Leone RX suspension lowering

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Fri Jun 01, 2012 10:13 pm

likely a green or orange daub as well - wagon springs ...Jonno toddling off to Pedders to see if they have a set for FWD Leone rear coils lowered or std......

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Fri Jun 01, 2012 10:21 pm

Nope, 7249 spring for both FWD sedan and 4WD wagon, both with 8201 strut, shock for 84 -87 model wagons, later 87 - 94 wagons used different shock , #8202

Can that idea until you find a FWD sedans rear coil that is not same as the wagon

might be repeating self here with :

Pedders numbers and their measures

#8201 Pedders is 154mm, #8202 is 130mm, #8203 is 142mm

Gannon · Post by **Gannon** » Mon Jun 04, 2012 6:09 pm

Upon closer inspection, the springs had a pink and orange daub of paint on them

Apologies for the crappy phone and torch photo

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Mon Jun 04, 2012 6:30 pm

Defintely is pink ? not faded red ? thought my pink was maybe faded red too, yeah had a pair of those misfits too - still, station vagon springs they are, causing your bum to teeter way up high. Maybe cruize the NZ wrecker sites for a set of RX rear coils ??

Gannon · Post by **Gannon** » Mon Jun 04, 2012 6:50 pm

So RX springs in wagon struts will provide the same height as RX springs in RX struts?
What if I were to find a 4wd Royale sedan, where does it sit in this equation?

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Mon Jun 04, 2012 10:03 pm

Royale sedan is FWD sedan, so likely same as any FWD rear coils, sit same as RX rear springs but softer by 20 lbs ? is my guess....they were gonna be my first try but the RX springs turned up, one by one . I'm not saying if the RX rear springs on wagon struts will do the job, if your wagon struts specs match the pics I sent you - good bet anyway

Gannon · Post by **Gannon** » Tue Jun 05, 2012 6:18 am

Mmmmm, I'll hit Nev's dad up, he has a collection of springs in his shed

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Tue Jun 05, 2012 9:44 am

Too late, already been in there

Gannon · Post by **Gannon** » Tue Jun 05, 2012 5:46 pm

Ok I have just summarised some info from this thread, please correct me if any of it is incorrect

There are 3 different spring rates... which should correspond to 3 different spring thicknesses
160in/lb for FWD sedan..... 9.9mm thick
180in/lb for 4WD RX......... 10.5mm thick
197in/lb for 4WD wagon.... ?mm thick

There are 3 different spring lengths
130mm, 142mm and 154mm but both FWD and 4WD RX have same unsprung length, but 4WD wagon has a longer unsprung length, so that means there is another model in the mix

There are 3 different strut lengths (bottom mount to bottom of spring seat, so has no effect on spring tension)
130mm for 4WD wagon
150mm for ?
170mm for ?

So....... If I use FWD rear springs in wagon struts, im likely to get a soft ride with a marginly lower than standard RX rear (due to lower spring rate). If I shorten wagon springs to the length of sedan springs, I will get a very firm ride, marginly higher than a stock RX but likely too bouncy?

Id be happy with the former, as it appears my front with my standard EJ22 Liberty struts and springs gives very close to standard ride height, if need be I can try WRX or even standard Impreza springs to lower it a little more.

nncoolg · Post by **nncoolg** » Tue Jun 05, 2012 10:15 pm

Gannon, did you confirm you have the 130mm shocks? I dont know if the wheel-wells are different on the L sedans compared to the XT's but maybe you can flip the top shock mount? On the XT's you definately can't opposed to popular forum opinion, but maybe in the L's you can...

Another thing that can be done is aftermarket coil-over sleeves and springs, so you can adjust them, I dont know how your chosen engineer would feel about them though...

Gannon · Post by **Gannon** » Tue Jun 05, 2012 10:18 pm

Ive seen a photo of a flipped top mount in a wagon, but it involved cutting a piece of metal out of the body above it to accommodate the nut on the top of the shock

I have not yet confirmed the strut length I have. Will be the next thing I do

nncoolg · Post by **nncoolg** » Tue Jun 05, 2012 10:20 pm

I think it might be more than the nut aye, its more the large diameter rubber bush and its keeper that gets in the way...

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Tue Jun 05, 2012 10:36 pm

Gannon wrote:please correct me if any of it is incorrect

There are 3 different spring ??? tired lad - imagine coils 130 to 154mm tall

lengths
130mm, 142mm and 154mm but both FWD and 4WD RX have same unsprung length, but 4WD wagon has a longer unsprung length, so that means there is another model in the mix
I think the RX yellow blob coil was 310mm high unrestrained

There are 3 different strut lengths (bottom mount to bottom of spring seat, so has no effect on spring tension)
130mm for 4WD wagon
150mm for ?
170mm for ?

Subaru had three sizes, and Mr SomeBull has three sizes, other brands ~ KYB had 129mm

So....... If I use FWD rear springs in wagon struts, im likely to get a soft ride with a marginly lower than standard RX rear (due to lower spring rate). If I shorten wagon springs to the length of sedan springs, I will get a very firm ride, marginly higher than a stock RX but likely too bouncy? I tried cutting wagon springs for my Vortex, then they were loose and still not achieved desired resulting height

I'll give you message too short ........

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Tue Jun 05, 2012 10:39 pm

Have I missed something ? like measure the strut from spring base to its max reach as well as spring base to bottom mount hole ????

Gannon · Post by **Gannon** » Wed Jun 06, 2012 6:37 am

I had to read it a few times but now I get where I made a boo boo. Yeah they would be rather stout at only 130mm.

Have I missed something ? like measure the strut from spring base to its max reach as well as spring base to bottom mount hole ????

Problem is that the RX is 35kms on a dirt road away and the last 2 times I was there was after dark.

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Wed Jun 06, 2012 8:51 am

Yeah, and I bet it was getting C-C-COLD too .

Gannon · Post by **Gannon** » Wed Jun 06, 2012 7:15 pm

Ok i have been taken some measurements and some photos.
Bottom mount to bottom of spring seat- 125mm
Top of top spring mount to bottom of bottom spring mount - 260mm

Ill upload some photos shortly

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Wed Jun 06, 2012 9:33 pm

Well, you know you have the shortest spring seat to bottom mount hole centre strut so far discovered - Good start ! Now, all you need is to hope Bennie has rear coils in his FWD sedan hanging out the back - try them ?
What size were mine from the pics I emailed ??? 145mm ???

nncoolg · Post by **nncoolg** » Wed Jun 06, 2012 9:38 pm

Its possible they werent measured center of eye Jonno;)

Brumby Kid · Post by **Brumby Kid** » Wed Jun 06, 2012 9:53 pm

Haven't been following real closely. I understand why your doing but why?
Why are your springs/ struts at different heights?
Don't you have 4 struts the same size?

Cheers Cam