valver coilovers on willy

[lewis_willy2]

tomorrow i am going to fit my coilovers. i understand you need to elongate the holes to get the correct camber. but is it the hubs or the coilovers holes which need elongating?

i know i will find out tomorrow but i like to be prepared so it doesnt take me all day to do.

[lewis_willy2]

pics would great and whats the best way to do it?

using hand tools? may have access to a pillar drill?

[eternalife]

I'm sure the ones 'in the know' will post soon enough...

Although I would strongly advise against doing this DIY (unless you know exactly what you are doing). I couldn't trust myself doing it accurately with a pillar drill personally.
Would it be possible to sell the valver coilies and buying some Williams adjustabe coilovers ?

If the above is not possible - from memory its the top bolt hole on the strut (which connects to the hub) which will need elongating and you would need to use camber adjustment bolts with a correctly elongated hole. this would need extreme position (to the same tolerances used by manufacturers). Might be an idea to have a specialist (motorsport) company adjust the coilovers?

I would imagine if the hole is not made correctly it will be slightly dangerous and add vagueness to the car which negates the reason for fitting them really.

Personally, I would stick to the first suggestion of using williams adjustables/oem suspension. These will not negate any warranty the item may have and the item is 100% fit for purpose also, any safety issues due to yourself will be diminished - god forbid anything serious should occur with suspension thats been modified.

[MAXIBOY]

can use a smaller diameter bolt thats stronger to give adjustment...

problem is loads of coilovers are marked 16v/willy as there seems to be a lack of awareness around this issue..

just file the top hole on the strut leg until you get enough distance to correct the camber...thing is without the correct gauges you will not know where this is...

[Coops]

spirit level on across the flat hub of the disc on each side. mark the bubble position and replicate, good enough for me :lol: :wink:

[cliorod]

I have done this several times ~~ on various Renault models ~~ Gt 5 Turbo,16v Clio's
The trick is to do as MAXI suggests file the the top hole to elongate into a slot (carefully)

1) Mark it out using a scriber or very sharp pointed item.
2) It only wants to be approx half a hole bigger
3)Using a half round file ~~ work to the lines you have scribed on.
4) It is a bit "trial and error" until you get the correct camber
5)Put a thick washer on both sides of the bolt,refit the strut and wheel ~~ to check the camber,once set put a couple of tacks of weld on the washers ,ensure they penetrate to the strut.
6) Carefully MIG/TIG weld around both washer,ensuring they do not move.
7) The struts are perfectly set up with the correct camber.and will not move.Saves a fortune on "Camber correction bolts"
To make the job even more accurate job,get a local machine shop,to make you 4 by 3/4mm thick washers,with a hole size ,05mm (2 thou) bigger than the bolt,this should give you a nice fit,and allows a more accurate degree of setting

The DOWNSIDE of this method,once the washers are welded,then you are committed to the degree of Camber you have set,and CANNOT alter ~ unless you grind all the weld off.
So make sure you know how much camber you require ~~ On my rally car it is about :roll: :roll: a degree and half,I find the car very stable and it turns in ok
I do run 16" wheels and tyres.
If you need more info,please feel free to contact me,and I would be happy to "talk you through it"
Rod.

[summeh]

Good info that from rod...

Eternalife has mixed up two methods in his post :wink: You can either elongate the holes OR use camber correction bolts which are thinner but have a cam lobe on them.

Setting it up can be a pain in the arse, as you have to keep jacking up/dropping the car each time.

[lewis_willy2]

cheers for the info guys. gonna get to the workshop asap. shame about the weather. the washer and welding idea is spot on and is what im gonna go with.

[lewis_willy2]

it looks like someone has already had a go?

looks the wrong way round to me. thought the top needed elongating. unless these are originally williams shocks modded for a valver.

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a126/lewisredfern001/Photo053.jpg

[cliorod]

You can see were the washer wants to go,I would now weld the washers on ~~
Trust me the bolts will move in time unless it is securely located,once tightened up as described in previous post,The camber will stop set,ans allows to remove the strut as/when required.
Rod

[lewis_willy2]

ye but i thought it was the top hole which needs elongating. it seems the bottom has been done on these.

just tried undoing the top mounts!!! i wont be fitting them today thats for sure. gonna have to wait till the turbo is back and get it into the workshop and get a compressed air gun on them!