C3 rear suspension height? help..
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 1,166
Likes: 0
From: Tulsa Ok
Re: C3 rear suspension height? help.. (cybertec)
Dr. Pedro is correct. You probably have a worn out spring. Now comes the decision to replace with original equipment or fiberglass. My stock 9-leaf is still holding it's curve and I wouldn't think of replacing it with aftermarket due to the horror stories I've read about heat-soak breakage with the fiberglass stuff.
If you've got steel back there, look into having it recurved at a shop. Having your rear suspension drop to the ground @ 70mph makes for a very bad day.
:eek:
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 3,569
Likes: 1
From: Hawaii
Re: C3 rear suspension height? help.. (Pedro'74)
Great question, I was just going to ask the same thing.
So you are telling me that all I have to do is tighten up the long bolts and it will lift the rear end? I want the red car to be same as the white car.
So you are telling me that all I have to do is tighten up the long bolts and it will lift the rear end? I want the red car to be same as the white car.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 3,201
Likes: 0
From: Clifton Park NY
Re: C3 rear suspension height? help.. (Maurice)
So you are telling me that all I have to do is tighten up the long bolts and it will lift the rear end?
-Pedro
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 2,386
Likes: 3
From: far, far away
Re: C3 rear suspension height? help.. (cybertec)
The Doctor has it right, of course. For a quick fix, you can use a stack of 1/2" washers between the nut on the bolt and the end of the spring, to raise the spring and thereby raise the car. If you experiment with the number of washers required, you'll find out just how much spring sag you've got and how short the bolts need to be to get the ride height you're looking for. You'll probably see that the number of washers required on the driver's side exceeds the number on the other side significantly, and you'll probably become impressed with the degree to which the stock spring has weakened. Then you can apply the walletizer and solve the problem! :lol:
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 5,145
Likes: 125
From: The Motor City
Re: C3 rear suspension height? help.. (Gator81)
My situation is the opposite. I replaced my rear spring (stock 9-leaf) and now the car sits too high. I'll just replace the bolts with longer ones.
My question is....... what does your car measure from the ground to the body at the center of the wheelwell?? Is it the same front and back? I think I remember a thread about this a while back, but I can't find it.
My question is....... what does your car measure from the ground to the body at the center of the wheelwell?? Is it the same front and back? I think I remember a thread about this a while back, but I can't find it.
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 2,386
Likes: 3
From: far, far away
Re: C3 rear suspension height? help.. (Scooter70)
My '81 sits at 28.5 inches, ground to peak of the wheelwell lip in the rear. Currently the front is at29 inches, because I've replaced all my springs. I'll be removing 2/3 of a coil from the VB 460 springs in the next few days, to bring it down an inch in front.
:seeya
:seeya
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,004
Likes: 16
From: Gainesville, Florida
Re: C3 rear suspension height? help.. (Scooter70)
Just checked the AIM & the factory height varied slightly depending on suspension package, coupe vs. conv, etc. but generally the wheel lip height was even to slightly higher or lower (.25-.5 in) in the rear.
As measured from the ground to wheelwell lip through the centerline of the wheel, avg curb height for coupes w/std susp was 27.91" front & rear, convs w/std susp was 27.98" front/27.76" rear.
Mark
As measured from the ground to wheelwell lip through the centerline of the wheel, avg curb height for coupes w/std susp was 27.91" front & rear, convs w/std susp was 27.98" front/27.76" rear.
Mark
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Re: C3 rear suspension height? help.. (Scooter70)
My car is within 1/2" of being 27" all the way around. Pretty even front to rear. i have VB 7-coil springs in front with a coil cut off, and a 7 leaf rear spring with long bolts as low as it will go.
Thread Starter
Navigator
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
From: Yonkers New York
Re: C3 rear suspension height? help.. (cybertec)
Thx for the info all,I'm gonna try shorter bolts,What I'm really trying to do is to get a little extra ground clearence (have only3-4" always bottoming out )I hope the shorter bolts do the trick.(I'm wonderin if I should put my 9-leaf back on,had put on a glass mono leaf a year ago)the story about them snapping got me thinking?? :cheers: :cheers: [IMG][/IMG]
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 17,102
Likes: 7
From: Fair Oaks, OK
Re: C3 rear suspension height? help.. (cybertec)
If you rear spring has little or no arch, you should try to find a machine shop or other reputable place to bend it back for you. Otherwise you can just buy a new one from Eckler's, MADVette, Zip, etc...
