Supension Help Needed ASAP

I'm looking at the directions from Ground Control to install the lower spring seat on the strut housing, but I'm not clear on something. The picture shows the seat being welded 3 inches from the "top" of the strut housing. Am I supposed to cut the strut housing at the weld to the stock seat or just remove the stock seat, leaving the top of the strut housing where it is as stock? I was under the impression that I needed to cut straight across the housing at the weld of the stock spring seat to shorten the strut housing. However, if I do that, how does the strut top nut screw into the top of the housing? The strut wouldn't seem to work unless its connected to the strut housing. The directions don't say that I need to rethread the top of the housing.

Please help. I had been set to have this welded tomorrow, but now I'm not sure how to cut the damn thing.

After further analysis, I think the correct thing is to cut the housing. The strut nut is self tapping. That, I assume, is why zracer22 said to have straight cuts. Without a straight cut, I won't be able to thread the nut straight into the housing.

Although the Koni's came with spacers for the bottom of the housing, these seem to be for street use with stock strut housings.

Ray
I cut the stock spring perch off of the strut. I left the weld for the perch on the strut. Then slide the new perch(the perch that the threaded sleeve rests on)onto the strut. You will need to grind the original perch weld so that the new perch sets squarely on it. As far as cutting the strut, you will need to cut an inch out of the housing between the threads at the top and the weld. I cut mine about an inch below the threads. After you have the inch cut out, your ready to weld. Weldthe perch on first. Make sure the flat edge is out. If it is on the wrong way, a 225/50 14 tire will rub against it. After the perch is welded, weld the top of the strut back on. Don't worry about making a pretty weld, just make a strong weld. Grind down the weld so the sleeve slides over it and you are done.
What would make this easy, would be to cut the inch off the top of the strut and then have threads cut into the strut, but I couldn't find anyone that could do that.
My method worked great for me, 10 races last year with no problems. If you want to talk about it, give me yor email address and I will send you my phone number.

Don't cut the threads off. Also, the spacers will be used. They seat the shock in the base of the strut.

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Originally posted by E30 Ray:
After further analysis, I think the correct thing is to cut the housing. The strut nut is self tapping. That, I assume, is why zracer22 said to have straight cuts. Without a straight cut, I won't be able to thread the nut straight into the housing.
use with stock strut housings.

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Straight cuts are needed because you are cutting a section out of the middle and the welding it back together. If the cuts aren't straight, the strut housing wont be straight either.

So your spring perch is at the same location as the stock perch, but you've taken an inch out of the strut housing above the spring perch. Your ride height is lowered only by the shorter springs.

It looks like removing the stock perch and grinding the welds would be a pain. Can't I cut the housing at the weld, remove the stock spring perch, weld the new perch just below the stock weld (maybe a half inch), then weld the housing top back on (less an inch) above the new perch. It would seem to give the same result without grinding off the old weld. The new perch would sit lower, but the adjustable mounts can compensate for the difference. The trick is to remove the correct amount of strut housing so that the shock mounts in the housing correctly.

However, it sure does look like the new Koni's will fit in the housing tube with the cut made at the old weld, no spacer in the bottom of the tube and re-thread the cut off tube with the strut tube nut (I'm not sure what flat nut that goes into the end of the tube is called). The Koni pictorial directions seem to imply that its a self threading nut.

My e-mail address is [email protected]

All is well. The parts are cut and ready to be welded. zracer22 thanks for your help.

Ray,
Good luck with the rest of it. Where do you plan on racing this year? It would be nice to hook up with some other E30 racers at the track. I will be racing all the Mid-Ohio races, the Steel City race at Nelsons in May, the Sept race at Beaverun and I might try to get to VIR, Summit or the Glen.