suspension height problem

[Hyuga]

I have recently installed my coilovers and rear shocks and springs into my 86, but the thing is that my front being about 1-1.5 inch lower than the rear, which looks sucks. At the front I have already winded the spring seat upward so that the springs top is just touching the strut top, wihtout any preload on the springs. So can anyone tell me if I can wind the spring an inch more upward so that there will be some preload on the springs and will it make any damage to the shocks or fcuk up the handling at all? also do I need the bump stop in a lowered car? and what will happen if I cut the rear springs to get them lower?, is it going to change its spring rate?

[roadsailing]

huh?

just wind it up until its the right height, unless you used REALLY short stroke shocks with no strut tube spacers it will be fine.

standard they have stupid amounts of pre-load, the only cause for concern would be if the shocks have no droop (that is, the wheels dont drop when you jack up the car by the body)

yes you need bump stops but to answer the question you should have asked, yes you can shorten them, again it depends on what shcoks you are using.

[ae86 slide]

cutting springs is great

[roadsailing]

cutting springs is great[/b]


yeah, cutting springs is great as long as you know what you are doing.

[selk]

a bit of a risk in cutting springs.... whether its worth it or not

[Hyuga]

thanks roadsailing i'll try wind it up abit to get the ride height balanced. But what happens if you cut the springs, will it affect the spring rate?

[roadsailing]

yes if you cut the springs it will increase the rate.

if the back is the height you want it, just raise the front to match.

don't cut the rears unless you have short stroke shocks and know what you are doing.

[poh_86]

before cutting springs check if u havent fitted already some roll centre adjusters? (rca)

[roadsailing]

roll centre adjusters do not affect the height of your car (by more than a few mm anyway)

[Hyuga]

I adjusted the front about 2 cm higher now but the wheel only drop by 2 cm when I jack the car up. And yea the shocks are really very short but I know there is already a spacer in it so i might go cut the rear springs off a bit to get the rear lower. My rear shocks are short stroke also, and I had to remove the shocks to get the springs out may be my rear springs is really too high. But now if cut the springs increase the spring rate, and which i'm running F6 R4.5, wouldn't the spring rate of the rear be so close to the front after I cut it? By the way when I try to push the car down at both end of the car I felt the rear is so much lighter than the front I don't know if that 1.5 k make that much of a difference. sorry my english hope you can read.

[Hen is a total nutcase]

What height do you want your car?

If you want it at the height the rear currently is, you'll have to play with the front height. Wind it up, pull it apart and move spacers or something more involved. Just remember you need some wheel movement as you jack your car up (droop).

If you like the ride height at the front then cut or replace your rear springs. Cutting half a turn or one turn off should be fine if you take care doing it.

And shocks have a big effect on what you feel doing the old "push each corner" test.

Hen

[Hyuga]

how much droop at least I have to have in general? I winded it up and its now only got 2cm droop, is it okay?

[Gilly]

if they are the springs i sold you (which i think they are) i would take out maybe 1/2 a coil, it shouldn't bump the rate up too much. or you could have them reset, which keeps the same spring rate but compresses the spring more making it sit lower.

it sounds like these are your only options, as you have run out of adjustability in the front, iwas going to suggest buying taller front springs but realised then you shocks would be at full extension, not good!!!

depending on what you want to spend you can reset them or just cut them, they wil be marginally stiffer, still be captive if your shocks are as shortstroke as they sound, and you'll save some $$$$