I managed to get the the JIC Flt-A2's on the rear on my FD, but I can't manage to adjust the height while they are on the car. I have done a search and some people say that you just turn the shock body. The problem is that I can't seem to get a good grip on it to turn it.

I talked with JIC (the shop where Rishie works) on Friday, but didn't begin the install until today. They told me not to turn the top perch more than about 1 full turn once the spring becomes tight on the top perch. This means that I can't adjust them like a Koni/GC system.

I just can't figure out how to adjust the height on these things without having to take them off the car. If I have to take them off the car, then this setup is going to be a real pain at track events. Please someone let me know how to adjust these things ASAP!!!

- Cody

 

you don't need to take them out, but you gotta disconnect the bottom so you can rotate the lower perch. It's not really that big of a deal, takes like 10 mins per wheel. While it was easy to adjust the height at track events before w/ your old setup, you coul still do that with this setup. But the whole point of the adjustable lower perch is to be able to adjust your ride height withough changing the preload on the spring. So even though it make take a little bit of time, it's worth it.

 

Are you talking about taking out the bolt at the bottom of the shock and then rotating the bottom half of the coilover to get the right height? If so, then that is what I ended up having to do. The only problem is that I don't see that as being something that can easily be done at a track or Autocross.

The rears I may agree on. They aren't "that difficult," but the fronts are a different story. I ended up spending almost all day messing with trying to get the height adjusted right. I took off the bottom bolt on each shock and then "wiggled" the coilover to a position where I could rotate the bottom of the shock to change the height. I then put the wheels back on and lowered the car to remeasure the height of the car at all four corners. This is kind of time consuming and tedious. Is this the way you are talking about adjusting them? Or am I missing something?

- Cody

Thanks for the reply by the way.

 

Cody,

We've never had to detach the lower mounting point to lower any of the applications. What you do is leave it installed measure the distance you want to raise or lower the vehicle and take the same measurement on the threads. This you know already.

So now to lower the vehicle or raise all you do is jack up the car and remove the wheel. AT that point you loosen the lock perch above the bracket and move it up if lowering. Then you grab the locking collar under the spring to allow you to rotate the complete assembly. This will make the vehicle lower or raise depending on which way you spin the shock casing.

Hope that makes sense,

Rishie

 

It should not be time consuming at all. Instead of spinning a collar you're spinning the shock casing. This can be done because you have a spherical bearing up top.

Rishie

 

BTW, I don't work at JIC. I'm just a distributor for them.

 

To add another perspective. You can adjust them by using both of the spanner wrenches on the two collars that are below the springs. Tighten the two collars together then you can use the torque b.w. the two collars to adjust the length of the shock. It is very simalar to tightening two nuts together to remove or install a stud.

 

Thanks for the reply guys. I finally did end up doing something similar to what Rishie was saying. I was having a bit of trouble noticing whether it was actually raising the height of the coilovers or tightening the compression of the spring though. This was after I messed with everything I could think of though. So maybe it was my own fault for not realizing this would work.

I have a new question regarding the adjustment of the softness/firmness. Should I start at full firm and then adjust towards full soft (counting the clicks) or do I start at full soft. I thought when I talked to someone else about this they said to start at full soft and go backwards. The trouble is that when you go from full soft to full hard you don't hear any clicks. You do feel a slight pause, but it is much more difficult to count the "clicks" this way.

I decided to look at Tein's website, since they have a similar setup in the Tein Flex's ( http://www.tein.com/ti/m32.html ), and they are saying to start at full hard. This would make sense to me since my coilovers make a definite clicking sound in this direction. Any insights on this? I would check the instructions, but they are in Japanese! Does anyone have a copy of the instructions in English? Or can someone translate them? Thanks.

- Cody

P.S. The coilovers feel great where I have them set currently (5 "clicks" front, 7 "clicks" rear from soft).

 

Sorry about that. I forgot that you are a distributor. I know you are trying to stay impartial. I didn't mean to say you work for JIC.

- Cody

 

u start at full soft, then adjust up

 

I'm going to be installing mine tomorrow and I'm a little confused still. I have been looking at them and I think I understand how to adjust the ride hight, but what do I do with the spring? Does it stiffen the spring by raising the collar under it? If so, where is a good starting point, maybe someone has a measurement from the top or something?

Thanks,

Nick

 

I managed to get mine installed already. So I have a few tips for you (if you are installing them on an FD).

You probably want to keep the lengths of the shocks close to how they were shipped to you. This only applies if you are running stock FD wheels though. I think I ended up adjusting the all of the coilovers up about another 0.5 inches in height (using the bottom perch).

Another suggestion for you is to put the car up on a lift. This will make the job a lot easier. You will also want to put a small jack (similar to the one in your trunk) under the control arms so that you can slowly lift the assembly together with the coilovers. It is easy to simply hold the coilover in place and lift the control arms using a jack than to try and lift it by hand and fit the coilovers in place. I would also suggest you lower the bottom collar so that you can rotate the bottom half of the coilover easily to fit together with the control arm.

Hopefully that will help.

- Cody

 

I forgot to answer your question about the spring. If I understood all of my info correctly (from JIC and Auto R&D) the springs come preloaded. If you don't trust them then that's cool. You can lower the perch right underneath the spring until you can move the spring. After you can move it you should start turning the perch back up onto the spring. Once you can't move the spring anymore by hand you should only turn the perch a max of one full turn. I think it is suggested that you go anywhere from 1/2 to 3/4 of a turn.

There is more info on a general install here:

http://www.jic-magic.com/TechInfo/Install/install.htm

Unfortunately it is not for an FD. Again I would suggest that you leave the coilovers pretty much as they came before installing them. Take it from a person who adjusted and played with them until they decided the original settings were almost right on the money.

As a review of the perch functions. The very top perch (underneath the spring) adjusts the preload of the spring. The next perch/nut down locks the top perch in place and can also be used to raise and lower the height. The very bottom perch can be loosened up so that you can turn the bottom half of the coilover. I would suggest that if you want to make any major height changes that you use the bottom perch, but it is up to you.

Just as a reference there is approximately 7.5 inches of useful thread on the rear coilovers and approximately 7 3/4 inches on the rear. I did take a lot of measurements, but I'm not sure if you are installing them on a stock FD or what. Let me know if you really want my measurements.

If you want a guidline you can use Tein's manual for the Tein Flex's.

http://www.tein.com/ti/m32.html

They are similar in principle and idea. They also list measurements there and they have a good guidline on how to measure the different heights on the coilovers.

- Cody

 

cody, i ordered a set of jic a2s for my 93 fd. i am running 275/35/18rr & 235/40/18 on 9" borbet wheels. the susp is compl stock. i want to lower the car about a half inch. any suggestions?

 

Okay you are in a little bit different situation from what I did. As a suggestion I would say that you adjust the JIC's to the same height as the stock suspension and then shrink the height by about 3/4 of an inch. The reason I say 3/4 inch is because the JIC's don't compress as much as your stock suspension when you lower the car back to the ground.

Here is what I would do if I were you. Lift the car into the air. Disconnect the front and rear roll bar. Adjust the coilovers to where you think is about right. Then put the coilovers on one side of your car. Lower the car back to the ground and see what you think. You may want to do this one wheel at a time, but it is up to you.

I would suggest that you take measurements of the heights of the coilovers as they came from the factory and as they were when you put them on the car. That way you can adjust them back if necessary.

- Cody

 

sounds good. it sould be no problem i have a complete shop to do the work.your experience & input with this type of susp is helpfull thank you.
i can't wait to get them on, it should make a well needed improvement.