markjh Posted April 16, 2006 Share Posted April 16, 2006 can you take a picture of the strut top for me? I can walk you through once I know what I am looking at. Yes, I can do that tomorrow, once the camera's battery is charged. Your help would be greatly appreciated! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boostjunkie Posted April 16, 2006 Share Posted April 16, 2006 I don't know about the KW's but on many other coilovers with top mounted adjuster knobs, the knob is removable and will then leave an Allen key hole, allowing the strut rod to be held in place while the lock nut is torqued down. Of course the easiest way to get the lock nut tight is to use an impact gun (air or electric). Those make it a snap. Quick and easy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markjh Posted April 16, 2006 Share Posted April 16, 2006 I don't know about the KW's but on many other coilovers with top mounted adjuster knobs, the knob is removable and will then leave an Allen key hole, allowing the strut rod to be held in place while the lock nut is torqued down. Of course the easiest way to get the lock nut tight is to use an impact gun (air or electric). Those make it a snap. Quick and easy. Yeah, we tried an electric impact wrench. It didn't really help at all, unfortunately. The piston shaft was still spinning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sutter2k Posted April 16, 2006 Share Posted April 16, 2006 patiently waiting for mine to arrive..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boostjunkie Posted April 16, 2006 Share Posted April 16, 2006 Yeah, we tried an electric impact wrench. It didn't really help at all, unfortunately. The piston shaft was still spinning. Huh... I've never had a problem using my air impact gun before. It will spin the shaft a bit, but it is tightening down the lock nut at the same time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markjh Posted April 16, 2006 Share Posted April 16, 2006 Huh... I've never had a problem using my air impact gun before. It will spin the shaft a bit, but it is tightening down the lock nut at the same time. Yes, we tried again with the impact wrench and while, as you mention, the shaft doen spin some, the nut does still tighten. So, we retightened each coilover and everything worked great. I think one of the fronts needs to be tightened a bit more, though, cause there is a slight clunking over some bumps. But nothing too serious. So, thanks for everyone's help and advice! On to a quick review, since my roommate and I just got back from a drive on one of our standard test driving roads... I have the rebound set to 1 turn from hardest. While the new coilovers are definitely firmer then the stock suspension (obviously), it's not jarring or harsh at all. Bump absorption is still very good. Even the larger bumps aren't too bad, though you'll definitely feel it more then stock. Body roll is tremendously reduced. Still a bit there, but that's fine. Understeer is greatly reduced. Under heavy throttle into a turn, you'll still get a bit of understeer, but not nearly as much as stock. Plus, it's much easier to get the car to rotate by modulating the steering and throttle. It'll take me a little while to really feel comfortable predicting exactly how everything goes, though. Unfortunately, I'm still on the RE92's, also, and with the new suspension, it'll be much easier to out-drive the tires. Hopefully I'll be able to wear them down a bit faster now Anyway, I need to get down to Easter dinner with some friends... So, Happy Easter everyone - and thanks for the help, again! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chappy Posted April 17, 2006 Author Share Posted April 17, 2006 markjh, where are the pics?!?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markjh Posted April 17, 2006 Share Posted April 17, 2006 markjh, where are the pics?!?! Patience, friend, patience. I hear it's a virtue Anyway, it's kinda crappy outside today, with intermittent downpours, so I'll have to see if it's decent out when I get off work. Or wait till another day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Th3Franz Posted May 11, 2006 Share Posted May 11, 2006 Any more updates? Can you comment on what it's like to adjust the rebound dampening with these? I'm curious about the stock tophats. Also, I assume these have clips for brake lines? -Franz The end of a Legacy http://www.youtube.com/th3franz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markjh Posted May 11, 2006 Share Posted May 11, 2006 Any more updates? Can you comment on what it's like to adjust the rebound dampening with these? I'm curious about the stock tophats. Also, I assume these have clips for brake lines? I haven't played with the rebound dampening a whole lot... but, I've tried 0.5 turns from hardest, 1.0 turns, and 1.5 turns. (These don't have "clicks" like other coilovers). I have mine set to 1.0 turns, which seems like the best compromise between feel and performance for me. 1.5 turns provides a noticeably smoother ride - over small bumps, it's getting pretty close to stock. 0.5 turns definitely provides a much firmer ride. I haven't played with the setting much more then that, though. Regardless, it never gets harsh, though over big bumps, you'll notice the new suspension. As for the tophats, what did you want to know? I haven't driven a car with pillowball mounts that I could compare to. As for noise/vibration (which was my biggest concern), it's identical to stock - there are no additional noises. And yes, there are brackets for the various brake lines and such. I would get some pictures up here (as I promised long ago), but the car's in desperate need of washing (first impressions are the most important and all), but it won't stop raining long enough around here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Th3Franz Posted May 11, 2006 Share Posted May 11, 2006 Do you use your stock tophats with these or how does that work? -Franz The end of a Legacy http://www.youtube.com/th3franz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markjh Posted May 12, 2006 Share Posted May 12, 2006 Do you use your stock tophats with these or how does that work? Yes, they do use the stock tophats. