Peugeot Bag Over Coils setup advice

[richardd07]

Hi, new to the forum here. I bagged my 306 a few months back using universal aerosport bags over coilovers up front. I have the bag located as far down the coilver as possible and i am not quite satisfied with the drop.

I am still using standard top mounts and bearings with no top plate on the bag. I made thinner top mounts from 6mm plate but found that the limiting factor is that the strut is going right through the bag when aired out.

If I were to make top mounts with cups that would allow the strut to go up through the turret, will it allow more drop? Or am I missing something?

Any advice on how to get more drop on these bags?

[richardd07]

[Oh Damn, it's Sam]

I think that drop looks pretty damn amazing, but that's just me.

Let me see if understand what's going on here. Are the struts running out of travel when aired down? If that's the case, extended top mounts should help, as you'd basically be mounting the top end of the strut higher, giving more range in the compression direction, though you'll reduce extension range by the same amount. This is exactly what I've done on my car to get more compression range out of my front struts. Shorter struts will do the same thing.

The only thing to consider here is whether the bag itself is also limiting compression or close to it. If that's the case, you've got a bigger job on your hands.

[richardd07]

Yeah when I reduced the thickness of the top mount the strut was physicay hitting the top mount stopping any more drop, it goes right through the bag as I run no top plates.

I run 40 psi at ride height atm so a slight increase in pressure to achieve the same lift wouldnt be a disaster lol

[Oh Damn, it's Sam]

Okay, I think we're on the same page. Do you know off the top of your head whether any aftermarket struts are available that have a shorter body? Something like Bilstein Sports maybe, or an application from a different vehicle? Because that would be the best solution here, rather than creating custom extended top mounts.

EDIT: I'm jealous of how little pressure you people with your lightweight cars need for ride height. I'm at 130 at ride height, and that's with big 'ol SS-5 bags

[richardd07]

Its a 51mm strut so dont really see much about. Problem with aerosports is on a shorter strut would they not be closer to the tyre? The are about as close as is comfortable as is

[Oh Damn, it's Sam]

You could mount the Aero Sports at the same relative height (so, closer to the top end of the strut body) on the new ones and be just fine, but it depends on how close to the top of the strut body they're mounted currently. Without seeing your setup, it's hard to say for sure, but if the strut body can come all the way up through the bag and bang on the top mount, suffice to say you've got room.

If nothing with a shorter body exists, extending the top mounts will be the only solution.

[richardd07]

Okay buddy thanks for the help. I had considered replacing the inserts in the coilovers if I could find shorter inserts and them shorten the bodies to match.

For all I need i think top mounts might be easiest

[richardd07]

Just wondering whats the best and safest way to extend the top mounts? My friend made up some thin mounts out of flat plate, can i simple weld some pipe the correct diameter for the strut on top and then weld a round piece on top of the pipe to create a top hat?

[Oh Damn, it's Sam]

Being that this is a safety-related item, I'm hesitant to make specific construction recommendations. However, know that the top mount has to resist not only tension and compression stresses from being the upper attachment point of the coilover system, but also shear if your front coilovers are set up as struts.

Were I doing it, I would be tempted to see if I could adapt a preexisting extended top mount from another application.