I am going to install my Bilstein PSS setup on Monday.

Can someone give me a rundown of the socket sizes that I need for the entire install? I want to get them out and ready to go.

Also, I was looking at someone elses post and they stated the following when adjusting the height:

12.75" from the shock mounting bolt to the spring perch. For the rears, 8 3/8". This resulted in about a 1 finger gap all around, or 13.25" from the hub to fender on all 4 corners.

If I wanted to lower it more, I would decrease those measurements, correct? As an example, instead of 12.75", I might use 12". Would that result in the car being lowered more, or would I increase it from 12.75" to 13.25"?

Finally, these measurements seem to be taken from the middle of the bolt on the bottom of the strut to what - the bottom of the second smaller locking collar, or the first (top) bigger collar? Or, the silver mounting rung on the bottom of the larger spring?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...s/IMG_2102.jpg

Thanks in advance - I'm excited to get this installed!

Shumax

 

Anyone?

 

I do not remember the socket sizes off the top of my head but it shouldnt take you too long to figure that out yourself. I can though help you with your other questions. Set all coilovers with about 7 threads remaining (stock setting) and that will give you approximately a 13.5inch centercap to fender lip measurement. I have my settings maxxed out and im at a 12.8-12.9 inches from centercap to the top of the fender. While you can gauge your "drop" by estimating the amount of threads left, the different front to back spring rates will not give you an accurate measurement. If you want to lower it you just have to lower the spring perch and locking collar towards the lower nut (move it downwards), it took me about 2 days of tinkering around to finally get the look and feel i wanted.

Many people may get this confused but the allowable range of lowering that bilstein will warranty is meant that you can put it on the lowest setting (no threads showing) as long as you leave the lower spring perch and locking collar/helper spring in place. Some people remove the lower locking collar and helper spring and that is when the ride will suffer from constant bumpstop contact and damper wear etc.

 

Thanks for the reply! I'm sort of confused. When you say no threads left - do you mean at the bottom of the smaller locking collar? How far do I turn the gray perch down then, compressing the smaller spring?

 

Yes, when I say no threads left I mean at the bottom of the small black locking collar. The grey spacer is not adjustable and will raise or lower itself depending where you set the smallest black locking perch. The helper spring (smallest spring) will compress completely once the car is lowered on all fours, its main job is to keep the main spring in constant contact with the shock body so that it does not flop around when the car is raised in the air. Make sure to align your OEM top hat so that the spring seats correctly(look underneath your top hat and you will see what Iam talking about). When you install let me know how it goes adjustment wise, pics would be great and measurements from the fender lip to the centercap would be even better. From what Ive read from other bilstein users and experienced myself is that the driver side front will need to be slightly raised (slightly more threads exposed)in order to match the passenger front. Good luck! They perform great!

 

Thanks a lot - that makes a lot more sense. If I want to achieve a tight one finger gap all around, how many threads do you THINK I need to leave below the lower collar?

I'll take photos along the way so that it helps the next guy - same for some measurements.

Thanks again!
Shumax

 

 

The rear coilovers with no threads remaining will give you a "one finger gap" I believe its 13inches from fender to axle nut measurement, the fronts on the other hand will need to have approximately a little less than a 1/4inches worth of thread showing to achieve a tight one finger gap.

 

You will need sockets #14, 17, and 19.

Also #10 and 12 if you are disconnecting gas tank and fuel rail for easier access to rear left top hat nuts.

 

I'm working on it now and have everything installed. I just put it on the ground - wow! It's low. I have three threads showing on the RF, 4 on the LF and 1 on both of the rears. It's a very tight finger gap in front and a one finger gap in the rear. I may raise the front up just a tad. The measurements from the center of the hub to the fender is about 12 7/8". It's basically what was mentioned above 12.8, or 12.9. I can't decide, now, if I want to raise the front, or not. Sort of a pain to monkey with taking the wheels off to make the changes.

More later...