Perfect ride height on coilovers?

[FlameR]

What would be the perfect height set up. I want it pretty low so it looks good, but I don't want the handling and daily driving to be affected by it being toooo low. Maybe -40/45 at the rear and -60 at the front? Also what camber settings?

 

[ben_p]

i did a set of H&rs on a 172 not long ago

set it up so the rear tyre just sat in the arch, front had a 1/2 gap

wasnt too low, looked good and ride qulaity was fine,

you have all your subs and hairwax in the boot so you wont need to wind down too much

 

[FlameR]

haha, I only brought the wax round cos I knew your mum would be answering the door.

how was going over speed bumps? didn't scrap the exhaust centre section or anythin?

 

[ben_p]

nope was fine, on 16s you will be reet, its a shitter anyway, that thing has more front slam pannels than a BTCC car

 

[Coby.]

No the Best Pics but this is after I had it Paoperly Set Up

Before it was Set Up but similar height

 

[FlameR]

looks a sweet height that mate!! Do you know how much it's been lowered?

 

[Middo]

As ben says you need the front to be slightly higher so it isnt nose diving

 

[Coby.]

I think Its Pretty Much on Par with Christopher and I'm suer he says his is -60mm Rear and -70mm Front but don't quote me on it, I'd suggest just trial and error, Wind it down then a 5 Minute Blast and then take a look and adjust if needed

 

[Turner]

I think christophers is the right height imo iirc he said 50 fronts 70 back

ah beat me to it

 

[Coby.]

I'm not sure what his or mine is lowered by but I like it

Just need to let them settle and then adjust again really

 

[Dan R]

As ben says you need the front to be slightly higher so it isnt nose diving

Once again!!! not necessarily true. The front will always look higher due to the arch bein a different shape. You should use the sills as height and the front of the sill should be lower than the rear. This is called rake and will improve turn in as the front has slightly more weight over it

 

[ben_p]

yes but the basics of the avove are true lol :S

if you set the front wheel to sit about a inch under the arch, then you get a forward rake on the cars level.

 

[Dan R]

yes but the basics of the avove are true lol :S

if you set the front wheel to sit about a inch under the arch, then you get a forward rake on the cars level.

Sittin the front wheel under the arch is way too low. the biggest problem people has is just slamming the car and thinking thats the best way but then you get get no suspension travel. With no suspension travel you just increase the chance of understeer. if the fronts reach the bump stops when cornering hard all u will get is understeer there after cos your no longer loading up that wheel. Slamming the back and making the sill basically level is ok but again you will increase the understeer under hard cornering as the front doesnt have enough load on it. The same as when people put huge spoilers on the back of the car and at high speed the front becomes light and really vague. Same sort of principle

 

[ben_p]

sorry as in my original post that was ment to say 1" gap between.

 

[Dan R]

sorry as in my original post that was ment to say 1" gap between.

Ok cool. There is no definative answer to ride height but one thing is for sure. if your running out of suspension travel when cornering hard( mainly on track tbh) then the car is too low.

 

[Dan R]

No the Best Pics but this is after I had it Paoperly Set Up

Before it was Set Up but similar height

That in my opinion and showin it to the lad that did my AST's said its slightly too low at the back. But if hes happy with it then thats fine

 

[ChrisPearson]

yes but the basics of the avove are true lol :S

if you set the front wheel to sit about a inch under the arch, then you get a forward rake on the cars level.

Sittin the front wheel under the arch is way too low. the biggest problem people has is just slamming the car and thinking thats the best way but then you get get no suspension travel. With no suspension travel you just increase the chance of understeer. if the fronts reach the bump stops when cornering hard all u will get is understeer there after cos your no longer loading up that wheel. Slamming the back and making the sill basically level is ok but again you will increase the understeer under hard cornering as the front doesnt have enough load on it. The same as when people put huge spoilers on the back of the car and at high speed the front becomes light and really vague. Same sort of principle

Right....im sure these are road cars though :S if christophers is 70 60 mine must be 80 65 and can get over most speedbumps

 

[Dan R]

Sittin the front wheel under the arch is way too low. the biggest problem people has is just slamming the car and thinking thats the best way but then you get get no suspension travel. With no suspension travel you just increase the chance of understeer. if the fronts reach the bump stops when cornering hard all u will get is understeer there after cos your no longer loading up that wheel. Slamming the back and making the sill basically level is ok but again you will increase the understeer under hard cornering as the front doesnt have enough load on it. The same as when people put huge spoilers on the back of the car and at high speed the front becomes light and really vague. Same sort of principle

Right....im sure these are road cars though :S if christophers is 70 60 mine must be 80 65 and can get over most speedbumps

Doesnt matter. Road or track. You can still corner pretty hard on the road. Same things apply. Whats the distance between the centre of the wheel and the top of the arch??? Thats how to measure it correctly

 

[ChrisPearson]

ill go check
what is it standard though

 

[Dan R]

ill go check
what is it standard though

no idea tbh

 

[Linsen]

You should use the sills as height and the front of the sill should be lower than the rear. This is called rake and will improve turn in as the front has slightly more weight over it

Are you suggesting that you can change the weight distribution of a car by lowering it in the front? How's that supposed to work? Surely that's not gonna shift the cog forward in any noticeable way...

 

[Dan R]

You should use the sills as height and the front of the sill should be lower than the rear. This is called rake and will improve turn in as the front has slightly more weight over it

Are you suggesting that you can change the weight distribution of a car by lowering it in the front? How's that supposed to work? Surely that's not gonna shift the cog forward in any noticeable way...

No not changing the weight distribution. im not exactly sure how to explain it but having rake on the car( sill lower at front than rear) will imcrease front end grip, turn in, give less understeer and more feedback. I guess its to do with load

 

[Linsen]

But you're not going to change the amount of load going to the front either by lowering it. Load transfer will stay the same no matter what you do to the suspension (short of dropping it all together and thus lowering the cog).

So increased front grip and better turn in can basically only come from the way the load transfers. I guess by lowering it in the front and thus reducing suspension travel, you'd probably have the load on the front tyres faster. Similar to running stiffer damper settings, maybe. This might increase grip on turn-in, but it also could overstress the front outside tyre on turn-in. I guess it all depends.

 

[Ali]

just look at my old one for reference! Ride height was spot on.