BC Coilover spring preload

[05commemorative88]

I was curious if anyone knew what the spring preload was suppose to be on the BC Coilovers? I know they come from the factory already preloaded but it seems that no matter how much I raise the vehicle, on one side it seems to settle right back to where it was at before. I don't want to keep raising the car because eventually (not soon) I am going to run out of threads on the shock body.

[AdvanSRT-4]

So are you adjusting the height, or preload? because there's 2 locking rings....the lower ring is for height adjustment, and the top ring is your preload one.

[05commemorative88]

well the picture that i found of BC help page was this which shows to use the top one to lower the vehicle and the bottom one to raise the vehicle i was turning the bottom one clock-wise. like it says in this link from BC's webpage

HEIGHT ADJUSTMENT

[Hi N Mity]

bottom lock ring raises or lowers the vehicle. top ring adjusts the preload. middle ring locks to the preload to keep it from moving.

- Lift either both front or both rear tires off of the ground before you adjust the preload. if you only lift one tire off the ground, the sway bar will change up the preload while you are adjusting it, causing it to not be right.
- loosin the top ring just until you can make the spring move a little bit. taking the load off of the spring.
- tighten the ring just enough to make the spring not move around, but not putting a load on the sping
- now you want to tighten the ring back onto the spring 5mm up from where it was just snug against the spring.

- now you are ready to adjust the height.
- measure between the top and bottom rings
- adjust the bottom rings to lower or raise the car
- mke sure both fronts are the same distance between the top and bottom rings.
- make sure both rears are the same distance between the top and bottom rings.

[05commemorative88]

Quote: Originally Posted by Hi N Mity

bottom lock ring raises or lowers the vehicle. top ring adjusts the preload. middle ring locks to the preload to keep it from moving.

- Lift either both front or both rear tires off of the ground before you adjust the preload. if you only lift one tire off the ground, the sway bar will change up the preload while you are adjusting it, causing it to not be right.
- loosin the top ring just until you can make the spring move a little bit. taking the load off of the spring.
- tighten the ring just enough to make the spring not move around, but not putting a load on the sping
- now you want to tighten the ring back onto the spring 5mm up from where it was just snug against the spring.

- now you are ready to adjust the height.
- measure between the top and bottom rings
- adjust the bottom rings to lower or raise the car
- mke sure both fronts are the same distance between the top and bottom rings.
- make sure both rears are the same distance between the top and bottom rings.

but if i rotate the bottom lock ring counter clock wise it will eventually loosen away from the top lock right correct? so if i want to lower the vehicle i must use the top lock ring and turn it counter clock wise.

and then when you say "now you want to tighten the ring back onto the spring 5mm up from where it was just snug against the spring."
you mean after i have the spring so it is tight enough not to move tighten it 5 mm more and that is where it needs to be?

[Hi N Mity]

Quote:

but if i rotate the bottom lock ring counter clock wise it will eventually loosen away from the top lock right correct? so if i want to lower the vehicle i must use the top lock ring and turn it counter clock wise.

After you loosin the bottom ring, the whole strut body will rotate. you can use the top ring to adjust, as long as the ring itself is not rotating around the strut body. you want the whole strut and rings to move at the same time when adjusting the hieght. the bottom ring is a "lock ring". loosin it to adjust hieght, then tighten it back down.

Quote:

and then when you say "now you want to tighten the ring back onto the spring 5mm up from where it was just snug against the spring."
you mean after i have the spring so it is tight enough not to move tighten it 5 mm more and that is where it needs to be?

that is correct. you want it just snug enough to where the spring cant move around with a little bit of force. Then, adjust it 5mm higher up on the strut