Top Hats????

[mysticivics]

Sorry for this ridiculous question:
Okay, so I see people talking about extended top hats so here's this question?
1.Exactly what is a top hat?
2.What does an extended top hat do?

[Fleetw00d]

The "top hat" is the top retainer for coil spring in the shock/spring assembly to which the top end of the shock it attached as well. An extended top hat raises the top mounting point for the shock absorber relative to the top of the spring (only the center portion is "extended") to offset the effect of lowering the suspension and potentially causing the shock to operate closer to the fully compressed position and possibly bottoming out internally.

Item 8 below (with the rubber insulator, #10) is the top hat:

[F22Chris]

Fleetwood nailed it. A extended hat is an aftermarket suspension component for ground effects.

No question is dumb or ridiculous unless it's about buying eBay coilovers sleeves. Even then we'll still answer.


I think LadyG's husband made stuff like this, and the upper control arm clearance cap things right? If you're looking for a set maybe contact him?

[Corweena]

FFC makes extended front top hats for the CB/CD, which I've utilized since they were released. Icing on the cake for my Koni/GC setup.

[Bunta]

So if I'm correct these move the damper in relation to the spring, allowing you to be lowered without compressing the damper?

[Raf99]

So if I'm correct these move the damper in relation to the spring, allowing you to be lowered without compressing the damper?

Couldn't of said it better myself! Especially for "struts" or spring packages that weren't meant to be lowered or a better way to think of it is that the maximum performance of the unit is "as is". Lowering the car with out lowering the spring.

[deevergote]

Using extended top hats won't compensate for a stiffer spring rate, however. If you have shocks that aren't valved for a stiff rate, they still won't last very long or perform very well even if you use extended top hats to ensure that they are operating in their intended compression range.

Extended top hats are useful only in instances where you are so low that you have exceeded the capabilities of available shock options (and you don't want to have shortened, revalved shocks made custom... as that is an expensive, albeit available, option.) If you are not so low that you need extended top hats, and you are using shocks (such as koni yellows) that are intended to be used with lowered vehicles, then you may actually damage your shocks. Just as a shock can be compressed beyond its intended range, it can also be overextended.

If you're not sure, just stick to something fairly standard. Koni Yellows will stand up to pretty much any quality brand non-adjustable spring on the market for these cars. It's not until you go extreme, either with a very low ride height, or in a serious competition setting, that you will ever need anything more than the things you can just buy off the shelf and bolt to your car. By the time you get to that point, if ever, you SHOULD have amassed enough suspension knowledge to understand what you need, and why.

[mysticivics]

Thanks guys that explained it all, much appreciated.