So I was thinking about modifying my stock struts to handle the lowering springs I just installed. I was thinking about putting spacers on the top of the strut to extend the strut back out to where it would be with the stock springs. This way the strut will be operating at its normal absorbing movements. I will give it a try tomorrow and let you all know how it went.


02 Cavalier Z24- Free CAI I made, magnaflow muffler
02 Trans am ws6 - Pace setter long tube headers, off road y-pipe,magnaflow exhaust, slp lid, bored polished throttle body, throttle body by pass, some other free mods, jegster lower control arms. best ET 12.7@112mph Heads/Cam in future

If you like your hood be very careful with the front ones. They will punch a hole in it pretty quick if the strut shaft sticks up too high. Another issue is that the springs you put on likely have different spring rate than the stock ones the that will screw with the struts no matter what you do with the shaft.

In my personal opinion you should save yourself the trouble and put proper struts on.

Thanks sleepy for your input. I know that the spring rate would probably be an issue! I just dont have the cheddar right now to buy struts, I might buy them soon though.


02 Cavalier Z24- Free CAI I made, magnaflow muffler
02 Trans am ws6 - Pace setter long tube headers, off road y-pipe,magnaflow exhaust, slp lid, bored polished throttle body, throttle body by pass, some other free mods, jegster lower control arms. best ET 12.7@112mph Heads/Cam in future

Joahua Cole wrote:Thanks sleepy for your input. I know that the spring rate would probably be an issue! I just dont have the cheddar right now to buy struts, I might buy them soon though.

then you dont have the cheddar to do the job, which requires you to get the car aligned after installing your stuff. just wait it out, do it once, and do it right.



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Rich Grayo Jr. wrote:

Joahua Cole wrote:Thanks sleepy for your input. I know that the spring rate would probably be an issue! I just dont have the cheddar right now to buy struts, I might buy them soon though.

then you dont have the cheddar to do the job, which requires you to get the car aligned after installing your stuff. just wait it out, do it once, and do it right.

this is the 100% correct answer

EVOFire {DesertTuners} wrote:

Rich Grayo Jr. wrote:

Joahua Cole wrote:Thanks sleepy for your input. I know that the spring rate would probably be an issue! I just dont have the cheddar right now to buy struts, I might buy them soon though.

then you dont have the cheddar to do the job, which requires you to get the car aligned after installing your stuff. just wait it out, do it once, and do it right.

this is the 100% correct answer

X3.

Do it right, or don't do it at all. People really need to get it through their head that you don't just get by with a cheap way of lowering your car. It's something you don't compromise on.

Even if you modified them to compensate for the change in travel range, you can't do anything to improve the valving. If you can, start a business doing this. You'll have all the cheddar you want.

Yea I failed on lowering my car lol. I already lowered it and got it aligned. Just have not purchased shocks and was plan on doing so but 500 bucks is a ton of money to throw into my cavy, no offence.


02 Cavalier Z24- Free CAI I made, magnaflow muffler
02 Trans am ws6 - Pace setter long tube headers, off road y-pipe,magnaflow exhaust, slp lid, bored polished throttle body, throttle body by pass, some other free mods, jegster lower control arms. best ET 12.7@112mph Heads/Cam in future

Its my own fault for not doing to research of how much everything would be an such.


02 Cavalier Z24- Free CAI I made, magnaflow muffler
02 Trans am ws6 - Pace setter long tube headers, off road y-pipe,magnaflow exhaust, slp lid, bored polished throttle body, throttle body by pass, some other free mods, jegster lower control arms. best ET 12.7@112mph Heads/Cam in future

Joahua Cole wrote:Yea I failed on lowering my car lol. I already lowered it and got it aligned. Just have not purchased shocks and was plan on doing so but 500 bucks is a ton of money to throw into my cavy, no offence.

$500, on one of the most important parts, of a daily driven car, that will last the life of the car? yeah, you're right. thats alot of money.



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Rich Grayo Jr. wrote:

Joahua Cole wrote:Yea I failed on lowering my car lol. I already lowered it and got it aligned. Just have not purchased shocks and was plan on doing so but 500 bucks is a ton of money to throw into my cavy, no offence.

$500, on one of the most important parts, of a daily driven car, that will last the life of the car? yeah, you're right. thats alot of money.

You have a valid point but I cant con myself into paying 500 for parts for a car that is worth 2500 I would rather put that money to my trans am lol


02 Cavalier Z24- Free CAI I made, magnaflow muffler
02 Trans am ws6 - Pace setter long tube headers, off road y-pipe,magnaflow exhaust, slp lid, bored polished throttle body, throttle body by pass, some other free mods, jegster lower control arms. best ET 12.7@112mph Heads/Cam in future

I put spacers in at top of stut mount it worked great car drives like it was stock and can take corners great now!


02 Cavalier Z24- Free CAI I made, magnaflow muffler
02 Trans am ws6 - Pace setter long tube headers, off road y-pipe,magnaflow exhaust, slp lid, bored polished throttle body, throttle body by pass, some other free mods, jegster lower control arms. best ET 12.7@112mph Heads/Cam in future

I wanna see pics?????

this sounds like a horrible idea

97 cavi wrote:I wanna see pics?????

no, you don't.



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I totally understand on not having the money, but what you don;t understand is the stock struts on stock springs suck when they are benad new. I have seen stock struts with 15k on them and all 4 be blown. You should not be able to take struts and compress them by hand. My Koni's that I have had for a long time I have to put all my weight behind to compress them to change the the setting. Stocker's I can compress without trying, and watch the fluid come out at the same time.



FU Tuning

we put ours in a lathe and cut the mounting bracket off, moved it up on the body of the strut and re welded it to gain suspension travel

Bob Guptill wrote:we put ours in a lathe and cut the mounting bracket off, moved it up on the body of the strut and re welded it to gain suspension travel

specialized application with using the proper tools. apples to oranges mate. bob's car (which is awesome by the way) is a dedicated race car, not driven daily. not saying that racing isn't dangerous, but most of the time, when racing, you can predict what's going to happen and plan ahead for it, and any other driver on the track that deserves to be there can as well. on the street though, you can never prepare for the unexpected, because it's just that, unexpected. to the op: have fun with your hack job suspension, i hope you don't injure someone else if you have an accident.



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the only time we had a problem is when we hit a wall and broek the welds and the RF tire was sliding freely back and forth, yes my car is a dedicated race car with more safety mods than you can slap a stick at

Bob Guptill wrote:we put ours in a lathe and cut the mounting bracket off, moved it up on the body of the strut and re welded it to gain suspension travel

Back in the day a company called Bec-Tech actually shortened struts (rod itself was shortened also iirc). I remember them making them for Escorts, and an Escort on Bec-Techs plus springs was slammed. Unfortunately there isn't much clearance between the spring perch and front tire or the struts could be modified to lower the car while retaining factory springs.

we dont have spring perch issues as we run 2" back space offset wheels, our issue was not to lower it so much that it rubbed on the cv boot