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I can't raise my ride height!! Help Please

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Old Feb 18, 2008 | 03:23 PM
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From: SACRAMENTO
I can't raise my ride height!! Help Please

Anyways I need to raise the ride height on my car and I have KTS coilovers.

http://splparts.com/main4/parts/FC3S...on/default.htm

The lower silver sleeves or w/e you call them spin to move up or down the threads so you can lower or raise your car's height. Anyways I managed to adjust all of them, but one of them is stuck...I simply can't get it to budge. I'm using the 2 blue callars that hold the spring up to pivot on and putting a tire iron through the hole on the bottom of the silver collar. (It's the rear strut) I've let it soak in PB Buster for hours on end and have tried heating it up with a torch, etc...I just can't get it to budge...anyone have any ideas on how to get it to move? I'd even be willing to take it to a shop if I knew which one to take it to and had assurance that the strut won't be damaged.

-I have cleaned it all off to remove any gravel and dirt too...
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Old Feb 18, 2008 | 11:21 PM
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From: SAN JOSE
flat head + hammer.
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Old Feb 18, 2008 | 11:22 PM
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From: SACRAMENTO
uhh...what do you mean? What's the flat head for?
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Old Feb 19, 2008 | 01:01 AM
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From: bay area, petaluma
u sure on those coil overs u dont turn the bottom mount up and down to adjust the ride height?
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Old Feb 19, 2008 | 01:21 AM
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From: SACRAMENTO
^That's what I said. The silver lower sleeve thing spins up and down the threads to raise and lower the car.
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Old Feb 19, 2008 | 01:07 PM
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From: fort lee, nj
flathead and hammer will only work on seized perches. there's no way to use it on the shock mounting bracket thing.

the only way i've been able to get leverage on that portion is by turning the spring perch and locking collar against each other or away from each other. did you try any of the methods in the zilvia thread yet? good luck to ya
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Old Feb 19, 2008 | 02:02 PM
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From: il
PB Plaster, blunt end flathead screwdriver, rubber mallet.

This is what happens when people don't anti seize the threads.

You'll be fine
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Old Feb 19, 2008 | 02:07 PM
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I wouldn't hit anything with a hammer until you have tried everything else first


I would soak the **** out of the lower part for a week or longer if need be with lubricant
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Old Feb 19, 2008 | 04:21 PM
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From: SACRAMENTO
Originally Posted by aznpoopy
flathead and hammer will only work on seized perches. there's no way to use it on the shock mounting bracket thing.

the only way i've been able to get leverage on that portion is by turning the spring perch and locking collar against each other or away from each other. did you try any of the methods in the zilvia thread yet? good luck to ya
I did what you said you did for leverage from the beginning, but all 3 collars end up turning before that damn silver sleeve. I'm not going to try the metal hammer just yet...

I didn't know about using anti seize on coilovers but will apply some to all of these coilovers once I'm done. Pb buster used to solve all my problems
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Old Feb 19, 2008 | 05:07 PM
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From: il
Don't worry about it,

its a common, just making your collars aren't stripped on.

Other than that, you'll be fine
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Old Feb 19, 2008 | 05:25 PM
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Maybe you should contact the manufacturer and ask them what to do... then have them warranty it if they don't have an answer
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Old Feb 19, 2008 | 11:01 PM
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From: il
quit freaking this guy out

its common and it happens when your not cleaning them often.

coilovers take special care, in heavily salted, dusty areas.

Just anti-seize and you'll be fine.
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Old Feb 19, 2008 | 11:19 PM
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From: SACRAMENTO
California Valley car ;D with like no drive time since my car's been from one shop to the next for misc crap D: even now I just put it back in the shop to finish off everything to make it perfect lol...and asked Karack to see if he can figure out how to get this loose. PB Buster+ 3 ft breaker bars has failed me
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Old Feb 19, 2008 | 11:28 PM
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Originally Posted by Risky Devil
coilovers take special care.

so smash it with a hammer and chisel away with a screwdriver....

I only break out that type of repair work when i am desperate
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Old Feb 19, 2008 | 11:41 PM
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Originally Posted by BASTARD
so smash it with a hammer and chisel away with a screwdriver....

I only break out that type of repair work when i am desperate
LOLOLOL
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Old Feb 20, 2008 | 01:56 AM
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From: fort lee, nj
Originally Posted by Risky Devil
PB Plaster, blunt end flathead screwdriver, rubber mallet.

This is what happens when people don't anti seize the threads.

You'll be fine
how the hell do you use a hammer and punch to unseize the lower sleeve? he doesn't have a seized collar. the lower shock mount is seized to the threaded assembly. this is the worst place for a coilover to seize because it is damn near impossible to get any significant leverage on it.

Originally Posted by bastard
so smash it with a hammer and chisel away with a screwdriver....
that works perfectly well for breaking loose a seized collar. it really just takes a few gentle taps. you don't go apeshit on it.

Originally Posted by smogsux
I did what you said you did for leverage from the beginning, but all 3 collars end up turning before that damn silver sleeve. I'm not going to try the metal hammer just yet...
that shouldn't be possible. a spanner wrench should bend/break before that happens. plus the two collars you're turning should be turning in opposite directions.



check this pic. see the little red arrows. save it and enlarge it if you can't. grab two spanner wrenches. the spring perch gets turned one way. the spring perch locking collar turns the other direction. what this does it keeps their positions locked and puts all the torque on breaking the threads free from the bottom mount sleeve.

this has to be done with coilover fully installed, with that bottom mount sleeve bolted to the spindle. unlock the bottom collar, of course.

alternatively, vice grips on the assembly with a breaker bar into the lower mount hole will work. it'll mangle it a bit, no doubt.

Last edited by aznpoopy; Feb 20, 2008 at 02:03 AM.
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Old Feb 20, 2008 | 02:26 AM
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From: bay area, petaluma
wrap it in a rag and put it in a vice and stick a long screw driver in it and spin it, if all else fails give it the clamps
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