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Th3Franz Posted May 13, 2006 Share Posted May 13, 2006 So do these have a separate height adjustment, or do you adjust the height by adding pre-load? I'm lookin at them and only see the one perch to adjust for pre-load. -Franz The end of a Legacy http://www.youtube.com/th3franz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markjh Posted May 14, 2006 Share Posted May 14, 2006 So do these have a separate height adjustment, or do you adjust the height by adding pre-load? I'm lookin at them and only see the one perch to adjust for pre-load. They only have a preload adjustment. A separate height adjustment is one feature I would've liked in these coilovers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xenonk Posted May 14, 2006 Share Posted May 14, 2006 Many others have that feature, but the one thing that KW is good with is that they have very well balanced valving. Too bad they dont make a Variant 3 for the GTs. Keefe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Th3Franz Posted May 14, 2006 Share Posted May 14, 2006 Ok so if you barely run any pre-load, what ride height can be expected with the KW's? Similar to chappy's pictures? -Franz The end of a Legacy http://www.youtube.com/th3franz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markjh Posted May 14, 2006 Share Posted May 14, 2006 Ok so if you barely run any pre-load, what ride height can be expected with the KW's? Similar to chappy's pictures? umm... Well, there's roughly a 1.5 inch range of adjustability, from what I remember of the instructions that came with them (which are available as PDFs at their site, by the way). While it's hard to tell from the pictures without seeing it in person and comparing to my car, it looks to me like you could get it slightly higher then what chappy has, but not by much - maybe 0.5 - 0.75 inches or so. chappy may be a better person to answer that question Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markjh Posted May 14, 2006 Share Posted May 14, 2006 Many others have that feature, but the one thing that KW is good with is that they have very well balanced valving. Too bad they dont make a Variant 3 for the GTs. Yeah, you're right that many others do have that. But, extreme height adjustability was lower on the list of priorities for me. On the other hand, the KWs fit most of what I was looking for otherwise. And from all the user reviews I've seen online (here and elsewhere), they're definitely recommended. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SWortham Posted May 17, 2006 Share Posted May 17, 2006 The stainless steel sure is nice. I just made some height adjustments to mine tonight for the first time this year after winter. There was absolutely no corrosion or rust whatsoever... they were just dirty. So I cleaned the threads, lowered the adjustment collar all the way, cleaned the threads some more, then raised the collar to where I wanted it. It was so easy that I did by hand -- no need for the spanner wrench. You can compare that to coilovers with galvanized steel shock bodies which can last 2 or maybe 3 winters before they seize up and it becomes extremely difficult to make those adjustments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OhBe1 Posted May 26, 2006 Share Posted May 26, 2006 Soooo.... What happens if these are fitted to an Outback? Would it be possible they wouldnt lower more than a cm or 2? 06LOB2.5i MT, JDMRSB, GYTTs, HPS, LGT Mufflers & Leather Wheel, SubiMomo Knob, Inalfa Moonroof, Clutch Switch Bypass, DeDRLd, DeChimed, & Straight Headrest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RaceComp Engineering Posted May 26, 2006 Share Posted May 26, 2006 We are un sure of the fitment with the outbacks. It may work.. it may not. you can set ride height but I am not sure what will happen. You can always be the first to try -Kelly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OhBe1 Posted May 26, 2006 Share Posted May 26, 2006 ... While it's hard to tell from the pictures without seeing it in person and comparing to my car, it looks to me like you could get it slightly higher then what chappy has, but not by much - maybe 0.5 - 0.75 inches or so.... That probably answered my question - at max height, it'd still lower our LOB by at least 2". Which I think would make camber positive, and reduce rough-road capability. 06LOB2.5i MT, JDMRSB, GYTTs, HPS, LGT Mufflers & Leather Wheel, SubiMomo Knob, Inalfa Moonroof, Clutch Switch Bypass, DeDRLd, DeChimed, & Straight Headrest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icandy Posted October 3, 2006 Share Posted October 3, 2006 How do the KW Variant 2s compare to Tein Flexs. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mines Posted October 3, 2006 Share Posted October 3, 2006 variant 2 > tein flex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boostjunkie Posted October 3, 2006 Share Posted October 3, 2006 Owned them both. The KW's are a much better option for 95% of people out there. Vastly better ride, with 90% of the handling abilities. I have them available for the best price out there at $1495 shipped in the continental US. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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