Roadster adjustable ride height options

[JohnK]

I know that the general consensus here is that the roadster doesn't have a big enough front overhang to worry about driveways and speedbumps if set up properly. However, there have been enough questions on here about how to repair chin damage that it still gives me pause. My wife and I were out for a walk today and passed by a local breakfast spot where several local FFR builders get together for breakfast every Saturday. I popped into the parking lot to check out the cars and noticed that one of them had a good amount of rash on the chin around the oil cooler cutout. I didn't have a chance to speak to the owner so I have no idea how it happened, but it raised the concern in my head again. Adding to the concern I that I prefer the aesthetic of a small gap between tire and fender, especially with low profile 18" wheels/tires. The lower I set ride height for aesthetics, the more risk I run of front end damage.

So... *if* I was to consider some sort of hydraulic or pneumatic ride height adjustment system - something that would let me raise and lower the car 1" - 2" to get over speedbumps and driveways - what are my options? So far, I'm aware of the following:

Ramliftpro (https://www.ramliftpro.com)

JRiShocks (https://www.jrishocks.com/shop/ride-height-system/hydraulic-ride-height/)

I think I prefer something that can be added on to my existing Koni double-adjustable shocks but I'm open to options like the JRiShocks kit that's an all-in-one solution. I'm not looking to be able to slam the car on the ground like an air bag system, just something that gives me a couple inches of adjustability. So, what else is out there that's worth looking at?

[Jeff Kleiner]

FYI, driveways and speed bumps won’t be your problem…pulling too far forward up to parking lot bumper blocks will. This is experience talking.

Jeff

[JohnK]

I hear you, and thank you for the caution. I feel like that one is somewhat avoidable. These cars are just so short that there's no reason to ever pull that far into a parking spot. Even if you stay back 2-3 feet from the concrete curb, it still will not stick out as far as the cars on either side of it.

[Jim1855]

As Jeff indicated the parking lot bumpers and the sidewalk around parking lots are not your friends. Same with many daily drivers and those that think they need to pull in up to the tires. Takes out a lot of lower aero pieces or oil cooler cowl on Cobras.

Also watch out for the transitions between pavement and the shoulder.

The lifting system sounds really cool but complicated. The C8 Vette has this system, but it runs based on GPS for the regular known obstructions. I think it's the ones that you don't think about that will cause the problem.

At some point you'll find that driving the car and not worrying about every little thing will be way more fun. Consider the patina as your badges of battle.

Jim

[facultyofmusic]

Hey John, I totally thought about this too! While I don't have a height adjustment recommendation I do have experience with things that served a "similar purpose" for me. The C7 corvette I drove a few times had this front rubber deflector that sits pretty low to the ground. That thing gets scraped A LOT, but also it's designed to be scraped and take that kind of abuse. It's rubber, so it never deforms from the scraping. I find that it does a surprisingly good job at warning me before I ACTUALLY scrape something important. It's black and under the front bumper, so unless you really look you won't ever notice it. It won't save you from parking lot bumpers, but drive ways are no worries at all given that rubber bumper "feedback".

Of course, it CAN bottom out. So if there's a really steep drive way then I suppose this idea is practically useless. Eager to see what you go with! :)

[JohnK]

As Jeff indicated the parking lot bumpers and the sidewalk around parking lots are not your friends. Same with many daily drivers and those that think they need to pull in up to the tires. Takes out a lot of lower aero pieces or oil cooler cowl on Cobras.

Also watch out for the transitions between pavement and the shoulder.

The lifting system sounds really cool but complicated. The C8 Vette has this system, but it runs based on GPS for the regular known obstructions. I think it's the ones that you don't think about that will cause the problem.

At some point you'll find that driving the car and not worrying about every little thing will be way more fun. Consider the patina as your badges of battle.

Jim

Several good points/comments here that are worth commenting on.

First, both mine and my wife's daily drivers are SUV's of some sort so we do pretty regularly just mindlessly drive up to the concrete bumpers sometimes (I know, I know). I'm worried that this bad habit will one day bite me in the ***.

