98-02 corolla coilover sleeves

Very good

Hey Matt it's the smaller washer you had on top just like I thought.

I called Ground Control earlier today and they said the washer is 5/8" inside diameter and 1" outside diameter. I got the right size and I did the install a little while ago. It does ride better, but my drivers side is clunking now. the washer I put on first fit right against the stud, but was alittle bigger than 1". The second washer I put on top was a perfect flush match with the bearing inside the top mount. I'm not sure if you want the washer pushing up against that bearing or not, but this may be where the issue is. I may need to get a larger diameter washer to cover the bearing but sit on the ring, instead of the bearing. When I push down on my car I can see the top mount rubber start to push through the hole in the engine bay a little.

That's strange if you have the right size washers and everything's tightened down good there shouldn't be any problems. Is the silver aluminum GC perch seated properly in the top of the spring? Sometime when you jack the car up they come unseated and need to be put back in place.

Yea, that's the first thing I checked. The perch is seated correctly. The OE top perch has a small ring that rest against the bearing and a larger diameter outer ring that rests against the top mount, but they are different heights. It seems the OE equipment allows the inner ring to press against the bearing but only to a certain point, then the larger outer ring presses against the top mount when too much pressure is applied. It sounds like to me the GC perch is slapping against the washers I just installed. But it's only doing it on one side. I'm thinking about just using a larger outaide diameter washer on the top so it will push against the bearing, but only untill it reaches the top mount, then the washer will press against the top mount instead of the bearing 100%. Hope this all makes sense. I'll add some pics when they load.

Yeah I just don't get why it's doing that I've had no problems out of mine at all, maybe you could ask GC about it they were very helpful. Do you have it lowered all the way?

Here is what the OE perch and top mount looks like


In this pic you can see where the smaller middle ring matches the top mount bearing size and larger diameter outaide ring pushes against the top mount

Maybe try like you said finding a washer that's the same diameter as that.

Yea I'll try it. If the smaller washer on top is pushing through, when I hit a bump the larger washer could be slapping the top mount. Doesn't make sense it's only on one side though. I'll call Ground Control tomorrow as well

Well hopefully they can help ya out that's just weird it's only on one side maybe you could email them those pics as well. but other than that it's riding good?

It rides better... still bouncy, but feels a lot stiffer then it used to be

This picture is from the GC website, the upper perch looks perfect. Not sure if there is a washer placed on top, or if the bump out is part of the perch... It's gotta be made onto the perch in order to slide up and down the piston. I am going to only use 1 washer and duplicate this picture. Is this what your upper perch looked like when you did yours JDMGEN8.. Except you used 2 washers.. Were your washers about the same size of the washers in the pic?

Not sure if that picture is correct or just a generic one bc when I initially contacted GC about my car they looked up info from an 03 corolla which we all know isn't the same. I honesty can't remember what the perch looked like on top I'm wanting to say it was just smooth. but I can jack it up tomorrow and look. By the time I get off it's usually dark and cold.

Yea my perch is smooth too. I took everything off again tonight and used 2 of the same 5/8" inside and 1" outside washers instead of a larger diameter washer on the bottom. And Im pretty sure my top hats were loose (top nut wasn't tightened down all the way) I had to use an impact but I did it carefully. Took it for a spin, no more clunks. And your right, the ride is night and day difference. Dark and cold here too, luckily I have a garage. Thanks for your input on all this.

Hey no problem man glad I could help, and glad you got it worked out kinda had me worried lol but yeah those not top hats being just the least bit loose would cause some banging noises I can't believe I didn't think of that. I'm glad you like the way it rides nice I was confident you'd be happier lol

hey man is there any way u can explain how u put the washers or post a pic..it would help greatly I'm doing my install tuesday and getting everything ready

Put them exactly where they are in this pic. When you put your top mount on the piston it will stop as a certain point. Where it stopped, take the top mount off and put the washers there and then reinstall the top mount. The top mount will then sit on top of the washers. I used 14mm washers to complete this. They were a perfect fit.

thank you so much that helps greatly

No problem. The washer on top is the size I used. 2 washers per strut. Front left / front right.

I also remember needing a spacer for the top mount nut on the rear struts. If I remember correctly I used the spacers from my OEM struts. If you don't use the spacer the top mount will have too much play and move up and down. You can tighten it without the spacer, but you would have to over tighten and strip the hell out of the threads on the struts piston. I learned this the hard way.. Use the spacer

so u used two of the same washers? whats the outer and inner diameters

Yes 2 washers ON EACH SIDE. 5/8" inside diameter and 1" outside diameter. A regular 5/8" standard washer outside diameter will be alot larger than a metric washer. The 14mm washer was a perfect fit. The 14mm washer inside diameter was a hair bigger than the 5/8" inside diameter. Trust me 14mm washer will work. If all you can find is a 5/8" washer and your lucky enough to find one with a 1" outside diameter, you would probably need to use a drill bit and open the hole up a little bit. Do a little at a time and check it often. You want it to be a snug fit.

got it thanks ALOT lol i will let you know if i have anymore questions but ill go to lowes tomorrow and find them

thats what i did with the washers those are both 14mm inside diameter and almost an inch outside they sit perfectly on the bearing but I'm still getting clunking help

this is what it looked like assembled

Make sure the strut mount/top hat nut is all the way tightened it's hard to do but if it's loose at all you will get that sound.

i tightened it but it still mad the clucking noise so to fix it i actually ended up putting 3 washers first i put one 14mm inside diameter and 1" outside diameter then i put a 5/8 inside diameter 1.5" outside diameter and then another 14mm inside and 1"outside it works perfect now no more clunking but its still a little bouncy

That's strange. The 14 millimeter (1" O.D.) washer is the perfect size for pressing against the bearing that allows rotation. That 1.5" O.D. might be too big, but if the clunking is gone.. That's good. Also when you let the car down off the jack, do it slowly and make sure the top perch sits on the top of the spring correctly. You got any pics of your car?

no pics...but yeah clunking is gone with the 3 washers 14mm(1"OD) 5/8(1.5"OD) 14mm(1"OD) in that order
Added: Feb 12, 2015 12:28 AM

ill get some pics of the car tomorrow lol its a work in progress..

I hear ya

Cbass

alright here is it lol sorry it took long i wanted to finish the front conversion and lower it before i post a pic
here is before






here is after