RPM Front Coilover Set-Up Installed! More Pics!!!!
- Thread starter ViciousV6
- Start date
Mtn Z
Donating Member
Re: RPM Front Coilover Set-Up Installed! More Pics!!!!
It does on the passenger side. You have to open up the shock tower a little bit to get the coil to fit up in there. Moving the spacer down gives back that little bit of room needed to clear all the moving parts down below. RPM coilovers are a nice setup, but they were a pain in the ass to install. Had I known before getting into it, I might have just let the thing handle like crap. :lol:
It does on the passenger side. You have to open up the shock tower a little bit to get the coil to fit up in there. Moving the spacer down gives back that little bit of room needed to clear all the moving parts down below. RPM coilovers are a nice setup, but they were a pain in the ass to install. Had I known before getting into it, I might have just let the thing handle like crap. :lol:
mrweelr
New member
Re: RPM Front Coilover Set-Up Installed! More Pics!!!!
OK, the 2" spacer is at the bottom now and the inner CV boot just barely rubs with the suspension hanging down (fully extended). Lifting the control arm and compressing the spring seems to eliminate the contact completely. I smoothed out the contact areas inside the shock tower with a die grinder and Dremel tool. The spring is not rubbing slightly on the frame inside the shock tower, but I'm not messing with it anymore. I also cut and sanded the edge of the adjustment and lock rings on the shock to gain more clearance. Going to redo the driver's side shock tomorrow. Will probably have to do more cutting and grinding, argh. Here are some pics:
OK, the 2" spacer is at the bottom now and the inner CV boot just barely rubs with the suspension hanging down (fully extended). Lifting the control arm and compressing the spring seems to eliminate the contact completely. I smoothed out the contact areas inside the shock tower with a die grinder and Dremel tool. The spring is not rubbing slightly on the frame inside the shock tower, but I'm not messing with it anymore. I also cut and sanded the edge of the adjustment and lock rings on the shock to gain more clearance. Going to redo the driver's side shock tomorrow. Will probably have to do more cutting and grinding, argh. Here are some pics:
STEVECUL8ER
Member
Re: RPM Front Coilover Set-Up Installed! More Pics!!!!
Noticed the bottom shock eyelet spacer-you really have to play around with washers to place the shock-sometimes all the way to the "front" or "back" with no washers on one side and load up the opposite side with washers . Then when it all clears you can measure the thickness of your washers and get RPM to cut the exact size to replace the "washers. If you decide the ride height is not what you want - you'll have to again grind the locknut and so forth. I think every install is different being things from the factory are not exact being tolerances are +/- and the +/- all add up. Just have to play with the washers at the shocks and be patient.
Noticed the bottom shock eyelet spacer-you really have to play around with washers to place the shock-sometimes all the way to the "front" or "back" with no washers on one side and load up the opposite side with washers . Then when it all clears you can measure the thickness of your washers and get RPM to cut the exact size to replace the "washers. If you decide the ride height is not what you want - you'll have to again grind the locknut and so forth. I think every install is different being things from the factory are not exact being tolerances are +/- and the +/- all add up. Just have to play with the washers at the shocks and be patient.
mrweelr
New member
Re: RPM Front Coilover Set-Up Installed! More Pics!!!!
Ralph - Do you have a pic of the backside showing clearance between the spring and inner CV boot? If yours is OK with 1" spacers, I'll ask Mike to send me some of those. Thanks.
Here is the issue! Look @ my spacer and your spacer. Big Diffrence.
THis is the problem its not allowing the spring to go up higher away from the axle.
who's kit did you buy.
Ralph
Ralph - Do you have a pic of the backside showing clearance between the spring and inner CV boot? If yours is OK with 1" spacers, I'll ask Mike to send me some of those. Thanks.
mrweelr
New member
Re: RPM Front Coilover Set-Up Installed! More Pics!!!!
I tried various combinations of shims. I even cut some in half to get the spacing I needed. Basically, with no shims and just the bolts holding the shock in place, it was still touching the CV boot no matter how far I pushed the shock in either direction. I think I have just barely enough clearance now after the grinding. I greased all the joints and reinstalled the wheels and swaybar today. Moving on to the 80e installation now. BTW, the driver's side was no problem at all...no contact whatsoever.
