Adjusting Coilover Preload 'After' Installion...
 

A while ago I had a local shop install a set of teen flex z's on my AP2. The other day I went to increase the ride height in the front a bit and when I had the wheels off I noticed that the driver's side preload was about 1/2" more than the passenger's side. For non-track driving I can't think of any reason where such asymmetry would be useful. In any case, I was hoping that I could adjust the preload without having to remove the coilers (that's a DIY job than I'm prepared to do). So will it work if I rotate down the perch to the point where the spring just becomes a bit loose, and then rotate the perch back up about 12mm. Again, this is while the coilers are installed. I know this wouldn't be the best way to do it but would it be reasonable?

If your coilovers come with preload spec of the top hat to lower spring perch than yes. Otherwise I’d recommend you at least undo the lower shock mount as to not load the coil over. Just my .02 cents

Don't do what you're suggesting to do (turning the spring down until its loose while still on the car).

Bushing bind and swaybar bind make it almost impossible to set INITIAL preload while the shock is installed. You'll totally screw this up if you turn the spring down and let it be loose.

Unfortunately for you, someone may have adjusted the preload before installing and not written down the starting point.

Always write down the starting point. COT damn boy, installer shoulda known that.

You need to remove them from the car to set the initial preload.

Also not sure why/how your preload situation relates to only track use...

If one side of a street car is heavier than the other...then you can increase that side's preload to equalize shock travel. Seems semi useful for a street car (also MASSIVELY unnecessary).

Anyway...
Remove them.
Set your initial preload.
Write that shit down.

If you ever need to re-set preload on the fly afterward...count perch turns. Don't rely on measuring the spring.

On Teins, 2mm = 1 perch turn.

Thanks guys. I wonder if there's maybe one additional option that might work. Instead of trying to establish the zero preload point and work from there, what if I just tried to match the passenger's side preload with the existing driver's side preload (driver's side currently has notably more preload than passenger's side)? Might this approach work?

Probably not. The swaybar will keep trying to "equalize" the suspension droop.

Since you're adjusting one side at a time, the sway bar will keep trying to compress one side or the other in an effort to stay neutral.

Make sense?

The only way to cheat would be to loosen all the bushing bolts and disconnect the sway bar (mark your alignment eccentric positions!!)

The suspension should go into full droop.

Loosen all the spring and bracket collars (3 per shock).

Then disconnect the shock from the LCA. Make sure the shocks are fully extended and not being constrained by the LCA.

Then make your adjustment.

This really only works for the rear though.

The front compliance bushing may give you some trouble, as it is not "clockable".

Remember to re-clock all the bushings afterward.

...which once you do all that, how much more effort is it to just remove the shock from the car. Its really not that difficult. Once you do it a couple of times, it's surprising how quickly you can do it.

The extra effort to actually remove front shock at that point is fully remove the upper control arm bolts that are already loosened, swing control arm out, remove brake hose shock mount, remove two upper shock mount nuts under hood. Pull shock out of car.

Yeah, you're mostly there at that point.

BUT it is harder to hold the stupid shock still while adjusting this stuff on a bench.

Unless you have a fancy B serious style rig....
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.s2k...dc065571cc.jpg

To answer your question;
Yes. When they saw me in the hallway in highschool, they would yell "NERD" before knocking all my books out of my hands.

Hmmm, that explains a lot...

... and just so I've got it right in my head, this wouldn't work even if I approach it in the following manner: Considering that the ride drivers and passengers side ride heights currently match, if I adjust the distance between the top hat and the spring perch to be the same on both sides of the car. I won't really know exactly what preload I have but at least both sides would match. Once preloads matched I would then just adjust right heights to match. Am I still off on this or might this work?