Function & Form II - Rear Strut Bolt Problem

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Apr 25, 2010 | 02:31 PM
  #1  
Edit: 5/27/10
So annoyed with some clunking I was getting due to the non-tapered screw, a week or two ago I got in contact with f&f and talked to them about the problem. I ended up taking of the rear strut mounts and they paid to have it shipped back to them. They took a look at it and decided the receiving nut wasn't the correct one that they specified when they created the kit, supposedly it is the one for the 350z bolt.

Anyway, so within a week they changed out the bolts and I just got them today in the mail. These look to be the correct size and I will know for sure when I install them back on this weekend. And I talked to them and they said they fixed the problem and I got the first of the revised new set, so hopefully from now on people buying these coilovers won't have to deal with the incorrect nut.

Overall f&f customer service was awesome and did a great job fixing them quickly and with the new fix I see no reason why anyone should avoid these when searching for budget coilovers.

Old:

So yesterday a friend and I tried to tackle the install of my new function & form II coilovers and it went well besides the fact that the idiots at f&f didn't make the rear strut catch bolt the wrong size!! Even more than that, they didn't include a bolt that fit, nor even made mention of that problem. And talking to some previous owners, it looks like they had the same problem and even told f&f about it and nothing has been changed. I'm steaming and f&f and the vendor I bought it from will be getting a call nice and early tomorrow morning..

But in the mean time, has anyone found the correct bolt to use instead of the oem one?
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Apr 25, 2010 | 03:42 PM
  #2  
Sorry to hear bro.. it must really suck after anxiously waiting to put em on

I was just about to order the same coils in the next few days but im going to wait it out and see if this issue gets taken care of. I definately don't want to go through the same thing and can't be able to install them or something.
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Apr 25, 2010 | 05:21 PM
  #3  
I Had the same problem I just took the shock to Napi or any parts store and tried different bolts. Wish I knew the thread size to help u out more but like I said take it to parts store and ask for a bolt for it.
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Apr 25, 2010 | 05:33 PM
  #4  
The reason why i didnt go with F&F..
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Apr 25, 2010 | 08:52 PM
  #5  
Thanks for the support guys, so I've been running around all day looking at bolts and I ended up going with 3/8" width and 3" long grade 8 bolts from home depot. They aren't perfect due to the fact that they are thinner than ideal and therefore on the non locking side of the strut it floats in the middle rather than sits as flush as oem would've. So I bought some rubber cork and drilled out the middle and am using that to help keep it centered so the weight of the car doesn't like shear off the locking nut. Right about to install them and hopefully it will work out...

More long term I plan on taking it to a machine shop and just having them drill them out for the oem size but I don't have the time right now and this is my DD so I need it to be driveable. Or if I can find some place selling the right size with the tapered end, either way.
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Apr 26, 2010 | 04:11 PM
  #6  
that sux..

your best bet is finding the correct bolt, when you get the time.
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Apr 26, 2010 | 04:54 PM
  #7  
Well I ended up going with an grade 8 bolt and using a washer, I cut a rubber cork to fit inbetween and make it set in the right spot. I probably will eventually just have it drilled out unless I can find somewhere online selling the tapered bolt.

Had a big problem with a seized/stripped rear upper strut nut which came down to cutting the nut and almost having to replace the bolt which would've been hell. But, it worked out and I'm now done with that huge hassle/nightmare and am eating driveways like none other

Taking it in tomorrow to get aligned because toe is causing it the rear to wander a good bunch... just need to bring a board so I can get up the shops driveway.
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Apr 26, 2010 | 05:23 PM
  #8  
Lol.. at the boards to get in the shop. I had to use boards and back up into the shop. I barely got up on the alignment rack and since then i lowered it another .5 inch.

Need to go back to get more camber in the rear, just hope i can get up on the rack again.

Got any pics of ur ride?
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Apr 26, 2010 | 05:32 PM
  #9  
Quote: Lol.. at the boards to get in the shop. I had to use boards and back up into the shop. I barely got up on the alignment rack and since then i lowered it another .5 inch.

Need to go back to get more camber in the rear, just hope i can get up on the rack again.

Got any pics of ur ride?
haha damn I wanna see pics of your ride!

I transferred to a new thread for pics: https://g35driver.com/forums/media-s...installed.html
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Apr 26, 2010 | 05:40 PM
  #10  
My prob getting into the shop was my midpipe and y pipe flange, it was hitting a lil lip into the shop entrance.

My car doesn't look that low but i do scrap the undertray some if when hit dips in the rd.

Pics can be found here, don't want to clutter ur thread with pics of my car.
https://g35driver.com/forums/media-s...-thread-4.html
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Apr 26, 2010 | 05:43 PM
  #11  
Im glad i got stances..
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Apr 27, 2010 | 03:25 AM
  #12  
sucks for your bad luck bro, glad it worked out and your car looks fresh! Im happy Megan comes with it cuz I would have been pissed!
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Apr 27, 2010 | 03:43 AM
  #13  
Op i think you need to relax. haha i have the same coild and had the same problem, a simple drill to widen the hole and that was it you can re use the oem bolt and just go to the hardware store and buy 2 nuts M12 1.25 pitch if i remember correctly. Its a damn hole not that big of a deal. F&F has by FAR the best customer service i have ever delt with so theres no reason to flip out on such i minute detail.
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Apr 27, 2010 | 09:55 AM
  #14  
Quote: Op i think you need to relax. haha i have the same coild and had the same problem, a simple drill to widen the hole and that was it you can re use the oem bolt and just go to the hardware store and buy 2 nuts M12 1.25 pitch if i remember correctly. Its a damn hole not that big of a deal. F&F has by FAR the best customer service i have ever delt with so theres no reason to flip out on such i minute detail.
I don't think he's mad at the fact he had to physically go get new bolts or widen the hole, rather than the fact why would a company release a product that's unusable out of the box and then make absolutely no mention of it to anybody? It's retarded, and I don't see it as a minute detail since not everybody can afford the unexpected downtime or even have another car convenient to take them to the hardware store. Among other things...

OP glad you got everything worked out.
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Apr 27, 2010 | 11:22 AM
  #15  
Quote: I don't think he's mad at the fact he had to physically go get new bolts or widen the hole, rather than the fact why would a company release a product that's unusable out of the box and then make absolutely no mention of it to anybody? It's retarded, and I don't see it as a minute detail since not everybody can afford the unexpected downtime or even have another car convenient to take them to the hardware store. Among other things...

OP glad you got everything worked out.
Exactly, getting a new bolt or even taking it somewhere to get redrilled isn't a big deal. But, they obviously have heard about the problem from others I talked to who dealt with it, not to mention not even a piece of paper in the box saying "You will need to redrill the holes in the rear strut or find a fitting bolt and here are the dimensions..." If it was like that, I wouldn't have been super pleased to see that they aren't ready to go in when they come, but it way better than installing them and finding out. I don't want to think of how much of a pain it would've been if it was at a shop and my car was stuck there rather than in my garage.

Either way, I still like these coils and am just happy they are on
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