Ride Height

[jwebb]

Finally have engine installed and need to raise ride height front & rear, where can instructions be found?

[GoDadGo]

Sorry, but I don't have the book here at the office, but 4.5" is the number, but some guys go as low as 4.0".
I'm set at 4.5" on the front and 4.75" out back, but it settles at 4.5" when Mrs. Go-Dad and I are sitting in it.

[jwebb]

Adjustment directions are in the manual, I haven't seen them?

[Jeff Kleiner]

With weight off of the springs turn the coilover collar clockwise for higher.

Jeff

[Bob Cowan]

Changing the ride height is as simple as moving the collar up and down. BUT…. If you’re not careful, you can screw up the corner weights and create some interesting handling quirks. Here’s what worked for my car:

Raise the front of the car off the ground. Raise the collar so the top of the spring just touches the spring hat. Do that on both sides. Then do the same thing in the rear. Put the car back on the ground. Roll it back and forth a couple of times to settle the suspension.

Measure the ride height at all four corners. It should be pretty high, like 6-7”, and that’s OK. It should also not be exactly the same left to right, and that’s OK, too.

Now raise the front of the car and lower the spring collar 3-4 turns on each side. Make sure you adjust left and right exactly the same amount. Exactly. Do that in the rear, too. Put the car back on the ground. Roll it back and forth a couple of times to settle the suspension.

Measure the ride height at all four corners. You should be getting closer to your desired ride height. It should also not be exactly the same left to right, and that’s OK, too. Keep making adjustments until you get to your desired ride height. But make sure you make the exact same adjustment left and right.

The measurements left and right won’t be exactly the same, but should be within about ¼” of each other, and that’s OK. If you goal is 5”, then 4 7/8” on the left and 5 1/8” on the right would be perfect.

After I did this I put my car on the scales. The corner weights were so close to perfect, I didn’t make any other adjustments.

[AC Bill]

You will likely have to re-set your ride height after the car is on the road, and you've driven it several miles. The shocks will settle, and the car will be at it's final, on the road weight. I wouldn't get to concerned at this point. You could just adjust it to 4" for now, and fine tune it later, and when you are ready for a wheel alignment.

[Melb-Mike]

Keep in mind that any ride height adjustments will affect your alignment, mostly toe and camber but castor as well to a minor degree.

[jwebb]

Is a special tool necessary, some sort of spanner wrench?

[PeteH]

A spanner would be nice, but would be difficult to get in proper position, especially on the front. I used a 3/16" dowel to fit the three holes in the collar. You will probably have to hold the sleeve while turning the collar, as it will easily spin on the shock body.

[CraigS]

I use a 3/16 drill bit. I put several layers of tape over the flutes.

[Itchief]

Mark at Breeze has a spanner for the coil overs

Rick

[rich grsc]

Keep in mind that any ride height adjustments will affect your alignment, mostly toe and camber but castor as well to a minor degree.

Unless you are changing the height by an inch or more, change in alignment will not be a problem.

[jlfernan]

Don't forget the pinion angle if you lower it 1" or more.

[jwebb]

With the 3 dowels/drill bits in the collar, how did you move it? Tap with a hammer & screw driver?

[Jeff Kleiner]

With the weight off of the springs the collars can be turned by hand (unless the threads have been boogered by overtightening the set screws).

Jeff

[GoDadGo]

I've got a couple of stupid cheap spanners that works pretty well that I got from Speedway Motors.

Speedway Coil-Over Spanner Wrench Adjuster Tool

Would a strap or detectable oil filter wrench help?

Search Amazon:

OEMTOOLS 25447 4-in-1

Rubber Strap Wrench

[jwebb]

Going to use a strap wrench from Lowes, haven't tried by hand yet. Front is currently at 3.75", rear about 5.5".

[GoDadGo]

I bet a pair of Rubber Strap Wrenches will work pretty well for the Stock Red Koni's.
You just need to get the weight off of the tires to get those suckers to spin.
Also, my pal Donny's MK-4, he has the upgraded shocks so the Spanner Wrenches worked really well because the collars were different.

Here are the spanners that I got from Speedway:

https://www.speedwaymotors.com/Speedway-Coil-Over-Spanner-Wrench-Adjuster-Tool,2681.html

Good Luck!

[AC Bill]

A shot of WD40, or some light lubricant spray, can really help make the collars spin easier.

[Mark Reynolds]

Here is the spanner wrench from Breeze: http://www.breezeautomotive.com/details.php?prod_id=739
I recommend Wicking Loctite to attach the aluminum sleeved to the body of the shock. http://www.breezeautomotive.com/details.php?prod_id=209
We apply :Super Lube Dri-Film Lubricant (from hardware store) PTFE spray lube to all shock bodies, spring seats seats, washers and jam nuts before shipping our coil-over shocks.
Caution: if your car has been on the road for half a season or more the shock should be removed and the jam nuts carefully cleaned/loosened/cleaned to remove accumulated grit before turning under load to prevent seizing of the seat to the body.

[turbonut48]

And throw away the set screws. They ll only screw up the threads. Put a mark on the collar so you can tell how much you ve turned it and to check if its moved.

The Nut

[Scotty's65]

The wrench works but it's a pita, as Bob said if you take the weight off the spring it easily spins in your hand. Also do one end at a time and then go back and check because you will find that raising the back will lower the front and vice versa - and be sure to get the height set BEFORE you get it aligned as changes made after will affect your alignment.
I used zip ties on the shock body to keep the collar from moving on it's own and a dab of white paint makes it an easy visual check.

Scott