Comments on: 2nd gen Illumina to 1st gen conversion (and other things) HOW-TO - Page 2

**SixSick6** · 12-21-05, 12:36

Most machine shops could care less what you do with what they modify/make for you. Don't confuse this with being able to take a set of struts into Meineke for customizing.

**my89gt** · 5-30-06, 17:31

i dont understand what had to be done to the struts ??? why did u have them machined???

**gavin** · 5-31-06, 3:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by my89gt

i dont understand what had to be done to the struts ??? why did u have them machined???

Quote:

Originally Posted by gavin

The rears…….

hmmm, well that needs some work.

The rear mounts will need to be widened by @1mm to fit over the rear spindles. You can have this done by a machine shop for a few dollars(or at least I did when I had this done)

Much better.

Rears too narrow

Gavin

**my89gt** · 6-14-06, 19:30

ah i see, ive been looking at this setup for a while now but only have funds for the kybs now, but will sell them later and get this set up. i was wondering where u got those strut bumper or bump stop for your struts?? and why did u cut them in half???? i just got some kind of monroe strut boot and rubber bumper thing for my kybs and the strut bumper thing is huge. and why dont you have a boot to cover up your struts on this setup???

**gavin** · 6-14-06, 19:57

http://www.mx6.com/forums/showpost.p...84&postcount=3 (2nd gen Illumina to 1st gen conversion(and other things) HOW-TO)

Updated the post with information about the bumpstops.

I used 2nd gen bumpstops are they were easy to work with. An inch is cut off the tops(thickest section and retaining the softer/progressive part of them). When the car is lowered there will be less space between the top of the strut and the bumpstop. The bumpstop is cut to regain a bit of space and have the ride be not as jarring when/if one rides into a patch of crappy roads/potholes/etc

No boot is used because there is no boot for the coilovers and the stock items are too small to fit.

Gavin

**AMD IS THE BEST** · 8-8-06, 23:10

Sorry for bringing up an old thread but I installed the ground control coil overs in my 88 626 GT touring sedan today, and the rears upper strut mounts were not covered in this thread. I am not sure if mine are assembles properly and I was wondering what you had done on yours. I am using factory struts. Nick

**gavin** · 8-9-06, 0:33

http://www.mx6.com/forums/showpost.p...86&postcount=4 (2nd gen Illumina to 1st gen conversion(and other things) HOW-TO)

I left that out because the critical end is the fronts. By comparison the rears are cake.

Assuming you are not using illuminas(which require the ears being milled a bit), copy and paste the instructions for the front but leave out the stuff about the strut bearings. Strut/sleeve/lower spring perch/spring/trimmed bumpstop/upper spring perch/upper strut mount/nuts and bolts.

Thats pretty much it.

I actually used custom rear camber plates.
http://www.teamunemployment.com/gavi...s/DSC03127.JPG

Gavin

**AMD IS THE BEST** · 8-9-06, 3:16

I wish it were that easy for me, when putting the upper spring seat on the spring and placing the strut mount on top, the strut bolt would not even make it through the top to get the nut on. I had to cut the upper mount to pieces.

**gavin** · 8-9-06, 13:57

What do you mean by "the strut bolt would not even make it through the top to get the nut on. I had to cut the upper mount to pieces."

Do you mean the theaded portion of the strut shaft would not go through the hole of the upper strut mount? This would be unusual as both the 1st and 2nd gen use the same thread pitch(and therefore same size) on the strut shaft.

What was it that you had to cut exactly?

Gavin

**AMD IS THE BEST** · 8-9-06, 16:18

I had to cut the bottom part of the strut mount. I placed the cap on the eibach spring and tried to put the strut shaft through the mount, but the strut mount was too deep and the threads would not reach the top of the mount to thread the nut on. I'll see if I can get some pics when I take it apart to figure it out. Nick

**KiNg MaRtY** · 8-11-06, 19:45

all you had to do was compress the spring a bit

**silfox** · 10-13-06, 11:21

For the rears, you cant just use a vise in reverse to spread he opening?

**gavin** · 10-13-06, 13:00

I dont understand the question. Say again.

Gavin

**my89gt** · 10-15-06, 17:49

sounds like he did not compress the spring

**FreshmanMX6** · 10-28-06, 22:53

i have a question if you can convert 2gen aftermarket struts to fit a 1gen the why do people say you can't convert the factory 2gen struts over to 1gen.

8-8-06, 23:10	#21 (permalink)
AMD IS THE BEST Join Date: May 2003 Location: Schenectady, NY, USA Age: 23 iTrader: (0)	Sorry for bringing up an old thread but I installed the ground control coil overs in my 88 626 GT touring sedan today, and the rears upper strut mounts were not covered in this thread. I am not sure if mine are assembles properly and I was wondering what you had done on yours. I am using factory struts. Nick
	90' PGT, FE-DOHC, GT35R, MSnS - 13.2 @ 114 - RIP 2001 Audi S4 - Stage 3 - 11.8 @ 121.5 99.5 Audi A4 DD

