Ride height adjustment failure!

[David_L]

I'm trying to adjust my ride height but running into an issue. The front was fine at 4 inches but back is high at about 6 1/4 inches and would like to get it to about 4.5 inches. Car will be just for just street. I adjusted the the spring collar up as much as I dare and there was no change to the ride height after lowering car. I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong. I do have the upper shock mount in the lower hole per the manual. I'm think I may need to use the upper mount holes to get the ride to drop lower but other then that I'm out of ideas. I'm using the 3 link suspension with the full kit.

Also as you will see in the last picture, there is very little clearence at the bottom of the shock. Should I maybe cut the rear bushing in half and move have of the to the front to shift the shock more the the rear of the car? That should provide a bit more clearence at the bottom.

Ride height about 6.5 inches
https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=186128&d=1687398036


Adjustment collar almost all the way up and you can see upper mount is in lower hole
https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=186129&d=1687398036

Clearence is maybe a 1/32 of an inch at bottom
https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=186127&d=1687398036

[Jeff Kleiner]

You’re going the wrong way. Run the adjuster ring DOWN to lower ride height.

Jeff

[David_L]

You’re going the wrong way. Run the adjuster ring DOWN to lower ride height.

Jeff

Jeff I first measured with the collar just barely holding the spring in place after assembly and it still measured the same? But will try again tomorrow. Thanks!

[Jim1855]

Don't forget to roll the car fore/aft a few times to get the suspension to settle in.
Jim

[MB750]

Wow, with the collar that high I'd hate to hit a pot hole. My spine would probably shoot straight up like a spring.

[rich grsc]

Like Jeff said, you are turning the adjustment ring in the WRONG direction. You have the shock at maximum ride height

[Ted G]

It can seem counter intuitive, but tightening/compressing the coil (which is what your doing) makes the shock push up (out) more; therefore making your coilover stiffer. Like Rich and Jeff said, relax the coil to lower the car. Also, try to make sure both sides have roughly the same amount of thread showing above the coil if you can. I marked mine with a paint pen to easily count the threads

186147.

[David_L]

Thanks guys. Since I started out with the collar just touching the spring I thought it should be tightened. I've replaced struts in cars before but they never needed adjustments! lol I didn't see any posts or videos about the direction. Also is the bottom shock clearence acceptable or should that be adjusted?

[MB750]

I'm more curious why your axle housing is so close to the shock. Mine's go the spring on the bottom and there's still about 3/8" clearance. What angle is your pinion at?

Here's mine:

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=186187&d=1687462779

And my pinion angle is 1.5 degrees below my trans output shaft, and the diff looks like this (pointed just a little bit up):

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=186188&d=1687462779

Crank in the 3rd control arm (not the panhard bar) to adjust pinion angle.

[David_L]

I'm more curious why your axle housing is so close to the shock. Mine's go the spring on the bottom and there's still about 3/8" clearance. What angle is your pinion at?

Here's mine:

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=186187&d=1687462779

And my pinion angle is 1.5 degrees below my trans output shaft, and the diff looks like this (pointed just a little bit up):

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=186188&d=1687462779

Crank in the 3rd control arm (not the panhard bar) to adjust pinion angle.

Thanks again everyone! I feel a bit stupid about the adjustment but ride height is now 4 front and 4 3/4 rear. Also my pinion angle was off. I had adjusted the driveline before but did it again and now I have shock clearance and am green in Tremec app.

[erniek70]

I just purchased a used, 2013 MkIV. It did not come with a wrench to adjust the ride height. I am getting tire rub up front (275/40R17), and I am wondering if I should raise the ride height, or is tire rub normal? What is coil-over wrench I need to adjust? Ride height is measured frame tube to ground? If so, currently 3.75" front, and 4.5" rear. Looking for recommendations, and the wrench part number....

It also seems assembly manual has the adjusting nuts at the top of the spring...I am used to seeing the nut at the bottom. Which is correct, or does it not matter?

[edwardb]

I just purchased a used, 2013 MkIV. It did not come with a wrench to adjust the ride height. I am getting tire rub up front (275/40R17), and I am wondering if I should raise the ride height, or is tire rub normal? What is coil-over wrench I need to adjust? Ride height is measured frame tube to ground? If so, currently 3.75" front, and 4.5" rear. Looking for recommendations, and the wrench part number....

