Spring Top Cup Question For Coilovers With Spherical Jointed Top Mount

[johnnyboy666 195 1 Cars]

Hello,

 

I understand the normal way of fitting eccentric top mounts to coilovers, would be to have the spring top cup tightened down against the 'shoulder' of the strut, where the threaded bit stops and the shaft bit begins.

 

I'm wondering if it is possible to drill out the hole in the cup to the exact diameter of the strut shaft, so that could slide on first, then the top hat washer, top mount and sleeved top nut could all go on the threaded bit, and tighten against the shoulder.

 

The idea being that the spring would constantly be pushing up against the cup, so it would not move down the shaft.

 

I'm thinking of trying this out because my coilovers were bought to fit standard top mounts. I believe that ones for spherical top mounts have a longer threaded section at the top. If I try and get the cups on the threaded section on mine, I would have no thread engagement on the top nut

 

This is all a bit of a theory in my head at the moment, so this might not work how i'm thinking it would, but this was how the standard top cup was mounted on my pickup, which is what got me thinking.

 

Any thoughts?

 

 

[welshpug 1,646]

Sleeve nuts would probably do the trick, though cant see any issue in taking the bore of the too cap out so the shaft clamps on the bearing/inserts.

[mollisk 2 1 Cars]

AB Motorsport list threaded top hat nuts to suit short spindle strut inserts.

[johnnyboy666 195 1 Cars]

Sorry my initial post is a little confusing, I've already got the threaded top hat nuts, what I was asking is if its Ok to have the spring cup loose on the spindle rather than tightened onto the threaded section.

So if there was no spring you could theoretically slide the top cup down the spindle

[Henry 1.9GTi 36]

are you not doing that though due to not having enough thread to get a nut on? I had the same problem when trial fitting some bilstein dampers with eccentric top mounts. Got a friend to make me some sleeve nuts and they fitted perfectly with not mods required to the spring seats. I can measure them up for you if you like? Or as above some companies must sell them off the shelf.

[stu8v 68 1 Cars]

I had mine made by a local machine shop.

 

They are easy to make up so wont cost the earth.

[johnnyboy666 195 1 Cars]

I think the nuts ive got could possibly be turned down to get about another 5mm of thread engagement.

I think the other problem I have is that I am 'dry fitting' them using a standard strut, with is more than likely different to the Gaz struts that I intend to use the top mounts on, but unfortunately these are in use until after pugfest so I can't strip them down to check just yet.

The spring cups would add about 8-10mm of thread requirement I think

[Henry 1.9GTi 36]

I found the thread to be level with the bearing so a normal nut would just sit on top and not engage. The sleeve nuts I had made were the same length as the bearing inner, ~2cm or something like that. I think it sounds like you need something similar. Would recomend doing that rather than messing with the spring seat.

[johnnyboy666 195 1 Cars]

I'll try and get some photos later to show what I've got, it'll probably make more sense then

[johnnyboy666 195 1 Cars]

I finally got round to drilling one of the top cups out to 14mm to fit over the threaded part, and I'm now confident that as you all said, a sleeve nut will do the job, but the one I have is definitely too short.

 

Does anybody know of anywhere online that do them? The shank bit needs to be around 23mm by my reckoning. I've emailed compbrake to see how long their ones are, not had a response yet. I cant seem to find many other places that do them

[jackherer 543]

I needed custom sleeve nuts for some Leda dampers a few years ago so I phoned Compbrake and the person that answered was standing by a lathe and started making them while he was still on the phone to me. Apparently. They did arrive not long after so maybe it was true...

[welshpug 1,646]

allanallen might be able to do you some.

[allanallen 528 2 Cars]

I can do them johnny, just draw me a picture

[johnnyboy666 195 1 Cars]

Cheers Allan!

 

 

hopefully that scribble kind of makes sense?

 

the 24mm spanner size is just what the one I already have is like, ideally if there's enough material, 23mm would be preferable

 

And I'm not 100% on the thread, I think its standard m14. Its whatever standard 205 struts are, I haven't really got a way of measuring!

[welshpug 1,646]

if a standard pug top nut fits the thread it'll be 14x1.5.

[johnnyboy666 195 1 Cars]

Yeah I tried the nut on the gaz's and the standard ones and it was the same

[allanallen 528 2 Cars]

They'll be m14x1.5

 

If I can make them out of whatever size hex bar I have in stock they'll be £15. If you really need them to be 23/24mm they'll be dearer as I'd have to set up a machine/dividing head and machine them to size

[johnnyboy666 195 1 Cars]

In that case, do them with whatever is easiest can you pm me payment details please?

[johnnyboy666 195 1 Cars]

Thanks to Allan, I now have the correct nuts! And very speedily too!

Now I just need a spare afternoon to swap everything over