Official BC Coilover Kit Development Interest.

[rbryant]

Any updates?

Looking at your website the front kit for non L bodies is 575 shipped? The drop down only lists SRT and Impreza? Does this include your custom top plate? Which one would I want to order for a Spirit R/T?

There are basically 2 options for the front half kit that will work. The SRT4 struts work with a spacer, and MK3 golf kits can also work with a slight ovaling of one of the strut holes. The MK3 Golf shocks are slightly shorter so they will result in a slightly lower max height but don't require a spacer. I should add the VWs as an option to that dropdown.

The spacers and custom top plates are an extra $125 and there is a separate ordering box for those.

(The impreza struts were there for a special order on a custom RWD Daytona using impreza front struts).

Also just a heads up, on your products page suspension is misspelled.

Hehe oops...

I can't login to change it from work anymore because some fools were misusing the ssh port for streaming video or some such nonsense and it is now blocked...

Thanks for the heads up. I will fix it later...

-Rich

[1966 dart wagon]

awesome, subscribed to read later, while not at work!!!

[iTurbo]

Any news on the K-sport kit? If the full kit price were still going to be about $1000 like it was for the BC than I will probably get on the group buy if it is still going...for an L-body and a P-body here.

[rbryant]

Any news on the K-sport kit? If the full kit price were still going to be about $1000 like it was for the BC than I will probably get on the group buy if it is still going...for an L-body and a P-body here.

KSport also wanted 10 orders of each type of kit so it isn't going to happen.

I am just going to stick with the approach of ordering separate front and rear kits with the BCs. The BC SRT4 fronts and MK3 VW fronts work just fine and the rears can be worked out.

For the lbody we are looking at how well the eclipse rears fit. There is another thread on it and pictures should be up in a couple of weeks showing the install of the eclipse rears on an lbody...

For the non lbody I think I am going to push for running BC fronts and QA1 (formerly carerra) rear shocks with some custom made adjustable spring mounts on the axle.. The QA1s are available in several lengths and can be single or dual adjustable and they have the right top and bottom connections (when used with bushings). They are about $160 each for single adjustable and 260 each more for double adjustable rears. They are available in dual and monotube, aluminum or steel, etc.

I am working on prototype spring mounts (they are at the machinist now) that bolt to the rear frame and use the stock top mount. It is just a matter of getting the price for making the spring mounts and then for some springs. I think I can probably even get springs cheaply from BC. I might even be able to get barrel shaped springs to help deal with any misalignment issues on the non coilover rear ends.

-Rich

[black86glhs]

<-------is hoping to be providing input on the eclipse part here really soon. Weather is the main factor is my case. Thanks Rich.

[vntned]

So I can run SRT4 front BC coilies on my CSX?!

[rbryant]

So I can run SRT4 front BC coilies on my CSX?!

Yes with some adapter parts that I have made you can run the SRT4 fronts with camber plates.

The adapter parts are a spacer on the spindle and a custom top plate for the camber plates. I also have optional top rings to make the strut towers stronger.

I will get some pictures posted soon.

-Rich

[iTurbo]

Ah OK. I thought we might be getting real close to 10/10 on the K-Sports if I got in on both the L and K-based versions. But, I like the BC separate front/rear you described too although that is unfortunate about the handling charge. The GHJKP rear spring mounts are just what I was hoping for as well. Especially if they are a bolt-in without welding required since the powdercoating has already been done.

On the L-body version you mentioned using Eclipse rears, but what about the fronts? I would like something that could hopefully be made to work with the stock R/T knuckle and brake setup but it sounds like you have that covered.

[rbryant]

Ah OK. I thought we might be getting real close to 10/10 on the K-Sports if I got in on both the L and K-based versions. But, I like the BC separate front/rear you described too although that is unfortunate about the handling charge. The GHJKP rear spring mounts are just what I was hoping for as well. Especially if they are a bolt-in without welding required since the powdercoating has already been done.

On the L-body version you mentioned using Eclipse rears, but what about the fronts? I would like something that could hopefully be made to work with the stock R/T knuckle and brake setup but it sounds like you have that covered.

As long as you are using the RT knuckles the the only difference in the Lbody is a different top plate. The same spacers still work. If you use lbody knuckles (which I recommend against) then the spacers have to be thicker and the knuckles may also need to be slotted to fix the lbody vs kcar camber changes...

If the eclipse rears are too much of a hassle then there are also QA1s that will fit the lbody as a coilover. Because the QA1s are also adjustable (via dials on the shock body) they can match the BCs well and they can also support up to 600lb springs.

-Rich

[iTurbo]

Awesome thanks for clearing that up Rich.

On the L-body kit, it sounds like we are just waiting to see how fitment goes with the Eclipse style rears? If/when I buy this L-body coil-over kit I will be running it with your dual-pivot L-body K-frame/cast control arms, R/T knuckles/hubs/brakes etc. This kit sounds perfect....but since this is kind of a back burner project, what I really want even sooner is.....

GHJKP kit! After researching it quite a bit this looks like the best solution for my CSX project and would go perfect with all the other stuff done you/I have done for the car. Also sounds like this is just waiting for the rear details to be worked out? Would love to start assembling my CSX with this coil-over kit but also not sure of how long wait I might be looking at?

