[Don L.]

Hey All:

I've been autoxing my MK2 for several years with the BMW E36 Koni Sports in the rear. Very good shock, but I've always missed the ability to adjust the shocks at the track. So after looking for something of comparable dimensions (the BMW shock is a bit long), I found that a rear shock for a Isuzu Trooper II '87-'91 4WD fits our cars. I mounted a pair of Rancho RX9000x 9 way adjustables today. They come with red urethane bushings for the top stem, the lower eyelet has urethane bushing with center hole that fits our lower shock mount perfectly. The ride is very good, I haven't tried autoxing yet, but hope to in next few weeks. I did notice that the compression of the Rancho is slightly softer than the Koni, but the rebound is adjustable to VERY firm. I got mine from Summit Racing. They have a buy 3 get 1 free on Ranchos. So I have 2 extra new units. Can sell for $130/pair shipped. Anyone interested let me know. BTW, Rancho part# is RS99179. 14" compressed, 22.3" extended.

My other thought was with all the potential of CNC machining of aluminum, we could make a spacer for the inside bottom of the strut housing, allowing us to run Tokico Illuminas in our cars from a 1st gen MR2 rear. I cut my strut housings to use the MR2 struts for a while, but without shortening the strut housing, it shouldn't cost too much for an approx 2" solid cylindrical spacer, with shape so it sits well in bottom of housing, and bottom of strut insert plants well. It should be a good fit to the inside diameter of the strut housing so no lateral movement. Any thoughts ? I know the travel will be less, but hey, get stiffer springs and set the struts firm

My brain drain for the day.

Don L.
(pm me if anyone interested in taking 2 Ranchos off me)

 

[Don L.]

Hey, if TTT makes those strut housing spacers AND they fit our strut tubes properly, that's awesome. Would need to get specs on those spacers, use a set of accurate calipers to measure the inner diameter of our strut tubes (in case different than AE86), and then carefully calculate the height needed of the spacers. I think this would be a cost effective way of getting a Tokico Illumina into the front ends. Maybe someone can give it a try and report. William, you got some spare susp parts now right? (sorry, sensitive topic). Maybe take apart a front strut, measure, compare to the MR2 rear struts.

Don L.

 

[Don L.]

Christian:

The AE86 strut inserts sound like a good option in the MK2 fronts. Also, it makes the TTT strut housing spacers sound like a good fit if someone needs to fit shorter strut inserts into a MK2 housing.

I originally looked for KYB AGX adjustable shocks for the rears and the KYB tech person suggested their part# 743019 for the '82-'92 Camaro/Firebird rears, or part# 743020 for '87-'93 Mustang rears. Problem with both of these is the extended length is only 20.2" and compressed length is 12.13". Too short. Especially for fairly stock height cars or Eibachs, drop into a hole and the shock may run out of extended travel. On my lowered Supra, the lower shock mount to upper shock mount distance is about 18". Others are probably riding higher. The Rancho RS9000 shocks are 22.3" extended, 14" compressed. A nicer fit.
Yeah, its a truck shock, but I run a LSD from Detroit Locker fame too

Lets all keep looking for good options

Don L.

 

[Don L.]

Jay,

Initial feeling on the Ranchos (rears) is that they are adjustable only on rebound. Compression is not adjustable (most single adjustable shocks are this way). Frankly, the compression on the Ranchos is a bit softer than the Konis I was using from a E36 BMW. But the rebound has a very nice range of adjustment. As I recall, drag launch you WANT a soft rear on compression to squat and develop traction ? These might be good for that. Ride on the street is very comfortable. I will try them on the autox this weekend. I wish I had another set of rear shocks to compare the Ranchos to in compression. Maybe Ray Fong and I should get together ?
Hey Ray, you out there ? Autox at Candlestick this Saturday, you're done with finals right ?

Don L.

 

[Don L.]

Thanks Christian !

Getting together is always the difficult thing. You are in the North Bay ?

If you want to come by Candlestick this Saturday, I'll be there and can bring one of my Konis and Ranchos.

Don L.

 

[Don L.]

Ray,

Yeah, would be good to get together and share some ideas and specs.
Christian is an excellent resource for more than I can imagine.

Not sure when the next autox locally that I can attend, but I live in Fremont and we can always meet at my house, or a shop if you have access.

Appreciate all you work.

Don L.

 

[Don L.]

Jay,

good point about some shocks make the car look lower in rear. The Ranchos I just put on are not gas pressured, but the Konis I took off were low gas pressured. The rear of my car seems to have settled almost 1/2" lower now. I'm going to shim the rear higher by using some poly hose from hardward store on top and bottom coils of my rear springs. This is my ghetto way of fine tuning the height

Don L.
(wishing the the spendy double adjustable shocks)

 

[Don L.]

Jay,

Thanks, I'll try a few different things to raise the rear 1/2" first, then think about bump stops. I didn't want bump stops originally with the konis because I was concerned about the sudden increase in shock resistance when the bump stop is contacted. My springs in rear are fairly stiff, maybe good enough.

Don L.

 

[Don L.]

Jay,

The yellow koni sports I've run for the past 3+ years. Single adjustable for rebound only, but the compression setting is stiffer than the Ranchos I just got. My rear springs are approx 300 lbs, so the ride is pretty firm anyway, but with the Konis or Ranchos the ride is fine, unless I hit a pretty big bump at freeway speeds. Rear springs are non-progressive and is prob the reason I get no squat on acceleration. The konis definitely helped with that too. Everyone keeps saying the stock rear springs are best for drag racing, and I don't dispute that. At stock height the rear camber is better, and you get more squat. I don't drag race so I prefer my car not to shift lots of weight front to back on take offs.
My guess is that with stock springs in rear, or even the Eibachs, the Konis will be ok for launching but still a bit too stiff. That's just a wild guess on my part though. Think about the Ranchos. Made for rear of a Isuzu Trooper. Compression is softer than I would have guessed. The rebound adjusts till you really can't extend the shock. Set full soft, it prob would give a great ride.

Don L.

 

[Don L.]

I'm not sure of the stock spring rates, but I think Eibachs are approx
175 lbs/in in rears and 250 lbs in front. Not positive, and not sure where to look it up, but that's just my estimate. Makes sense if you have a built motor, drag slicks, you car would squat in rear much more than mine (little ole built 5mge). I'll defer the drag race rear susp tips to others.

Also, if you are going to try the hose on the coil spring ends to raise the rear of the car, I'd suggest not the rubber hose, but the clear plastic stuff. Wears a bit longer but still after 2 years need replacing. At least its cheap.

Don L.

 

[Don L.]

Hi Ray:

Did Koni mention if the Motorsports inserts they suggested was the 8610 single adjustable ? I have this in my fronts, with the shortened strut housing. The length of the strut insert body is 330mm, max stroke length of 550mm, minimum of 451mm. Total stroke length is 151mm. This has been a great strut insert for my autocrossing. I think the limited amount stroke is a detriment on the street. Their 8611 double adjustable strut insert had me excited for a bit, length looked close to stock dimensions but then realized the adjustment for the compression is at bottom of the insert. Not too possible for our cars.

I was quite pleased with the performance of the Rancho RS9000 in the rears at yesterdays autocross. Because of the bumpy course, I started at the setting 3, and by my third run was at softest setting (at setting 1). Left it there for drive home, not a bad ride.

Don L.