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

88st165

New member
WarTowels":88cl5hn9 said:
These are adjustable somehow? What do you mean when you say they are on "setting 2"?

Anymore thoughts after driving with them for a while? Also, how would this type of custom setup compare to a coil over system like Tein or K-Sport?

-Towels

AGX's are 4-way adjustable. IMO coilovers are superior in many ways. Most of them have way more settings (could be good or bad), height adjustable, and have pillow ball mounts.

This strut conversion is a good bang for the buck. Also if you just mainly drive around the street you dont need to spend the money on the coilovers. I have had this conversion done with the AGX's all around for 2+yrs and I think its great for the street, but i autox alot and the only disadvantage in that is the softness of off the self lowering springs.
 

tw2

New member
You take off the dust cap under the bonnet or under the rear tweeters in the trunk/boot/hatch. You insert a small flathead screwdriver into the top of the insert- the adjustment knob is on the center shaft above the large top nut. You push and turn it to one of four possible positions. 1= softest, 4 = hardest. 1 is harder than stock by a small amount. 2 is perfect for DD especially on average roads. 3 is awsome for pushing the limits on a windy mountain road and 4 is very uncomfortable on most roads.

If you have lots of money coil overs are the best option- way more adjustable in many different ways. But this is definitely the next best thing. Here you need to have coilovers certified (=$300) but these are drop in legal and cost less than half the price of a good coilover if you also get upgraded springs. This is very very good for street driving but coilovers are the only option for ultimate performance.

After driving with this for at least a year and 10,000km or so it has been perfect. I would definitely do it again even if I had the money for coilovers. Its so cheap, easy to replace parts and does everything I personally need. The fabrication is the only major downside. With all four corners the same setting it really tightens the back end up and balances the car nicely (this is w/o a whiteline rear swaybar), its much easier to throw the back end out around corners should you so wish.
 

WarTowels

Active member
Yeah it's defiantly a cool solution.

I'm just an uber noob when it comes to suspension. A full coilover kit is probably better for me since I can just unbolt the old and insert the new without knowing jack about modifying things and there effects.

Never the less, this is a sweet solution and idea.

Thanks for the write up.

-Towels
 

Sheng

New member
I think with the coils swaping out old for new, still need to be adjusted to taste. which means stiffness and hight still need to be adjusted before they're perfect.

Coils are harder to finish adjusting, the struts are harder to begin assembly.

just my $0.02

Sheng

another note: i'm not sure but i heard that the k-sports don't click when you adjust height <--- correct me if i'm wrong.
 

tw2

New member
Coilovers would probably be better for you then. You can always copy someone elses settings to get you started and then slowly change them over time to suit yourself. Make sure any coilovers you get have the brake line bracket on them since that can be annoying and make sure they have an easy way to compare height on each corner. Some use markers while others click and you count the click etc. Others don't have anything which makes it a pain in the ass to work out all four the same.
 

tw2

New member
Adjustable part at front covered in grease. The rear ones are obviously nice and clean though.
Adjustmentnut2.jpg

Adjustmentnut.jpg
 

ChrisD

New member
I have the AGX on the front, setting 3 or 4 depending on my mood. I find either to be just fine for any driving. Definitely not overly harsh.

On the rear I am using 185 front-spec GR2's. My thought was that the heavier weight requirement for fronts would provide a comfortable, yet performance oriented ride. I was correct, and have enjoyed these for a few years now with zero issues.

I am quite happy with my suspension set up. I have also added the whiteline swaybar which was an outstanding use of $200.
 

tw2

New member
Sounds like a good setup. I decided by using the same shocks on all four I could try and remove some of the understeer in the stock setup. I have just purchased a whiteline swaybar also since I am in Australia at the moment. They had to make it from scratch since they had no st185 ones in stock.
 

Mafix

New member
just to add to this i did not cut my inserts. they came with new threaded tops that were a little longer. no issues or binding. and i also noticed that you didn't go over the modification to the strut tops in the rear. they (16x platform) need to be drilled out for the huge shaft (only the threaded portion) to fit through.

i used to have gr2's all the way around but within 2 years the rears were blown out completely. that was probabily around 50,000 miles on them.
 

tw2

New member
The inserts were drop in for the front with the exception that the small foot on the bottom needed to be removed. I used the collars the inserts came with which were identical to the stock ones in size/height etc.

The backs on the 185 are the real problem as you know. I did go over the modification except I was unable to take photo's during the process so there is only an after welded and painted photo showing roughly what was done and a photo of an example weld on portion. The assembly etc was the same as the front which is why I did not explain how to remove/reinstall a spring etc for the back.

The reason I ground off the back feet on the insert was to make it shorter as the mr2 inserts are already quite a bit longer than the stock ones and since I was lowering the car as well I thought it would be best to try and align everything as best as possible and I think that 10mm was a good idea. The inserts fit straight into the original housings with no problems as far as I can remember anyway. A small amount of the top weld of the insert needed to be ground down less than 1mm to fit through the top of the housing where my weld on threaded portion was welded to the housing but I assume that is my own fault- slight misalignment or crappy welding?
 

timmey

New member
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

New member
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

New member
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

New member
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

New member
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

New member
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.
 

tw2

New member
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

New member
tw2":z7otsrs9 said:
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

New member
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.
 
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