8-9-06, 3:16	#23 (permalink)
AMD IS THE BEST Join Date: May 2003 Location: Schenectady, NY, USA Age: 23 iTrader: (0)	I wish it were that easy for me, when putting the upper spring seat on the spring and placing the strut mount on top, the strut bolt would not even make it through the top to get the nut on. I had to cut the upper mount to pieces.
	90' PGT, FE-DOHC, GT35R, MSnS - 13.2 @ 114 - RIP 2001 Audi S4 - Stage 3 - 11.8 @ 121.5 99.5 Audi A4 DD

8-9-06, 16:18	#25 (permalink)
AMD IS THE BEST Join Date: May 2003 Location: Schenectady, NY, USA Age: 23 iTrader: (0)	I had to cut the bottom part of the strut mount. I placed the cap on the eibach spring and tried to put the strut shaft through the mount, but the strut mount was too deep and the threads would not reach the top of the mount to thread the nut on. I'll see if I can get some pics when I take it apart to figure it out. Nick
	90' PGT, FE-DOHC, GT35R, MSnS - 13.2 @ 114 - RIP 2001 Audi S4 - Stage 3 - 11.8 @ 121.5 99.5 Audi A4 DD

8-11-06, 19:45	#26 (permalink)
KiNg MaRtY Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Anaheim, Orange County, CA, US Age: 24 iTrader: (0)	all you had to do was compress the spring a bit
	05 STI 92 Galant VR-4 90 Eclipse GSX HKS' Former Promo Car 89 MX6 GT 4WS SOLD 89 PGT R.I.P 93 PGT5 /93 PGT5-SOLD/89 PGT-R.I.P. /96 PGT5 R.I.P.

10-13-06, 11:21	#27 (permalink)
silfox Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Garland,Texas Age: 25 iTrader: (0)	For the rears, you cant just use a vise in reverse to spread he opening?
	91 MX6 LX - Sold Feb.03 2003 Focus ZX3 Full German Conversion - Trying to sell for another 1GB, haha.

12-21-05, 12:36	#16 (permalink)
SixSick6 Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: San Diego, CA, USA Age: 32 iTrader: (2)	Most machine shops could care less what you do with what they modify/make for you. Don't confuse this with being able to take a set of struts into Meineke for customizing.

5-30-06, 17:31	#17 (permalink)
my89gt Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: sea, WA, USA Age: 27 iTrader: (1)	i dont understand what had to be done to the struts ??? why did u have them machined???

6-14-06, 19:30	#19 (permalink)
my89gt Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: sea, WA, USA Age: 27 iTrader: (1)	ah i see, ive been looking at this setup for a while now but only have funds for the kybs now, but will sell them later and get this set up. i was wondering where u got those strut bumper or bump stop for your struts?? and why did u cut them in half???? i just got some kind of monroe strut boot and rubber bumper thing for my kybs and the strut bumper thing is huge. and why dont you have a boot to cover up your struts on this setup???

6-14-06, 19:57	#20 (permalink)
gavin Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: santa cruz.ca iTrader: (1)	http://www.mx6.com/forums/showpost.p...84&postcount=3 (2nd gen Illumina to 1st gen conversion(and other things) HOW-TO) Updated the post with information about the bumpstops. I used 2nd gen bumpstops are they were easy to work with. An inch is cut off the tops(thickest section and retaining the softer/progressive part of them). When the car is lowered there will be less space between the top of the strut and the bumpstop. The bumpstop is cut to regain a bit of space and have the ride be not as jarring when/if one rides into a patch of crappy roads/potholes/etc No boot is used because there is no boot for the coilovers and the stock items are too small to fit. Gavin

8-9-06, 0:33	#22 (permalink)
gavin Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: santa cruz.ca iTrader: (1)	http://www.mx6.com/forums/showpost.p...86&postcount=4 (2nd gen Illumina to 1st gen conversion(and other things) HOW-TO) I left that out because the critical end is the fronts. By comparison the rears are cake. Assuming you are not using illuminas(which require the ears being milled a bit), copy and paste the instructions for the front but leave out the stuff about the strut bearings. Strut/sleeve/lower spring perch/spring/trimmed bumpstop/upper spring perch/upper strut mount/nuts and bolts. Thats pretty much it. I actually used custom rear camber plates. http://www.teamunemployment.com/gavi...s/DSC03127.JPG Gavin

8-9-06, 13:57	#24 (permalink)
gavin Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: santa cruz.ca iTrader: (1)	What do you mean by "the strut bolt would not even make it through the top to get the nut on. I had to cut the upper mount to pieces." Do you mean the theaded portion of the strut shaft would not go through the hole of the upper strut mount? This would be unusual as both the 1st and 2nd gen use the same thread pitch(and therefore same size) on the strut shaft. What was it that you had to cut exactly? Gavin

10-13-06, 13:00	#28 (permalink)
gavin Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: santa cruz.ca iTrader: (1)	I dont understand the question. Say again. Gavin

10-15-06, 17:49	#29 (permalink)
my89gt Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: sea, WA, USA Age: 27 iTrader: (1)	sounds like he did not compress the spring

10-28-06, 22:53	#30 (permalink)
FreshmanMX6 Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: ft.washington, MD, USA Age: 20 iTrader: (0)	i have a question if you can convert 2gen aftermarket struts to fit a 1gen the why do people say you can't convert the factory 2gen struts over to 1gen.
	89 MazdaXtreme6 gt - UNDERCONSTUCTION 91 V8 Chevy S-10, low14s high 13s 94 ford/mazda probegt- new daily driver 93 volvo 940