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BC Coilovers Query - What preload and height do you have?

Stevearcade

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Hello fellas,

I've taken the plunge and ordered some BC coilovers for the tourer (my OEM shocks are knackered!). I'm rather excited :D , but also a bit in the dark on preload settings and ride height. I've watched some videos and I'm pretty confident in adjusting them once they're fitted, but I'd like to set them up as close to what they need to be before handing them over to the mechanic.

The shop selling them recommended between 3-5mm preload, so I thought I'd set 4mm preload to start with, however was curious about what any of you guys might be running. I also have no idea what height to set as far as length between the upper and lower locking nuts (hopefully I've explained that right?).

Anyone running BC BR-range coilovers? If so, how much preload did you set and what length do you have between upper and lower locking nuts? If you can't remember exactly, a close estimate is fine. I'm just trying to get a better idea on things.

Cheers lads
 
The value you want is going to be the stactic sag (the change in travel from where the suspension's fully extended to where it sits when it's on its wheels properly.)

Fine adjustment's done through changing the preload, but it's mostly down to the weight of the spring.

Penny to a pound the spring rate will probably be wrong for a road application as most coil overs are, so really the preload value you apply becomes arbitrary.
 
Crikey Steve your having an expensive time at the minute what with the clutch as well!
Take it the standard shocks are leaking ?
 
The standard shocks aren't leaking (at least I don't think they are :lol:), they're just rattly and crashy and generally very bouncy. They're no longer doing their job at all. I was looking to replace the shocks, but found the shocks I was looking at (both Koni and/or Bilstein) seem to have gone up in price since I last looked (perhaps because of the falling sterling). It meant I was looking at excess of £500 for new shocks. I stumbled upon some discounted BC coilovers at DC Performance. The price difference was marginal, considering the gains of coil overs that include front camber adjustment and fully adjustable spring load, dampening and ride height, so I took the plunge.

At Christmas Santa brought me some spending money to put towards some new suspension parts anyway, so it's about time I got round to spending it ;)

As for the clutch. Whilst I'm pretty confident it's going to go, it's not gone yet. I'm taking it easy and keeping an eye out for another slip or two. As soon as I spot it getting worse, I'll act. But from my reading up and asking around, I'll be sticking with an OEM clutch, so it's pretty straight forward.
 
Steve I'm sure Tomas is running BC coil overs so might be worth having a chat
 
These have top camber adjustments, so some tweaks can be made from the top.
 
But, as Ukcl9 says, the hub is located by the upper and lower arms.
Changing the shock angle will have no effect.

If we had a mcpherson strut setup it would, utility the honda's a little more sophisticated.

Camber can only be changed by altering g the lengths of the control arms relative to each other.
 
Fair enough. It should come in handy should I look into camber upgrades in the future.
 
im using BC on my rx7 and its not bad but using only as im a trader with discount, on my CN2 im running on Tein Flex Z and i love them even went to nurbergring with it too and its done the job very well.
 
Yeah, these were discounted, I couldn't stretch to Teins with my budget. Especially on the tourer. It's generally harder to come by options for the Tourer and they tend to be more expensive than the saloon, frustratingly.
 
I have BC coilovers on mine. I ended up having mine set at 2mm preload to try and eradicate the banging noise from the nearside (front and rear).

Swopped the rear coilovers from nearside to offside....still banging there! Sent the nearside front and rear back to BC UK for checks...came back ok.

My car must be a frankenstein vehicle
 
Hmmm, strange. So are you still on BCs or have you changed to something else?
 
Stevearcade said:
Hmmm, strange. So are you still on BCs or have you changed to something else?

Still on BC's as there just a year old now. Not going to throw away the money on a new set!
 
Did you get to the bottom of the knocking? Is it still there since you've refitted them after they came back from BC?
 
Stevearcade said:
Did you get to the bottom of the knocking? Is it still there since you've refitted them after they came back from BC?
Ive had 4 different mechanics/companies check it out and no fault found. All the suspension arms are new (adjustable) and everything is mint underneath. Problem was still there when shocks came back from BC.

