Joe's NA6

broady · Postby **broady** » Thu Aug 26, 2010 4:06 pm

yep, torque wrenches aren't really designed to undo bolts

track_addict · Postby **track_addict** » Thu Aug 26, 2010 8:19 pm

Agree with Broady. Using them like this can send them out of calibration as well. Atleast you got some where with it.

Jeo · Postby **Jeo** » Thu Aug 26, 2010 10:08 pm

Ahh, did not know that (obviously :oops:

).

New socket first thing Saturday morning and I'll try again with just the breaker bar and the ratchet then.

track_addict · Postby **track_addict** » Fri Aug 27, 2010 2:37 pm

Careful with a ratchet, ive broken a few using them as a breaker bar

. Breaker bar and a mighty pole seems to deal with decently tight bolts. Soak it in WD-40/RP-7 as well. I forget what its called but there's a special white grease that you can buy, chuck it on the stuff your putting together and it'll come apart easy as next time you pull it apart. I figure if its good enough to use on aircraft its perfect for cars

.

bruce · Postby **bruce** » Fri Aug 27, 2010 3:29 pm

Anti-seize grease.

Jeo · Postby **Jeo** » Fri Aug 27, 2010 3:56 pm

I broke a 3/8 drive 17mm socket the other night.

Got off work early today so came home to have a crack at it again. Stopped off and bought another 3/8 drive 17mm socket. Broke that. Went back and bought a 1/2 drive socket set (had been looking for an excuse for one of these for a while) and some WD40. Let is soak for about half an hour while I made lunch. Hit it with the 1/2 drive breaker bar and while you still wouldn't consider it easy, it came out.

Both front corners done, rear passenger done, rear drivers is half out.
Just need the bolt that holds the bottom of the shock out, then to put the last coilover in. Yay!

track_addict · Postby **track_addict** » Fri Aug 27, 2010 6:00 pm

Yeah you've gotta use beefy stuff on the important bolts. Glad to here you got them off. Try find some of that anti sieze grease incase you need to rip it apart again. Works wonders.

Jeo · Postby **Jeo** » Fri Aug 27, 2010 6:04 pm

And they're in!

Quick drive around the block to make sure all was well. About to go out for the evening so will have to finalise the height tomorrow, not particularly even at the moment.

Jeo · Postby **Jeo** » Mon Aug 30, 2010 5:46 pm

Haven't touched it since Friday so the height is still well uneven. Will get that finalised this week as I've got an alignment booked in on Wednesday.

Mr nanotech · Postby **Mr nanotech** » Tue Aug 31, 2010 4:25 pm

Are these easy to adjust the height on? I've always wondered with coilovers, how do you know you are lowering them evenly the whole way around?

charlie_91 · Postby **charlie_91** » Tue Aug 31, 2010 4:56 pm

yeh there easy as to lower.. to make it evenly just have a tape measure and it should work out fine if u know simple maths

Lokiel · Postby **Lokiel** » Tue Aug 31, 2010 6:25 pm

nanotech wrote:Are these easy to adjust the height on? I've always wondered with coilovers, how do you know you are lowering them evenly the whole way around?

The BR series are "easy" to adjust height:

1. Jack the car up on one side (driver or passenger side)
2. Loosen the lower ring lock of each coilover
3. Screw the coilover upper ring lock to the desired height (up or down)
4. Tighten the lower ring locks
5. Lower the car to the ground so that the jack is no longer supporting the car - this is the "settling height" of the car on the springs
6. Measure how much you'd like to adjust the height by
7. Repeat 1
8. Measure the distance between the upper and lower coil ring locks, you need to adjust this by the amount measured in step 6
9. Repeat 2-4 until the distance measured in step 6 is achieved
10. Measure the front and rear coilover ring distances
11. Copy the measured distances to the other side of the car
12. Lower the car and you're off (to get a wheel balance)

Keep in mind that the MX5 should by 0.5" higher in the rear than the front for best handling according to Keith Tanner from Flyin' Miata ( See http://forum.miata.net/vb/showthread.php?p=4674848 post #321 )

I added the BC Racing BR series coilovers a couple of weeks ago to my car and am very happy with them now they're installed.

Jeo · Postby **Jeo** » Thu Sep 02, 2010 5:00 pm

As above, they are simple to adjust (like all coilovers I'd assume).

Also had to cancel the alignment as I really wasn't up to driving in my incredibly sickly/drugged state. Withdrew my entry to the track day on Sunday too

broady · Postby **broady** » Thu Sep 02, 2010 8:34 pm

nanotech wrote:Are these easy to adjust the height on? I've always wondered with coilovers, how do you know you are lowering them evenly the whole way around?

The proper way is to get the car corner weighted

Guran · Postby **Guran** » Thu Sep 02, 2010 9:45 pm

broady wrote:
nanotech wrote:Are these easy to adjust the height on? I've always wondered with coilovers, how do you know you are lowering them evenly the whole way around?

The proper way is to get the car corner weighted

Yep but that's only necessary if you're doing serious track stuff. Or if you like the look of uneven wheel/body clearances. :wink: