Picked up a very low mileage 1st gen and got right to a few nice mods. Put on the RB springs and the car looks like something out of a mid 80s Hot Rod magazine. Big rake to the sance with the rear end probably higher than it was on stock springs. Has anyone trimmed the top coil off the rear RB springs? Anyone have a pic of that mod?

 

I'd drive a couple hundred miles before doing anything. I had a set back in the day, didn't have the rake issue. If you're gonna cut em, cut 1/2 coil. See how it settles out. Take another 1/4 if you feel the need. I wouldn't take any more.

My car is sitting on stock springs that are 3 years old with 30,000 miles. Cut 1/2 coil front, 3/4 rear, not that it's really comparable, but it's something.
195/60-14 tires.

 

I agree...wait a while and let them settle in. The rake may go away when they break in.

 

How did you get away with cutting the front springs? I tried once and they want to slip off the caster.

 

In the old RB catalogue tips section they said cutting the front 1/2 and the rear 3/4 was acceptable. At the top. So I tried it. Stuck the rubber back on and it seems good. I did it early this past spring w/ new Blues, works great so far. Maybe 2000+ miles.

 

Mine rakes a little bit but I haven't cut them. I'm thinking about it, though, now that Cookboy
posted that last comment. Thanks now I have another small mod to do.

 

That's funny... Mine look great front to back. Might have lifted the car a tad from the old worn out springs they replaced, but not so much that I can notice. I think the ride height is perfect. I wonder why other cars have this "rake"? maybe my car is heavier in the rear?

 

its best to have a full tank of gas to determine the proper height.


for front springs, ditch the top perch rubber insulator and slip on a rubber fuel line on the first coil of spring. in addition, drill a hole on each side of upper spring perch so you can secure the spring on the perch with a wire or similar. simple techniques help.

 

Did you lower and level the car before torquing the rear control arm bolts (assuming you undid them)?

If you torque them fully while the rear end is hanging, they'll bind and raise the rear end once it's on the ground.

 

why would you dis-assemble the rear end to replace the spring?

 

I just use a prybar to pop the springs out and muscle the new ones in. No disassembly needed.

 

imho, place the jackstands on the frame of car (not on the rear end), unbolt the shocks and drop away. no need to compress the stock uncut springs.

 

^ This.

 

This is how I always do it

 

Only the fronts are involved, the rears are easy peasy.

 

Here is a photo of my car with my old suspension setup. New RB Springs, Tokico Illuminas, and a 1/2 coil removed from only the rear springs. Took out enough of the rake for my tastes, and looked pretty good with the stock wheels.

 

Interesting find. With the lower rear shock mounts unbolted, the car dropped the rear 1/2". The shocks were very firm. These are original OEM Tokico shocks on a 30 year old car with 9700 miles on the car. I may not trim the springs as the 1/2" made a nice difference

 

Wait a minute...


...9700 miles? Pictures demanded!

 

^lol I was wondering when someone would say something...I didn't want to be the first one to ask :p

 

Here it is...was on sale on here, but I bought the car through Ebay.

This is with the rake. I haven't taken any pics since changing the shocks.

 

damn!!! wanna trade??

 

I did say "If;" had no idea what other work he may have been doing at the same time, &I have seen the "torqued while hanging" problem firsthand before.

 

I loosened the upper control arm and retightened with the cars weight on the axle just in case there was some binding. I removed the bolt on the upper link to make spring replacement easier. Necessarry? Maybe..but it certainly made it an easier job.

 

Shouldn't the rears be cut at the bottom? That part nestles into the mount on the axle.



Not my axle, from someone's build thread on JNC.

 

As a cook, I've long made the experience of others my advantage. As a guy that like his Rx7, I trust that the experience of the RB folks has considerable value. Works for me. They recommended, I executed, it went together slick as a minnow, and my car goes over bumps, around corners, and down the road with aplomb.