Coilovers on KE35 Struts

[Brad-KE35]

Hey guys,

Recently sent my KE35 struts away to get some coilovers fitted to them, now I assumed they were 2 inch, but it turns out they are 1 and 3 quarter inch. I can get coilovers to fit them, but the shock is a different story, apparently I can't get 1 and 3 quarter inch shocks that are cheap, I can get Bilsteins but that would cost $2000 is what I got told.

I can get normal stroke shocks in them, would that make my ride noticeably worse?

If I had of known this, I would of used XT corona struts. But here is the catch, I got Hopper Stoppers big brake kit to suit my KE35 struts. I rang them to see if that and the XT Corona struts would be the same, apparently not, I assumed this.

So I just wanna know if I have normal stroke shocks would it make a noticably big difference?

Brad

[Smokey228]

If you can get a decent shock, then it wont matter if its short stroke or not, but if the shock bottoms out or doesnt fit inside the tube, then you'll run into problems!

Worse case scenario, you can use the xt130 strut and make a plate to adapt your new hopper brakes.., Or sell, and replace at a small loss? Depends how anal you wanna do things...

Though im sure you'll find something for your 1 3/4" strut. There are alot of things out there and custom bilstiens can be had for around 800$ last time i enquired... I'd say no more then 1k atm for the pair..?

Hunt google, surely something american will have a similar sized strut, or like a clubman strut or a jap something etc etc..???

Cheers,
Jase

[oldcorollas]

at worst you could get the bilstein kiddies to revalve some adjutsable Koni reds or something.
2K might be full set of bilsteins...

[YLD-16L]

I've got the Bilstiens in mine Brad and they revalved them to suit the car. Just for a front set should be around the price Jase mentioned, certainly not $2k for just fronts. All four of mine were around that $2k price.

[Rex_Kelway]

How low do you want to go?

Its not ideal but as long as you set yourself a target that maintains a reasonable amount of compression stroke (depends on the cars usage). You will need stiff enough springs to keep it from bottoming out and you will have a condition where the spring comes 'un-captive' due to a stroke ratio favouring excessive extension stroke. A set of tenders/helper/sacrificial springs will help alleviate this to a point.

Again not ideal, but Needs muster, the Devil drives...

Have a look at Tokico (if still available) and KYB. Tokico definately had a few narrow ones. Rex used Illumina's in His AW11, the fronts were narrow, rear were the normal 2inch.

[Cuzzo]

shoulda used xt130 struts

disc's setup for the ke30 strut wont fit on the xt130. The stub axel is larger on the xt

[Brad-KE35]

Thanks for the replys guys.

Dave is doing them for me at AJPS, I will give him another ring and ask him what other options I have. He originally told me its normal stroke shocks and Bilsteins.

What does revalved mean?

Rex, I don't want to go too low. I have 2 inch lowering springs in the front of it before, and that was pretty good height.

Thanks for all your replys guys.

[Brad-KE35]

Adam, yeah I thought so.

Bummer I didn't even think of that when I bought the brakes.

[oldcorollas]

they change the shims etc in the valves, to change how much bump and rebound force the shock does..

good luck

oh are KE20 same as KE30 shocks?

[Brad-KE35]

So what about if I get normal stroke shocks, and some helper springs?

Would that work?

Thanks lads,

Brad

[oldcorollas]

as mentioned, the variables are:

how much bump (does it bottom out? need shorter rods)
how much rebound (do springs become uncaptive, need helper springs)

short stroke shocks are for situations where you have hard springs and don't nee dmuch suspension travel.
iirc, the HTS102 tokico short strokes are 100mm full stroke, which gives you like 6cm bump and 4cm rebound... whereas normal is 15cm stroke....??

i have some KE20 koni reds at home, i can measure the vitals if you want?

edit: Bilsteins really are quite good. being able to get them rebuilt, and get them adjusted and revalved to suit your car as you progressis a good thing. since you have big brakes for that strut, it seems more of a long term thing so the adjustability (in terms of getting revalved) is likely a good thing.

call these guys.. i think it is them that do it in sydney
http://www.heasmans.com.au/
and their dedicated site
http://www.bilstein.com.au/

[Brad-KE35]

Yeah true.

I don't exactly know what Dave was going to give me, I think they were 6KG springs. KE20 Struts are different to KE30 AFAIK OC.

I will give Dave a call and have a yarn to him about these options.

Thanks heaps OC.

Brad

[oldcorollas]

you have KE30 shock inserts lying around to measure?
i know KE10 are only 1" longer in the body than KE10 and i was under the impression KE20 and KE30 were same.

http://www.rollaclub.com/board/?showtopic=19771

[Brad-KE35]

Yeah I do, I'm going home in halfa so I will measure them then.

I just rang Heasman Steering, they said they would have to be custom made and they would cost around $1000.

Tried calling Dave. Couldn't get a hold of him.

Will get you those measurements OC.

Thanks dude.

Brad

[Brad-KE35]

OC Got the measurements, length ways its 390mm. width is 35mm.

Brad