D2 Front Coilover Prep COMPLETE tutorial

[Fuze]

EDIT::: All images are still up, but you have to click them.

Ready to take your suspension to the next level with a D2 coil-over setup? I was curious how hard it would be to install the front struts, so after I went through the process, I figured I’d show you guys how easy it was, step by step in what I think is the best way to do this. There is more than one way to skin a cat, but I'll let the results speak for themselves. Remember, wear your goggles.

 

http://waste-nj.com/d2/grind1.jpg

1. Either remove or locate a set of front spindles/strut tubes. Cut the tubes down, leaving 2-3 inches. THIS IS IMPORTANT, don’t cut them all the way down to the spindle casting! More on that later. Now you’ll see that the D2 lower tube won’t fit over the stock strut tube, it’s just barely too small, not really sure why. Resist the urge to bang on it, you’ll need to sand the tube down a little to get it to fit. This way you can adjust the angle of the brakeline mount easily before welding. I used an angle grinder with a flap wheel, a grinding disk is overkill. I suppose you could use a wire-wheel with a drill if you had to, good luck with that.

 

 

http://waste-nj.com/d2/grind2.jpg

2. This tube is now ready, you can see I sanded all the paint off, also a little metal, and I sanded the upper part of the spindle casting since this is where the weld will go. Don’t go crazy sanding the tube, just take enough off to allow the D2 tube to slide over without wobbling once it’s on there.

 

 

http://waste-nj.com/d2/slides.jpg

3. Now you can see the D2 tube will slide right on. Feels good!

 

 

http://waste-nj.com/d2/gap.jpg

4. Remember what I said about not cutting the tube off at the casting? Notice while looking up close that the stock strut tube does not come out of the spindle casting on a 90 degree angle. This is why you need to leave some of the strut tube intact so the D2 tube will be on the exact same angle… otherwise you’re going to have some negative camber you didn’t expect. No reason to use up all your camber adjustment to fix that.

 

 

http://waste-nj.com/d2/grind3.jpg

5. Buzz the powdercoating off the D2 tube for welding. Smells like burning plastic!

 

 

http://waste-nj.com/d2/ready.jpg

6. Should look something like this when it’s ready to weld!

 

 

http://waste-nj.com/d2/welded.jpg

7. This is the finished, welded piece, solid as a rock. The brake line tab should be pointing toward the inside of the fender. All we need to do now is hit it with a coat of gloss black, I used the “double coverage” Rustoleum (yes I am a spraypaint snob) so it won’t turn brown in one day.

 

 

http://waste-nj.com/d2/paint1.jpg

 

http://waste-nj.com/d2/done.jpg

That’s clean. Ready to install. Feel free to post any questions for all to benefit.

Edited January 9, 2024 by Fuze

[spoolinturbo]

good write up. i would suggest using a self etching primer on the weld area first to help protect that weld in the future.

[AlexNYC]

Good simple and straight forward.

contemplating on redoing my MR2 set up, this seems straight forward. Thanks for take you the time to write it up.

[Fuze]

Good simple and straight forward.

contemplating on redoing my MR2 set up, this seems straight forward. Thanks for take you the time to write it up.

 

I'm glad it helped.

Thanks.

[importwarrior]

Along with what you have done... i have read to drill a couple of holes in the D2 part that slid over about a inch

up from the bottom. then weld the hole to the spindle casting. it should make for a

better stronger piece. like one hole on opposite sides then weld them up.

Edited December 28, 2010 by importwarrior

[Fuze]

Along with what you have done... i have read to drill a couple of holes in the D2 part that slid over about a inch

up from the bottom. then weld the hole to the spindle casting. it should make for a

better stronger piece. like one hole on opposite sides then weld them up.

 

Yeah, I agree while the tubes are off drilling a few holes is easy. Button welding them up would technically make them more rigid.

[starquestJOE]

Yeah, I agree while the tubes are off drilling a few holes is easy. Button welding them up would technically make them more rigid.

thats what i had done. " PLUG WELDED " the guy that welded mine felt it should be done.

[importwarrior]

cool i didnt know what the term was called but it

is only a suggestion.

 

have any pics of the plug or button welds?

[Fuze]

cool i didnt know what the term was called but it

is only a suggestion.

 

have any pics of the plug or button welds?

 

I'd like to see too, but it's just drilling a penny sized hole straight through the D2 cylinder, prepping the strut tube that will show through the hole, and welding around the circle to fill in the hole..

