ride height adjustment

[V8Dom]

well after comments on how low my car was and a visit to Martin Laws the other week ive finally got to doing the ride heights and thought id share some info.

Ive removed the anti roll bars so they wont effect the readings at this stage and backed offf the shock adjustments so the suspension doesnt stick due to the damping.

We checked the heights at Martins on his garage floor and all did not look too bad 110, 110 front and 155 155 rear...well so we thought....

so off to a mates dealership and onto the MOT floor which is flat and we measured again to find it all over the place and uneven everywhere.. A quick try to adjust resulted in the collar breaking on the O/S/R....so it was left while a very helpfull Andy at the factory sourced me a couple of parts and back again at the garage we tried.

I adjusted the ride height spot on 110 110 160 160 rolled car backwards and forwards and rechecked it was right before i sat in the car to check measurements again........

WOW.. i did not expect the car to drop that much 103 102 152 151...

so adjusting the car again with me in it came again to 110 front and 160 rear..
I thought id check again with me out of the car just to see how high the car should be, to run flat with a a driver.... result

nsf 120mm
osf 123mm
osr 168mm
nsr 163mm

So if anyone has done the ride height in the garage and without someone sitting in it beware!!!!!!!! the car wont run flat when you jump in...

I did not put a paasenger in the car as i tend to run fast when driving on my own so wanted it correct with me only.. again the weight of a passenger will effect the heights..

maybe this will be of help to someone, maybe not..

dom

[Steve_D]

Is that with standard Factory springs?

Steve

[JoulesCanAm]

If you want to go to this level of detail using the driver, half tank gas etc. then ideally scales should be used to balance the corner weights side to side and back to front.

[Untamed_Muscle]

At my shop, whenever we have the radical or one of the open wheel cars on the scales, we will simulate drivers weight by placing bags of rock salt in the seat and down by where the drivers legs will be. We found that this gets us almost perfect to the mark when the driver gets in the car to go. Plus we can keep an accurate log of the data we collect after the runs and mark it accordingly

[V8Dom]

JoulesCanAm said:

If you want to go to this level of detail using the driver, half tank gas etc. then ideally scales should be used to balance the corner weights side to side and back to front.

corner weights is next on the things to do, but i felt it was important in letting people know the drop in suspension after adding one person....

I have found Ultimas have enough problems with ground clearance and to know a suspension drops by 1cm just because you jump in it is info people might like to know. I certainly was suprised at the drop considering the suspension and the way she handles..


dom

[V8Dom]

Steve_D said:

Is that with standard Factory springs?

Steve

as far as i know they are standard.... 180-80 is writen on front springs

dom

[JoulesCanAm]

I was surprised at how much body roll the std springs permit. My first track day with std springs the rear tires were rubbing the clamshell on hard corenering, switched to the track springs for the next event and that 25% extra stiffness sure makes a huge difference.

[V8Dom]

hi

anyone suggest best price and whereabout to get upgraded springs.... Rember someone saying about 150 a set for the race versions for intrax??

thanks dom