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SolaraGuy.com • View topic - Bump Stops
Page 2 of 2

PostPosted: Tue Aug 02, 2005 8:43 am
by SLOW-ARA
thanks for the replies... going to cut the bumpstops

PostPosted: Sun Jan 18, 2009 6:38 pm
by 2ksev6
Hi,

I just cut my front bumpstops a few minutes ago, but I ran out of light before I could figure out if I should try to cut the rear bumpstops.

I know the rear struts are pretty stiff, and riding in the backseat is not a pleasant experience. It just looks difficult to get to for one (it's up high under the dust gaurd, vs down low on the fronts) and most posts here seem to reference the fronts with the bottoming out problem.

Any opinions?

PostPosted: Sun Jan 18, 2009 8:01 pm
by RelishGTP
Why don't you guys just buy Poly short bump stops from Fulcrum??
There cheap as and a much better solution than using cut oem ones :P

PostPosted: Sun Jan 18, 2009 8:58 pm
by TMMK Toy
I think it all depends on the springs you're gonna run. With my Eibachs and Tokicos the instructions with the springs indicated to cut the front bumpstops but leave the rear alone (or may have been the other way around. I can't really recall now, but I only cut one pair and left the other alone, per the directions) so I did just that and havent had any issues here

PostPosted: Sun Jan 18, 2009 10:29 pm
by aenties
With eibachs, cut the front and leave the rear alone.

PostPosted: Mon Jan 19, 2009 3:04 pm
by 2ksev6
Thanks guys,

After going on a long drive yesterday and a short one this morning, I'd say the cut bumpstops have improved my ride quality very noticeably. It's still not as smooth as stock, but I wouldn't expect it to be.

When I had them installed, I should have requested the bumpstops be cut or have different ones put on. But now that they're on there and causing me problems, cutting them is a lot cheaper and easier than removing the struts to put on different ones.

And it is way worth it and something I would highly recommend.

PostPosted: Mon Jan 19, 2009 3:28 pm
by DaZanY4002
Didn't know this when I got my used TRD's, and the bump stop cut is new to me. So all you have to do is pretty much cut through just about the middle of the bump stop and remove the top half right?

PostPosted: Mon Jan 19, 2009 4:05 pm
by 2ksev6
Well, in the photo on the first page the bumpstop is removed from the car, and upside down from the orientation you would find when still attached to the strut (unless my mechanic just flipped it, which I doubt). Just keep in mind to cut off the smaller pieces and you'll be good.

Also, mine was black, though probably from dirt.

So yes, you:

1. Jack up the car, as high as you can safely (no need to remove the wheel)

2. raise the dust boot which is around the strut (which sits inside the springs). This is not your fender well which requires tools, your dust boot looks like an accordian and can be raised over the bumpstop by hand.

3. cut through the middle, then down vertically to remove the 2 smaller "donuts" of the bumpstop. I used an xacto knife (like you'd get at Home Depot), I'd say that worked way better than the scissors I tried

FYI: I am not a mechanic or an expert, just someone who read about it in this forum and did it with success.

IF you move slowly this takes about an hour, and it's not hard.

On a side note: I'd read on the forums a while back about a part for the rear struts that you take off the OEM ones and put on the replacements that some shops forget that can lead to a thunk noise and harder ride. I suspect that's the case with me, but I can't find the post, so if anyone has a clue as to what I'm talking about, please point me in the right direction.

Re: Bump Stops - Pictures how cut bumpstops change ride heig

PostPosted: Sun Jul 15, 2012 7:10 pm
by 99trollaraSLE
So, I read every post on bumpstops trying to diagnose a loud thud going over sharp bumps. I live in Chicago and accepting the thuds is unacceptable. At first I thought I was bottoming out. I cut the bump stop too much initially leaving only the bottom foam ring in. This is how the car sat.
I have about a finger length b/w the tire and fender.
Image

