Pirates coilovers
#97
06-04-2011, 06:16 PM
Just get them and be done with the buy decision. Only the cost is "low"; these coilovers are "not cheap imitations".
Just get them and why...if your sitting on the fence and if your just dropping for casual DailyDriving type use.
Just get them and costs are rising...even at $520 (parts & shipping) there is so much to be said that is positive about these coilovers. I paid $450; The $70 increase was only on the shipping. The parts are still $300.
News...Now, I see a technical change that "racingfirst" on ebay offers 25%+ stiffer springs with the kit; as a same cost option.
That may be the way to go if the valve dampening inside the shock tubes also beefed up to match the extra 120+lbs/in of spring rate over the standard coilover they sell.
I have not inquired with them on the valving.
Those who choose can get 12K/mm front, 10K/mm rear.
The original and I suppose standard spring rate "racingfirst" offers and what I have installed is 10K front, 7K rear.
Mine is the gold one shown here; the OEM sport that it replaced is beside it:
IMO, I like the stiffness of my fronts at 10K/mm but I think 8K/mm or 9K/mm range in the rear could be a better stiffness / comfort level and a handling balance point.
Just get them and why...if your sitting on the fence and if your just dropping for casual DailyDriving type use.
Just get them and costs are rising...even at $520 (parts & shipping) there is so much to be said that is positive about these coilovers. I paid $450; The $70 increase was only on the shipping. The parts are still $300.
News...Now, I see a technical change that "racingfirst" on ebay offers 25%+ stiffer springs with the kit; as a same cost option.
That may be the way to go if the valve dampening inside the shock tubes also beefed up to match the extra 120+lbs/in of spring rate over the standard coilover they sell.
I have not inquired with them on the valving.
Those who choose can get 12K/mm front, 10K/mm rear.
The original and I suppose standard spring rate "racingfirst" offers and what I have installed is 10K front, 7K rear.
Mine is the gold one shown here; the OEM sport that it replaced is beside it:
IMO, I like the stiffness of my fronts at 10K/mm but I think 8K/mm or 9K/mm range in the rear could be a better stiffness / comfort level and a handling balance point.
#98
06-04-2011, 07:06 PM
About the new "option" to have 12k/mm front and 10k/mm rear I emailed them and got a response yesterday saying that they thought they could offer those new springs with these but it turned out they can't offer tham so if you buy them you will get thee 10k/mm front and 7k/mm rears. I asked because the picture and description saying 2 things made it confusing. So that clears that up..
#99
06-04-2011, 09:16 PM
Has anyone experienced a clunk sound from the front end with these or any other coilovers?
It only happens when I go to leave in the morning/evening or if the car has sat for a little bit. It's only the first couple of feet when I turn the wheels. It sounds like the spring twists a little or something similar that would cause a little pop. Sort of like the spring settles in a certain spot, then when I turn the wheel it moves/disrupts it. After I back out of my driveway it doesnt happen again. It's quiet at all speeds, over bumps, turning etc.
It only happens when I go to leave in the morning/evening or if the car has sat for a little bit. It's only the first couple of feet when I turn the wheels. It sounds like the spring twists a little or something similar that would cause a little pop. Sort of like the spring settles in a certain spot, then when I turn the wheel it moves/disrupts it. After I back out of my driveway it doesnt happen again. It's quiet at all speeds, over bumps, turning etc.
#100
06-04-2011, 11:44 PM
No clunk or noise for me. With 38K miles on the entire car. 150 miles on the coilovers and installed correctly there are no arm bushings that are cracked or loose spring.
Something similar to what you describe could a be normal brake function. Do you know the scrunch sound and brake pedal step feel as the ABS is re-setting? Could the noise be that? It happens always under the long time parked conditions that you describe.
If not ABS and you think it is front shocks then check that the springs have about 10mm of tension / preload and not able to rotate between the pillow mount and the locking collar. If it is a "pirate" MDU that is installed the spring length is about 190mm end to end with the 10mm compressed by the collar.
If you can turn the spring, even under force with a lever or measure the spring as 200mm long end to end there is no pre-load. That would cause " free play", noise but is easily fixed by re-tightening the collar upward which pinches the spring under pre-load.
Something similar to what you describe could a be normal brake function. Do you know the scrunch sound and brake pedal step feel as the ABS is re-setting? Could the noise be that? It happens always under the long time parked conditions that you describe.
If not ABS and you think it is front shocks then check that the springs have about 10mm of tension / preload and not able to rotate between the pillow mount and the locking collar. If it is a "pirate" MDU that is installed the spring length is about 190mm end to end with the 10mm compressed by the collar.
If you can turn the spring, even under force with a lever or measure the spring as 200mm long end to end there is no pre-load. That would cause " free play", noise but is easily fixed by re-tightening the collar upward which pinches the spring under pre-load.
#101
06-05-2011, 02:30 AM
No clunk or noise for me. With 38K miles on the entire car. 150 miles on the coilovers and installed correctly there are no arm bushings that are cracked or loose spring.
Something similar to what you describe could a be normal brake function. Do you know the scrunch sound and brake pedal step feel as the ABS is re-setting? Could the noise be that? It happens always under the long time parked conditions that you describe.
