Milling out rear coilover tubes

[Matej]

Hello,
Not sure if this pertains to any other coilovers out there, but my Megans have a silly step on the bottom of the shock tube, which prevents the shock from threading in all the way to the bottom.
I would really like to have the step milled out, but I am not sure where to have this done, or if it is feasible without damaging the threaded part at the top.

Thanks to Mr. Ian Perry I found this picture which shows exactly what I am referring to.
http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc6/283620_480531348626037_1213550881_n.jpg


I know I could just get different coilovers and all that, but I enjoy modding and mix-and-matching mine because they are cheap Megans and I do not care.
Does anyone on here have the ability to mill the step out all the way to the bottom?

Thank you for visiting my thread.

[YoungGun]

I cut the top of the bracket 1/2" and drooped the spring worked great.

[Matej]

The problem is that my springs barely touch the top hats when the car is on the ground, so it is riding mainly on just the shocks (surprised they are not blown yet), yet it is still not low enough to my liking. :)
If I do not find anyone who could mill out the tubes, I will probably just use FD3S or Miata or whatever other shorter rear shocks which still use the same valving, since all the Megan shocks are the same width and thread pattern.

[jr_ss]

Any machine shop should be able to machine that out for you. Take them by and explain to them what you want, they can probably do it in an hour.

[Ichiban4]

Have your measured how far down the stopper goes? I am curious because I have the same ones. Isn't the stopper right at where the tube tapers thus making it impossible to lower the inner tube anymore anyways?

[Matej]

Isn't the stopper right at where the tube tapers thus making it impossible to lower the inner tube anymore anyways?
In the picture on the right the shocks are as far as they go in, so the stopper starts at about where the bottom of the sticker is.

[96Turbo]

I think you'd be best off trying to find another aftermarket lower bracket with the same threads that is deeper

[codyace]

Can you cut the threaded tube at all? Would be easier than trying to accurately mill the inner out

[Matej]

Can you cut the threaded tube at all? Would be easier than trying to accurately mill the inner out
Thought about shaving the bottom threads, but it would still be too wide. Plus I would rather not mess with the shock itself.

The Megan website lists the rates, valving, and length of all components for all their coilover applications, so if it does not work out I may just get replacement shocks for some other car that are shorter but still have the same rate and valving.

[ultimateirving]

Can you cut the threaded tube at all? Would be easier than trying to accurately mill the inner out

Codyace is right, Its probably easier to cut the outer threaded tube to be shorter, rather then trying to get a big drill bit in the bottom of that mount

[NoPistons!]

You could just get rear drop knuckles. 45-50mm of lowering with JUST the knuckle without compromising your dampers in any way.

[koukistylejdm]

no pistons got the way to do it RIGHT

[kewilso3]

a machine shop can do it, I did something similar to my j30 hubs last night, but that's a long way to hang a bit out and get a quality result. It would be easiest to split the housing on the lathe and take out a couple inches (from the stickers down) and then weld them back together.

http://i453.photobucket.com/albums/qq254/kewilso3/283620_480531348626037_1213550881_n.jpg

[blueshark123]

^ yup that will be the easiest way. Thats what i had to do for some 240z coilovers. U dont need to take it to a machine shop i got a perfect cut with a 2in pipe cutter for pluming

[Matej]

a machine shop can do it, I did something similar to my j30 hubs last night, but that's a long way to hang a bit out and get a quality result. It would be easiest to split the housing on the lathe and take out a couple inches (from the stickers down) and then weld them back together.

http://i453.photobucket.com/albums/qq254/kewilso3/283620_480531348626037_1213550881_n.jpg
Actually considered that, or just having the stepped part cut out and making the tubes shorter, but I assumed that would be even more complicated. However, I am no expert on welding and machining and such, so I cannot tell what would be easiest.

I am sending the tubes off to Mr. PoorMans180SX whose friend should be able to mill them out. :)
He already helped with shaving my seat perches to fit my new springs and he did a wonderful job. (I did not want to use the larger diameter springs because I hate when springs do not fit snugly or overhang.)

http://www.matejblahut.com/gallery/d/3396-1/seatsandhats.jpg

[codyace]

Don't get me wrong, lathing that out is possible...but without the right setup that's a LONG way's in to remotely be accurate for most shops.

I like the idea of cutting the tube, that's pretty simple. I'd band saw it myself or just let your welder do it all.

You could just get rear drop knuckles. 45-50mm of lowering with JUST the knuckle without compromising your dampers in any way.

In theory yes, but we all know Matej is just making it look pretty...no reason to even consider his RC in the rear when we all know the front is equally jacked up :D

[Matej]

Hey, the front is actually nice with knuckles and arms and everything. :)
The rear will just be hard as a rock.

[paintkilz]

definitely going to be difficult to get a boring bar that far in to such a narrow opening..better off splicing out that section..


is this new? i thought people always slammed megans and removed collars which would make no sense since itd hit the thread stop before the collar on the tube..

[blueshark123]

i can cut and reweld them for 80

[NoPistons!]

You should be nice and safe with cut/reweld or cut/rethread. You'd need to find a machinist with the tooling available to cut threads to fit your shock tho.

[Matej]

Thank you PoorMans180SX & friend. :)

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c25/Turbo711/A0ECEE3F-0F42-4EE9-A6E8-A9FBBA56DCEB-15404-000012CC08EEFD68.jpg

[gosai_240sx]

it came out looking good, i did the cut and weld and it also worked great.....no problem even dirt dropping lol
it gave us an extra inch without messing with preload.
http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa166/ly_mai/0425234946.jpg

[TheRealSy90]

That's what should have been done instead of milling it out. Much easier, and more room to droop if you have to.

[ill.]

Looks sweet Matej.

For reference, you can also bang the shock inserts into a lathe, and take the lower 2" of thread off.

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f95/kaned14/DSC01845.jpg

Full low without machining on the left. Full low after on the right.

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f95/kaned14/DSC01846.jpg

P.S. Not my pics, stole them from a local forum to illustrate my point.

[gosai_240sx]

so many options! cool thread!