One of lifes little mysteries. Wont be buying BC again though as i still think the shockers are causing it (BC only test them on full soft and not different settings bizarrely)

Having said that when i swoppes the n/s/r shocker over to o/s.....noise still at n/s. But slight banging is now both rear which points to shockers. But BC have checked em :(
 
Did your mechanic fit them correctly? For the rear, is the shock and spring separate like on the tourer (i.e. not a coil over), meaning you retain the stock top rubber to use with the trailing arm?
 
If I'm not making myself clear here, see this video after about 7 minutes

[media]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XJLNLZMj2A&t=25s[/media]
 
No mate. Nothing like that video. All shock and spring are one. Mechanic fitted them correctly. Two of my mates are Mercedes-Benz technicians and both had removed and refitted them. (original fitment and when sent back to BC and then when we swopped sides)

Nothing to do with fitment and i spent £200 getting the ride height and pre load set and tracking done so all set up correctly.

I have gave up trying to find the issue and being frustrated. I just drive it and enjoy it now as i have done everything i can.
 
Have you tried them with moregards preload to check that it's not the spring banging g?
 
The springs were set at 5mm when BC sent them back to me. Still the same. I opted for 2mm preload for easier ride and to try and soften the banging.
 
Does the spring run close enough to the shock body that it could touch? Take it you've seen no witness marks?

Just seems odd. Plenty of clearance to the wheel as you've got 9.5's, and these reduce that gap over a plain shock absorber?
 
Im unsure what you mean? The spring and shocker are one unit and spring cant touch the shocker body.

The shocker DID hit the wheel as i was running over -4 camber but thats sorted now (donkeys set my car up remember)
 
My point is that a spring deflects in other directions as it moves. Just wondered if it could be coming into contact with something and making the noise.

If it has an internalike problem I find it difficult that it could be heard unless there was a catastrophic failure.

Whenot they came back, did you remove a spring, set then to full soft and see how they feel through the full range of motion.
 
Goodluckmonkey said:
My point is that a spring deflects in other directions as it moves. Just wondered if it could be coming into contact with something and making the noise.

If it has an internalike problem I find it difficult that it could be heard unless there was a catastrophic failure.

Whenot they came back, did you remove a spring, set then to full soft and see how they feel through the full range of motion.
The spring preload nut was tight so spring couldnt move about. I fitted them back on after BC themselves had tinkered with it. I just fitted them back on mate.

I have had the car off the road for too long getting this looked at and there are no obvious issues. Had to leave it at that as couldnt get an answer from BC.

FunkyPower even checked it out at their HQ and said suspension and arms seem fine. They did point to rear caliper slides worn which could cause banging. I changed them as they were worn but still the same.

End result. Weird
 
Got to be frustrating after everything that's gone into that car.
 
Goodluckmonkey said:
Got to be frustrating after everything that's gone into that car.
If i soften the shocks up the less banging so it aint that bad.....except that i prefer the suspension set to hard ;)

I can live with it!
 
Well, they've arrived and according to the instructions are preloaded, to between 2-3mm. I'll probably just leave them there for the moment and see how I find them. I won't be getting them fitted until nearer Easter. I've got my MOT at the end of the month and I've got self levelling headlamps! The self levelling system's not compatible with coil overs, so will be tinkering with that and just want to get the MOT sorted first, so I don't feel under pressure to bodge something quickly.

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Yeah, according to the instructions the top hat camber adjustment is fitted on "certain models" where relevant to the car... I understand now that the top camber isn't really relevant with the Honda setup, so I guess that's why they don't include the camber top plates. I don't mind they don't have top plates, as like you said, they wouldn't do anything if they were there.

On one hand, the listing on the website says it has top mounts, which is annoying as it's a Honda Accord specific listing (unless there's some small print I didn't notice - which there probably is!).

I'll drop them an email and point out the fact it's not clearly advertised on their site. Misleading even.
 
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