Carrera Shock Installation

[Copper01]

I finally received the Carrera coilovers for the rear, but in the box were four (4) coilover shocks with spring assemblies, eight (8) 3/8" spacers, sixteen (16) washers and no assembly instructions. Has anybody done the swap between the standard Monroe rear shocks and the Carrera coilovers? [?] If so, I'd sure like to have the benefit of your experience on what goes where and in which order. Pictures, as always, would be most appreciated. :)

Ben
Unique 427
SA 427SO w/ Toploader
Guardsman Blue w/ White Stripes

[dmiller]

i'd like to "follow" your installation, please keep good notes.

thanks

doug

[Poorboy]

Ben,
I posted some directions on installing the shocks on your post about your new lift. If you need some pictures let me know and I can get some tomorrow.

Poorboy

[Copper01]

Hi Poorboy,

I appreciate your tips. I got an email earlier from Alan and he also gave me a lot of information on how to proceed. Yes, I did get the jack tray as an option on the new lift and I've now got the rear shocks replaced with the coilovers and I have to say that it drives like a different car.

One question that I do have is that I have both front shocks set to the same number of turns and the resulting front ride height (center of the wheelwell to the ground) is about 27 3/4" on both right and left. I also have all four rear shocks set to the same number of turns (though different from the front) and the resulting right rear ride height is also about 27 3/4", but the left rear is about 29". Any thoughts on what might cause this apparent anomoly and how to fix it?

Thanks,


Ben
Unique 427
SA 427SO w/ Toploader
Guardsman Blue w/ White Stripes

[Poorboy]

Ben,
Measure from the frame to ground. The fender flair may be off.

Poorboy

[eliminator]

Ben,
Adjusting these shocks can drive you nuts. There are two methods, one as Poorboy suggested, measure from the frame to the ground at all 4 corners and try to get them equal. Rember, adjusting the right rear, effects the left front, adjusting the right front effects the leaft rear and so on. Plus, if you jack the car up and adjust the shocks your measurements are all off until you drive the car at least 20 miles for the suspension to settle. The car is different at all four corners so throw the number of threads deal out the window, it wont work. Other adjustment method is adjusting at all 4 corners so that the wheel wells are the same. Rember these cars and the originals are not totally symetrical, so if you do this where it sits and looks good the frame to ground measurements are probably going to be off by as much as 1/2". RF 4 7/8", LF 4 1/2", RR 5", LR 4 5/8", these are examples, if you can keep them all within 1/2" your doing good. Do this with a full tank of fuel, and if you throw a rider in you need to adjust for them. You don't want the tires hitting the body when you go over bumps. It's alot of work to get it right. If you need additional help let me know.

Rick

[clayfoushee]

Rick is right as usual. The bodies are not entirely symmetrical, and there's probably also some variability in how each is mounted on each frame. They are hand-built after all. I don't have adjustable rears, but the fronts are adjusted so that the gap between fender well and top of tire are the same all the way around. Since the diameter of the front and back tires are different, the distance from fender well to ground will also be different. Mine sits 26" front and 27" back.

Clay

'98 Unique #9299, 427FE side oiler, top-loader (close), 3.31 rear

Annapolis, MD

[eliminator]

Ben,

To give you an example of height using the fender wells, center of the wheel. My car is a big block car with 15" wheels and 245's on the front and 275's on the rear. I have 300# springs in the rear and 325# in the front. With 3/4 tank of fuel my car measures RF 26 5/8", RR 28", LF 26 1/4", LR 28 3/8". But with this said my fender wheels can be a little different than yours because of how they came out of the molds, or how they were trimmed, or what the body shop did to them. If you look at the car from the side it looks correct and the ride and handling is good, also with 2 people in the car no tires rubbing the body. Think I will measure my frame to ground to see how that comes out. Also the car is completly settled, we put about 50 miles on yesterday.

Rick

[davids2toys]

Found this thread in ba search for rteal coilover insatallation, Just got my new adjustable pro (4) rear coilovers from Maurice at Unique. Anybody know a good source for all the info to properly remove the old ones and install these?
Thanks

[davids2toys]

Ben,
I posted some directions on installing the shocks on your post about your new lift. If you need some pictures let me know and I can get some tomorrow.

Poorboy
Where are these instructions, I have search and can't find them