Height of Tein Super Wagons + Headlight housing getting painted

[vuongster]

i've had my stivo for a few months now. long time reader, thought i might as well start posting since i've got more free time on my hands.

I currently have Tein Super Wagon coils on the car but am surprised by the height of the car. The previous owner had changed the stock springs (3kg front and back) to 6kg fronts and 4kg rears. Just wondering if anyone has the stock springs in and can post up or comment on the current height of my car. The coils are wound down all the way at the front and the back has room to be wound down maybe 1 or 2 fingers. Still rather high considering they're coils. Any info would be helpful :)

Here's the current height.

Front

Rear

Also took out headlights today to get the headlight housing painted matte black. Took about 15 mins to get them out. Needed to remove the front bumper to get access to the 3rd bolt.

They're to be done by a guy of the supra forums who polishes and does headlight housing for supras. Will have an update when they're done. Only concern is whether or not i have to take off the eyelids that are currently on the headlights. Any idea if they melt or anything whilst being heated in the oven? The eyelids are fibreglass and are stuck on using double sided tape.

Some pics of an ANGRY black stivo without EYES =D oh and the headlights.

thanks in advance for any help

Edited December 10, 2008 by vuongster

[doriae86]

chop da springs ulleh - not very low for coilovers, quite suprised actually, looks pretty much stock height!

Edited December 10, 2008 by doriae86

[MT]

My brother is on TEIN Superwagons with the original TEIN springs... Check out the difference. Are you sure they're wound all the way down? Surely if those springs are they only thing the bloke changed then they're the problem.

[vuongster]

My brother is on TEIN Superwagons with the original TEIN springs... Check out the difference. Are you sure they're wound all the way down? Surely if those springs are they only thing the bloke changed then they're the problem.

yeh i'm sure they're wound down all the way. height looks good on your bro's car.

only question is what size are those rims and what tyres is he running? bigger rim size would reduce the wheel gap alone

as you can see im on 16" stockies so that might be the difference?

cheers for the photos though

[MT]

Nah man, the rolling circumference of the 205/45R17 rubber is actually around half-of-one-percent smaller than standard (195/55R16 if I remember correctly) so if anything it would do the opposite. What brand are the springs he put in?

[vuongster]

yeh standard is 195/55R16.

when i asked the previous owner he told me he put in tein springs but i can't be sure until i take them out and have a look. i do have the stock springs at home though so i might change them out when i get the chance. any idea if the spring rates actually affect the 'height' of the spring?

[jaybee]

Adjusting the spring is only going change the ride height slightly and its also going to detsroy the shocks as they won't be working in their optimum range. The only reason you should adjust the spring is to adjust the springs pre-load, or in other words the stiffness. To adjust the height, you need move the bottom strut mount up or down.

[vuongster]

Adjusting the spring is only going change the ride height slightly and its also going to detsroy the shocks as they won't be working in their optimum range. The only reason you should adjust the spring is to adjust the springs pre-load, or in other words the stiffness. To adjust the height, you need move the bottom strut mount up or down.

How exactly would i be 'adjusting' the springs though? I was just planning to put back the springs that originally came with the coilovers i.e. 3kg front and 3kg rears. The bottom strut mount? I was under the impression that to adjust the height you just wound the coils up or down and I've mentioned that they're both pretty much down to the max.

Sorry if i misunderstood anything.

[MT]

My advice would be to put the original TEIN springs back in and wind the lower seat to the lowest position front and rear. If the car isn't as low as the above pics then there's something strange going on.

[Kevsta]

Here is a photo of my rears on 50 profile tyres, however, they're not on the lowest setting. I have another 20mm of thread on the strut to go lower.

[jaybee]

Adjusting the spring is only going change the ride height slightly and its also going to detsroy the shocks as they won't be working in their optimum range. The only reason you should adjust the spring is to adjust the springs pre-load, or in other words the stiffness. To adjust the height, you need move the bottom strut mount up or down.

How exactly would i be 'adjusting' the springs though? I was just planning to put back the springs that originally came with the coilovers i.e. 3kg front and 3kg rears. The bottom strut mount? I was under the impression that to adjust the height you just wound the coils up or down and I've mentioned that they're both pretty much down to the max.

Sorry if i misunderstood anything.

If you want to adjust the spring pre-load, you need to thread the lower spring perch up or down which will compress the spring. Generally the pre-load should be the free length of the spring minus 8mm. So basically if the spring free length is 200mm it should be 192mm while installed in the car. This is NOT how you adjust the height of the car. If anybody has adjusted their height that way then your springs are most likely not captive which is dangerous, will give an inferior ride quality and will shorten the life of your shock absorbers because they are not working in their correct range. (Which is the reason you need short stroke shocks if your car has lowered springs in it)

To adjust the ride height, you need to thread the lower strut mount up or down. The body of the strut should have a thread all the way to the bottom of the body. The lower strut mount at the front is bolted onto the hub (the bit that holds your brake rotor and caliper). You need to undo the two 19mm bolts, pull the hub out of the way of the strut and you should be able thread that lower mount up and down the strut body. Thread it up to lower the car or down to raise it. The rear is the same except the lower mount isn't bolted in the same place, but if can work out how to adjust the front, you should be able to work out the rear.

If you are not feeling confident to do this, then I suggest you get a suspension workshop to do it for you as its not something you want to screw up. Or if you live in Sydney and want to drive to Northern Beaches, I may do it for you for a small fee.

~Josh

[TRDYUS]

Here's mine on super wagons:

Running 215/40/r17

I was told it was on the lowest setting, although it looks like the front can clicked clicked down a little more.

[vuongster]

thanks for clearing that up jaybee :)

slick looking white stivo TRDYUS. what rims are those? looks like p1s but spokes are thickish, te37s ?

well that settles it, original tein springs are going in when i get the chance. hopefully soon ill post up some pics of nice and low stivo.

also, headlight housing done. turned out well, he guy did a good job. pm me if you want any details.

[MT]

To adjust the ride height, you need to thread the lower strut mount up or down. The body of the strut should have a thread all the way to the bottom of the body. The lower strut mount at the front is bolted onto the hub (the bit that holds your brake rotor and caliper). You need to undo the two 19mm bolts, pull the hub out of the way of the strut and you should be able thread that lower mount up and down the strut body. Thread it up to lower the car or down to raise it. The rear is the same except the lower mount isn't bolted in the same place, but if can work out how to adjust the front, you should be able to work out the rear.

On the TEIN Superwagons (a fairly low-range coilover system) you adjust ride height at the front without even taking the wheel off. C-spanners and hands fit between the guard and the top of the tyre (pictured) and nothing needs to be unbolted from the hub. The lower mount is not threaded (pictured). The rear requires the wheel taken off though, and it's harder to gain leverage on the spanners with more things in the way (pictured). Pretty simple job to do with a trolley jack and axle stands in the driveway.

Yusman: I think that's as low as they go. Jimmy can't get his any lower either.

[TRDYUS]

thanks for clearing that up jaybee :)

slick looking white stivo TRDYUS. what rims are those? looks like p1s but spokes are thickish, te37s ?

well that settles it, original tein springs are going in when i get the chance. hopefully soon ill post up some pics of nice and low stivo.

also, headlight housing done. turned out well, he guy did a good job. pm me if you want any details.

Cheers,

Yep there Buddyclubs(P1 Racing II Plus).

A must do most the black headlight surrounds, turned out well.

[Bundy96]

Hey mate, i'm lovin them headlights, just wondering do you have any pics on how to remove the bumper to get to the lower bolts on the headlights? cheers