AO

I knew my car looked low, so last night I finally decided to do something about it. I check the rears 1st.

RR=173mm
LR=170mm

Not bad. Close enough to the 175mm spec. Everything looks good there. I suppose if I really wanted to, I could bump them both up a bit, but I thought I should check the fronts first...

RF=143mm
LF=137mm

Far from the 180+-10mm spec for the front. So I decided to try and adjust them. I couldn't get at the adjusters with the wheel s on so I jacked up the car and removed the wheels. I cannot believe I didn't notice earlier, but the front shocks are Boge and do not have an adjuster on them. So the only way at this point for me to raise the ride height would be to replace the front struts with a Koni or Bilistein. Didn't plan on this expense . And I might as well replace the springs too.

DR... would those "Canadian rejected" bilisteins/eibachs work for my '91 GT? I sure hope that SC is running behiind schedule, because I'm going to need some time to replenish the funds from this one.

"Kids... Chistmas is canceled!"

ROG100

Andrew,
Ride height should be : -
Front=170+or-20
Rear=163+or-10
The 180 & 173 are for a new car.
Good luck,
Roger

Garth S

Fear not o' keeper of the shrine .... kazaam! You now have front adjusters - go look again ....
At the very bottom of the spring perch, you will see a toothed aluminium adjuster nut on the gas bogy shocks. The threaded adjuster sleeve is hidden inside, unlike the rears - where it is visible.
Thread pitch is 1.5mm/turn. Mark the perch, shock body, and nut with a magic marker - and adjust. Work towards 165 - 170mm/side, and the kids may yet enjoy Xmas ....

AO

Roger- Thanks for the correct spec, but fronts are still way low!

Are you sure Garth? I swear I turnted that damn thing 2 full turns and did not see it move. I assume I should see the adjuster nut move relative to the strut housing, right? To be clear, there was a spot on the strut housing just below the adjuster nut - I expected the spot to move away from the adjuster nut as I turned it. I did not see any movement, but maybe I need to go back and turn it some more. After all at 1.5MM/rev, it won't be that noticable. Hmmmmmm... Or should I be looking at the upper housing of the strut (Just thought of that now... Doh!)

Hey DR, hold onto that thought...

Garth S

Absolutely sure! It is quite possible that the threaded insert is turning with the nut. As you are trying to lift the suspension, stick a band of masking tape at the lower edge of the nut ( on the shock). The 1.5mm/tr should then show.
If not, zap & soak the upper side of the adjuster with a good penetrating oil. Then lower the car to a jackstand placed under the lower control arm, letting it take the weight of the car ( of vice-versa with the jack under the lcr). The idea is to max the load on the threaded sleeve such that it does not turn with the nut.
Place the can of penetrating oil in the shrine for an initial 5min - to maximize its effect.

GlenL

You may have that common afflication fronuts adjustero freezus. The threads lock together and the whole assembly turns around the shock.

Then again, at 1.5mm per full revolution it'll be hard to see it move.

I'm curious if this is PO malfeasance or compression of the springs. Both?

MGW-Fla

Hi Andrew, While I'm certainly no expert here, reading your comments sounds exactly like my experience a couple of weekends ago, first time I tried to adjust my shark due to being woefully low in the front. I didnt have time to do the official measurements cause it was getting dark & just wanted to do anything to get the front up since the right front tire would rub with a left turn.

I had the same experience as you when I tried to adjust the front. Just didnt see any noticeable movement between the nut & the shock. But I figured what the heck, I got the car jacked & wheels off, I'm turning those puppies a good bit & see what happens. I didnt even get to do much driving that night for it to settle, but last Sat. I did get in the 50 miles+/- for the car to settle back down. I still have yet to get my actual measurements. I had hope to last weekend, just had work & too many late honey do's to have the time. I know this much though, MY SHARK IS DEFINATLY HIGHER IN THE FRONT! So it must have worked as far as raising the car, even though I couldnt tell squat when I was turning the adjuster nuts up front.

I went from my fender being below the top of the tire up front to now having a two finger space between the fender & the top of the tire. My front spoiler was so low before I could barely place my hand sideways between it & the ground! Now I have a good hand plus 3 fingers there too. So technical, .... I'm guessin there's lots of heads shakin bout now as some read this post! I know, I know, I still have to go thru the measurements & get the adjustments right. I just wanted to get it up enough to stop the tire rub on the right front & thats all I've had time to do thus far. So I'd say even though you couldnt tell it was adjusting, if its like my experience, it was still adjusting. I know I'll have confidence when I get back & attempt to get it set all round that the front will just seem like its not going anywhere as I adjust the nuts. Good Luck!

