360 Adjusting the front coils

only way to do it, if you can't rotates no more, is to take out the shock/spring assembly, using a spring compressor, then it will be easy to turn

after you clean everything up, it is easy to turn in-situ, not when you have gunks in there sometimes.

 

You really need to remove the shocks from the car, especially if lifting the car. You risk stripping the threads on the shock body otherwise. As stated above, remove, use spring compressor and with clean and lubricated threads, then attempt to adjust with a properly fitting wrench. My local dealer says that is the only way they do it. You might get away with lowering the car without removing the shock...maybe.

 

Same, never had a problem adjusting Bilstein PSS or KW coilovers on my BMW while in place. Apparently it is the aluminum perch and shock body, plus stiff factory springs that can risk stripping the threads. Plus, those shocks are not cheap, so better safe than sorry. I had a local race shop ruin one of the shocks on my F355 spider trying to raise it. So it can definitely happen.

 

Those rubber inserts are a PITA. They are cheap and crack in time.

If you have the inclination then fit the derlin inserts from the Scuderia- they will adjust (just about!) with a bit of Teflon lubrication.

 

You will get approximately 2 mm lift/lowering per turn (1.5mm pitch on shock + ratio 0.7 between shock length change and chassis height change --> 1.5/0.7=2.1)

 

You can do it with it in the car, you just need the right spring compressor that's small enough to fit in there to take the tension off the top hats/perches. Once you compress the spring it should no longer be touching any of the rubber gaskets or perches. You can hose down the threads with PB Blaster and let it soak if they don't want to rotate initially, shouldn't have any problems.



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