Adjusting the Ride Height on a SPF Car

[Bernica]

Originally Posted by scottj

Same principle as a coilover collar... tightening increases load on the spring and loosening decreases load.

The point is that you can not isolate corner weight changes from corner height changes.

Thank you! That was my point! They are inter-related.

[Shootnride]

Originally Posted by scottj

I'm not following how height-adjustable mounts isolate ride height changes from corner weight changes. ??

Let me first say that I am not a suspension expert by any stretch of the imagination. But, what I said was, this enables me to adjust ride height independent of spring preload, not independent of corner weight. I initially decided to make new rear shock mounts just because the SPF mounts seem to have some history of failure, so I decided why not build some adjustability into them at the same time. The stock SPF mounts can actually be adjusted for ride height by moving them up or down to another bolt hole, but these adjustments are in one inch increments.

I have read many (maybe all) of the posts on this forum concerning suspension set-up. I have read where people have adjusted ride height and had corner weight adjustments made, both by adjusting spring preload. It doesn't seem to me that it's possible to accomplish both of these things by making the same component adjustment.

I will try to post some photos of the shock mounts.

Ted

[Shootnride]

O.K., here's a photo of the shock mount.

[WardL]

There are many different Cobras out there, but in my SPF case, I set the ride height to specs and when I checked the corner balance it was PERFECT and I did not have to change anything. I couldn't tell any difference in the handling of my Cobra since it was properly balanced before I put it on the scales. Not sure it is worth the $ to buy the corner balances and check it. Get the ride height to specs and you are there for the cost of a yardstick! Of course, if you have some other brand of Cobra, it might be different.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by WardL

Not sure it is worth the $ to buy the corner balances and check it.

For most people, it's not. Instead they should just call around to local alignment shops and ask "Do you use corner weight scales to set coil over ride height?" and if they say "What?" then just hang up and dial the next one. One of them will say "Sure we do." "We'll print out your weights for $50 or set them for another $50. And you can watch us do it." No alignment shop that has a set of corner scales is going to have them and not know how to use them. And no alignment shop that doesn't have them is going to tell you that they do.

Nowadays, a nice CSX, Kirkham, ERA, or SPF is a six figure toy -- why someone wouldn't drop a measly C-Note, or less, checking the corner weights is absolutely beyond me. But, then again, this is just one of those goofy subjects where people just don't do it. It makes absolutely no sense, but they don't.