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Using a T-square for ride height measurement is an awesome idea. Highly repeatable and dead simple. What was your final fender height Front and Rear?
Looks like a tad over 25.5" exactly where my HKS out of the box were at, I later raised the front 10mm.
Tires were rubbing at the top wheel liner at high speed bumps.
Looks like a tad over 25.5" exactly where my HKS out of the box were at, I later raised the front 10mm.
Tires were rubbing at the top wheel liner at high speed bumps.
Are standard T-squares all 1.5in wide on the short leg? If so, our measurements are comparable. Looks like @Joe Z used an Empire model, I have a Swanson and both have ~1.5in wide short legs.
What was your starting point relative to 25.9in final height? And this was with smaller diameter and wider tires than spec, correct?
My car (stock) measures LF @ 25 5/8in, RF @ 25 3/8in, RR and RL @24 3/8in. Of course my T might not be square and the scale might be inaccurate, but measurements should repeatable. (Precise, if not accurate.) I am planning to get the car roughly symmetric before fine-tuning ride-height adjustment at the alignment shop.
BTW, how did your damping adjustment experiment turn out?
Are standard T-squares all 1.5in wide on the short leg? If so, our measurements are comparable. Looks like @Joe Z used an Empire model, I have a Swanson and both have ~1.5in wide short legs.
What was your starting point relative to 25.9in final height? And this was with smaller diameter and wider tires than spec, correct?
My car (stock) measures LF @ 25 5/8in, RF @ 25 3/8in, RR and RL @24 3/8in. Of course my T might not be square and the scale might be inaccurate, but measurements should repeatable. (Precise, if not accurate.) I am planning to get the car roughly symmetric before fine-tuning ride-height adjustment at the alignment shop.
BTW, how did your damping adjustment experiment turn out?
No T for me, just as straight up as possible so I guess my measurement could off a little.
Oh yes you're quite right, lower height tires, so that throws things out a bit.
Tech who corner balanced the car raised left front 8mm and right front 10mm, I measured before and after on the actual shock lengths.
I haven't adjusted dampener/rebound yet as we're still in COVID Lockdown here and cant drive my favorite roads. SC flashing light seems to not come on as much lately, maybe the coilovers are wearing in. Car feels really good right now and handles quite flat.
Using a T-square for ride height measurement is an awesome idea. Highly repeatable and dead simple. What was your final fender height Front and Rear?
Actually, no, this isn't a ride height measurement someone else can use. Body panels are the least consistent part of the car. Ride height is measured from suspension points like the lower control arm mount.
If you're only concerned about fashion, use body panels. If you want to measure actual ride height you need to use suspension mount points.
All cars are not created equally.. I will be the first to admit that..
However the next best thing when dialing in the visual ride height corners is the ruler..
Opposed to the 1-2 / 2-3 / insert halves.. Finger tests..
@ChpEng that was a long while back and any scratch notes during the install are long gone..
Usually after a week or two of driving and the coils settle in, one more minor adj may be needed on any of the corners..
Yes this is all subjective and what tire sizes are being used..
I do not rub on 255/35 & 275/35... This was more a fill in the gaps drop and keeping the daily ride comfortable.
FYI - my car is clean, my wheels are dirty AF as I get ready for new tires "soon" - Each one will be removed, old weights and glue removed, washed & cleaned for new rubber.
All cars are not created equally.. I will be the first to admit that..
However the next best thing when dialing in the visual ride height corners is the ruler..
Opposed to the 1-2 / 2-3 / insert halves.. Finger tests..
@ChpEng that was a long while back and any scratch notes during the install are long gone..
Usually after a week or two of driving and the coils settle in, one more minor adj may be needed on any of the corners..
Yes this is all subjective and what tire sizes are being used..
I do not rub on 255/35 & 275/35... This was more a fill in the gaps drop and keeping the daily ride comfortable.
FYI - my car is clean, my wheels are dirty AF as I get ready for new tires "soon" - Each one will be removed, old weights and glue removed, washed & cleaned for new rubber.
Joe Z
I'm quite surprised you're not rubbing on 255/35 & 275/35, did you do any mods to achieve this? Would you say it handles better on these sizes?
Actually, no, this isn't a ride height measurement someone else can use. Body panels are the least consistent part of the car. Ride height is measured from suspension points like the lower control arm mount.
If you're only concerned about fashion, use body panels. If you want to measure actual ride height you need to use suspension mount points.
Thanks for keeping us honest Lobux. You are right of course, the linear distance from ground to fender at wheel center will vary car-to-car with wheel size, tire size, body panel variations, and inflation pressure.
I have been puzzling over how to do ride height measurement the right way. Without an alignment rack or work pit, limited to my garage floor, I am out of ideas about how to take these measurements without error terms on the order of (or larger than) the delta I am trying to measure. With the T-square method I can make a relative measurement with reasonable repeatability to 1/8in, if not 1/16in.
Yes I would say it rides better on the 35's all around.
Nothing modified up front...
The rear fender lip was shaved off a few millimeters 10 years ago - I forget that at times..
Back then I was was running a 19x9.5 +35 offset wheel on 265/30 - more agreesive wheels.
Five:aD | R5:F in GunMetal
19x8.5" +30 Front • 235/35
19x9.5" +35 Rear • 265/30
Edit found my post from back in the day...
See below...
I didn't waste my time with heating & rolling..
I shaved / grinded off the excess metal and used a few layers of touch paint to seal it up..
Looks & feels like OEM
Joe Z
Wow you literally used a grinder, I really don't want to go to those measures.
What about 245/35 front and 275/30 rear, would the 30 be a better solution and would this be a similar OEM rolling diameter?
Thanks for keeping us honest Lobux. You are right of course, the linear distance from ground to fender at wheel center will vary car-to-car with wheel size, tire size, body panel variations, and inflation pressure.
I have been puzzling over how to do ride height measurement the right way. Without an alignment rack or work pit, limited to my garage floor, I am out of ideas about how to take these measurements without error terms on the order of (or larger than) the delta I am trying to measure. With the T-square method I can make a relative measurement with reasonable repeatability to 1/8in, if not 1/16in.
Camber gauges work just fine with a turn plate. The tire has to be able to move freely for these gauges to work properly. If it binds at all, it's no good.
The factory has a diagram for measuring ride height. I'll post it up after I find it again.
I was just up at RR Racing yesterday and got my BC coilovers swapped out for the Road & Track R2 setup 900lbs(16kg) Front & 800lbs(14kg) Rear. Such beautiful coilovers! Anyway with not being a dedicated track car and for the most part just spirited driving these are a nice upgrade. They feel more "compliant" than the BC's and are nice and quiet. Car is not slammed and looks and feels just right to me. Big thumbs up to the RR Team!
(Not recommend for the novice)