After some tinkering, I learned the thud came from bad strut mounts (which you can imagine being the case since all my struts were blown so the mount was doing extra work for god knows how long). At first the mount seemed fine, until I raised the car and tugged on the coils and felt around near the mount. I could feel the strut piston moving and making a slight knock sound. At 45-60 mph, this would surely translate into a massive thud. I knew the thud was not b/c of bottoming out b/c w/blown struts my mudflaps would scrape b/f bottoming out and w/Tein-stagg shs combo I never scraped, just got the thud over sharp bumps. I put in new mounts in the front (rear to be added later) and installed new bumpstops W/OUT cutting them. This is how the car sat with new bumpstops and YES, you do ride on the bumpstops regardless if they're cut or not if you have Tein S-tech springs.
I have just over 2 finger length b/w tire and fender.
Image
Image

Though the mounts fixed the thud, the ride was really stiff. Initially I thought that's just how the Teins ride, but I was wrong. I took a peek inside the wheel well and quickly saw that the car was completely sitting on the bumpstops. That explains why I felt very little dampening over bumpy Chicago streets. It also explained why it seemed the drop was less than the advertised 1.7 inches.

So, I decided to cut the bumpstops again, this time exactly as Tein instructed by leaving the top 2 foam rings in place and cutting off the rest. This is how the car sat after cutting the bumpstops as Tein recommends.
Image
Image
Image
Image

So, to compare; this is the difference b/w stock, to Tein no cut, suggested cut, and extra cut.
Stock
Image
Tein, uncut bumpstop
Image
Tein, recommended Type A bumpstop cut
Image
Finally, Tein not recommended cut leaving one foam ring in place
Image
The pictures are a little small, but i think you can clearly see the progression from stock through the overly cut bumpstops. Each one shows the front end getting lower and lower.

After doing the recommended Type A cut, i checked to see if I was still sitting on the bumpstop and sure enough, I was. I have a 1999 Solara SLE, I don't think it would make much difference whether you're in the 4 or 6 cylinder. I figured the ride would be about the same as with uncut bumpstops since in both cases I was sitting on the bumpstops. I was dead wrong. The difference is like night and day. Though Teins are stiffer, i could tell the ride dramatically improved. On bumpy road patches where I would be shook with uncut stops, the Type A cut stops seemed to just glide over the bumps. The suspension was finally performing as designed and apparently, the design means that Tein S-tech springs heavily depend on the bumpstops to work with the coil spring rate to provide the sweet sporty and comfortable ride they advertise.

So, to answer the questions posed in this thread.
Yes, Solaras do ride on the bumpstops with Tein Springs.
Yes, cutting the bumpstop changes ride height.
Yes, taking out 2 foam rings from the bumpstops dramatically improves how the suspension deals with the road surface -- because that's how Tein designed it.
and as a bonus, if you think you're bottoming out on the stops b/c you hear a thud but you haven't scraped your mudflaps, you probably didn't bottom out. Check your strut mounts.

I hope this helps. I would have liked to have a post like this when I was researching the topic so I decided to put it up for whoever's benefit.

Re: Bump Stops

PostPosted: Tue Jul 17, 2012 10:14 pm
by civictypeR
interesting.....so I'm going to try this

So I have tein/tokicos..cut all fours or only do the fronts?

Re: Bump Stops

PostPosted: Tue Jul 17, 2012 10:33 pm
by 99trollaraSLE
According to Tein, on S-tech springs you do a cut A type cut on all 4 bumpstops. A type A cut means that you cut off the smaller two foam/rubber/polyeurethane rings of the OEM bumpstops. If you purchased aftermarket bumpstops at some point like I did, you may not have 4 foam rings. I left the two biggest foam rings since the bumpstops I bought only had 3 rings. The two rings I left appeared to be the same width, height, and diameter of the stock bumpstops. Likewise, they appeared to be of relatively similar density. Though in my case the characteristics of the new stops vs oem might be different, I have experienced enough of an improvement that I'm not going to mess with the stops anymore. I don't want to have to take out the struts to put in new stops again.

Re: Bump Stops

PostPosted: Wed Jul 18, 2012 11:08 pm
by civictypeR
thank you 99trollaraSLE