Lowering with Bilstein shocks ?

[Ryuji]

Hello,

I'm really confused ...
I just finish to change the first of my four shocks with
Bilstein and I have a "silly" :redface: question :

In the picture below, in order to lower my car 2 cm, do I
have to put the ring following the red arrow or the green
arrow ?

When I bought the bilsteins, they came with the ring on the
"red arrow" place and I supposed this was the factory eight.
So I changed the ring to the "green arrow" place, to lower
the car...
But now, when I mesure the eight between the right (factory
shock) and the left (Bilstein shock) it is the same...

Could you tell me if i'm right or wrong ?

Many thanks.

 

[zahntech]

Your picture link does not work.

 

[Ryuji]

That's right
If I click on the link it doesn't work... but if I copy/paste the
url on another tab, it seems to work properly. I really don't
know why !!!
I put it on Prime and now it works... I don't know why I was searching
a more complicated solution

 

[Jim]

Are you sure your perch was correctly oriented?

 

[Ryuji]

I only moved the ring.
Is there another thing to do ?

 

[nsxter]

for perch position see http://www.nsxprime.com/forums/showthread.php?t=26569&highlight=jack+points

 

[Ryuji]

Ok, so if I understand correctly, the Bilsteins came with the
ring correctly placed to lower the car.

Actualy, I placed the ring in order to NOT lower my car :tongue:
This install is what I have done but in the wrong ring place

Thank you... a little more work for tomorrow

 

[blodi]

The green arrow is where you want it to lower the car. I did mine and another members here a few months ago. You need to move the ring closest to the bushing side of the shock. Mine and theirs came with the ring in the stock ride height setting.
And make sure you have the silver perch on the shock like the last photo you posted shows, otherwise you'll end up raising the car.
So basically, you were right to move the ring as in your first post.

 

[Ryuji]

Ok, I took a photo of how I installed the Bilstein this afternoon

So, is it the right install to lower my car 2 cm ?

 

[blodi]

Yup, thats right!

 

[RYU]

ok, not sure if your question has been answered but i'd like to help.

The retaining ring on your green arrow will lower the car. The red will keep it at stock height.

Make sure both the ring and the spring seat are seated properly before compressing the spring.

 

[Ryuji]

Then if the height is similar, it's because I mesured it just
after removing the jack. And the car will lower itself after
driving it a little.
Or perhaps because my stock shocks are worn (110000km)
and have lowered a little...

 

[blodi]

Then if the height is similar, it's because I mesured it just
after removing the jack. And the car will lower itself after
driving it a little.
Or perhaps because my stock shocks are worn (110000km)
and have lowered a little...

Most likely they need a little bit of driving for the suspension to "settle" I found that with mine...at first it didn't look that much lower to me after several miles it did.

 

[Ryuji]

Ok, so I keep going this way for the last 3 shocks :biggrin:

Thank you all for your help.

 

[blodi]

Also, another tip is I tightened the lower shock mount while the suspension was under load. I used a jack under the brake rotor to push the suspension arm up to a normal position and then tightened it.
Hope that helps.

 

[Ryuji]

Just a little update :smile:

Bilsteins installed succefully (2x4 method rocks ).
It took me 1 day and a half... but I'm a bit "maniac" and I
check and re-check everything 2 or 3 times.

I only used the 2x4 in the rear because the front stock shocks
poped out nearly themselves (and without spring compressor).

In the front, I had to unbolt the 4 bolts of the speed
sensor line to make place for the bottom of the shock to get
out.
In the rear, I couldn't unbolt the stabilizer link :frown: so I unbolted
the 2 little bolts of the stabilazer bar attached to the frame.
Then the damper assembly was loose and I could remove
it.

My only PROBLEM was unbolting that damn center nut from
the stock shock.
I "twisted" 2 allen wrench before using a hacksaw to
cut that nut in half. With the selflocking part out, the nut
came easily.

Another thing, when I installed both Bilsteins in the rear, the
drop was effective... with only 1 shock, the drop was inexistent.