It also seems assembly manual has the adjusting nuts at the top of the spring...I am used to seeing the nut at the bottom. Which is correct, or does it not matter?

No, tire rubbing isn't normal. You can use a wrench on the coilovers. But if you jack the car up and take the pressure off the shock, usually they can be adjusted by hand. I do have a Joes Racing 33500 wrench and it fits the Koni's. There are lots of choices (and cheaper...) but this one is nice quality. Ride height is measured bottom of frame tube to ground. Your 3.75/4.5 isn't really too bad. Unless you have corner weights, always adjust the front and rear pairs the same number of turns. If the red Koni shocks, they can be body up or body down. So adjuster can be top or bottom. Doesn't matter.

[erniek70]

No, tire rubbing isn't normal. You can use a wrench on the coilovers. But if you jack the car up and take the pressure off the shock, usually they can be adjusted by hand. I do have a Joes Racing 33500 wrench and it fits the Koni's. There are lots of choices (and cheaper...) but this one is nice quality. Ride height is measured bottom of frame tube to ground. Your 3.75/4.5 isn't really too bad. Unless you have corner weights, always adjust the front and rear pairs the same number of turns. If the red Koni shocks, they can be body up or body down. So adjuster can be top or bottom. Doesn't matter.




Thanks for the help...I might raise it .5" front and rear.

[MB750]

Thanks for the help...I might raise it .5" front and rear.

For what it's worth, my 255 front tires are about 1/8" away from rubbing on the F-panel at full lock. I don't have the body on yet so can't tell you that dimension.

[erniek70]

Mine rub, turning corners as normal city speeds...casual driving. Rub the bodywork. Fender lip get lots of rubber on it.

[rich grsc]

Has the fender lip been trimmed?

[erniek70]

no...3/8" lip?

[Norm B]

I followed Jeff Kleiner’s body work instructions pretty faithfully when I did the work on my car. The fender flares were trimmed back and filler was used on the underside to create the feeling of a rolled aluminum edge along the fender openings mimicking the originals. This increases the clearance between the tires and fender substantially.

HTH

Norm

[erniek70]

My car, I purchased used. 10 year old build, already painted. I may just raise the ride height a little (1/2"). The stance, I feel, can tolerate it.188701

[CraigS]

A couple of thoughts.
- Yep, try raising the height a little.
- Also check front camber. Some negative camber helps w/ clearance at the top of the fender flare. Recommendation is usually -.5 to -1.0deg camber. But don't be afraid to go to -2.0deg. Yes that will wear out the inside of the tire but not much of a worry. FFRs usually only get driven 4-5000 miles per year so even wearing off the inside the tires will probably last 5 years.
- If you work slowly and carefully a drum sander on a drill will take off fender lip very controllably.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/WEN-Sanding-Drum-Kit-for-Drill-Presses-and-Power-Drills-20-Piece-DS164/305175622?mtc=SHOPPING-BF-CDP-BNG-D25T-025_007_PWR_TOOL_ACC-NA-Multi-NA-PLALIA-NA-NA-NA-NA-NBR-NA-NA-NA-PowerToolAccessories_2023&cm_mmc=SHOPPING-BF-CDP-BNG-D25T-025_007_PWR_TOOL_ACC-NA-Multi-NA-PLALIA-NA-NA-NA-NA-NBR-NA-NA-NA-PowerToolAccessories_2023-71700000106432959-58700008273440514-92700075147672221&msclkid=6615781a275e1be9f2871ccdc01701a8&gclid=6615781a275e1be9f2871ccdc01701a8&gclsrc=3p.ds
Put on a face mask, and put a small fan on the floor to blow the dust away from you. You can touch up the 1/8" thick fiberglass edge w/ a paint stick and no one will ever notice.

[phileas_fogg]

I bought a Williams 0-472 wrench from Breeze years ago; it works perfectly on the Koni red body shocks. Give Mark a call at 508-533-6455 and I bet he can hook you up.


John

[Doc76]

My car, I purchased used. 10 year old build, already painted. I may just raise the ride height a little (1/2"). The stance, I feel, can tolerate it.188701
What size tires are you running out front?