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Should ride height be level, or a slight rake?

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Old 04-20-2009 | 05:12 PM
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6ocyclehum
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Default Should ride height be level, or a slight rake?

Finally getting all the bits to get my car aligned, and I found an interesting article:
http://www.924.org/techsection/Suspe...reparation.htm
This states the US spec car had a higher height setting in the rear for the US safety bumper height specs. Also states the car will handle and brake better if the height is set level on both ends.
Just wondering if I should get this done while I'm at the alignment shop. My rear height is about 3/8" higher than the front (not much, I know), but my passenger rear is about 1/4" higher than the drivers side. My car is stock, appears mostly original, suspension wise.
Anyone get their car dead level and notice much difference?
Old 04-20-2009 | 06:57 PM
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level is best, but if you get really particular you need to corner balance and align it.

My 944 spec and 944 Turbo S street car work best when level, but they will never be perfect since the needs of corner balance will change right height by 1/4 at times.

BTW.. you can used this rake a tuning feature too. Rear high = oversteeer, Rear low = understeer.
Old 04-20-2009 | 09:08 PM
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Corner weighting is the only way to go. NEVER measure from the wheels to the BODY. The body will be different from one side to the next. You cannot get any kind of plausable measurments from the wheel well/fender of the car.
Old 04-21-2009 | 11:45 AM
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I measured from the floor to the wheel well's highest point. What's the correct way to measure height? I measured my rear bumper also, and it was within the US specified height (right about 21" or 533mm). My car handles OK, but I get the feeling it should be better than it is. Probably a result of many different things.
Old 04-21-2009 | 01:21 PM
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I measure mine at the rockers. However the factory has righ height points and specs. I believe they are off the the bolts on the front caster block and off the flat part of the t-bar carrier.

I never worry about fender since body work can float. I never measure at the factory points since they are harder than the edge of the rockers. Even so I don't care much about the measurement other it being approxmatley level front to rear.
Old 04-21-2009 | 02:35 PM
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Originally Posted by 6ocyclehum
I measured from the floor to the wheel well's highest point. What's the correct way to measure height? I measured my rear bumper also, and it was within the US specified height (right about 21" or 533mm). My car handles OK, but I get the feeling it should be better than it is. Probably a result of many different things.
I measure from the center of the wheel hub to the middle of the fender arch. That way tire/rim size has no affect on your measurements. I think the measurement in the FSM is from the ground to the LCA bolt.



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