Adjustable Shock Absorbers
Adjustable Shock Absorbers
Author
Discussion

michaeltwomey

Original Poster:

22 posts

237 months

Sunday 31st August 2008
quotequote all
Hi,can anyone please help with how to adjust the ride height without if possible a special tool/"C" type spanner?

Sam_68

9,939 posts

262 months

Monday 1st September 2008
quotequote all
You'll need C-spanners, unfortunately, but they're not expensive.

Simply screw the spring seat up (to compress the spring) to raise the ride height or down to lower it.

If you don't want to screw up the handling of your car as well, though (pardon the pun) you need to set ride heights in conjunction with corner weights, and check/reset geometry afterwards, both of which require specialist equipment.

michaeltwomey

Original Poster:

22 posts

237 months

Monday 1st September 2008
quotequote all
Thanks,I need to get a little bit more ground clearance all round to clear sleeping ploicemen & the hump over my very steep drive without grounding the exhaust!

SX

Original Poster:

22 posts

237 months

Monday 1st September 2008
quotequote all
Thanks Sam,1)Can the adjustment take place insitu?
2)Has the spring to be compressed to wind it up?
3)Is there a Web supplier you can recomend for the C spanner?
Your cars are impressive!

Sam_68

9,939 posts

262 months

Monday 1st September 2008
quotequote all
Yes, you can do it in situ. You'll need a pair of C-spanners. You can buy them from Demon Tweeks, Merlin Motorsport, or lots of other specialist suppliers. Merlin list them at £7.64 each, so even with p&p, they're not going to be expensive.

Just 'unlock' the locking ring, screw up the spring seating ring until you gat the ride height you want (which may take some trial and error, refitting the wheels and checking the ground clearance - remembering o 'bounce' the car to settle the shock absorbers before checking the ride height), then screw up the locking ring and tighten the two rings into each other to lock them. You don't need to compress the spring - the spring seat will compress it as you screw it up.

At the very least, make sure you do it on a flat surface and take careful reference measurements from suitable datum points on the chassis before you start, so that you can raise each corner by the correct amount.

But seriously... there's a real chance that you can mess up the corner weights, affect geometry so that you end up with reduced grip and uneven tyre wear, or alter the chassis rake so that you introduce unwanted aerodynamic effects at high speed.

I really would strongly advise that you get a professional to do it and get them to re-set the corner weights and geometry as part of the process, if you don't have the necessary equipment. I've been setting-up race cars as a sideline for almost 20 years, an I'd still be reluctant to mess with the ride height of one of my own cars, unless I had the equipment to check corner weights and geometry afterwards.

SX

Original Poster:

22 posts

237 months

Monday 1st September 2008
quotequote all
Well Sam,your experience,advice & reservation have been duly noted.Cheers.