suspension height
12-28-2003, 07:44 PM
#1
I never notice, anyway
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suspension height
i have noticed that suspension looks kinda funny. here are my measurements from the ground to the highest point of the fender lip:
Front Left: 26 5/8"
Front Right: 26"
Rear Right: 24"
Rear Left: 24 5/8"
i assume the 5/8 difference from right and left is due to the fact that my tank is 3/4 full and there is no driver in the vehicle.
however, i don't think there should be a 2" difference between the front and the back, and from looking at other 951 pics (and my christmas present, "Original 924/944/968", YAY!) i think the back is way too low. could my springs, with 110k on them just be worn out?
what are your opinions, and how can this be remedied? thanks!
Front Left: 26 5/8"
Front Right: 26"
Rear Right: 24"
Rear Left: 24 5/8"
i assume the 5/8 difference from right and left is due to the fact that my tank is 3/4 full and there is no driver in the vehicle.
however, i don't think there should be a 2" difference between the front and the back, and from looking at other 951 pics (and my christmas present, "Original 924/944/968", YAY!) i think the back is way too low. could my springs, with 110k on them just be worn out?
what are your opinions, and how can this be remedied? thanks!
12-28-2003, 08:41 PM
#2
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your rear(of the car 
) is probably sagging due to worn rear shocks. If replacing them doesn't pick it up you'll have to check more significant components. These cars don't have coil spings in the back stock and changing the torsion bars is a true PITA. So hopefully its only the damper at this point
That said, measuring from the fender lips is a poor way to gauge true ride height. Try measuring from a point on the chassis underneath the car to the ground to see what the real differences are.
cheers
) is probably sagging due to worn rear shocks. If replacing them doesn't pick it up you'll have to check more significant components. These cars don't have coil spings in the back stock and changing the torsion bars is a true PITA. So hopefully its only the damper at this pointThat said, measuring from the fender lips is a poor way to gauge true ride height. Try measuring from a point on the chassis underneath the car to the ground to see what the real differences are.
cheers
12-28-2003, 09:05 PM
#3
Spring dampers (or T-bar dampers) do not affect ride height in any way, they only control the movement of the spring. If you are sagging it is due to the rear suspension ride-height adjustment or worn out T-bars but not worn dampers.
12-28-2003, 11:37 PM
#5
I never notice, anyway
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so how can i adjust the rear end up a bit?
and yeah i know fender lips can be misleading because theyre not always the same height on vehicles, but if you look at the side of the car, you can see that the rocker panels drop about almost an inch from the front to the back, just between the wheel wells.
and yeah i know fender lips can be misleading because theyre not always the same height on vehicles, but if you look at the side of the car, you can see that the rocker panels drop about almost an inch from the front to the back, just between the wheel wells.
12-28-2003, 11:40 PM
#6
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JC
>>>Spring dampers (or T-bar dampers) do not affect ride height in any way, <<<
Not true. A high pressure gas shock will raise the car compared to a oil filled shock, same springs, same spring settings.
This was proven to be the case when I threw out the HR rear coil over shocks and went to Bilstein Escort coil over shocks...
When I dumped the HR oil filled coil overs, I measured the exact compressed spring length, the installed the exact same spring, installed to the exact same compressed spring length. The rear of the car sat up about an inch higher.
TonyG
>>>Spring dampers (or T-bar dampers) do not affect ride height in any way, <<<
Not true. A high pressure gas shock will raise the car compared to a oil filled shock, same springs, same spring settings.
This was proven to be the case when I threw out the HR rear coil over shocks and went to Bilstein Escort coil over shocks...
When I dumped the HR oil filled coil overs, I measured the exact compressed spring length, the installed the exact same spring, installed to the exact same compressed spring length. The rear of the car sat up about an inch higher.
TonyG
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12-30-2003, 09:17 PM
#11
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Don't bring the rear up, bring the front down! -unless you wanna rally.
Ideally you'd get some M030 spec front ride-height adjustable front struts/springs, and crank them down just a bit, have it corner balanced while you're at it. Another (cheaper) option would be to chop just a bit off your existing front springs, I've done it a few times on VW's, and its very easy and works quite well. If you remove the spring a small angle grinder works great (just don't remove too much!). But you will have to get a new alignment either way.
The rear adjust takes big wrenches and loads of torque, I watched as my old 951 was lowered in the rear, -that guy was really gruntin'. I would think that raising them and getting them even could be tricky, and if you have any interest in track or auto-x you'll want the rear low anyway.
Ideally you'd get some M030 spec front ride-height adjustable front struts/springs, and crank them down just a bit, have it corner balanced while you're at it. Another (cheaper) option would be to chop just a bit off your existing front springs, I've done it a few times on VW's, and its very easy and works quite well. If you remove the spring a small angle grinder works great (just don't remove too much!). But you will have to get a new alignment either way.
The rear adjust takes big wrenches and loads of torque, I watched as my old 951 was lowered in the rear, -that guy was really gruntin'. I would think that raising them and getting them even could be tricky, and if you have any interest in track or auto-x you'll want the rear low anyway.
12-30-2003, 11:15 PM
#12
I never notice, anyway
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well im about to take her in for an alignment, maybe they can just raise the back a bit. if i dropped the front to match the back my wheels wouldnt turn.
12-31-2003, 02:11 PM
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Free your mind! (ha-ha!), I'm not talking about chopping them in half! My daily driver is a Scirocco, and you know how those are always a bit tall in the nose. I had bought a pair of new lowering springs a few years back but they always bottomed out (too low). A Jetta racer mechanic guy (frickin' fast too) gave me the instructions. I carefully measured to make sure they were the same length, I had to chop them twice to get them just right (not quite enough the first time). Now it's perfect, and I never bottom out.
To do it without any risk, buy a set of cast-off 951 springs (there's got to be piles of those here), and experiment on them. If you look at your A-arms, are the outsides quite a bit lower than the insides? If so, you can lower the front. If you're running 225's on the front you'll get rub if you don't have an auto-x type alignment (which you want anyway). If I didn't have M030 stuff now, I'd do it. -simply not a big deal.
But you can buy Weltmeisters or similar for pretty cheap too, $200 ish IIRC.
To do it without any risk, buy a set of cast-off 951 springs (there's got to be piles of those here), and experiment on them. If you look at your A-arms, are the outsides quite a bit lower than the insides? If so, you can lower the front. If you're running 225's on the front you'll get rub if you don't have an auto-x type alignment (which you want anyway). If I didn't have M030 stuff now, I'd do it. -simply not a big deal.
But you can buy Weltmeisters or similar for pretty cheap too, $200 ish IIRC.