[rbryant]

Awesome thanks for clearing that up Rich.

On the L-body kit, it sounds like we are just waiting to see how fitment goes with the Eclipse style rears? If/when I buy this L-body coil-over kit I will be running it with your dual-pivot L-body K-frame/cast control arms, R/T knuckles/hubs/brakes etc. This kit sounds perfect....but since this is kind of a back burner project, what I really want even sooner is.....

GHJKP kit! After researching it quite a bit this looks like the best solution for my CSX project and would go perfect with all the other stuff done you/I have done for the car. Also sounds like this is just waiting for the rear details to be worked out? Would love to start assembling my CSX with this coil-over kit but also not sure of how long wait I might be looking at?

Not much wait. I can give you part numbers to order the QA1 rear shocks whenever you want. There may be a few bushings to work out on them (they are a 5/8" hole) but otherwise it is nearly a direct bolt on. That is why I am opting for the QA1 rears instead of a BC kit that doesn't quite fit the GJKHPA cars. BC just doesn't have many shocks that are double eyelet.

Additionally the adjuster on the stud style BCs is on the top like the front konis so it isn't possible to adapt the top to an eyelet mount. I would rather not make people drill holes in their cars to make the stud style fit and for cars like the Pbody it isn't really an option because the hole drilled to make the shock fit would be under the rear speaker and not accessible for adjustment... QA1s on the other hand have a dial on the outside of the shock body.

I can also order any spring that BC carries for a reasonable price which means I can drop ship rear springs with the front half of the kit..

The rear GJKHPA threaded adjusters are really the only thing I am waiting on. I know what I want to do but I am just not sure how much they will cost yet.

As a side note, If the Eclipse BC rears are too much work to adapt then we can use QA1s for the lbody rears too (Bryan should have that all worked out shortly).

-Rich

[iTurbo]

I agree sounds like QA1 is the way to go, at least for the GHJKP kit. It looks like they are a piece of cake to adjust (outside near bottom?) compared to having to deal with a top-side adjuster which wouldn't work well, if at all. Nevermind the fact I don't want to cut a #'d car at all unless absolutely necessary, and even then I probably wouldn't!

I'll send you a PM later tonight.

[black86glhs]

I'm waiting on some parts from McMaster-Carr to show up. I think I have the bottom of the Eclipse shock worked out, but I will know 100% when the parts get here and I have some time to do the mock up. Getting close.

Edit: I had to drill out the lower bolt on the driver's side when it broke, so that took some time to get out. Besides, needed the bushings anyways.

[black86glhs]

I got the rears in and offset them to the inside and they fit well. Got the driver's front one mocked up and just need to do some metal trimming.

[Force Fed Mopar]

Looks oddly familiar...

Mitsubishi struts on an L-body

Glad to see someone putting this info to good use.

[black86glhs]

NICE. Still need to get the pass side on, but waiting until the temps get back to normal.

[Reaper1]

You aren't afraid of that top nut coming loose?

[black86glhs]

You aren't afraid of that top nut coming loose?

It is a mag lug nut that goes down through the bushings. It has about an inch of threads on the shaft. It will be ok. Rich figured that one out.

[minigts]

You aren't afraid of that top nut coming loose?

I think I would be worried in general if there are only a couple of threads, but unless that thing travels the entire length of the strut (fully decompressed), I think it would be fine. Although, I am with you, I'd rather have some more threads grabbing.

[rbryant]

I think I would be worried in general if there are only a couple of threads, but unless that thing travels the entire length of the strut (fully decompressed), I think it would be fine. Although, I am with you, I'd rather have some more threads grabbing.

You are missing some information about the top nut.

The Mag nut takes the place of the steel spacer and is threaded all the way to the bottom. That way it can extend into the bushing and still have threads. This eliminates the problem of the threaded part of the shaft not being long enough. The only thing that has to change is that the stock top washer center hole has to be enlarged to 11/16" to allow the Mag lugnut shank to pass through it. It took me a while to figure out what to do....






I used an extra small spacer on mine below the MAG nut even though the shank on the nut is the same length as the stock spacer because the poly bushing was thicker than stock and I didn't want to cover compress it. (bottom of 3rd column of parts). Our rear setup is supposed to tighten until the nut sandwiches the steel spacer between the top washer and the strut hat so the thickness of the steel bushing relative to the poly bushings is important. That way the bushings are not over tightened because the steel spacer limits things. Johnny is making his bushings slightly shorter in future runs so this will no longer be required.




For the bottom bushing I was able to use a 2" long x 3.4" OD x 10mm aluminum bushing (which I will provide) inside of a custom bushing that Johnny Spiva is providing.

The bottom bushings can be ordered from Johnny along with the top blue isolator bushings. Both the isolators and bushings were under $60 shipped when ordered together (of course his prices are subject to change) but even at a higher price it is a great solution!

Here are pictures of Bryan Leach's install with the new bushings:

Rear View:


Bottom View:


This allows the bottom of the shock to be slightly offset and clear the frame with no problems.

They are made to be a tight fit so it may help so slightly bend the inner tab outward on install. Tightening the shock bolt will pinch it back to parallel.

Thanks to Bryan Leach and Johnny Spiva for the help on these!

-Rich