I have some tanabe Coil overs: http://www.jazzproparts.com/product_p/tss002x.htm to be exact, and Im looking to get some extended top hats. Would these http://www.ground-control-store.com/...p/II=647/CA=97 do the trick, or do I need to go another route?

thanks!

 

GC top hats only work with GC coilovers, as I'm pretty sure their website clearly states. Your link to them doesn't work.

 

Oh :S I had a friend tell me that even though it says that, they should work with mine. Does Tanabe make a set? I couldnt seem to find them if they do exist

 

They want you to buy GC sleeves.

The GC extended upper mounts should work fine with any 2.5" ID spring.

But, aren't those fixed stroke shocks? If so, all an extended upper mount would do is further limit droop, and provide no benefit.

 

No they are not fixed stroke

 

What's a non-fixed stroke shock?

 

Anyone?

 

Perhaps I'm misusing the term.

Your typical Koni would qualify as "non-fixed". Lower the car on a GC sleeve, and the shock is now at a different location, in terms of the piston relative to the body (more droop, less bump available).

Many of the "full coilovers" adjust height by moving the shock body itself (what I am calling "fixed stroke"). The shock preserves the same bump and droop lengths, regardless of ride height. These are the suspension that adjust spring preload separately from ride height.

Can someone else confirm or refute my use of the terminology here? I'd like to sound like I know what I'm talking about...

 

You are correct sir.

 

Is that to me? :S

 

I'm not seeing how an extended top hat will benefit a 1 piece coilover setup, unless the coilovers were designed that way in the first place. Top hats are made for GC sleeves because chances are the off-the-shelf shock being used isn't designed to work very well when lowering the car as much as most people do.

It just seems to me that if the shocks in the tanabe setup would benefit from an extended tophat, they would've designed them that way.

I dunno maybe I'm way off here.

 

It says those particular Tanabe coilovers the OP linked to are short-stroke/short case design. In that case, extended upper mounts should not be required, and will probably reduce droop travel way too much.

 

if the shock body is not able to fit inside the extended top hat, the top hat is doing nothing other than reducing full shock extension.

 

oh :S I was just looking for a way to go lower on my coil overs without bottoming out the strut everywhere

 

Run stiffer spring rates.

 

If your really low you can use the extended top hats to move the bumpstop up higher into the car. But if your car has an average drop and still hits the bumpstops you need stiffer springs.

 

On my DA integra I had diy extended top hats because with my koni/gc the car was sitting on the bumpstops. That was with 3/8" thick bumpstops the GC sleeves all the way down and the konis on the bottom perch.

 

you may not bottom out the shock, but you probably will hit things like upper control arms and/or axles against the frame rail.