I tried various combinations of shims. I even cut some in half to get the spacing I needed. Basically, with no shims and just the bolts holding the shock in place, it was still touching the CV boot no matter how far I pushed the shock in either direction. I think I have just barely enough clearance now after the grinding. I greased all the joints and reinstalled the wheels and swaybar today. Moving on to the 80e installation now. BTW, the driver's side was no problem at all...no contact whatsoever.
Mtn Z
Donating Member
Re: RPM Front Coilover Set-Up Installed! More Pics!!!!
Looks good. Everything was a tight fit on mine on the passenger side as well. Mine is touching a little bit on the inside of the shock tower also, but it is very little so I'm not too worried. I don't know why but your clearance to the CV is a little tighter than mine. These trucks are weird. :dunno:
Looks good. Everything was a tight fit on mine on the passenger side as well. Mine is touching a little bit on the inside of the shock tower also, but it is very little so I'm not too worried. I don't know why but your clearance to the CV is a little tighter than mine. These trucks are weird. :dunno:
mrweelr
New member
Re: RPM Front Coilover Set-Up Installed! More Pics!!!!
Thanks man, I appreciate that. There's no metal-on-metal contact anywhere with the wheels cranked lock-to-lock or the control arms fully extended/compressed, so I'm not too worried about it at this point. I was just concerned about the inner CV boot rubbing/melting and spewing grease everywhere, leading to premature joint failure. I suppose I'll have to keep a close eye on it after I get the truck back on the road. If I find it's rubbing after the suspension settles, I'll pull the shock back out and do more grinding. One thing I noticed is the turning radius seems wider, which I'm not thrilled about. Can anyone confirm this? Am I still going to be able to make u-turns without having to back up? Despite the major headache of installing this, I'm pretty stoked about the weight savings as it removes a ton of heavy metal from the front of the truck. Between the coil-overs and 4l80e conversion, I must removed ~150 lbs. of dead weight
Thanks man, I appreciate that. There's no metal-on-metal contact anywhere with the wheels cranked lock-to-lock or the control arms fully extended/compressed, so I'm not too worried about it at this point. I was just concerned about the inner CV boot rubbing/melting and spewing grease everywhere, leading to premature joint failure. I suppose I'll have to keep a close eye on it after I get the truck back on the road. If I find it's rubbing after the suspension settles, I'll pull the shock back out and do more grinding. One thing I noticed is the turning radius seems wider, which I'm not thrilled about. Can anyone confirm this? Am I still going to be able to make u-turns without having to back up? Despite the major headache of installing this, I'm pretty stoked about the weight savings as it removes a ton of heavy metal from the front of the truck. Between the coil-overs and 4l80e conversion, I must removed ~150 lbs. of dead weight
nello
Active member
Re: RPM Front Coilover Set-Up Installed! More Pics!!!!
2 things. What is the difference between installing the coilovers with the springs on top, like the above pics, or vice versa, on the bottom?
With the spacers, do you really need them for 1inch? What's the difference w/o spacers and wrenching the adjustment wheel farther up/down the shock?
2 things. What is the difference between installing the coilovers with the springs on top, like the above pics, or vice versa, on the bottom?
With the spacers, do you really need them for 1inch? What's the difference w/o spacers and wrenching the adjustment wheel farther up/down the shock?
Last edited:
Mtn Z
Donating Member
Re: RPM Front Coilover Set-Up Installed! More Pics!!!!
