i am new to this site.. i am putting some ae86 rear coilovers into my ke70 liftback. i have a t series rear diff in the back, will i need to strengthen up where the coilover connects onto the diff and will anything else need making stronger? any help is much appreciated, thanks.

I would.

 

springs weren't designed to be mounted where the shocks are.

 

why you want to put in ae86 coilovers in? nothing wrong with a spring and shock combo.

why you want to put in ae86 coilovers in? nothing wrong with a spring and shock combo.

 

^This

 

A lot of modern cars have gone back to separate spring and shock setups in the rear so it can't be that bad.

Edited July 19, 201511 yr by rian

You could gusset the shock mount on the diff and plate the top mount area in the boot.

 

...or you could leave it like it is and see what happens! Maybe its fine just as they produced it, PROVIDING you don't lower the car enough to bottom out!

 

Bottom out hard in a bump & I'd say you could knock the shock mount clean off the diff, although rally cars have ripped the top mount out of the boot before now.

i got rear coilovers for free and my car currently has factory shocks and cutties in it so thought i would change them over instead of spending more money on it. would it be better to just buy some decent shocks and springs instead of coilovers?

Edited July 20, 201511 yr by george_rolla

What coiloves are they?

 

And what advantage do you hope to get frim running coiloves over shock and spring?

 

I'd Sell coiloves and use cash to buy some springs and some decent shocks. Find a second hand set of springs around the 4kg mark and then get a pair of excel g kyb 343113 commodore shocks for $150 brand new.

And what advantage do you hope to get frim running coiloves over shock and spring?

 

The spring rates and shock rates can be copied into the stock setup, so you can have the same result with either system. The coilover spring will be softer to match the stock one. The coil-over is fractionally more efficient with the coil and shock mounted in the same place, but I reckon you'd never notice the difference.

 

However coilovers let you change the ride height by winding the base up and down, and I'd say that's the main advantage. Thinking about it for the rally car....

i have D2 coilovers. i just want it so height is adjustable in back and so i can make it a lot lower than it is

Well, put the car on stands and take out the shocks and springs. That's only half an hour. Put in the coilovers without their springs on and jack the diff right up. See if the diff hits the bumpstops before the coilovers bottom out.

 

If that happens then you won't bottom the coilovers out when driving and it should be fine to use them. If the coilovers bottom out first then its not going to work, you'll bend a shock shaft or punch them up through the boot floor, or rip the shock mount off the diff... It may be fine for the times you're in it by yourself, but the day you have three mates in, or someone asks you to deliver a heavy load in the boot... then it will all fall apart!

 

The AE86 guys use them all the time. They should just bolt sraight on, but I'd check that they won't crash out if I were you.

Have a really good look at the structure of the front strut tower of your car, then have a really good look at the structure around the top of the rear shock absorber mount and make your own mind up as to whether or not it is a good idea.

AJPS will sell you and adjustable spring/perch combo so you can retain the original setup but have adjustable height.