Checking Ride Height - An Easier Way?

[DerekW]

As any of you who read my contribution to the recent topic on tracking will know, I have an aversion to going under my car. It was also apparent that tyre wear will influence ride height. With that in mind, I have come up with a method of checking ride height that can be done from alongside the car and which cancels out the effects of wheel and tyre size and tyre wear (you can even do it if they're flat).

First establish the centre of each wheel, by measurement from the rim. and mark it.

Then with engine at tickover and handbrake off, in each case after doing the push down and lift up exercise, measure the distance between the wheel centre point and the underside of the wheel arch immediately above it.

The measurements I got on my car were:

Front: After lift up, 405mm. After push down, 410mm
Rear: After lift up, 295mm. After push down, 310mm

I have not checked my ride height by the conventional method but believe it to be correct. Perhaps if enough of you think it's a good idea you could take your own measurements and publish them on this thread. If there is enough interest I will happily work out the average and then post the full procedure in the self help section.

Any comments?

Derek

[jamieb]

Great idea, Derek, although I suppose people should try and first ascertain that their car is riding at the proper height in the first place so results don't get skewed?

Jamieb

[DerekW]

I didn't think that would be necessary, hopefully if enough members replied the figures should stabilise around a certain figure and any anomalies would show up.

Of course, if a member decided to check his settings in the conventional way, adjusting if required and then measuring by my method we would have the definitive figures available to all. Go on then!

Derek

[jamieb]

A nice job for the weekend.

[Gav]

an interesting experiment...

my front 405/410 generally (although jumps to 430 occasionally after pushdown)
my rear 285/290

i think this confirms i need to get the ride height mechanism greased up.

[DerekW]

Thank you for your figures, Gav. It looks as if we're in the right area on the fronts. As far as the rear figures are concerned, we can't be sure yet that mine are right.

Derek

[wirdy]

After lift up my front is 380 rear is 290.

After bounce Front is 385, rear is 295.

front readings being ~20mm lower than the average so-far may be the reason for my hard ride? What do you think?

This post has been edited by wirdy on January 24, 2007 11:18 pm

[DerekW]

Wirdy,

Thanks for the figures.

As the only difference between a low ride height and any other is the height of the fluid column in the legs, I can't see that as being the cause of your hard ride. You would have reduced suspension movement but you're nowhere near the bump stops.

Derek