Yeah it is wider. The ball joint portion on the RPM control arm where the spindle contacts at full lock sticks out further than stock so it won't turn quite as tight. I did the LS1 brake swap at the same time and those mounting brackets have a bigger steering stop than stock. Imagine my surprise when I turned the steering wheel and it barely made half a turn. RPM kit and LS1 kit together = no turning radius at all. Needless to say, I had to make some "modifications." Now it turns fine. You shouldn't have any issues. :tup:
Thanks man, I appreciate that. There's no metal-on-metal contact anywhere with the wheels cranked lock-to-lock or the control arms fully extended/compressed, so I'm not too worried about it at this point. I was just concerned about the inner CV boot rubbing/melting and spewing grease everywhere, leading to premature joint failure. I suppose I'll have to keep a close eye on it after I get the truck back on the road. If I find it's rubbing after the suspension settles, I'll pull the shock back out and do more grinding. One thing I noticed is the turning radius seems wider, which I'm not thrilled about. Can anyone confirm this? Am I still going to be able to make u-turns without having to back up? Despite the major headache of installing this, I'm pretty stoked about the weight savings as it removes a ton of heavy metal from the front of the truck. Between the coil-overs and 4l80e conversion, I must removed ~150 lbs. of dead weight
Yeah it is wider. The ball joint portion on the RPM control arm where the spindle contacts at full lock sticks out further than stock so it won't turn quite as tight. I did the LS1 brake swap at the same time and those mounting brackets have a bigger steering stop than stock. Imagine my surprise when I turned the steering wheel and it barely made half a turn. RPM kit and LS1 kit together = no turning radius at all. Needless to say, I had to make some "modifications." Now it turns fine. You shouldn't have any issues. :tup:
mrweelr
New member
Re: RPM Front Coilover Set-Up Installed! More Pics!!!!
I noticed the holes for the sway bar in the lower control arms are too shallow and aren't tapped. I guess I'm supposed drill through the obstruction and then tap these? Anyone know what tap to use? Hopefully, everything lines up when I try to reinstall the swaybar. Last time I reconnected the bar, I had to lower the truck and load the suspension to get the brackets and holes to line up (not fun at all).
I noticed the holes for the sway bar in the lower control arms are too shallow and aren't tapped. I guess I'm supposed drill through the obstruction and then tap these? Anyone know what tap to use? Hopefully, everything lines up when I try to reinstall the swaybar. Last time I reconnected the bar, I had to lower the truck and load the suspension to get the brackets and holes to line up (not fun at all).
dgoodhue
BuSTeD 4.3
Re: RPM Front Coilover Set-Up Installed! More Pics!!!!
I had to shorten a few of the bolts on my JSM lower control arm so I could bolt in the sway bar.
I had to shorten a few of the bolts on my JSM lower control arm so I could bolt in the sway bar.
4C FED
Absolutum Dominium
Re: RPM Front Coilover Set-Up Installed! More Pics!!!!
That's normal. If you put it on some ramps the suspension will be loaded while the front end is higher. It won't be such a PITA.
That's normal. If you put it on some ramps the suspension will be loaded while the front end is higher. It won't be such a PITA.
Z SKI
Donating Member
Re: RPM Front Coilover Set-Up Installed! More Pics!!!!
50% correct. You want to use shorter bolts. You dont want to drill and tap the hole any deeper as the hole runs into one of the tubes that make up the A arm and i wouldn't want to compromise any of the integrity there. On Mtn. Z's truck we had to use ARP small head 3/8-16 bolts with two cut down to .5" long and the other two left at 1" long.
Hope this helps,
50% correct. You want to use shorter bolts. You dont want to drill and tap the hole any deeper as the hole runs into one of the tubes that make up the A arm and i wouldn't want to compromise any of the integrity there. On Mtn. Z's truck we had to use ARP small head 3/8-16 bolts with two cut down to .5" long and the other two left at 1" long.
Hope this helps,
Z SKI
Donating Member
Re: RPM Front Coilover Set-Up Installed! More Pics!!!!
Here is the link to some pics of Mtn.Z's finished front bar install.
http://www.syty.net/forums/showthread.php?t=65678&page=2
p.s. do you still have your install disc/instructions from your 4L80e install? I didn't get mine from George. Let me know.
Thanks,
Here is the link to some pics of Mtn.Z's finished front bar install.
http://www.syty.net/forums/showthread.php?t=65678&page=2
p.s. do you still have your install disc/instructions from your 4L80e install? I didn't get mine from George. Let me know.
Thanks,