Coil-over conversion

Post by **brick340** » 07 May 2007 11:12 pm

Just thought people might like to see the coil-over conversion i just completed on my 340 struts. A seemingly simple job ended up being major strut surgery. More pictures when i get them painted and fitted.

Cheers Matt

Post by **foggyjames** » 07 May 2007 11:27 pm

Interesting that you welded (or brazed?) the tubes top and bottom. The ones I have (which I didn't make myself) went for the old "sit the tube on a 'ring', and hope for the best" approach, which seems to work.

Looks like some nice work!

cheers

James

Post by **stealthstylz** » 07 May 2007 11:42 pm

Is the threaded tube the stuff from Demon Tweeks?

Matt

Post by **petefarrell360** » 08 May 2007 01:15 am

Interesting stuff and I noticed you're also from Bucks! I'm in South, near the border to Oxfordshire. What else have you done to your 340? Would I have seen it about?

Pete

Post by **brick340** » 08 May 2007 10:30 am

Yea the threaded tubes are the ones from demon tweeks, well rally designs because they were half the price.

The threaded tubes have an ID of 50.8mm and the 340 struts are 52mm OD, the 340 struts also have a flared end that is about 53mm.

I cut the spring seat section out of the strut to get around the issue with the flared end and the fact it was so rusty. Then bored out the threaded tube leaving a shoulder for the existing parts of the struts to sit on and finally bronze welded the whole thing up inside and out..

Cheers Matt

Post by **redline** » 08 May 2007 10:35 am

Hi and welcome to the forum , we will have to call you Matt2 because stealthstylz here is also Matt , do you have any pics of your car be keen to see them and as Pete said where abouts in Bucks are you ? I'm in the land of concrete cows

Post by **brick340** » 08 May 2007 12:12 pm

Aston Clinton near aylesbury, only had the volvo for a couple of months.

Post by **petefarrell360** » 08 May 2007 02:19 pm

Not far then, I'm near Thame. Looks like you're keen and getting it if you've only had it a couple of months!

Pete

Post by **stealthstylz** » 08 May 2007 05:54 pm

Im thinking of doing the same thing at some point thanks for the advice doesnt sound massively difficult to do.

Matt

Post by **foggyjames** » 08 May 2007 07:44 pm

How thick are those tubes? I always assumed they were fairly thin. I'm guessing you're confident that reaming that material out of the middle hasn't notably affected strength?

cheers

James

Post by **IvanAE86** » 08 May 2007 08:50 pm

Indeed, 1.2 mm is quite a lot to take out of it.. I'm surprised the sleeves are even thick enough to allow that much material to be removed without falling apart. I dont know how much "meat" there is to the struts themselves, but that's where I would have chosen to take away material if I had to.

Post by **foggyjames** » 08 May 2007 08:53 pm

The (steel) struts are far too thin-walled to be machined more than a few thousands of an inch. At least the threaded tubes will have some thickness, being ally. I must have a look at the ones I have - they're mounded above the original spring seats, if that's a giveaway.

I'm heading down the unit now, so I'll take a look.

cheers

James

Post by **Nikdev** » 10 May 2007 06:20 am

I recon its the same diameter on the 360 front strut? 52mm..

Post by **stealthstylz** » 10 May 2007 06:31 pm

The threaded tube is steel not ally?

Matt

Post by **brick340** » 10 May 2007 06:53 pm

There's no real way to machine down the strut, my lathe isn't big enough anyway. Struts are very thick walled (2.5mm) you could happily take 1mm off the OD leaving 2mm wall, that would have been my preferred method. The only section of the threaded tube that has been machined out is the section that slides over the existing strut (1mm wall). Only a 63mm section of the strut is supported by the threaded tube alone. I'm happy enough with the strengh, being bronze welded inside and out.