Yes, all of these lifting systems are expensive and complicated, and even with the body still off will be a bit of a PITA to install. I wish I could take the approach that it's just patina or a badge of battle, but the truth is that I know it will bug the s*** out of me. I will end up spending money to repair it if/when it happens, and the cost to repair it properly isn't cheap either. That one car I saw today... no way would I feel good about my car looking like that after how much work I've put into it.

[OSU Cowboy]

Agreed - my entire car is in "patina" - MK3.1 gelcoat.

[AC Bill]

A friend with a Cobra, had to time his loading and unloading from a car ferry, to coincide with the proper tides, or it was a no go for him.
I guess it all depends on the angle of the rise as to how your car may be affected. I've been good with some seriously high speed bumps, as far as the nose rubbing, but unless I just creep over them, the frame will bottom out while coming down off of them.

I watched a show the other night where a fellow installed air coil-overs on his rod. They could be a solution, to allow you to bump up the ride height temporarily.

[EZ$]

John, you should check out the youtube videos done by 520 Speedworks on the wrecked cobra they completely rebuilt. They install an air ride suspension, and they could drop it right down on the deck, or raise it up as needed. You could contact Greg to find out what they used and what was the cost.

[Fman]

John I have my frame in front around 3.75" and 5" in the rear. After 2700 miles now I have not had any issues hitting anything going over speed bumps or pulling into and out of driveways/parking lots. If there is a steep driveway I will go at angle and very slow and this seems to work fine. And as others mentioned in parking lots I always make sure and leave enough room in front of car to no hit the bump stop or curb.

Don't over think it, if you are planning on driving your car you will eventually get some chips and scratches on it.... just is what it is... I remember Ken Pike telling me when I picked up my car ''It will never look this good again"... but go out have fun and drive the hell out of it! I doubt you will have any problems hitting speed bumps/driveways setting your ride height at a reasonable height.

[Papa]

Have you seen the air bag suspension that 520 Speedworks did on their recent build?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_v-AGppRjcQ

[steno]

Absolutely Jeff!

[JohnK]

Have you seen the air bag suspension that 520 Speedworks did on their recent build?


Thank you - yes, I have seen it. Quite an impressive bit of engineering. Probably a bit too involved given how far I am in my build already, and not exactly what I'm after, but cool nonetheless.

[CraigS]

FYI, driveways and speed bumps won’t be your problem…pulling too far forward up to parking lot bumper blocks will. This is experience talking.

Jeff

I agree. The good thing is that most contact is on the very lowest portion of the valance, the part that is nearly horizontal so hard to see until you lean way over. There are a lot of body shop suppliers that can put actual body shop paint into rattle cans. If your gets scraped a bit, it wouldn't be hard to do a quick touchup if you have the paint on hand. They also have primer and clear in rattle cans.

[cgundermann]

I'm fairly low and the only place I sometimes hit with speed bumps etc. is directly under the lower part of the front portion of the side pipes near the weld lines that go around the pipes. Gotten good at touching them up...

The lowest portion of my front chin, I applied Herculiner for a protective strip which blends well with my paint scheme. So far, haven't scraped it...

Chris

[BEAR-AvHistory]

Don't think its worth the effort. I run 4"X4.5" on 17" wheels with 40X35 tires. Once the car settled in have never changed it. These cars a way small so there is no reason to ever come close to the parking lot curbing. No rash as of now. Car is pretty much a daily driver.

[Jeff Kleiner]

As I said earlier I've been an unconscience bonehead and scraped by pulling up on a parking lot bumper but as a point of reference, I run with my airdam on regularly on the street and have never scraped a speedbump or driveway (in fact the only time it's ever hit anything has been when I've spun off track! :rolleyes:)

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=163180&d=1509280517

Just something to think about.

Jeff




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[cgundermann]

As I said earlier I've been an unconscience bonehead and scraped by pulling up on a parking lot bumper but as a point of reference, I run with my airdam on regularly on the street and have never scraped a speedbump or driveway (in fact the only time it's ever hit anything has been when I've spun off track! :rolleyes:)

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=163180&d=1509280517

Just something to think about.

Jeff




163180

Great pic Jeff, looks super mean!

Chris