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Making stock strut into coilover?

4.3K views 29 replies 11 participants last post by  Semir  
#1 · (Edited)
First off, this is an idea I had the other night. I just want to try something different and see if it will work. I like to do all my own fab work and test the results.
I know for a fact there will be people on here saying I'm a dumbass, this is stupid, I'm wasting my time, why of just buy coilovers???

Well, I don't want to buy brand new coilovers right now. I will buy real coilovers next spring after I'm done with school. I'm not making millions a year to buy every little thing for my car.

I have a complete set of struts sitting in my parents basement and I wanted to try this out for the hell of it.

Somewhat inspiration--
http://www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum2/HTML/046456.html

Plan-
•disassemble struts
•cut/grind down the stock perch

Option 1 •order adjustable sleeves that will slide on to stock strut body
•order coilover springs and upper perch/assembly
•weld a piece of piping above the plate that goes into knuckle(so the sleeve doesn't get destroyed by the metal plate)

Option 2• Weld a piece of pipe 5" long to the strut body
• thread the pipe
• find two big threaded rings for the "adjustment"
• use a coilover spring from whoever
• make a custom upper perch where bearing is

Assemble and paint the coilover/strut

I will also be shortening the rod for the shock and retreading it

Any input?

I WILL be trying this and seeing how things work out...

Let the hate begin


Bought these bad boys at Home Depot...2" (too big I didn't measure)
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Then disassembled the strut
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Grinded off perch
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I've welded the new perch on and fitted on rear springs with those rubbers on both ends of the spring
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Then I fitted it on the new perch and cut off the excess metal from the perch so the wheel can fit onto the hub without rubbing the new perch(about 1/2" of cutting).
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Painted the newly made strut
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I then installed the spring and the top bearing fits perfectly into the foam thing from the rear springs.
 
#7 ·
You should google image "focus central coilovers". You'll get some ideas from that.

The front's aren't a big deal other than finding sleeves and tophats that fit your dampers. Summit Racing has them. You might have to find a way to mate up the top hats with the stock strut mount, but that's about it.

The rears won't be that bad either. It's all in finding sleeves that fit well. Mine fit like a glove (I have the true Focus Central ones) and even then, tolerences are tight.

You'll end up using 2.5" inner diameter springs in front and 1-7/8" in rear. If you have Koni rear dampers, you might have to get custom 2.0" inner diameter ones.
 
#8 ·
I'm still planning out on how to do this and researching as much as I can.

I can get my hands on a pair of sleeves locally, I just need the big nuts/ lock rings.

The extra pair of struts and knuckles I have are for 06-07. My car is an 01.
Shouldn't be a problem. But I really want to stay with the older style struts
 
#10 ·
When I swapped my engine i also swapped my steering rack from my 07, and yes the tie for ends are different. I'm using the ones from my 07 and I like them more.

Also, the control arm ball joint is different on the 06-07 when compared to my 01
 
#11 ·
Oh here's another thing...

Right now your rear dampers are bolted to the trailing arm with a simple, large bolt. If you're able to convert the rear into true coilovers, you might want to find a way to re-inforce that.

As of now, your rear dampers don't put a lot of pressure and weight on that bolt as all the weight and stress is going through your springs on your control arms. After you install coilover springs on the dampers, all the weight will be transferred to those, which are supported by that one bolt (not sure if this makes sense). I know some people that have rolled around on this with no issues but I wouldn't trust it at all.

In my case, I have a set of brackets that relocate the bottom shock mount. All it does is move the shock mount an inch down and it supports it much, much more. I'll try to find a pic.

Image
 
#12 ·
Pics are up
I did cut 3 coils out of the rear springs I put on the strut.
I ended up setting the new perch as low as possible. And ended up welding it in place.
The bump stop is in the strut and I did not cut the shock tube and rethread it, didn't have time..
So now the car sits almost on the bump stop and bounces the car up really bad over a bump.
Few tweaks and it'll be fixed
 
#13 ·
It bounces really bad because you have OEM shocks that are now blown because they were never meant to handle being that low.
 
#14 ·
It only bounces really bad on a single bump, as if I jump the car. It doesn't bounce any other time.
But I understand the fact that they are oem and weren't made for this. It's just an experiment..
 
#15 ·
...sounds like a 'Ground-Control' coilover kit to me..Re remove spring perch from stoc shocks etc...fitted a number of these type of kits to Contours and Cougars...threaded tubes,top race/bearings etc etc...Most people mod Koni shocks to take coil over kits..
 
#18 ·
you put a rear spring on the front after you welded stuff from Home Depo onto a stock front strut? Then painted it yellow to make it look like a Koni?

What. The. F**k.
 
#19 ·
omg its worse than i thought, please do not drive near me what so ever. the fact that we live in the same state literally scares the **** out me now. **** it, I'm selling all my cars, I'll ride a damn bus so when this **** fails it doesnt take my car out with it.
 
#21 ·
It's off my car and been off for a few days. I literally had them on for a day, wanted to see the reactions and some feedback. My stock struts are back on with the Tein springs so chill people. But everyone has their opinion and its my fault for even trying this and scared the **** out of everyone.. I'm working on getting some coilovers from multiple sources.
 
#25 ·
racelands 400$
way safer

also we are all just looking out for you and your safety man dont get a pissed at us ..... a lot of us on here know whats up and whats safe that all i give you a A for trying but please be smart man
 
#27 ·
I'm not pissed of in any way lol. Just stating my opinion as everyone else did. I've been trying to get used coilovers but keep getting screwed out of the deal because someone else buys them..life motto, It is what it is..
 
#29 ·
I think the attempts at doing something different really worked... you got everyone here to question and wonder 'why?'

Anyways, coilovers always pop up here and there. At times when I had the cash, I was too late. At times I didn't have the cash and they sat on the buy and sell forum for a long while.