Eibach Multipro R-1 Coilover Install by BestCS

By diyauto
( 1 )

4 minute read

Eibach Multipro R-1 Coilover Install


Compliments of BestCS @ forums.miata.net


8-28-2009


Eibach Multipro R-1 Coilovers Install


If you've done the MS/Eibach Pro-Kit install, this is very similar. For those of you who haven't, you'll find all the necessary details contained within this thread:


http://forum.miata.net/vb/showthread...tarting+spring


I started in the rear. The Eibach Coilovers require some of the OEM parts:


1. Top nut

2. Upper washer

3. Upper Damper Isolator

4. Top Hat


The rest of the assembly is the coilover. The first picture shows an assembled and disassembled coilover. The second shows it installed. Don't bother trying to torque the top nut, since the whole assembly will turn. It can only be tighten once it's installed. It's an easy matter to sufficiently tighten it from within the truck with an open end wrench. The top hat has to aligned with the mounting bushing of the coilover, but alignment can be adjusted at the same time the unit is being installed. Also make sure the damper adjustment window is facing inboard. The completed unit is stuffed up into the truck cavity and assembled as in the Pro-Kit Install Part III. BTW, you notice that the top hats are marked L & R, so you won't get them mixed up. 


The ride height of the coilover is adjusted by turning a threaded collar. Before adjusting it, I made some measurement of the ride height with the lowering springs. With a full tank of gas and the tire pressure set to 32 PSI, I measure 25.5" both front & back from the fender lip to the garage floor. I made a preliminary adjustment with the wheels off. The final was obtained by checking the distance with the full weight of the car on the wheels. The coilover collar was turned with the weight of the car on a jack. Finally I locked the collar with the collar lock. BTW, you raise the car by threading the collar down.


Doing the fronts is a similar procedure. You'll have to use some of the OEM parts:


1. Top Nut

2. Upper Washer

3. Upper Damper Isolator

4. Top Hat

5. Spacer

6. Lower Isolator


The rest of the assembly is the coilover. BTW, throw away the plastic washers. The third picture is as assembled and disassembled coilover. The last another shot of the back. You'll again have to align the top hat with the fork of the coilover, but this can be done while your stuffing it back into the car. You can then tighten the top nut with an open end wrench. The ride height is adjusted exactly like in the back except to raise the car you thread the collar up. 


I hand tightened all the bolts. I drove the car for a few miles and then torqued the five critical bolts, three in front and two in back, to 65 Ft-Lbs with the weight of the car on the wheels. I know it's tough, but it can be done. For the damping adjustment, I set the back 3 clicks from hard and the fronts 3 turns.


Compared to the Eiback Pro-Kit, the driving experience was quite different. The car felt solidly planted on the road. I didn't feel or notice the various irregularities such as bumps and dips. Also the ride harshness seemed greatly diminished. This only reinforced my view that the Eibach springs weren't sufficiently damped by the Bilsteins. I'd say for 99% of owners, the MS/Eibach springs coupled with some shocks with adjustable damping would be the ideal setup. 


Finally, I would have never bought coilovers. My only reason to try them out was TR's blow out price of a grand only a couple hundred bucks more than the ideal set up. The ideal set up will cost around $800 while the least expensive undiscounted coilovers will cost at least $700 more hardly worth it in my opinion.



Comments