Has anyone lengthened their strut towers?

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User1

RETIRED Admin, pm OFF
<TABLE cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=6 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD colSpan=2><TABLE width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD style="PADDING-TOP: 4px" vAlign=top colSpan=2>[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Tahoma, Arial]Has anyone lengthened their strut towers?<!-- google_ad_section_end -->

[/FONT][FONT=Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Tahoma, Arial]October 13 2000 at 9:32 AM[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Tahoma, Arial][/FONT][/FONT]</TD><TD vAlign=top align=right>[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Tahoma, Arial]<SCRIPT language=Javascript> <!-- var n54_em; n54_em = ""; n54_em = n54_em + "x";n54_em = n54_em + "1";n54_em = n54_em + "9";n54_em = n54_em + "e";n54_em = n54_em + "r";n54_em = n54_em + "@";n54_em = n54_em + "t";n54_em = n54_em + "m";n54_em = n54_em + ".";n54_em = n54_em + "n";n54_em = n54_em + "e";n54_em = n54_em + "t"; document.write("x19er"); // --> </SCRIPT>x19er <NOSCRIPT></NOSCRIPT> [/FONT]</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=bottom colSpan=3><HR></TD></TR><TR><TD colSpan=3>[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Tahoma, Arial]<!-- google_ad_section_start -->I have put a set of Koni's on the rear of my '86X. I am running adjustable coil-overs where the threaded tubes sit on the stock spring perch. I am presently using a 7" spring, but even adjusted all of the way down, the car sits too high. Here are my options:

1. Shorter springs - I am concerned about coil bind.

2. Move the lower spring perch furhter down on the strut - I am concerned about damaging my Konis and/or bottoming the strut

3. Make an extension to the strut tower - pain in the ass, but seems to be the best option to lower the car and keep the suspension travel.

Any suggestions?

John Lagerquist
Commerce, MI

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[/FONT]</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD>[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Tahoma, Arial]Author[/FONT]</TD><TD>[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Tahoma, Arial]Reply[/FONT]</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top noWrap width="17.9%">[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Tahoma, Arial]<SCRIPT language=Javascript> <!-- var n54_em; n54_em = ""; n54_em = n54_em + "v";n54_em = n54_em + "t";n54_em = n54_em + "y";n54_em = n54_em + "u";n54_em = n54_em + "g";n54_em = n54_em + "o";n54_em = n54_em + "@";n54_em = n54_em + "c";n54_em = n54_em + "s";n54_em = n54_em + ".";n54_em = n54_em + "c";n54_em = n54_em + "o";n54_em = n54_em + "m"; document.write("Scott Phelps"); // --> </SCRIPT>Scott Phelps <NOSCRIPT></NOSCRIPT>[/FONT]
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Tahoma, Arial][/FONT]</TD><TD style="PADDING-LEFT: 15px" vAlign=top><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=1 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD align=left>[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Tahoma, Arial]<!-- google_ad_section_start -->an easy solution....<!-- google_ad_section_end -->

[/FONT][FONT=Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Tahoma, Arial][/FONT]</TD><TD vAlign=top align=right>[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Tahoma, Arial]October 13 2000, 11:20 AM [/FONT]</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=1 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD style="PADDING-LEFT: 15px">
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Tahoma, Arial]<!-- google_ad_section_start -->Make up some camber plates that mount to the top of the strut tower, and you can probably gain 1 to 1.5" in the available height, which will allow you to run the car lower, without as much worry. I saw a really trick set on Steve's #27 car.

That way you can leave everything stock, and run the springs you have.

Scott<!-- google_ad_section_end -->

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[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Tahoma, Arial][/FONT]</TD><TD style="PADDING-LEFT: 30px" vAlign=top><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=1 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD align=left>[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Tahoma, Arial]<!-- google_ad_section_start -->Scott, I'm not sure I understand...<!-- google_ad_section_end -->

[/FONT][FONT=Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Tahoma, Arial][/FONT]</TD><TD vAlign=top align=right>[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Tahoma, Arial]October 13 2000, 7:18 PM [/FONT]</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=1 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD style="PADDING-LEFT: 30px">
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Tahoma, Arial]<!-- google_ad_section_start -->While relocating the camber plates up will relocate the valve closer to the middle of the strut, I don't see how this will help my spring problem as the upper spring perch will still be in the same location relative to the lower perch. What am I missing?

John
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[/FONT][FONT=Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Tahoma, Arial][/FONT]</TD><TD vAlign=top align=right>[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Tahoma, Arial]October 13 2000, 8:03 PM [/FONT]</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=1 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD style="PADDING-LEFT: 45px">
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Tahoma, Arial]<!-- google_ad_section_start -->John, If you measure the distance from the top perch to the underside of the strut tower, you will find there is some wasted space there (I forget how much). Mounting the camber plate above the strut tower eliminates the rubber top mount so a spacer can be made to position the top perch right up next to the under side of the tower, thus lowering the car by that same amount.

This also extends the strut so that if you bottom the suspension, the strut doesn't bottom out.

I prefer cutting the stock perch off and mounting the adjuster on a colar placed lower on the strut body.

Steve
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[/FONT][FONT=Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Tahoma, Arial][/FONT]</TD><TD vAlign=top align=right>[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Tahoma, Arial]October 14 2000, 8:01 AM [/FONT]</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=1 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD style="PADDING-LEFT: 60px">
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Tahoma, Arial]<!-- google_ad_section_start -->Steve,

How do you attach the collar to the strut body? Do you have to disassemble the strut and have it welded on? Is disassembling/reassembling the strut something I can do or do I need to send it somewhere?

Thanks!

John
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[/FONT][FONT=Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Tahoma, Arial][/FONT]</TD><TD vAlign=top align=right>[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Tahoma, Arial]October 14 2000, 2:12 PM [/FONT]</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=1 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD style="PADDING-LEFT: 75px">
[FONT=Trebuchet MS, Verdana, Tahoma, Arial]<!-- google_ad_section_start -->I dissassembled the strut to weld mine on. After looking at the dismantled unit, I think they could be welded without dismantling them. I don't know if the heat would damage the oil or not, but if you compressed the rod all the way into the body, then the moving parts and seals would be far enough from the weld that the heat wouldn't effect them.

I did it myself, but I had to make a tool of unscrew the cap. Save the oil so you can poor it back in. You will probably want to get some new O-rings to re-install the caps.

Steve
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