1989 Vortex 4WD Turbo Rear Struts

[attitudeaudio]

Ok guys,
I have read through this forum as much as I can and cannot locate an answer to this dilema.
I am lowering the Vortex.
I already have Monroe Lowered Struts, and Super-Low king springs in front, which eaqual a nice low ride at the front.
The back is a different story.

I have (oops!) cut about 3 ibches of coil from the back spring to get the height I want (just to experiment), and will get some made by K-Mac to replace my cut ones.

The strut however is too long to handle the shortened spring, and I need to find an alternative. I do not care what brand, just an equivalent fitting (or close to it), as every shop I ask says the same damn thing, and they do not have the time to manually match one up.

So, excluding the L-series struts (which fit, but are too long), and the XT6, are there any others?

Many thanks.

[Gannon]

The 2wd leone sedan,.. maybe.

[Suby Wan Kenobi]

I think what you will have to do there is take you current rear shock along to an auto retailer or a walk through Wreckers and find a shock with similar dimensions. Try also to find it from a similar weight car as that may resolve some dampening issues. Once you have located the required shorter shock machine up a lock collar to act as the lower spring platform. I know it seems a hell of a alot of doing but you may also find listings on a manufactures website.

A while ago there was a listing for a shortened shock for lowering an earlier MY series using a toy##a shock but i dont recall a part number being available for your needs. I am lowering my RX and will use Vortex rears to do the job which in my application will work.

[discopotato03]

Oops . Sorry guys but cutting springs is one of the worst things you can do to lower a car .

When you cut coils from a spring its rate goes up because the effective length of the spring steel is less . When your suspension is at full droop the spring seats mustr trap the spring or it can jump out at full droop meaning it can't support the car . Nasties like spring out of place can tear the sidewall from tyre/tear brake hoses/drop the car on the wheel locking it up and who knows where you'll stop .

The FIRST thing you have to have is a damper (shock absorber) that doesn't extend as far as the std one does . This then means it can retain the spring between the seats with a shorter spring . Then you can get shorter free length springs and know they won't slip out of place .
Its also a good idea to find out the factory std springs rate so that you can have some idea of where to go if you car doesn't handle the way you want it to . Generally most people use a higher rate spring in lowered cars because there is then less upwards suspensioin travel and you need the springs to resist downward acceleration of the cars unsprung mass - that is unless you like it bottoming out and slamming into the bump stops .

Rant aside can you please tell me the spring wire diametre of those std rear springs and the number of turns please . I don't have a factory workshop manual for the AWD Turbo Vortex and I understand that its spring rates and rear anti roll bar are different to the RX turbo sedans - I think the non turbo AWD Vortex is same though . If anyone can tell me what they are (Turbo AWD Vortex) I'd appreciate it .

Cheers Adrian .

[attitudeaudio]

Yeah, I understand the nasties with cutting the springs, and I do not wish to drive on them. It is just because I needed the measurements of how low I wanted it, and how much suspension travel I needed to hold the new ones.
With the normal vortex sturt, and spring, the front is so low, you practically have to stop before driving over a speed hump, because if you are still braking when you hit it, the front bar scrapes.

So far, I have found a replacement strut that "should" fit.
A Mazda Miata (MX5) 1990-1997 rear.
Same mounts top/bottom, and almost 2.5 Inches lower at most travel, and just over 1 inch at full compression. (It is a start anyway).

When I get the spring out to get replaced, I shall let you know details.

[Gannon]

Pictures tell a thousand words,... i wanna see this low riding vortex

[attitudeaudio]

There are a few pictures in the Members Rides area.
But not with the back lowered yet.

[attitudeaudio]

Ok, so I got my hands on a set of rear coilovers from the Mazda MX5 Roadster, like I was planning.
The bottom was fine, the height was great (looking at the shocks themselves).
My problem....
The vortex strut assembly has a coil cap, and a top mount, and both are seperate units.
The Mazda strut assembly has the coil cap, and top mount joined together.
The coil diameter of the Mazda was a bit larger than the vortex (around 10-20mm), so I could not use the vortex cap.
I was not in the financial situation to "chop" the mazda cap/top apart to fully test it, but looked promising.
I will have to see if the adjustable ones have seperate pieces.

Just an update... thats all.

Ciao for now.

[steptoe]

Never found this when I was struggling last year - wonder how it is going five years on with attitudeaudios bottom drop. Thought it may be Gannon useful , like make yer own spring seat and cap to suit the desired (Honda) spring