DeltaNu1142 Posted August 12, 2013 Share Posted August 12, 2013 OK... I'm considering going back to Bilstein HDs & mild lowering springs after a short (but fun) stint with coilovers. I'm wondering where people get tophats. I have a few older ones sitting around installed on stock suspension, but I think I'd rather buy new. So where do you get them? What do you go with? Tits mcgee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitetiger Posted August 12, 2013 Share Posted August 12, 2013 can get them new from a dealer or vendor or used from the site. they need to be spec b top hats. can not use OEM LGT ones. Why get Hd's anyways? Konis would bee better and you can use your stock top hats. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeltaNu1142 Posted August 12, 2013 Author Share Posted August 12, 2013 I have coilovers right now. I don't have top hats, unless I want to dismantle the complete stock suspension set I have for return-to-stock (some day). Can't use OEM LGT top hats? That's not what the site vendor is saying. I wanted to go with HD's because I had them before & loved the ride... just not the height. With the Spec.B hats, the front was way up in the air. Sell me on Konis. I can get HD's new for <$600, but I want a level ride height. Tits mcgee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ERLoft Posted August 12, 2013 Share Posted August 12, 2013 Hmm. Sorry for the slight hijack, but will Spec.B tophats work on stock springs? I was going to send my Bilstein's in for a rebuild and have some stock struts, but no tophats for them.... 2013 █S4 - Glacier White - DSG - B&O - Tech Package - Sports Diff - Napa - RS4 Grille - Stasis Exhaust - APR Intake - KW Variant 1 - Stern Control Arms - CR-15 - Stasis RSB - Moog Endlinks - PC Hyper Black Peelers - Deval Front Lip - ECS Rear Diffuser - Carbon Imports Ducktail - ECS Mirror Caps - Relak Paddle Extensions - Autostyle Floor Mats - LED Interior - V1 - Blackvue DR900s - [sIGPIC][/sIGPIC] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitetiger Posted August 12, 2013 Share Posted August 12, 2013 I have coilovers right now. I don't have top hats, unless I want to dismantle the complete stock suspension set I have for return-to-stock (some day). Can't use OEM LGT top hats? That's not what the site vendor is saying. I wanted to go with HD's because I had them before & loved the ride... just not the height. With the Spec.B hats, the front was way up in the air. Sell me on Konis. I can get HD's new for <$600, but I want a level ride height. You have to use spec b tophats with any bilstein shock, including HD's. period. you can get koni's for under $600 as well and you dont have to source tophats. just take apart your stock setup. And they are adjustable and better with aftermarket springs. as they use the standard LGT format so springs desighend for the regualr LGT setup will work as intended instead of the ride height being off perhaps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeltaNu1142 Posted August 12, 2013 Author Share Posted August 12, 2013 OK, OK, I'm warming up to the idea... the question remains, though: sure, I can get OEM top hats from the dealer, but is there a better quality or cheaper option? Tits mcgee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitetiger Posted August 12, 2013 Share Posted August 12, 2013 Hmm. Sorry for the slight hijack, but will Spec.B tophats work on stock springs? I was going to send my Bilstein's in for a rebuild and have some stock struts, but no tophats for them.... they may, but the ride height will be off as spec b springs are slightly shorter in the front. you may need some spacer washers so you dont run out of thread when you put the top nut on the shock. Oem tophats can be had for cheap. why take the chance of there being a problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitetiger Posted August 12, 2013 Share Posted August 12, 2013 OK, OK, I'm warming up to the idea... the question remains, though: sure, I can get OEM top hats from the dealer, but is there a better quality or cheaper option? ther are some other vendors that sell tophats with stiffer rubber or more caster/camber built in to them, and even full pillowball camber plates. what are you looking to get? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeltaNu1142 Posted August 12, 2013 Author Share Posted August 12, 2013 ther are some other vendors that sell tophats with stiffer rubber or more caster/camber built in to them, and even full pillowball camber plates. what are you looking to get? I don't need camber plates--but if I can get mild built-in camber, and a stiffer hat for the same or near the price of OEM pieces, why not, right? Tits mcgee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ERLoft Posted August 12, 2013 Share Posted August 12, 2013 I'm not running OEM spring - Swift sport springs on my Spec.B struts currently. Those springs will transfer over to the standard struts for about 4 weeks while Bilstein does the rebuild. If I have to get standard tophats too, I guess I can, but if the Spec.B tophats will work for the 4 weeks the Bilstein's are out getting rebuilt, I'll just to that way... 2013 █S4 - Glacier White - DSG - B&O - Tech Package - Sports Diff - Napa - RS4 Grille - Stasis Exhaust - APR Intake - KW Variant 1 - Stern Control Arms - CR-15 - Stasis RSB - Moog Endlinks - PC Hyper Black Peelers - Deval Front Lip - ECS Rear Diffuser - Carbon Imports Ducktail - ECS Mirror Caps - Relak Paddle Extensions - Autostyle Floor Mats - LED Interior - V1 - Blackvue DR900s - [sIGPIC][/sIGPIC] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitetiger Posted August 12, 2013 Share Posted August 12, 2013 ok, sounds fine. Spec b top hats are thinner so you still may have slitghtl uneven ride, but as long as everything fits securely, it should not be an issue for 4 weeks. go for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idiot4hire Posted August 12, 2013 Share Posted August 12, 2013 Get the whiteline tophats with konis. That's the best option Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitetiger Posted August 12, 2013 Share Posted August 12, 2013 I don't need camber plates--but if I can get mild built-in camber, and a stiffer hat for the same or near the price of OEM pieces, why not, right? ok, then whiteline has a product for you the KCA409 is what you need. - http://www.whiteline.com.au/product_detail4.php?part_number=KCA409 the centers are offset so you can gain caster and camber depending how you orient them. http://www.whiteline.com.au/images/products/KCA409.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeltaNu1142 Posted August 12, 2013 Author Share Posted August 12, 2013 Very cool... do the centers punch out for the Koni knobs? Tits mcgee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitetiger Posted August 13, 2013 Share Posted August 13, 2013 yes, how else would you be able to access the top nut to assemble them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeltaNu1142 Posted August 13, 2013 Author Share Posted August 13, 2013 Doh... well, admittedly, I've never loaded struts & didn't think about it. I checked into the Whiteline bits & they're more than I want to spend just on tophats. I'll probably just go with the stock pieces. Tits mcgee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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