curtis
Well-known member
As you guys know the evo stuff works on our cars also as Garfield has posted that the aftermarket springs for an evo also work. Well one other thing also works....the strut bearing tops also do.
The ones I had on the car were DSM tops and were worn and starting to make noises so since I had more than a few sets here I made them work. The reason they don't work without mods is because the dsm and vr4 tops are on 90 degree centers and the evos are on 120 degree bolt centers.
How to.....
Line up the evo strut bearing plate upside down on the strut tower of the car. Insert one of the bolts just barely in the inter most hole of the cars strut tower. The studs are pointed so you'll have to support and center them now center the other two up between the large opening and mark the hole with a paint pen, center punch etc. Drill a small hole then double check the other one. You do not want to screw this up. You may need a round file or reamer to adjust the center of the hole that was just drilled, now drill the hole for the next stud. After all three are centered up you can open all three up to .500-.600. That way it will give you some movement for adjustment. If you have a strut tower brace you'll probably run into problems the bolt for mine ended up being on the edge of the strut bearing brace so I simply drilled a hole where it needed to be and removed the plate and welded on a large washer for a bolt to be installed in. Then I reassembled everything....Its needing an alignment but Its going to be after I do the bushing replacement and the 4 bolt install in the rear when ever that is. Its sitting on 1.5 degree negitive now and handles way better. The dsm and VR4 bearing plates have about half of the rubber the evo plates have and also the evo plates have a extra steel ring molded in the rubber for added support in cornering.
Just thought I would share the knowledge for the guys that don't mind breaking out the drill. Also if you have the patients this can be done without removing the lower mounts, tires etc. The plates will slide up in there without full removal. This was done with cut evo springs and evo struts don't try this with factory struts and un cut springs. Springs are violent when released and will rip through fenders like there not there. K values of springs are deadly.... be careful.
I'll post pictures compairing the two side by side and install pictures of the car tomorrow.
The ones I had on the car were DSM tops and were worn and starting to make noises so since I had more than a few sets here I made them work. The reason they don't work without mods is because the dsm and vr4 tops are on 90 degree centers and the evos are on 120 degree bolt centers.
How to.....
Line up the evo strut bearing plate upside down on the strut tower of the car. Insert one of the bolts just barely in the inter most hole of the cars strut tower. The studs are pointed so you'll have to support and center them now center the other two up between the large opening and mark the hole with a paint pen, center punch etc. Drill a small hole then double check the other one. You do not want to screw this up. You may need a round file or reamer to adjust the center of the hole that was just drilled, now drill the hole for the next stud. After all three are centered up you can open all three up to .500-.600. That way it will give you some movement for adjustment. If you have a strut tower brace you'll probably run into problems the bolt for mine ended up being on the edge of the strut bearing brace so I simply drilled a hole where it needed to be and removed the plate and welded on a large washer for a bolt to be installed in. Then I reassembled everything....Its needing an alignment but Its going to be after I do the bushing replacement and the 4 bolt install in the rear when ever that is. Its sitting on 1.5 degree negitive now and handles way better. The dsm and VR4 bearing plates have about half of the rubber the evo plates have and also the evo plates have a extra steel ring molded in the rubber for added support in cornering.
Just thought I would share the knowledge for the guys that don't mind breaking out the drill. Also if you have the patients this can be done without removing the lower mounts, tires etc. The plates will slide up in there without full removal. This was done with cut evo springs and evo struts don't try this with factory struts and un cut springs. Springs are violent when released and will rip through fenders like there not there. K values of springs are deadly.... be careful.
I'll post pictures compairing the two side by side and install pictures of the car tomorrow.
