Coil over adjustment information needed

[priobe]

Hello all,

Ok here is the situation. I have coilovers all the way around on the car. When I started adjusting them I would make the adjustments in increments of 4 turns. When I started it was all the way adjusted to the bottom. I know adjusted the compression of the spring to almost an 1inch from the bottom thread. I thought I was pretty sure that by compressing the spring closed it would lower the ride height. I am noticing that the ride height is going up.

Does this make sense?

I could put my whole fist inbetween the tire and the body. Am I doing something wrong?

These are ALdan coilovers and I can not find a phone # for the company.

[Jerry Clayton]

You got the idea backwards---

If they were al the way to the bottom and the car sets too high you will need to change springs to a shorter and or lighter rate---

If you have the Vett C4 suspension PM ScottJ for advice--

Jerry

[priobe]

Ok,

This make sense then...... I am not going crazy.

I have the Mustang II front end.

Ok so I guess I have to undo all the turning to loosen the spring and that should lower the car.

I guess I might even have to change the spring to a shorter spring if I run out of thread

Is this correct?

[elmariachi]

Originally Posted by priobe

I guess I might even have to change the spring to a shorter spring if I run out of thread Is this correct?

To a certain extent. Depending upon what you are trying to achieve (such as the saggy-ass look of the CSX cars) you may have to change the shock as well. Generally coil-overs come matched and so if you start shortening the spring you have to go to a shorter shock, otherwise the shock will bottom out upon compression and thats no bueno, especially at high speeds or on the track.

My advice is to put the car on a rack and lower your existing setup to where you want the car to ride (remember that springs are what set ride height and shocks serve to dampening the travel.) Then take some measurements from one end of the shock to the other (eye to eye) in its mounted position. Then, compare that to the specs for that shock and see where your shock measurements fits within that range. For example, if the range of motion for that shock is 10.5"-13" and your shock is at 11" at rest, then you are only .5" from bottoming out, and that will not work.

Also, I am sure you know this, but adjusting the front shocks will change the front alignment, so don't do that until you get the ride height exactly where you want it.

[scottj]

elmariachi describes exactly, the method I used to determine the shock length that my car required. The only thing I would add is that there is a ride height that is correct for your chassis and it is determined by the suspension arm angles. When I adjust the coilovers I use a digital level on the arms as well as a tape measure. Because of the shape of the E-M body, it is unlikely that you can achieve the low-in-the-rear look and have the rear suspension angles within spec. I ended up having E-M lay up a modified body that is lower and re-shaped in the rear.

[Rick Parker]

Here is their phone number (310) 834-7478.

[Silverback51]

And you will need to realign the car when you are done.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by Silverback51

And you will need to realign the car when you are done.

Not to mention the corner weights.