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Thread: ride height

  1. #1

    ride height

    I need some help(dont we all)
    The passenger side (both front and rear) of my car currently rides lower than driver's by a fraction of an inch (1/4)-not much but it is noticable.
    Any suggestion on how to remedy this?

    Also what is corner balancing?
    Thanks

  2. #2
    Moderator Chuck Miller's Avatar
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    So does mine ... until I get in it...

    Have someone measure your car with you in it...

    Ride height is set with the suspension loaded on the driver's side ...'dummy weight' - (Sparklets bottles, sand bags, brother's-in-law)

    Sounds like it's pretty close to me as it sits...

    Cheers,
    Chuck Miller
    Creative Advisor/Message Board Moderator - Early 911S Registry #109
    R Gruppe #88

    TYP901 #62
    '73S cpe #1099 - Matched # 2.7/9.5 RS spec rebuild
    '67 Malibu 327 spt cpe - Period 350 Rebuild

    ’98 Chevy S-10 – Utility
    ’15 GTI – Commuter

  3. #3
    Jared Rundell - Registered User JCR's Avatar
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    I wouldn't worry about a 1/4" higher driver side at all. And Chuck brings up a good point (as usual). Probably looks perfect with you sitting in it.

    Corner balancing attempts to evenly distribute the weight of the vehicle at all 4 corners by adjusting suspension loading. Do a search on Pelican, lots of info there.
    Jared
    '73 911S #0793
    '69 912_ #0602
    Early S #0454
    RGruppe #0391

  4. #4
    B-b-buy Bushwood?!?!
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    I had new shocks installed and my car balanced all the way around by a pro who knows what he's doing. It wasn't cheap but the ride difference and cornering capabilities of the car are easily 100% improved.
    Sandy Isaac
    '69 911E
    #543

  5. #5

    Suspension work

    Sandy, who did your suspension work?
    Bahia Red '72 911S
    Meerblau PTS 2019 Speedster
    GP Silver, 2018 GT2RS WP....the BEAST
    Daytona Gray 2021 RS6 Avant....BEAST #2...Best daily EVER

    ES #333

    GONE...MANY, many great ones....

  6. #6
    Thanks all; as usual the comments were helpful.
    Chuck was right, when i sat in the car the ride hieght differential disappear.
    My mechanic and I also adjusted the front ride height with me in the car.
    It seems that by lower the car (my front is now 23"-ground to fender opening) the car has a more controlled feel to it- especially the front end.

    Any thoughts on that observation? Is it because the shocks are in effect compressed with lowering of the car?

    BTW for all those who are interested, the car is running great
    I took a ride up woodside road here in silicon valley yesterday and It was heavenly.
    Thanks to all on the Board whose insights have helped as I have sorted out the car after taking it out of storage.

  7. #7

    Ride Height and Weight and balance

    There's a lot!! more to weight and balance than setting ride height. Ride height is an improtant and necessary part of the formula, but, you'll never know how well your Porsche handles until a proper weight and balance has been completed. If you're driving a pre-74 (which is my only area of interest and expertise) you NEED to have this service done. I go to Ron Kain at IPB Autosport in Sacramento 916-453-1465. No financial interest.
    Ed Barnett
    Ed Barnett
    RGruppe #124
    Northern California Racing Club
    American Racing Club
    Member, Northwest Hillclimb Association

  8. #8
    I understand the concept of balance.
    But how does one balance a car? how do you ad or subtract weight?

  9. #9
    Moderator Chuck Miller's Avatar
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    Ed is right...

    There is a multi step continuity to doing a suspension set-up...

    - Figure out what you want to do with the car (Stock, Street/track, Track)

    - Fix, change out, replace any mechanicals as wanted or needed (T-bars, S-bars, bushings, shocks, whatever - including turbo tie rods and bump steer kit)

    - Figure out what your going to run for wheels and tires and put them on...

