Thread: Strut Options for making coilovers

Still trying to find more info on those coils posted on the first page. All I know is they're off of an 07-11 Camry and made by D2.

The top hat is the easiest part to convert. You just need to water jet the part that mounts to the body.
If someone were able to find a bottom mount that was close, thickness and bolt pattern wise, that would help.

Otherwise, chopping the bottom mounts, welding on new flanges, and machining or water jetting a new top mount (like Kuntzie) really isn't that bad.

yeah, the top mount is the easy part, especially if the top hats come apart in halves to expose the bearing which would make it so you only have to make the top half of the top mount where the actual studs press through.

Someone just needs to figure out how to do budgets bags. I'd be all over that

i ended up designing mine around the W strut bucket. im using the fk-16 bearing that allows me to make the strut shaft receiver at any height to prevent bottoming the shaft, no matter how long the strut/shaft is

best part is the bearing is rated 4 times stronger than std sized cc plate uniballs lol

Originally Posted by 4THGENCAMAROFAN

Someone just needs to figure out how to do budgets bags. I'd be all over that

Assuming you already had coilovers, theres the bag over coil option and then you just have to buy the management... still not that cheap though. And theres no way it would be worth doing on the zzp/ht coilovers. Shorter struts are definitely a must

400sbc has some fancy stuff going on lol. Not sure what the fk-16 bearing is

More info on that Baker? Never heard or seen that before.

The race is 2.125"od
Id is 1"

Its big

Originally Posted by 4THGENCAMAROFAN

More info on that Baker? Never heard or seen that before.

Its the same thing as coilovers except you replace the coil/spring with a bag. It gives you more adjust ability option, so that you can run higher or lower psi at at any given ride height.

But you wont get anywhere unless you find shorter struts.

Right. That's still an ongoing battle. I think the only option is inserts which I have no problem with. I'll gladly hack up a strut and put a quality shock insert in it. But even then, finding which inserts are the correct length is proving to be a challenge.

i went the other way....the larger bearing lets me position the top of the strut shaft at any point above or below the ball.

planning on using the mustang strange type double adjustable's in the future. though they also offer bare struts that you can cut plates for and weld.

with the traction bars we might not need compression adjust-ability for the rear...though if we roadcourse it...lol

Originally Posted by Turbocharged400sbc

i went the other way....the larger bearing lets me position the top of the strut shaft at any point above or below the ball.

planning on using the mustang strange type double adjustable's in the future. though they also offer bare struts that you can cut plates for and weld.

with the traction bars we might not need compression adjust-ability for the rear...though if we roadcourse it...lol

If you have a cal ranch or tractor supply...look into the tractor section they have tractor top links that can chopped up and serve as suspension components and top bearings.

I'm currently mocking up a set for a trailing arm replacement for straight bearings instead

Originally Posted by 4THGENCAMAROFAN

Right. That's still an ongoing battle. I think the only option is inserts which I have no problem with. I'll gladly hack up a strut and put a quality shock insert in it. But even then, finding which inserts are the correct length is proving to be a challenge.

If you want my old koni retrofits that are blown out you can get them. All you have to do is ship them off to koni. And redo the sleeves since they got damage when I moved houses

How many doll hairs for these blown Koni retros? And you're talking the sleeve the adjuster nut sits on correct?

Originally Posted by 4THGENCAMAROFAN

How many doll hairs for these blown Koni retros? And you're talking the sleeve the adjuster nut sits on correct?

Its the front set only though 150 sound good

I'll pass on those. Still interested in the coilover bags though. Where does one buy those at? Air ride is totally new to me.

There would be some obstacles unfortunately... First you would have to make your own coilover bags setup... if you made a set of coilovers you can get a set of Air Ride universal air bellows(double is preferred!) then mount up a bottom plate of some sort for the bags to rest on(not hard), then you would have to figure out the top plate (again not hard).... Buuuuut the biggest obstacle would be the strut rod not being short enough(hard lol)... you can slap some universal bags on some struts.. sure.. but think about how much lower air can go compared springs... you will bottom the strut out real quick with an air bag/stock strut combo.. unless the struts are made specifically for air bags(ie shorter rod length and valving) you would have to get a strut re-machined and re-valved in order to make it work really. hope this clears some things up for you.

strut rod not being short enough: cut rod down an inch or two, rethread. VW guys do it all the time.

that isn't going to help you with an overall shorter body length, though.

Probably going to end up with another set of sooper long GR2's and just making another set of coils like I had.