# My coilover setup..



## jlw (Sep 18, 2010)

So after seeing Flatnbagged’s post about lowering his 82 coup, I thought I’d finally get around to posting some pictures from when I did the coilover setup in my 88 Quantum GL Sedan. 

This same setup could be done to the front of a QSW but for the rear, you would have to find different length shocks and probably springs.

And to give credit where its due, I came up with this setup after seeing photos and a similar write-up for an Audi on motorgeek.com

For the shocks, front and rear, I used Bilstein HDs that I already had on the car for a year or so. Ordered from:
http://eshocks.com/bil_veh.asp?Model_Index=80Q12&Manf=All&SubChar=Q

The coilover sleeves, nuts, and top caps were ordered from here:
http://shop.a1racing.com/coiloverkits.aspx?page=2
I don’t have the exact model numbers of what I ordered on hand at the moment, but you should probably take your own measurements before ordering anyway..

The springs are standard 2.5” coilover springs you can find all over the place. I got most of mine from ebay, for some pretty good prices. I’ll also save you the trail and error I went through to find the correct lengths and spring rates (if you wanted to reeeeally slam it you’d probably need an inch shorter then these):

Front: 8” – started with 275lb springs but now have 350lb
Rear: 7” - started with 250lb springs but now have 325lb

They are pretty firm but not at all rock hard.. Even the initial lower rates were a drastic improvement over stock as far body roll and general cornering go..


*Rears:*








(disregard the spring in this photo. it was way too long.. but since i had it laying around I used it for mockup/trail..)

I started by having a friend machine out the inside of the threaded sleeve slightly so that I could lower the sleeve further down on the shock body. I wall of the sleeve is fairly thick and we did not take off much material at all so I wasn’t worried about it structurally:









It then sits nicely on the snap ring that comes with the Bils:









I also had my buddy machine the top cap to accept the bushings that keeps the mounting hardware in place on the top of the shock shaft. It also centers the top cap on the shaft since the hole it came with was a bit too large. There's probably ones out there somewhere with a smaller hole so you could avoid this step..

























Here is the finished product with the correct length springs and the helper spring I discovered I needed to keep the main springs in place when the car had no load on the suspension. I believe I ordered them from here: http://pitstopusa.com/i-5077505-hypercoils-4-take-up-spring-2-1-2-i-d-25-lb.html


















*Fronts:*
First I ground off the original spring perch:









Then I cut metal ring you see here and welded it in place. I don’t have any photos of that, but I just used 3/16” steel plate and cut the ring using two different size hole saws. Be sure to weld the ring in place nice and perpendicular to the strut tube. 

















I then blasted everything (including control arms and some other front end stuff while I had it off..) :

























Paint :

















New wheel bearings “while I was in there..” :









I had to cut the threaded sleeve down a bit to fit under the nut that holds the strut insert in the tube, and then siliconed it top and bottom to keep out water/salt.. :









We also machined down the top cap to fit the strut bearing better, (probably not totally necessary):

















On the inside of top cap we also took off a bit of material so that it would mate the top of the bilstein better. Again, this isn’t a necessary step but it made for a neater job.. :









Finished up:

















The subject, BEFORE the suspension work:








Unfortunately I don’t have any after photos yet, but one of these days when she’s clean I’ll snap some..

Overall the ride is firm but still fairly civilized and it handles quite well. I also recently upgraded to thicker front sway bar off of a QSW I came across.. Need to figure something out for the rear in regards to sways..


Let me know if anyone’s got any questions..

JW


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## Volkswagen32B (Jan 12, 2012)

Looks very nice! :thumbup:

In a few months I want to do something similar for my Quantum. Do you have an ordernumber for the front Bilstein shocks? Or else some dimensions.


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## jlw (Sep 18, 2010)

thanks,

The bilsteins are the HD ones listed in the link above to eshocks.


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## Volkswagen32B (Jan 12, 2012)

But are they shorter then the stock ones? And do you know how much shorter?


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## gravityjunkie (Sep 4, 2010)

opcorn: looks great. I am going to lower my QSW as well.
as soon as the snow melts where I live
Cant wait to see after pics


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## jlw (Sep 18, 2010)

Volkswagen32B said:


> But are they shorter then the stock ones? And do you know how much shorter?


The rears were a bit different vs the stock ones, i believe they were the same length overall but the spring perch was a bit lower. I just spaced it up to level the car went i ran them before the coilovers were installed. Left alone, with the stock springs, they would probably lower the rear of the car about an inch or so..

The front are exactly the same height if i recall.


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## neverthesamecar (Dec 2, 2006)

I like this idea. A lot.


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