    - Set the ride height to those wheels and tires

    - Corner balance car to that ride height

    - Align according to what you want to do (Stock, or more or less agressive)

    You can go 'DOWN' in this list and sequence with time in between (although do'n it all together is normal)
    BUT…
    You can't go 'UP' in the sequence without having to redo everything you've just done.

    Does that make sense?

    Hope this helps,
    Chuck Miller
    Creative Advisor/Message Board Moderator - Early 911S Registry #109
    R Gruppe #88

    TYP901 #62
    '73S cpe #1099 - Matched # 2.7/9.5 RS spec rebuild
    '67 Malibu 327 spt cpe - Period 350 Rebuild

    ’98 Chevy S-10 – Utility
    ’15 GTI – Commuter

  10. #10
    Moderator Chuck Miller's Avatar
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    Sorry I didn't get back sooner...

    Your simple question has not one but many involved answers...

    I looked for my Fred Puhn book but I lent it out... It's the best book on explaining basic racing suspension out there.

    I found this on the web... it might get you a little closer then anything I could try to explain ...


    Imagine a car as a four legged chair. In order for the chair to stand steadily, all four legs should be of equal length and as a consequence applying equal pressure on the floor. If one leg is longer, or shorter than the others, we have a chair that rocks, and is unstable.

    By the same analogy, the suspension of the (race) car has to be adjusted so that each corner "applies" the same amount of force on the ground, relative to the diagonally-opposite corner, so that the car does not "rock." Scales are placed underneath each wheel/tire to measure the "weight" of each corner, and a "perfect" corner balance would have the sum of the weights of the right-front and left-rear corners equal the sum of the weights of the left-front and right-rear corners.

    For example, we have a 200 lb. car, with the center of gravity positioned exactly at the middle of the car. An ideal situation would be that each corner (tire) would apply 50 lbs. of force.

    50--| |--50
    | |
    |200| (Looking at the car from above)
    |lbs|
    | |
    50--| |--50
    Corner balance is perfect at LF + RR = RF + LR = 100 lbs.

    By the same token, if the CG is positioned a little towards the rear, as in the case of the NSX, we would have:

    40--| |--40
    | |
    | |
    |200|
    |lbs|
    60--| |--60
    Corner balance would still be ideal. The same applies if there was a driver (any good race car alignment shop worth their salt would put a ballast equal to the driver's weight in the driver's seat when corner balancing and aligning the suspension). In this example, say the driver weighs 10 pounds

    44--| |--41
    | |
    |10 |
    |200|
    |lbs|
    64--| |--61
    Corner balance is still ideal.

    Say, for example, one corner is jacked up so it applies 10 lbs more...(refering back to our "perfect" example)

    40--| |--60
    | |
    |200|
    |lbs|
    | |
    60--| |--40
    Corner balance is off, with LF(40) + RR(40) = 80 and RF(60) + LR(60) = 120

    It would have the same effect as having a leg on that chair a little too long, so the diagonally opposite corner would also apply more force on the ground, with lesser forces on the other two corners. The car, in effect, will "rock."

    A car in this situation will have a very poor handling characteristic, and will handle differently when turned left and right. In contrast, a perfectly corner balanced car will handle the same when turning left and right, and will be maximizing tire contact area on all four corners, thus will have more grip all around.


    Also this has some good info:

    http://www.pelicanparts.com/techarti...nment_tips.htm

    May be just to say that to 'lighten' a corner of your 911 you 'unload it' or lower it... To make a corner of your car 'heavier' you 'load it' or raise it.

    Hope this helps,
    Chuck Miller
    Creative Advisor/Message Board Moderator - Early 911S Registry #109
    R Gruppe #88

    TYP901 #62
    '73S cpe #1099 - Matched # 2.7/9.5 RS spec rebuild
    '67 Malibu 327 spt cpe - Period 350 Rebuild

    ’98 Chevy S-10 – Utility
    ’15 GTI – Commuter

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