B18C5-EH2

I purchased a brand new set of the Bilstein/Neuspeed full threaded bodied coil-overs for my wife's hatchback. I installed them a few weeks ago, and the ride is excellent and it's stiff, but never bouncy. I've installed at least 20 suspension set-ups on 1990-2000 Civics, so the install is fine.

Here's my problem:

The ride height is a bit unlevel. The right side sits a bit (maybe 1 inch) higher than the left side.

"Well just adjust the spring perches dumbass! They're coil-overs!"

Trust me I've tried.

The "problem" is that the Bilsteins are short. So short in fact, that even when I crank the left side spring perches up in trying to raise the car, the ride height doesn't change. All it appears to be doing is compressing the springs a bit more. It seems as though the strut is already stretched as far as it can go. The reason they make the struts short is a good one though, because it allows for full travel even if the car rides low.

Also the right front corner sits a bit higher than the left front corner, but the right side is all the way down while the left side is up a bit to try and match the right side, but it won't raise up any more even if I crank the perches up more.

In other words, I need to know how I can raise the left side of the car by an inch or so without being able to lengthen the strut itself since it's already as tall/long as it can get.

I was thinking maybe a metal plate about 1'' thick sandwhiched in between the upper strut mount (some might call it the upper pillowball mount, but these are still stock) and the chassis. This way it'd move the entire strut assy a bit down.

Thoughts?

toEknEEg

i know that you know your stuff but still, the pro's still make mistakes.

you know that fork the front shocks slide into, make sure they both are level. you may have one side higher than the other. i dont know what these shocks look like, but if they are like the koni's, make sure that the ring that the sleeves sit on are on the same level all around. i forgot to do one entire side..lol

other than that im not sure what to tell you. maybe you got two different front shocks???

good luck

B18C5-EH2

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by toEknEEg &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">i know that you know your stuff but still, the pro's still make mistakes.

you know that fork the front shocks slide into, make sure they both are level. you may have one side higher than the other. i dont know what these shocks look like, but if they are like the koni's, make sure that the ring that the sleeves sit on are on the same level all around. i forgot to do one entire side..lol

other than that im not sure what to tell you. maybe you got two different front shocks???

good luck </TD></TR></TABLE>

Thanks, but I made sure the notch was sitting in the slot on the lower strut fork. The Bilsteins have a raised area that fits perfectly into the notch on the lower fork, and trust me they're in place.

Ricey McRicerton

I've seen the metal spacers you are talking about before. If you're willing to do it, it's a feasable idea.

How old are these shocks/springs? I wonder if they've just settled on the drivers side from always having weight on it and the passenger side hasn't yet.

B18C5-EH2

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Ricey McRicerton &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I've seen the metal spacers you are talking about before. If you're willing to do it, it's a feasable idea.

How old are these shocks/springs? I wonder if they've just settled on the drivers side from always having weight on it and the passenger side hasn't yet. </TD></TR></TABLE>

They are BRAND NEW so I don't think it should be sagging.

You've seen the spacers? Can you shoot me a link?

Ricey McRicerton

Tom, I saw them probally a year ago and haven't seen any talk of them since. I just looked around on Ebay and some other places I figured I'd find them with no luck. I'll keep searching for you though.

SkyeC

I ran into a similar problem when I had some cheap **** Tanabe Sustecs w/ shortened bodies a few years ago. It wasn't as extreme as your car, but it was enough to bother the **** out of me. I ended up selling the shitty suspension.

Maybe you can look into running shorter springs, how tall are they?

And IIRC, that car is on 195/50's, right? If so, there's always a shitload of wheelgap with those tiny *** tires and the car always looks "high" even if it's on the ground.

slammed_93_hatch

maybe when you put the top mount on it ended up geting lower then the rest of them?

B18C5-EH2

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by SkyeC &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I ran into a similar problem when I had some cheap **** Tanabe Sustecs w/ shortened bodies a few years ago. It wasn't as extreme as your car, but it was enough to bother the **** out of me. I ended up selling the shitty suspension.

Maybe you can look into running shorter springs, how tall are they?

And IIRC, that car is on 195/50's, right? If so, there's always a shitload of wheelgap with those tiny *** tires and the car always looks "high" even if it's on the ground.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Well we've always ran 195/50/15 tires on her car because it's always been a bit lower than my car.

I must insist that the suspension rides EXCELLENT and in no way am I saying the set-up sucks, because it's definately the best riding street sus I've owned yet.

If only I could just lower this one right front corner...that'd be easier than rasing the whole left side...

94eg!

iTrader: (2)

Is it possible you have the springs mixed up (front to rear)?

Is it possible (if the springs came with the kit) the manufacturer gave you a set of mismatched springs? If they have the numbers printed on them, double check. If they don't I would call bilstein and have a talk with them.

I think I would freak if I was stuck in that situation...

Marauder

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by B18C5-EH2 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I was thinking maybe a metal plate about 1'' thick sandwhiched in between the upper strut mount (some might call it the upper pillowball mount, but these are still stock) and the chassis. This way it'd move the entire strut assy a bit down.

Thoughts?</TD></TR></TABLE>

Seems weird that one side could be that different from another!

You need the reverse of the tall top hats that Ground Control has. They move up the pillowball mount, but sounds like you need to lower it.

Did you call tech support and ask them?