dykaar

86 951, all fenders non-stock. Pics here.

So I need to set the ride height. I seem to recall that I can use the jack points and 6" all around. Is that the "cup" height?

Regards,

doug

86 951 (http://pcaucr.org/media/image-galler...ll&gallery=224)
01 E320 (W210) 4matic Wagon (http://www.benzworld.org/forums/w210...body-do-2.html)
00 540i-6 (http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum...hp?albumid=976)
94 855 turbo Wagon (sold in 09)
85 535i-5 (sold in 07)
76 300D (sold in 92)
83 944 (sold in 86)
I apparently only buy cars designated by numbers

arthropraxis

This might help http://www.lindseyracing.com/LR/Parts/SUSHEIGHT.html

dykaar

OK, but that requires multiple measurements and calculating differences. Maybe I'll compare the two approaches.

Regards,

doug

86 951 (http://pcaucr.org/media/image-galler...ll&gallery=224)
01 E320 (W210) 4matic Wagon (http://www.benzworld.org/forums/w210...body-do-2.html)
00 540i-6 (http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum...hp?albumid=976)
94 855 turbo Wagon (sold in 09)
85 535i-5 (sold in 07)
76 300D (sold in 92)
83 944 (sold in 86)
I apparently only buy cars designated by numbers

eman930

Wow I never knew it was that complicated, I just turned my adjusters equally till I was happy with the hight and then measured fender to ground to make sure it was equal

dykaar

Alas, my original fenders are gone: Carbon fiber fronts and steel rears (WAY wider). I don't trust the location of the openings are anywhere close to the original locations.

Regards,

doug

86 951 (http://pcaucr.org/media/image-galler...ll&gallery=224)
01 E320 (W210) 4matic Wagon (http://www.benzworld.org/forums/w210...body-do-2.html)
00 540i-6 (http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum...hp?albumid=976)
94 855 turbo Wagon (sold in 09)
85 535i-5 (sold in 07)
76 300D (sold in 92)
83 944 (sold in 86)
I apparently only buy cars designated by numbers

eman930

Ohh your trying to get back to factory hight

Van

Front control arms level.

dykaar

OK. I'll check the front control arms. I know binding is a risk on lowered cars. I didn't think that the cup cars were "excessively" lowered. Right now it looks like the rear is sitting low, and the front high.


Regards,

doug

86 951 (http://pcaucr.org/media/image-galler...ll&gallery=224)
01 E320 (W210) 4matic Wagon (http://www.benzworld.org/forums/w210...body-do-2.html)
00 540i-6 (http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum...hp?albumid=976)
94 855 turbo Wagon (sold in 09)
85 535i-5 (sold in 07)
76 300D (sold in 92)
83 944 (sold in 86)
I apparently only buy cars designated by numbers

Adker

Factory setup

Van

When I set up my cars, I make sure the front control arms are level at ride height. Then I adjust the rear so the rocker is almost level - about 1/8"-1/4" higher in the back for a little rake. I measure this with a 4' level while it's on my corner balance scales. Then, of course, I'm doing the cornering balance while I'm setting the ride height. After corner balancing, it's alignment time.

dykaar

I added a couple pix of the control arm with the car on the ground (link in sig). The Fabcar arm looks about level as is, but maybe there's yet another difference between the 86 and 87 hubs? That would be unfortunate.

I checked my tire calculator and the total height difference in going from the stock 205/55-16 to the 285/30-18 is -0.015". Negligible.

Van, I found your old post about geometry correction. I seem to recall a piece that looked like the bottom of the hub and had a pin to go into the hub. A repeat of the pin and pinch design.

For now (i.e. no track), I think I'll try and get the height right, and see what the geometry looks like.


Regards,

doug

86 951 (http://pcaucr.org/media/image-galler...ll&gallery=224)
01 E320 (W210) 4matic Wagon (http://www.benzworld.org/forums/w210...body-do-2.html)
00 540i-6 (http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum...hp?albumid=976)
94 855 turbo Wagon (sold in 09)
85 535i-5 (sold in 07)
76 300D (sold in 92)
83 944 (sold in 86)
I apparently only buy cars designated by numbers

Van

Most "geometry correcting" methods are to use a longer pin (and usually fatter, too). With the Fabcar arms, it's not so much of an issue with binding (like it would be with aluminum control arms) when the ride height is too low, but rather it's an issue of roll centers...

The roll center is the point about which the car pivots when it leans to the side under cornering (body roll). Of course, the center of gravity is the point of the car where the mass of the car is pushing outward during cornering. So, the longer the distance between the CG and the roll center, the more leverage the mass of the car has in initiating body roll.

So, with "poor" suspension geometry, you need stiffer springs and sway bars to counteract body roll... But the way to maximize grip while cornering is to have as compliant (soft) a suspension as possible. So, in the balancing act of race car setup, a car with geometry correcting pins will be able to run softer springs, have the same amount of body roll, but develop more cornering grip.

dykaar

At least this isn't complicated.

dykaar

Any advice on setting the rear height with both coil overs and torsion bars?

I tried just threading the ring up on the shock, but I'm compressing the spring, and I have the real (i.e. cup), progressive rate spring, so I'm wondering if I need to do more with the spring plate adjustment. Or won't I ever be good enough to notice the difference?


Regards,

doug

86 951 (http://pcaucr.org/media/image-galler...ll&gallery=224)
01 E320 (W210) 4matic Wagon (http://www.benzworld.org/forums/w210...body-do-2.html)
00 540i-6 (http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum...hp?albumid=976)
94 855 turbo Wagon (sold in 09)
85 535i-5 (sold in 07)
76 300D (sold in 92)
83 944 (sold in 86)
I apparently only buy cars designated by numbers

Van

I've only every done cars with either torsion bars or coilovers, never a hybrid with helpers... But I'd think you you'll have to mess with the torsion bars some.