Coil-Over Adjustment - Info Needed
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 895
Likes: 1
From: Austin TX
Coil-Over Adjustment - Info Needed
For those of you who have coil-overs on your C4, I need some info.
My passenger side has sagged some, more so in the back then the front. Enough for me to see the negative camber on the rear tire. The driver side you can fit just about 2 fingers in between the wheel and the fender. The passenger side, almost not even 1 finger.
So, I need to adjust them. What is the proper way to adjust once measurements are made from the specific body points and the ground to insure even height on both sides? Can I just jack up the passenger side, take both wheels off, adjust, and then put it back together?
Or is the proper way to jack the whole front up, do just the side I need. Lower it, and then jack the complete back up, and then do just the side I need?
Trey
My passenger side has sagged some, more so in the back then the front. Enough for me to see the negative camber on the rear tire. The driver side you can fit just about 2 fingers in between the wheel and the fender. The passenger side, almost not even 1 finger.
So, I need to adjust them. What is the proper way to adjust once measurements are made from the specific body points and the ground to insure even height on both sides? Can I just jack up the passenger side, take both wheels off, adjust, and then put it back together?
Or is the proper way to jack the whole front up, do just the side I need. Lower it, and then jack the complete back up, and then do just the side I need?
Trey
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 2,753
Likes: 15
From: backwoods upstate ny
i woudn't put c/o on my vette, but i drive 4 different cars each week that do use em (unless it rains)
one inherent problem with c/o springs is that they change heights/rates over time, sometimes immediately if a severe compression is experienced (big bump)....jacking the car up until the spring is free and measuring free length is part of our normal (weekly) maintenance.
to properly set c/o adjustment, you must use scales under each wheel...you can probably find a local circle track racer that has them (all serious guys do) and will help you for a small fee, $50-$100 is typ around here....immediately after setting your ''corner weights'', you may park on a smooth, hard surface, as level as possible, and measure ''ride heights'' at all 4 corners of the car, to ''approximate'' the correct c/o spring adjustment later as req'd.... note that ALL FOUR corner heights must be reset to recorded ride height, setting a single corner to height can easily create a problem--back to the scales asap.
while adjusting the springs, it is necessary to roll the car forward and back a few feet (5-10 ft, opinion varies) and jounce the suspension (grab the bumper and yank up and down) a few times (3-6 times, again ,opinions) before taking readings
one inherent problem with c/o springs is that they change heights/rates over time, sometimes immediately if a severe compression is experienced (big bump)....jacking the car up until the spring is free and measuring free length is part of our normal (weekly) maintenance.
to properly set c/o adjustment, you must use scales under each wheel...you can probably find a local circle track racer that has them (all serious guys do) and will help you for a small fee, $50-$100 is typ around here....immediately after setting your ''corner weights'', you may park on a smooth, hard surface, as level as possible, and measure ''ride heights'' at all 4 corners of the car, to ''approximate'' the correct c/o spring adjustment later as req'd.... note that ALL FOUR corner heights must be reset to recorded ride height, setting a single corner to height can easily create a problem--back to the scales asap.
while adjusting the springs, it is necessary to roll the car forward and back a few feet (5-10 ft, opinion varies) and jounce the suspension (grab the bumper and yank up and down) a few times (3-6 times, again ,opinions) before taking readings
Last edited by redrose; Jul 28, 2006 at 09:30 AM.
