself. I've used spring compressors before, but those stock springs didn't have much mojo left.

No, my coilover kit did not come with a tool to adjust them.

It's looking good. :D I need to do an update on my thread, you're starting to get ahead of me again.

Where did you get the new tie rod ends and how much for both of them?

Jamie

Cant you just unscrew the nut off the top of the strut while the car is still on the ground?

Then jack it up? All of the pressure will be on the springs while the car is on its wheels, correct me if i am wrong...

just got done putting the coil over kit on the driver side and replaced the strut tube. got to dark to do the other side. one quick question, do you need to reuse the rubber boat not sure what the correct name is. and do you use the bumb stop (kinda confused) dont worry i left the car in the air and every thing is just sitting in there finger tight.

mikewoodkozar
i did what you said...... its safe but is a bitch to remove if you don't remove the lower control arm. the bolt/ nut stick in to the bottom of the strut tube and makes it a pain to remove.

I didn't re-use the bump stop, I don't think I'll bottom out with those 300# springs.

If you undo the tension rod and the swaybar end links, the control arm will drop down.


I just finished installing the front strut assemblies, control arms, and tie rods. I'll post more pics once I get the new brake rotors/hubs on.

billy told me to go with 220# springs, since my car is mainly going to be street driven. think i should go with the bump stops?

cant believe i spelled it bumb lol.

Just leave it in, it is not going to hurt... Use it to prevent blown shocks

Looks great!!! Can't wait to see the finished product.

ARG!! I need to get going on my suspension now! Im going a little more hard core thou and getting some Susko rear end suspension goodies. Bye Bye watts link. And bye bye open diff, God I hate driving on that thing. And those damn squeaky shocks and springs.
Good work though. Ill be looking into RE speeds coil overs for the front once I roll into some doe, which should be soon, promotions abound for me and the wifey.

^ what the heck is susko?

The race suspension tuning guide for 1st gen RX-7.