i installed a set of tein flex coilovers on my 08 g37 coupe. When i brought it to get an alinement the guy said it couldn't be done because the upper control arm was touching the body.. I lowered the front by twisting the bottom section of the coilover. Is that the wrong way to lower it? Was i suppose to move the collars under the spring?? Please help asap...

 

You adjusted them too low!!

 

So did i adjust the right part??

 

[IMG][/IMG]

 

I don't want to kick a brother while he is down... but if you didn't know what you were doing, why not take it to someone who does know?

Pay me now or pay me later, right? I'm sure you'll be fine, man, just bring it to a suspension shop. They can adjust it properly and align it for you.

 

First off i know what im doing i work for cadillac i just never adjusted coilovers before.. They're installed correctly i just didn't adjust the ride height correctly ..

 

Vehicle ride height and spring pre-load can be adjusted independently. Ride height is adjustable in two ways: a. adjustable shock length, and b. adjustable spring seat.
a. The lower mounting bracket can be adjusted, thus changing the overall length of the shock, and therefore altering the vehicle's ride height. This also allows the user to determine suspension travel and droop.
b. The adjustable spring seat allows for independent adjustment of spring pre-load without affecting vehicle ride height.

 

Don't mean to knock you or anything but most of the tech guys at the dealerships really don't know anything outside of the FSM. Guys at Midas, Pepboys, Car-X, Meineke or any other major retail auto shop don't really know much either. You'll find the guys at the independent shops or performance shops are the ones that really know the cars inside out because they have a true understanding of the machine and how it works..not just putting part A into part B.

With that, just raise the car a bit and bring it back in.

 

Well im gonna raise it up about 3/4 inch and see what happens.. Should i screw the bottom of the strut out and adjust the spring???

 

Considering you did it wrong, you don't know what you're doing.

 

No need to flame the guy. Hes here for help.

Coil-overs are easy as pie, your tein flex have adjustable ride height through the shock body. If you lower it too low in the front the front control arm will hit the top of the wheel well.

So do this, take your two coil-over adjuster tools, get a measuring tape, take the wheel off, unscrew the lower locking cuff, take your coil-over tool, and put it on the middle locking cuff for raising, top locking cuff for lowering) (when i mean middle, there 3 cuffs, one at the bottom that locks the shock in place, two at the top, so I'm referring to the second top one), spin the entire shock around to the left so its unscrewing from the bottom portion, adjust it to about 14.5 inches(center hub to fender)), then tighten the lower cuff again, and you'll have a baseline.

Incase you touched the spring pre-load on your coilovers, (you loosened the middle cuff, and adjusted the height by using the top cuff) spin the top cuff until the spring is loose, then re-tighten it, give it 1 full turn as soon as you feel some resistance on the coil, then lock it in place with the middle cuff.

This should give you some baseline, then take the car to a place that can corner weight and balance your coil-overs(you can't do this at home unless you have that $1500 car scale), as well as give you a full alignment after you have done so.

Hope this helps.

 

Where are you planning to get your alignment done.
We don't have the option for corner balance in New Orleans or from what I checked out.
I think the closest is in Houston.

 

Its getting a alignment at cadillac where i work.. But as far as corner balancing i have no idea where to bring it... I've searched and called everywhere..

 

take pictures of the problem, or where they claim its touching

 

how could this happen? something is very wrong with the install. mine is pretty damn low and never had uppercontrol arm conflicting with body.