Wheel Alignment
08-25-2003, 07:50 PM
#16
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Hi Adrian,
Have cured the PDAS/ABS light problem as described in that post. Got the OPC to measure the anti roll bars for me whilst doing this & they are 20.5mm in the front & 18.5mm at the rear. With the info provided in previous post re suspension mods, what would your recommendation be for dialling out the understeer & recommended alignment settings. I also have Koni adjustable shocks.
Have cured the PDAS/ABS light problem as described in that post. Got the OPC to measure the anti roll bars for me whilst doing this & they are 20.5mm in the front & 18.5mm at the rear. With the info provided in previous post re suspension mods, what would your recommendation be for dialling out the understeer & recommended alignment settings. I also have Koni adjustable shocks.
08-25-2003, 07:52 PM
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Hi Adrian,
Have cured the PDAS/ABS light problem as described in that post. Got the OPC to measure the anti roll bars for me whilst doing this & they are 20.5mm in the front & 18.5mm at the rear. With the info provided in previous post re suspension mods, what would your recommendation be for dialling out the understeer & recommended alignment settings. I also have Koni adjustable shocks.
Have cured the PDAS/ABS light problem as described in that post. Got the OPC to measure the anti roll bars for me whilst doing this & they are 20.5mm in the front & 18.5mm at the rear. With the info provided in previous post re suspension mods, what would your recommendation be for dialling out the understeer & recommended alignment settings. I also have Koni adjustable shocks.
09-01-2003, 03:04 AM
#18
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Had the anti roll bars measured & they are 20.5mm at the front & 18.5mm at the rear. Will fit 225x45 tyres to the front when I replace tyres. With the above info on ride height what do you suggest for the optimum wheel alignment specs? and should I change the rear anti roll bar?
09-01-2003, 03:55 AM
#19
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Dear John,
Yes I would install a 21 mm (1990 C2) rear sway bar as a matter of importance. A front strut brace is required to stiffen up the body flex of the front and yes the 225 tyres are required.
I use standard wheel alignment settings as per the 1994 factory manual. I would advise you set up to these first and then get more aggressive depending upon what you feel is necessary. For normal road use thisis fine for me.
The adjustment on the Koni shocks really only limits the movement of the internals. I have learned that it is better to have the front a little softer. The full hard position is not so good because it causes the front to be jittery, bouncy over the bumps. I have turned mine to about halfway and I am happy with this.
For these things though you will have to experiment. My C4 is set up for a compromise between high speed autobahn driving and mountain driving hence the softer front end.
Ciao,
Adrian
964C4
Yes I would install a 21 mm (1990 C2) rear sway bar as a matter of importance. A front strut brace is required to stiffen up the body flex of the front and yes the 225 tyres are required.
I use standard wheel alignment settings as per the 1994 factory manual. I would advise you set up to these first and then get more aggressive depending upon what you feel is necessary. For normal road use thisis fine for me.
The adjustment on the Koni shocks really only limits the movement of the internals. I have learned that it is better to have the front a little softer. The full hard position is not so good because it causes the front to be jittery, bouncy over the bumps. I have turned mine to about halfway and I am happy with this.
For these things though you will have to experiment. My C4 is set up for a compromise between high speed autobahn driving and mountain driving hence the softer front end.
Ciao,
Adrian
964C4
09-01-2003, 04:22 AM
#20
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Many Thanks Adrian,
I have a strut brace already fitted. The Konis I run on full soft front & rear, I find them a bit too agressive for road use if they are any harder. All of our driving is low speed road use, combined with some high speed freeway work. So the standard alignment settings will be OK with the lowered suspension?
I have a strut brace already fitted. The Konis I run on full soft front & rear, I find them a bit too agressive for road use if they are any harder. All of our driving is low speed road use, combined with some high speed freeway work. So the standard alignment settings will be OK with the lowered suspension?
09-01-2003, 07:00 AM
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John,
I was a bit concerned about your earlier statement...
"The mechanic told me that when the car was lowered they didn't just put lowered springs on, but used the modified arms?" and "Guard edges have been rolled & the adjusting rods behind the plastic wheel arch covers adjusted for clearance"
I don't understand what 'modified arms' are (please explain), and I have never heard on anyone requiring wheel arch modification in order to fit 205 tyres with 17" 55 offset wheels into a 90 C4. Spacers and rack stops are usually all that may be required.
It sort of sounds like something is quite wrong with this lowering modification that may have thrown some of the suspension setting out and you are now fighting with that. Can you throw some light on this?
Ade.
Cheers
Ade
I was a bit concerned about your earlier statement...
"The mechanic told me that when the car was lowered they didn't just put lowered springs on, but used the modified arms?" and "Guard edges have been rolled & the adjusting rods behind the plastic wheel arch covers adjusted for clearance"
I don't understand what 'modified arms' are (please explain), and I have never heard on anyone requiring wheel arch modification in order to fit 205 tyres with 17" 55 offset wheels into a 90 C4. Spacers and rack stops are usually all that may be required.
It sort of sounds like something is quite wrong with this lowering modification that may have thrown some of the suspension setting out and you are now fighting with that. Can you throw some light on this?
Ade.
Cheers
Ade
09-01-2003, 07:42 PM
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Hi Ade,
I don't know that I can enlighten you any more as I don't know the full technical details. As the mechanic explained to me...."when you put lowered springs on..... the suspension arms need to be modified so that when the car is at rest the suspension travel is in the middle of its movement.....as the suspension goes either up or down it will then have an equal amount of travel either up or down for its operating range" (Hope that makes some sense)
As for having to adjust the guards for tyre clearance.....the left front used to touch the guard when going over a very sharp bump. The suspension would have been hitting the bump stops over this type of bump. The body shop adjusted ever so slightly the mounting bracket from the chassis to the front guard. (Wouldn't have been more than a couple of millimetres).
As far as I can tell the suspension set up is working quite well, I'm very pleased with the handling (apart from dialling out the understeer) & the ride is quite acceptable for such a low set up.
Thanks for your concern
I don't know that I can enlighten you any more as I don't know the full technical details. As the mechanic explained to me...."when you put lowered springs on..... the suspension arms need to be modified so that when the car is at rest the suspension travel is in the middle of its movement.....as the suspension goes either up or down it will then have an equal amount of travel either up or down for its operating range" (Hope that makes some sense)
As for having to adjust the guards for tyre clearance.....the left front used to touch the guard when going over a very sharp bump. The suspension would have been hitting the bump stops over this type of bump. The body shop adjusted ever so slightly the mounting bracket from the chassis to the front guard. (Wouldn't have been more than a couple of millimetres).
As far as I can tell the suspension set up is working quite well, I'm very pleased with the handling (apart from dialling out the understeer) & the ride is quite acceptable for such a low set up.
Thanks for your concern