If not ABS and you think it is front shocks then check that the springs have about 10mm of tension / preload and not able to rotate between the pillow mount and the locking collar. If it is a "pirate" MDU that is installed the spring length is about 190mm end to end with the 10mm compressed by the collar.
If you can turn the spring, even under force with a lever or measure the spring as 200mm long end to end there is no pre-load. That would cause " free play", noise but is easily fixed by re-tightening the collar upward which pinches the spring under pre-load.
Something similar to what you describe could a be normal brake function. Do you know the scrunch sound and brake pedal step feel as the ABS is re-setting? Could the noise be that? It happens always under the long time parked conditions that you describe.
If not ABS and you think it is front shocks then check that the springs have about 10mm of tension / preload and not able to rotate between the pillow mount and the locking collar. If it is a "pirate" MDU that is installed the spring length is about 190mm end to end with the 10mm compressed by the collar.
If you can turn the spring, even under force with a lever or measure the spring as 200mm long end to end there is no pre-load. That would cause " free play", noise but is easily fixed by re-tightening the collar upward which pinches the spring under pre-load.
It's not the ABS re-setting I know how that feels and this is a more solid spring like clunk.
I checked that everything was tight and installed correctly. I never had this issue with the stock shocks/springs, the stock shocks and 350z springs, Tokico shocks and 350z springs, or the tokico shocks and Tanabe springs, just these new ones
I really dont want to pull everything back out because I just had my alignment redone.
The best way that I can describe it is like this. It's like if you have the bottom of the loaded strut in a vise, then you twist the top of the strut. The spring is going to want to stay where it is on the strut and top mount, but twists all so slightly (.25mm) then untwists once it slips...that kind of sound.
So now the bottom the strut is still in the same spot, but the top mount has turned 1-2mm and the spring is not twisted.
This probably makes no sense.
It only happens when I first move the car and turn, but nothing after that while driving. No creeks, clunks, bangs felt or heard...Ive tried to duplicate it whle driving or even at a stoplight with no luck.
#102
06-05-2011, 08:55 AM
.25mm twist makes sense to me, but as a bolt hole clearance movement against a bolt/stud.
You most likely have checked the (3) upper mount nuts tensions, if not do it. But check this too.
This is just something to eliminate in your troubleshooting.Possibly, but not likely.
And it is difficult to see.
Could the coilover strut be installed with the (3) vendors upper nuts still be sandwiched between the car body and the top of the upper mount plate?
For this to be you may have installed the strut just as it came out of the box (not remove those 3 nuts) and re-used the OEM nuts to tighten the mount.
The correct fit is that the upper mount top surface must be fully contacting the bottom of the car body. No gap seen in the big hole where the dampening thumb screw penetrates. Take a look and I hope this helps.
You most likely have checked the (3) upper mount nuts tensions, if not do it. But check this too.
This is just something to eliminate in your troubleshooting.Possibly, but not likely.
And it is difficult to see.
Could the coilover strut be installed with the (3) vendors upper nuts still be sandwiched between the car body and the top of the upper mount plate?
For this to be you may have installed the strut just as it came out of the box (not remove those 3 nuts) and re-used the OEM nuts to tighten the mount.
The correct fit is that the upper mount top surface must be fully contacting the bottom of the car body. No gap seen in the big hole where the dampening thumb screw penetrates. Take a look and I hope this helps.
#103
06-05-2011, 02:40 PM
.25mm twist makes sense to me, but as a bolt hole clearance movement against a bolt/stud.
You most likely have checked the (3) upper mount nuts tensions, if not do it. But check this too.
This is just something to eliminate in your troubleshooting.Possibly, but not likely.
And it is difficult to see.
Could the coilover strut be installed with the (3) vendors upper nuts still be sandwiched between the car body and the top of the upper mount plate?
For this to be you may have installed the strut just as it came out of the box (not remove those 3 nuts) and re-used the OEM nuts to tighten the mount.
The correct fit is that the upper mount top surface must be fully contacting the bottom of the car body. No gap seen in the big hole where the dampening thumb screw penetrates. Take a look and I hope this helps.
You most likely have checked the (3) upper mount nuts tensions, if not do it. But check this too.
This is just something to eliminate in your troubleshooting.Possibly, but not likely.
And it is difficult to see.
Could the coilover strut be installed with the (3) vendors upper nuts still be sandwiched between the car body and the top of the upper mount plate?
For this to be you may have installed the strut just as it came out of the box (not remove those 3 nuts) and re-used the OEM nuts to tighten the mount.
The correct fit is that the upper mount top surface must be fully contacting the bottom of the car body. No gap seen in the big hole where the dampening thumb screw penetrates. Take a look and I hope this helps.
The top nuts were removed prior to install and I used them instead of the OE nuts.
Thanks for the advice so far.
#104
06-05-2011, 03:09 PM
Also tighten your (2) per strut aluminum lock rings as a check task.
I slip a cheater bar over the spanner handle to get sufficient leverage on the spanner wrench. Good luck, beyond the LCA bolts being suspect what's left; only the rubber bushings allowing free play if worn or especially ones cracked.
I slip a cheater bar over the spanner handle to get sufficient leverage on the spanner wrench. Good luck, beyond the LCA bolts being suspect what's left; only the rubber bushings allowing free play if worn or especially ones cracked.
#105
06-05-2011, 09:25 PM