I just picked up a 2003 coupe with a fresh set of D2 coilovers on it. The previous owner was umm... not knowledgeable about installing or setting them. D2 would not have been my choice but I'm trying to get the best I can from them.


Few questions. What amount of pre-load should be on the springs, front and rear. My springs are 12.5 front and 11.0 rear. At the moment, they are pre-loaded with the wheel in the air to a spring height of 7.0", full loose I think the spring is about 7 1/4", so roughly 1/4" of pre load on them now all the way around.


Damper/rebound is set right now at 6/36 frt and 8/36 rear. This is rough. The front seems to do okay, but my son bounced off the back seat hitting a bump yesterday. This is a no go. I know they can be better.


I'm looking for a tight ride, I know it won't be OEM smooth and I don't want it to be.


I also don't have the car slammed. Once I get the spacers installed I'll be dropping it back down to just about a one finger gap on my 18/9, 10 Supra fitment Volk GT7s.


Thanks for the advice crew

 

nobody?? driving the car to work tonight on my usual 20 mile route I think I have figured out that I need to up the damping. the springs are oscillating over bumps. since my route is so consistent I'm going to try that a few clicks a day, i just wish i had easier access to the damper adjuster on the rear.

has anyone ever used a hole saw under the rear deck on the tower to create an access port from inside?

 

Are you running true style RS or OEM style?

That said, the springs are pre-loaded from factory, so you don't have to pre-load them. The only thing I've seen with those are upgrading to swift springs and doing custom rates. I haven't seen it often with D2's, (never on our cars actually) but it happens.

The dampening seems like it's set for a slammed car with wheels close to the fenders. If you're not that, I'd turn it back a bit to soften things up. But that's really personal preference.

I'm set at 5f and 12r. That gives me enough movement in my slide duties and cruising without sending people into headliners. I used to be 5 and 5 but that's when I had 10.5 wide front wheels and 12 inch wide rears.

 

When I got the car it rode like a box of rocks. It was slammed, tucking factory sunken 19s. I looked into it and found the dampers on full hard all the way around.

It was my attempt to regulate the coilovers that set preload at 7" spring length, thats why I'm wondering what pre load they are shipped withc maybe i have too much, not enough etc.

I raised tge car back to a functional height also. These are true coilovers, not Oem rear spring style.

Like I said I didn't buy them, they came on the car. I used to drift, set up a local series that ran for years. So I'm not new to coilover design/function by any means. Just trying to get these back to square one as they were delivered so I can make the best of them and set the car up until I decide what to replace them with.

Thanks

 

Well, sounds like you know what you're doing. How high up is functional? D2's are horrible high up. I raised mine to about 1.5 below stock a couple of years ago to move it in the winter...horrible idea. It was actually scary. They just don't ride well unless slammed. But, I'm not sure what the factory preload is. I tried looking it up at one point and never found it. I know on their site, it just gives general product info (or at least it did. Haven't checked in years). My setup has really just been a lot of trial and error.

Wish I could provide more assistance man. I mean, it was a bitch finding out spring rates. I'm pleased with how they function for the price ( ultimately I would like either 326Powers or the stanceworks brand that Edafe helped develop)but specs are hard to find. I only got these cuz my BC's had a knock that I couldn't get rid of and I needed something in a pinch. Just haven't had a need for something more.

 

I have the car at 26" fender to ground in the front and 26.25" in the rear. This is temporary until i get the spacers on my wheels and flush it out, then I'll be coming down at least an inch probably.

I called D2 today. Factory pre load on the coilover springs is 0, as in no tension, just snug in the seat.

I reset mine to that all around, and increased the front damper to 10/36, didn't have time to get to the rear so they are still at 8/36. Maybe later tonight I'll increase to about 12/36 all around..trial and error since I have a very consistent route to and from work that I can compare on.

Car is still bouncy right now, but I suspect it is under damped. Hopefully that will be getting better soon.

Honestly, I'd trade for some good condition sport shocks and a set of Eibach or H&R springs or similar. I don't have a need for coilovers on this car, and can achieve the stance I want on static shocks and springs

 

Update:

This afternoon i pulled the rear shocks out and turned the damper up to 16/36, and set the front to 20/36. definite improvement, but I can tell that the higher CG is affecting the balance of the car. can't wait to get the spacers machined so i can bring it down a little bit and hopefuully it will all fall into line.

it's getting better, maybe tomorrow i'll pull the rear out and cut the access holes so i can fine tune it in a few minutes without having to pull the wheels off. Probably going up to 20/36 rear and about 24/36 front tomorrow. It's bearable now, but still bounces too hard for me on bridge joints.

anyone with good condition sport suspension looking for coilovers to slam/stance their car..hit me up. lets talk

 

just wanted to update. running right now on 22/36 front, and 16/36 rear. Dropped the front and rear another 1/4" and installed spacers 15 fr and 25 rear. Needs more spacer up front to flush it to the fender lip, but I'm almost done. ride is actually manageable now.


thanks all for the help, hope this helps someone else out there.

 

pics or it didn't happen

 

hmm.. forgot to post pics of this setup.. posting here to bring it back to the top.

I've sold the D2 however and am now riding on 350z Bilsteins and 350z Eibach Pro-Kit.. at the identical same height I was at on the D2.. with an exponentially better ride quality, and performance.