Ride height change

[928autobahndreamer]

All of these recent threads about ride height finally got me to check mine. I knew that the PO had the car running way to low in the front. The spoiler has taken a bit of a beating, and any roadkill is a hazard if it is larger than a squirrel.

So, I measured and found that the right and left front ride height was set at 130mm

I was noticing also that the handling was not as crisp as I would like and had attributed this to worn out shocks. But, it looks like bringing up the front to factory specs 170mm may help a lot. I will drive this way for a while before deciding on whether to upgrade to stiffer springs and Bilsteins or getting newer stock shocks and sticking with my original springs. Right now it seems to "floaty" and does not transition well under heavy braking and aggressive cornering.

So, while the car is up for its timing belt job, I will raise the ride height an inch and a half and have an allignment done and see if this transforms the car.

[jcorenman]

Originally Posted by 928autobahndreamer

All of these recent threads about ride height finally got me to check mine. I knew that the PO had the car running way to low in the front. The spoiler has taken a bit of a beating, and any roadkill is a hazard if it is larger than a squirrel.

So, I measured and found that the right and left front ride height was set at 130mm

I was noticing also that the handling was not as crisp as I would like and had attributed this to worn out shocks. But, it looks like bringing up the front to factory specs 170mm may help a lot. I will drive this way for a while before deciding on whether to upgrade to stiffer springs and Bilsteins or getting newer stock shocks and sticking with my original springs. Right now it seems to "floaty" and does not transition well under heavy braking and aggressive cornering.

So, while the car is up for its timing belt job, I will raise the ride height an inch and a half and have an allignment done and see if this transforms the car.

We had the exact same ride-height issue with our 88 S4. The trouble started many years ago when the tire shop said the tie-rods were loose and wanted to replace the rack. My BS-alarm was ringing loudly so I asked my regular mechanic to check it out (this was back in the days when we had more money than time). He got his buddy the front-end specialist to look at it, who said the tie rods and rack were fine but the alignment was way off, which he fixed. Hmmm, looks pretty low in front... "Yeah, the ride-height in the front was way off, he fixed that also".

Fast-forward past sloppy steering and two sets of front tires worn out in 6,000 miles and multiple alignment checks (same guy, slow learner) with the resulting "alignment is perfect, dunno why your front tires aren't lasting".

So we finally have more time than money, spend what's left on a shop and a lift and take a careful look. The ride height is around 130mm and the front wheels are badly out of alignment (toed-out). We dig around here and find Earl Gilstrom's alignment notes and re-set ride height, caster, camber & toe, the full monte on both ends.

Viola, transformation!! Then it strikes me what has been going on: The "expert" had jacked the front end prior to alignment, set the car back down and checked ride-height. Which of course was an inch or two high, which he "fixed" being a conscientious (but ignorant) fellow. The alignment was of course messed up so he "fixed" that also. But after driving it a few miles it was too low of course and screwed up. Yet every time he checked it he jacked the car first, and it was always perfect.

So my advice is to take the time and figure out how to do it yourself, or find a shop that will do it correctly. A front height of 170 is the lower-end of the factory spec and about perfect IMHO. It still may be too soft for your liking, it depends on priorities, but don't make changes until you get what you have set up correctly.

[928autobahndreamer]

Agree x928.

I will set the ride height myself. It looks like 4 full turns should raise it 40mm. Or 10mm per thread. The alignment will require a shop though. I will look for one with a new Hunter machine who don't mind my supervision while they do the alignment to make sure the car doesn't get lifted first.

[StratfordShark]

Originally Posted by 928autobahndreamer

Agree x928.

I will set the ride height myself. It looks like 4 full turns should raise it 40mm. Or 10mm per thread. The alignment will require a shop though. I will look for one with a new Hunter machine who don't mind my supervision while they do the alignment to make sure the car doesn't get lifted first.

That doesn't sound right to me. If you're on the original Boges and adjusters then the thread is 1.5mm and ratio 2:1, so you need 13 turns to raise by 39mm? That's a lot of turning if they're stiff!

[Andrew Olson]

130mm seems really low. I don't think there's enough adjustment to get it that low, but maybe there is.

Personally, I think the factory spec of 170 is too high. I prefer a ride height af about 160. It looks better with less air between the tire and the fender, and does not seem to compromise handeling.

[GlenL]

Originally Posted by Andrew Olson

130mm seems really low. I don't think there's enough adjustment to get it that low, but maybe there is.

Personally, I think the factory spec of 170 is too high. I prefer a ride height af about 160. It looks better with less air between the tire and the fender, and does not seem to compromise handeling.

+1 although I shoot for 155.

I think the stylists and engineers wanted it lower but the real world intruded and they raised it to keep from bottoming the car.

I still want to see what ride height makes the lower arm horizontal. That'd be a good design goal as it'd be the most firm in cornering. Anyone?

I worked on a guys '85 recently that had near 110 in front. Looked cool, but it'd scrape the spoiler on uneven roads and under hard braking. Waaay too low to drive.

[jcorenman]

Originally Posted by Andrew Olson

130mm seems really low. I don't think there's enough adjustment to get it that low, but maybe there is.

There is (at least there was for our '88).

Originally Posted by Andrew Olson

Personally, I think the factory spec of 170 is too high. I prefer a ride height af about 160. It looks better with less air between the tire and the fender, and does not seem to compromise handeling.

+1
Factory spec is 180mm +/- 20 new, +20/-30 after having been "driven for a period". We set our 88 at 170 after the alignment hassle, looks and handles fine and provides a little over 4" clearance under the front spoiler. Our 90GT was set at 150 by the PO, looks and handles better (helped no doubt by the Eibach/Bilsteins and Ott-links in the rear) but we have to be a little more careful about the front clearance (esp. since the oil-cooler is down there).

So I think your 160 number is just about right.