ride height

[Rockettvr]

Afternoon all
Just a quick one - if any of you gents happen to be passing your wedge with a tape measure could you get a measurement of your ride height front and rear please. With the car on reasonably flat and level ground a measurement from floor to top of wheel opening at its highest point. Most wedges seem to have a bit of a gap between top of the tyre and wheelarch - mine doesn't. Just trying to get a rough idea if mines been lowered - I've got adjustable suspension - if do how much by. I've got std wedge 15" wheels on 205\60 tyres

I've got 600mm front and 610mm rear
Thanks fellas

[gmw9666]

On my old 420SE, Floor to top of wheel arch on my AVO shocked 420SE running 225 50 15 was

Front = 65cm
Rear = 62cm

Edited by gmw9666 on Monday 1st June 10:36

[stevoj]

Just measured mine out of curiosity and i'm getting 640mm front and back, (390SE)

[Number 7]

A better way of doing it might be to measure from ground to a point on the chassis, especially as bodies can have quite variable amounts of packing (or none at all if its fallen out or worn away over the years. A rule of thumb (or finger) is to have 2 or 3 fingers gap between the arch and the front tyre and about 4 at the rear arch. The fronts are only adjustable for ride height with different springs, which will change the camber (unless yours has been modified).

[ElvisWedgely]

640 front and back (400SE).

Tony. TCB.

[GOG440]

Number 7 said:

A better way of doing it might be to measure from ground to a point on the chassis, especially as bodies can have quite variable amounts of packing (or none at all if its fallen out or worn away over the years. A rule of thumb (or finger) is to have 2 or 3 fingers gap between the arch and the front tyre and about 4 at the rear arch. The fronts are only adjustable for ride height with different springs, which will change the camber (unless yours has been modified).

Mine has 3 fingers between the arch and front tyre, checked against MR WSTs 420 which has about half a finger!

[jmorgan]

Have a measure later (chassis and arches) but......

Two 400's

[TA14]

Number 7 said:

A better way of doing it might be to measure from ground to a point on the chassis, especially as bodies can have quite variable amounts of packing (or none at all if its fallen out or worn away over the years. A rule of thumb (or finger) is to have 2 or 3 fingers gap between the arch and the front tyre and about 4 at the rear arch. The fronts are only adjustable for ride height with different springs, which will change the camber (unless yours has been modified).

Yep, three and four fingers was the factory spec. Size of fingers meant that the cars came at different heights

[matt-man]

is it only me who is trying very hard not to comment about how many fingers you can get in the gap in the front and back....?!

Checked mine (the car I mean) and 3 fingers at the rear (645mm from the floor to arch) and 1.5 fingers in the front (612 mm from floor to arch)

[adam quantrill]

Matt did you have an accident with the angle grinder? ;^)

[jesfirth]

As said earlier. Don't measure to the body especially on a 400SE - many of them are higher at one side at the rear (I forget which side) because the mould was a little distorted. Always measure to the chassis.

[mrzigazaga]

jesfirth said:

As said earlier. Don't measure to the body especially on a 400SE - many of them are higher at one side at the rear (I forget which side) because the mould was a little distorted. Always measure to the chassis.

My 350i has about three and a half fingers on the rear O/S and about one and three quarters on the rear N/S..

[bradderztvr]

Two fingers as a loose fit is about as technical as you want to be.
The bodies are often not mounted to the chassis with much precision.
Get fingering.....ooh err Mrs.

[jmorgan]

2 and one half inches front and rear, wheel arch gap. Corner outrigger to floor, five and one half inches rear, six on the front.

[Rockettvr]

Thanks for the replies fellas. I realise that wheel arch height isn't very reliable but its just to give me a rough idea if I'm a bit low (which I am)
Its all tied in with my recent posts of suspension and exhaust
I've just replaced the centre box after destroying the original on "traffic calming" measures. Don't want to have to do it again so trying to get a bit more air under the car. Changed front springs- gained 10 mm or so - would have liked a little more but cant see how. On the rear I've taken all the crap out of the boot - tool kit,full size spare various other bits( weighed in at 60kg!! Mostly tools) gained 15mm. Am going to adjust my adjustable a little higher 10-15mm or so hoping that'll be enough
If you see a man wandering around the car park at the fest peering under cars and measuring wheel ar h heights it'll be me