[NudeLobster]

I'd like to see too, but it's just drilling a penny sized hole straight through the D2 cylinder, prepping the strut tube that will show through the hole, and welding around the circle to fill in the hole..

 

how are they stronger than a normal weld at the bottom? is there a strategic way of placing them around the tube for engineered strength or what?

 

-Justin

[importwarrior]

not that it is any better or stronger. BUT it places a weld at the bottom

of the D2 part and another button weld about an inch or so higher. I feel

it might crack if only the bottom is welded. in the past another user had

made some strut casings and they all seemd to crack at the bottom weld.

again that was Apples to Oranges. it is just a little more insurance for

safety.

[spiceisler]

Don't know if I missed it, but what D2's were used for this?

[TsTKl]

the ones made for conquests/starions.

 

Yes, they are ikea status coil overs

[25gconquest]

Thanks for the post the info will help when I put mine together. Conrad

[JohnnyWadd]

I stole the button weld idea. I think it "might" crack with severe use. The tight fit on the old tube is really going to prevent a lot of deflection and stress on the weld. I had a image in my head of the Arts coilovers pictures when they failed.

[25gconquest]

how do you determin which pillow ball setup is for the left or right front there is no marking on the kit.Looking at the pillow ball if you switch side the adjustment screw are on a different angle left to right.

[Fuze]

Don't know if I missed it, but what D2's were used for this?

 

Yes, the welding of the front D2's is "normal", they are for the Starion but you do need to attach the spindles to the lower strut bodies. They are not sold with spindles attached, and unlike other cars it's the only way to bolt them up to replace the stockers.

 

As far as the Ikea status quip by tsTKI, these are quality parts, each is fully tested and comes with individual test result sheet for each coilover. D2 is heavily involved in motorsports worldwide, good R&D for their products. I personally think they really make the Starion a better car with no negative impact, and are miles ahead of a strut/spring combo, no offense to anybody but I've had all the setups on my cars over the years.

Edited November 4, 2011 by Fuze

[patra_is_here]

btw, that 'double coverage' rustoleum is garbage. It's super runny, thin, and fades way fast. my satin 'double coverage' basically turned in to powder in the sun. regular thick rustoleum is the only way to go =)

[Threedoor]

Is installation the same for a flatty front suspension?

 

Could you just cut off the spring perch, and brake line tab, sand down the stock tube and slide it together that way? Or does more of the stock tube need to be removed for clearance of the threaded portion I see in the D2 housing? It seems like the more of the stock tube that is left, the more room you have for the button welds for added strength.

 

I really need to learn to weld!

 

Keith

[Fuze]

Is installation the same for a flatty front suspension?

 

Could you just cut off the spring perch, and brake line tab, sand down the stock tube and slide it together that way? Or does more of the stock tube need to be removed for clearance of the threaded portion I see in the D2 housing? It seems like the more of the stock tube that is left, the more room you have for the button welds for added strength.

 

I really need to learn to weld!

 

Keith

 

You can only leave about 4-5 inches of the stock shock tube or the D2 tube won't slide all the way down to the spindle casting. You can still drill holes in the D2 tube and weld the button welds. I don't have a welder, I took it to my favorite muffler shop and they did it for $20.

[TsTKl]

 

Yes, the welding of the front D2's is "normal", they are for the Starion but you do need to attach the spindles to the lower strut bodies. They are not sold with spindles attached, and unlike other cars it's the only way to bolt them up to replace the stockers.

 

As far as the Ikea status quip by tsTKI, these are quality parts, each is fully tested and comes with individual test result sheet for each coilover. D2 is heavily involved in motorsports worldwide, good R&D for their products. I personally think they really make the Starion a better car with no negative impact, and are miles ahead of a strut/spring combo, no offense to anybody but I've had all the setups on my cars over the years.

The only thing I was implying is that in this case both Ikea and D2 have a pretty liberal use of the word "some" in "some assembly required". Wasn't commenting at all on quality since I don't own this product.

 

I would rather we had more than one option though, such as hot bits or kdw etc.

[TexasQuest]

We have more than one option for full coilovers.

[TsTKl]

please elaborate then?

 

Ground controls are not full coilovers.

[TexasQuest]

K Sport

[MotoCam360]

K sport is considered by many to be essentially orange colored D2s.... Wasn't there a thread here recently stating that Tein had full coil overs for Starion?