Ride Height
#16
It would be a little ironic to take a fine performance car like the 928, lower it to make it look more aggressive, and then have to drive really really slow most of the time to keep it from scraping
#17
Chronic Tool Dropper
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An interesting illustration would be to attach some foam blocks to the nose and undertray. Maybe an inch thick. Go drive around for a week or three, and then see how much of those foam pieces has been scraped off by driveway aprons, parking-lot bumpers, rain dips in the road, beer cans and cigarette butts. That's with 25mm (an inch) closer to the ground.
I keep my car at the lower end of the original range. It's about 175mm now, but looks like there's a lot of gap between the tops of the front tires and the fender lip. At least compared with other local cars. I need that height to get into my driveway, through the rain gutters, etc. I too regularly replace the plastic front fender liners even now, from just riding up on top of parking lot stops. It would be a lot worse if the car sagged another inch. Remember we don't get any frost heaves or potholes normally associated with cold weather.
Changes in toe on vertical suspension movement ("bump steer") are more pronounced when the car sits lower. Not only is basic alignment much more critical when the suspension is lowered, but it's tougher on tire wear and handling too because of the larger toe changes that will happen just going down a seemingly level road.
I keep my car at the lower end of the original range. It's about 175mm now, but looks like there's a lot of gap between the tops of the front tires and the fender lip. At least compared with other local cars. I need that height to get into my driveway, through the rain gutters, etc. I too regularly replace the plastic front fender liners even now, from just riding up on top of parking lot stops. It would be a lot worse if the car sagged another inch. Remember we don't get any frost heaves or potholes normally associated with cold weather.
Changes in toe on vertical suspension movement ("bump steer") are more pronounced when the car sits lower. Not only is basic alignment much more critical when the suspension is lowered, but it's tougher on tire wear and handling too because of the larger toe changes that will happen just going down a seemingly level road.
#18
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...valuable advice to heed from a guy who features his alignment setup in his Avatar.
#19
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Here's a photo of my car at 135mm, up 20mm in the front then before.
As I said, it still scraps, and I wouldn't set it this low if I wasn't using the car for high speed
events. I have a aluminum belly pan to protect the bottom of the engine, and it shows
signs of abuse.
As I said, it still scraps, and I wouldn't set it this low if I wasn't using the car for high speed
events. I have a aluminum belly pan to protect the bottom of the engine, and it shows
signs of abuse.
#20
Under the Lift
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When I was set a little below 155mm in the front, the front corners on my car were smacking the pavement on "funrides" in hard turns if there were any good bumps. I'm at 165, and the car doesn't smack and handles the twisties just fine. Stock springs. Stiffer springs and sway bars may allow you to go lower without smacking.
#21
I tried today to slightly increase the ride height but the O rings under the spring would not move for dear life. I sprayed lubricant on them and used a Norton C spanner with a hook at the end to turn but the it would not turn ! It seemed rock solid. Also the C Spanner didnot fit arround the O ring properly, it seemed the C Spanner was slightly smaller in curveture.
Does any one have any ideas how to turn the O rings to raise the height. Also there is not enough clearance even with the wheels off the car to turn the spanner as the wheel arch covers and linkage arm are in the way.
Any ideas where I am going wrong ?
Cheers
Nadine
Does any one have any ideas how to turn the O rings to raise the height. Also there is not enough clearance even with the wheels off the car to turn the spanner as the wheel arch covers and linkage arm are in the way.
Any ideas where I am going wrong ?
Cheers
Nadine
#22
Nordschleife Master
spray a good penetrant and let it sit overnight. They are a PITA to move, just think, they probably haven't been moved or lubed or touched in 20 years.
When i assembled my Bilstiens i made sure i put some anti seize on the threaded part of the shock to make ride height adjustments as easy as possible in the future. I will have the correct wrench tomorrow and need to lower my rears, i will let you know how the anti seize has held up. I am hoping it moves freely. Its only been 6 months since the shocks were swapped out.
When i assembled my Bilstiens i made sure i put some anti seize on the threaded part of the shock to make ride height adjustments as easy as possible in the future. I will have the correct wrench tomorrow and need to lower my rears, i will let you know how the anti seize has held up. I am hoping it moves freely. Its only been 6 months since the shocks were swapped out.
#24
Nordschleife Master
#25
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Norton C spanner? You mean the spanner used to tighten the exhuast collars on old Norton motorcycles? Strangely enough, that's what I use on my shocks! It's huge and has a nice rubber pad on the handle. I modified mine a bit to with a grinder to better fit the circumference of the adjuster. Great tool for this job - much beefier and more comfortable than the more commonly used Motion-Pro spanner.
Last edited by Bill Ball; 04-10-2008 at 04:27 PM.
#27
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Has anyone done a how-to on doing the ride height? It's funny some cars really look right and then the next one doesn't look quite right. I figure it is the ride height.
#28
Nordschleife Master
928.co.uk (or something like that) has a nice write up
I got my wrench today and am off to the garage to pull out 30mm from the rear end height. I will post after pics.
Bill, The Norton wrench is on Ebay, I did a search for "C Spanner" on there and got a bunch of Norton wrenches, funny more then a few people seem to use them.
I got my wrench today and am off to the garage to pull out 30mm from the rear end height. I will post after pics.
Bill, The Norton wrench is on Ebay, I did a search for "C Spanner" on there and got a bunch of Norton wrenches, funny more then a few people seem to use them.
#29
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Rayn:
Right. I've seen them on eBay too, although all the ones I see currently no longer have the pad on the handle. To be perfect, a bit of the inside arc need to be ground away to fit the adjuster, although it will work more or less OK as is. The long padded handle is real nice. I've had mine in the tool box from when I owned a 71 Commando in the mid-70's. My current 75 Commando doesn't need the spanner. Here's my C spanner ground to fit the shock adjuster...
Right. I've seen them on eBay too, although all the ones I see currently no longer have the pad on the handle. To be perfect, a bit of the inside arc need to be ground away to fit the adjuster, although it will work more or less OK as is. The long padded handle is real nice. I've had mine in the tool box from when I owned a 71 Commando in the mid-70's. My current 75 Commando doesn't need the spanner. Here's my C spanner ground to fit the shock adjuster...