Just installed KW Variant 3 coilovers

FireDan50

Got my KW V3s in the mail super quick from Frank at Modbargains.com. Awesome service and once again, fast shipping!

This was my first time working with any suspension components on a Z. Surprisingly it was all pretty easy and one of the easiest suspension installs I've ever done. One part I wasn't expecting was needing a spring compressor, because you need to reuse the OEM top supporting rubber bearing. I don't know how much spring tension is on the OEM suspension so I used a spring compressor to take off the top rubber OEM parts and then used them with the KW V3 coilovers. You need to do this with the front and the back.

I also used the suggested settings from KW (middle for rebound / 9 clicks open from max stiff) and 1 click open from max stiffness for bump. The rebound is adjusted from the top and the bump is adjusted from the bottom of the shock.

As for the height adjustment, i just set it to about the same height/length as the OEM stuff and it turned out pretty good. Drove the car a little bit and let it settle and it rests just how you see it in the pics below.

I had some difficulty tightening the top center nut in the front shocks. The nut seemed to spin the whole piston. I couldn't figure out how to stop the piston from spinning so I carefully used an impact wrench to get it secure without overtightening it; I hope I didn't screw anything up.

There seems to be a slight banging/clunking noise in the front when I go over bumps. It maybe nothing and I may be just paranoid, but it is a little louder than stock, but it drives and feels awesome. I'm going to let it settle for a day or so and then try to get it aligned...the rear seems to have just a little too much negative camber just by looking at it. I'll try to get straight on pics.

What is everyone else's experiences with coilover installs and noise from the front?

Ron

nice! how much did you lower it? do you still have space to go lower on both front and rear if you wanted to?

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FireDan50

I totally forgot to measure the original height before I started working :P So I have no clue how much I dropped it by but there is a little more space to go lower in back and front, but I am happy right now how it sits.

If I go any lower, I won't be able to park in my garage...already scraping a little bit of the exhaust pipe when I park :P

ZInferno0248

Looks good!

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edub370

i also had the banging and clunking in the front after i installed my swift springs. (i know its not kw coils) but... it turned out to be my sway bar wasn't torqued down all the way. causes a slight clunk when going over bumps.

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chops

howd your sway bar mount come loose when installing springs?

ModBargains

Looks good Dan! I'm glad I was able to help you out.

-Frank

Telephone

The drop looks great. Are you still hearing noise? Is it a smooth ride?

FireDan50

The ride is awesome. Absolutely no complaints about ride quality. Still have something clunking/banging around though. I messed with and checked the suspension while it was on a lift but still can't figure it out. I thought it was the exhaust pipes hitting something and adjusted it, but noise is still there!

Its not really loud or anything. I can hear it even when going very slow in first gear and going over a speed bump or any thing not level.

memorylasts

if it is in the rear on the passenger side i have it to, similar description... ive been meaning to check it just havnt had time.

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Mt Tam I am

I've had no banging. Jeffblue had a banging as I recall and it was a piece that was too small or short. They gave him correct piece and it worked fine.
I am too lazy to look it up for you.

I hope it will just settle out for you.

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chops

does it go away when the weather heats up? i have something similar and have never been able to figure out what it was. ive been living with it.

ResIpsa

I had the same problem after installing my Koni shocks (which one is leaking…but that is another thread). It turned out that the bolt holding the top of the shock was loose. Even though it seemed tight on my work bench, the weight of the car compresses the springs when installed resulting in a loose top nut and clunking.

Luckily for me, I was able to get a socket on the nut while in the car and it tightened up nicely. However, if you top nut is just spinning (and not tightening) you are going to need to pull them out to tighten them. And yes, it is very hard to tell how tight the top nut needs to be because you can’t use a standard torque wrench and hold the piston rod at the same time. You just need to proceed with a little trial and error.

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sig11

For him it was a rear spring that was too short for his height IIRC. He had BC ER coilovers though.

I had the same problem with my BC ERs. The top nut wasn't tight. I put a wrench on it while still on the car and solved the problem.

chops

interesting. ill have to give that a try later today. when i installed my kw's i threw the struts onto a vice (with a microfiber in between of course) and tightened the top lug as much as i could though