PcolaPaul

The front of my 96CE seems to sit lower than stock. Looks good, but it scrubs pulling in and out of a normal driveway. I would say it looks about 2 inches too low...
Question: Will the spring develop a sag over time? Does anyone have the stock ride height measurements?
Thanks,
Paul

DanielRicany

I'm interested in the replies for this thread...

leesvet

The spring is probably cracked or broken inside the mount. They get soft after 25 yrs of hard service but they usually do not sag...not a lot. If you see a 2" drop with the tires up inside the well....th spring is broken/cracked.
This is VERY common due to the failure rate being 100% if the spring is exposed to degreasers or certain acidic aluminum cleaners and/or engine wash/degreasers that are caustic. Contact causes the composite spring to instantly delaminate and break...

Ask me how I know.....

My current rear spring is coated in "plactic-dip" spray rubber sealer to protect it from the cleaning chemicals I use to clean the underside.

WVZR-1

Nonsense -

I wouldn't assume any failed parts initially. Probably and likely just don't apply.



TRIM height is covered very well in the FSM and actually varies for the years. It needs to be measured either at the FSM points or it can be measured at many other points on the chassis so long as it's on a level floor and the same points are used right, left, front and rear. You DO NOT use the painted SMC panels for any trim height comparisons.

DanielRicany

Would you be able to post the height specs and points to measure at from the FSM?

FASTAZU

Both my 93 & 91 stock with 275x40x17 tires are 27&1/4 at the center of the front wheel well. Hope this helps.

WVZR-1

That's NOT trim height. Trim height confirmation assures that the front end geometry as well as the rear suspension and drive-line geometry is correct OR close. There is a difference.

I believe I've seen you mention you've access to electronic service information, maybe ALLDATA. Try frame and use search terms such as DATUM LINE and TRAM DIMENSIONS.

leesvet

well?
Pray tell, what else would cause his front wheels to be buried UP inside his front wells 2" as he describes? Certainly aren't that many shims in the mount to be removed...and a spring that's got THAT much flex at rest IS considered broken/worn out....whats left?

FASTAZU

I fully understand that what I listed is NOT trim height, I never stated or implied that it was! I only listed it as to supply some information about the height that most C4's sit at. I did not have my FSM in front of me nor did I want to type all that information up as obviously you did not ether at the time you posted.

In the future I will be sure to stay far away from any thread that you HAVE POSTED IN...........

WVZR-1

My apologies "WE GONE" ... I did see the (hope this helps) and I only explained that it's just not the correct way to approach a check if you feel you actually have a problem. The OP seems to feel that he does. Was the car lowered by a PO using wedges on the front spring after removing the factory material? Maybe. Using trim height measurements and inspecting the spring for modifications can answer that.

I'll post back with the trim heights from FSM section 3-21. I removed the under-body dimensions because that's a little deep for some.

These are TRIM HEIGHT measurements from '96 FSM

[ATTACH][/ATTACH]

WVZR-1

Assumptions correct very little! Inspection and measurements in this particular case determine what if anything might be the OP's predicament. You seem to IMPLY that a new spring is the OP's ONLY fix...

Again NONSENSE -

The front may very well have been lowered using the procedure of removing the molded spring pads and gluing on replacement wedges that lower the front.

When I deleted the underbody dimensions that require a TRAM GAGE I deleted the entire post and this response to "Leesvet". I believe it's important not to just "assume" but to correctly diagnose the possibilities and a lowering procedure by a PO sure seems likely in may cases.

DanielRicany

Mine measures 27.5" on the right front, and 28.75" on the left front.

WVZR-1

Measure the points in the image I posted not so much for matching dimensions but to see if yours are the same right to left. Measure LCA bolt to ground each side and maybe the sway bar bracket bolts to frame on each side to ground and compare. You're not looking for matching dimensions for those I posted but you're interested in dimensions being equal right/left.

Don't interpret what you measured as a problem, do the rest of the measurements. If there's a wide discrepancy right/left in the trim measurements you might want to go deeper and check the underbody dimensions that require DATUM line references.

If you have a FSM check section 3 for trim and section 10 for underbody. ALLDATA might help you.