Extended Strut Top-hats for Honda
 

Has anyone here made these before?

I've looked at the groundcontrol version, and they seem to simply move the mount for the shaft of the strut up an inch, and then fill most of that inch in with a large bump-stop. Seems simple enough.

I'm planning to cut and weld in some pipe that is large enough to go around the body of the strut to make the strut mount an inch higher. I was planning on using some exhaust tubing I have lying around that is of a decent thickness. Is there something wrong with using this type of metal for this project? And if so, what should I use?

I looked at the thickness of the top-hat's material, and it appears to be a thin steel, so I didnt think I would need anything thicker or stronger than that.

Any help or a link to a how-to would be appreciated. Thanks.

Re: Extended Strut Top-hats for Honda
 

http://www.honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=469485

Re: Extended Strut Top-hats for Honda
 

Thanks!

I searched HT, but couldnt find it... :1

I asked on there, but was given ass-hat answers. ---- them.

Re: Extended Strut Top-hats for Honda
 

HT is usefull every now and then :-\

Re: Extended Strut Top-hats for Honda
 

I would say it's mainly useful as a place to sell stuff without having to pay a fee!

But some people do post some useful info....sometimes.

Re: Extended Strut Top-hats for Honda
 

---- that, this is easier and more HMT. And adjustable.

http://3geez.com/forum/showthread.ph...nd%2A+shock%2A

Re: Extended Strut Top-hats for Honda
 

---- that is a lot easier...but then I don't get to weld and cut stuff, which is fun. :y

3geez.com got me involved in Hondas. Great site!

Re: Extended Strut Top-hats for Honda
 

3geez was my first car forum too, good ---- :)

Re: Extended Strut Top-hats for Honda
 

Almost got these ready to weld. Making these actually does take a bit of time...

The studs had to be soaked and then heated... Before banging the hell out of them with the sledge.

The cut-off wheel got chewed up completely twice...

And I was kinda stumped about what size piping to design them for since I wasnt sure how much of the strut would protrude into them. But I think I got that figured out.

Explanation:

Since the body of the strut shouldnt really be able to extend into the extended top-hat area much at all, since I believe the A-arm or rear tire would bottom out first, I only designed the top-hats (and future pipe size) so that they can extend about 3/4 of an inch into the extension tube. What I think is that filling the majority of the tophat with a large bump-stop will be very beneficial, since it will give me an extra inch of suspension travel before hitting the bumpstop (which I will hopefully make taller then I have it now so that it might be a softer "bump").

Here's a picture about what part of the strut I am concerned about fitting into the top-hat:

Attachment 23190

Does this seem like a reasonable assumption I've made?

I've never really tested the suspension to see when it bottoms out on the strut compared to the rest of the suspension, but it's something I think I'm going to test before welding up these top-hats. I am more going off of internet "facts" about where the suspension bottoms out.

This is all being done to make my car...

Attachment 23191

ride a little smoother (and just as a project to occupy myself while being jobless!).

Re: Extended Strut Top-hats for Honda
 

you should be able to go a good inch-inch.5 i would think... after removing the shock/strut assembaly, look at how far the top hat is from the top of the spring... do that or alil more then... but make sure you don't do more then will fit under your hood.