MGW-Fla

I also soaked the nuts all round first with Rust Buster for 5-10 minutes first before adjusting the nuts. I too thought I possibly had the infamous "nut stuck to the sleeve" syndrome up front after my initial experience. In fact, Andrew, you were the one who told me about that possibility & Garth, I think you were the one who provided the info for the cure. I was all prepared to go that route with mine when I got back to it, but I'm hoping now all I have to go thru is the trial/error of adjusting to the correct measurement range. I'll keep ya posted! THANKS!

WallyP

Per Page 62 of WKD 423 720, the tech spec booklet for the '91, the front should be 160 - 180 mm, the rear 153 - 173 mm, and there should be a max difference of 10 mm side-to-side.

Remember that an alignment is required after the ride height is changed...

AO

Ok guys. Thanks for the tips. I'll put some masking tape to have a "positive" mark and I'll also try loading the lower control arm. Soaked it in PB Blaster last night before I worked on it, so there should be plenty o' lube there.

Wally- I am aware of the alignment - actually that's what precipitated this exercise. I want to do the Capt'n Earl, DIY alignment, but wanted to put the ride height to spec first.

I'll report results late tonight/tomorrow.

khalloudy

Andrew,

I thought my car looked "cool" being low... until i realized that i was doing a free job for the municipality cleaning the roads ... now seriously, the specs are as follows:

Front: 180 +/- 20 mm
Rear: 173 +/- 10 mm

make sure you are measuring from the correct positions (http://members.rennlist.org/pirtle/z...ide_height.txt)

I raised my car ( it was like 120 front, 140 rear or something like that) back to factory spec... you will feel immediate improvement in the ride, steering and toe. Actually speaking of that, in order to have the alignment done correctly, you will need to be at the factory settings. Also, you will need to raise your car more than once to get back to the correct setting (raise it, drive it for a week or so putting some miles so the suspension settles, check and adjust as needed). Also be sure you get back to as close to the factory specs as possible.... 180+/-20, 173+/-10 mm DO ACCOUNT for sagging. If you're out of spec, new springs are on your next shopping list

Sincerley,
Khaled

ROG100

Hi Khaled,
Read the second post on this thread.
180 and 173 are for a new car.
Spec is 10mm less for a "not new" car.
So you are not as low as you thought.
Roger

the flyin' scotsman

Andrew................the 'Canadian Rejected' Bilstiens/ Eibachs shall work on your car although DR informed me this morning they've already gone to another home (or trip around North America depending on who looses them).

Do as Garth suggests. The collar on the front shocks may indeed spin as you turn the adjuster.............using a good 'C' wrench work the adjuster nut back and forth after lubrication.

Fogey1

WallyP wrote:
"Per Page 62 of WKD 423 720, the tech spec booklet for the '91, the front should be 160 - 180 mm, the rear 153 - 173 mm, and there should be a max difference of 10 mm side-to-side."

These threads have always confused me. I trust Wally to have gotten it right, and I know the factory has been know to make mistakes in printed materials, but:

Page 72 of Tech Spec booklet for 81-84, "Models, Dimensions, Tolerances," WKD 422 920, printed 6/85, says -
Front axle set value 190 -20mm
Rear axle set value 173 +10mm
Note the spec is only MINUS for the front and PLUS for the rear.
Both show max. diff left to right of 10mm.

Page 72 of Tech Spec booklet for 85-89, "Models, Dimensions, Tolerances," WKD 423 220, printed 3/90, says -
Front axle set value 190 -20mm
Rear axle set value 173 +10mm
Note the spec is only MINUS for the front and PLUS for the rear.
Both show max. diff left to right of 10mm.
Unlike the 81-84 book this one has a ** footnote that says "...Used vehicles may be up to 10mm lower, i.e. the tolerance may deviate by minus 10mm."

So I've always presumed, on a new car, the factory wanted -
190mm up front but would take 170mm, and
173mm in the rear but would take 183mm.

I've never seen anybody else say the same thing. So, what am I reading wrong?

P.S. IIRC, my front ride height was <130mm when I got the car. I knocked the alternator off on a straight hisghway at 80mph.

AO

Here's what is says for 1990 and beyond.