[HOW TO] remove struts, AGX mr2, rear strut conversion

[timmey]

How is it the AGX struts for the front of a lighter, front wheel drive car good to use on all 4 corners of our much heavier, AWD car?

That doesn't make sense to me, but if it does, I'm so doing this conversion!

Timmey

[tw2]

mr2 is rear wheel drive which obviously makes your arguement even more substantial. The answer is the fact that they are very harsh inserts. mr2 guys find them quite uncomfortable for street duty. They are about right on setting 1 or 2 for the alltrac but are still very hard on 3 or 4. I am happy with mine.

[timmey]

REAR wheel drive, yes, that's what I meant to say.

That makes sense. I guess as long as you use st185 springs it's all good. I'm not looking for too stiff of a ride either. I DD my car and just want a less-blown soft suspension replacement with a little drop. Nothing bone jaring.

Thanks for the info!

Timmey

[tw2]

Its not bone jaring but even on the softest setting it is harder than most newish oem cars. Koni's are the best option for comfort and performance but obviously cost a lot more.

[timmey]

Very cool.

Yeah - I saw that 935 has a set of Koni's with some of the rear work done already. Expensive is by far the majority of the feedback I hear for Koni Yellows, but I don't think they're nearly as bad as I expected. Still cheaper than coilovers, I suppose.

What did you use for the new stops and replacement pieces? I think you mentioned they are not OEM. Do you have the make or part numbers, by chance?

Cheers!

Timmey

[tw2]

Bump stops and dust covers? I just went to my local suspension parts shop, they just measured the old bump stop and gave me the closest universal pieces that would do the job. They don't have to be exactly the same as OEM as long as they fit snug on the shaft. No idea what make or anything.

[6strngs]

where do you get the threaded tops to be welded on to the struts?

[tw2]

You can get front suspension ones from wrecked celica's ie gt's gtr's gts's etc and cut them off or I just had them made from scratch using a lathe.

[tubasteve]

mr2 is rear wheel drive which obviously makes your arguement even more substantial. The answer is the fact that they are very harsh inserts. mr2 guys find them quite uncomfortable for street duty. They are about right on setting 1 or 2 for the alltrac but are still very hard on 3 or 4. I am happy with mine.

after getting in a pissing match with a friend about that this says to use the fronts, is it cause the rears are much stiffer themslves? are the length and diamter the same otherwise? what is different? i did agree with him, but being almost fan boy of this site, i swore yall were right but i have no amo...i dont mind a gokart type feel, did ikf for 5 years.

[tw2]

From what I remember, the rear mr2 inserts are a very different shape and will not fit in our housings. I have not yet had mr2 suspension in pieces to see for myself.

[monkninja]

Amazing write up! Makes me very excited to do mine! Thank you for taking the time to make this for everyone!


Kyle

[tw2]

No problem. There are not many bolt on upgrades for our car or at least not for a reasonable price so these sorts of projects are great. Much more exciting than simply bolting some coilovers on.

[johndgt4]

You guys should check out the MR2 inserts from Gaz in the UK. Very nicely made units. Very similar to Koni in that they are rebound adjustable only and IIRC will custom set the compression damping to your specified spring rate.

They used to be about £85 UKP per unit so very reasonable.

I was going to upgrade my AGX conversion, on my old 185, with them but ended up selling them on and now I have Bilsteins on my 205 with 14kg/mm f 7 kg/mm r springs which surprisingly (or not as Swift springs with Bilstein dampers) absorb ruts/potholes no problem!

John