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Starting Point To Set Ride Height.


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#1 merther

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Posted 07 December 2017 - 01:10 PM

Hi
My car is running 10inch wheels and I'm looking for a rough starting point to set the ride height. It's on hi los, and at the moment I've set the height to 20 1/2 inches (from floor to top of wheel arch) all round. Roughly a tight 3 finger gap between the top of the tyre and the arch. I don't want it silly low I'm just wondering what you guys tend to set them to?
Thanks.

#2 skoughi

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Posted 07 December 2017 - 01:44 PM

I have mine set at about the same regarding fingers between the top of the rear wheels and arch, is my fingers the same width as your's?? It was then a case of setting a decent rake for front to rear and also adjust the dampers so that the tyres didn't rub on the rear arches when there are two passengers in the rear.



#3 merther

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Posted 07 December 2017 - 04:18 PM

Ideal thanks! Haha not sure about fingers just wanted to make sure I'm there or there abouts. I've got adjustables on it so thinking as the cars now lower I'll put in a few clicks and that should help keep the height as the cars moving.

#4 MacGyver

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Posted 07 December 2017 - 05:03 PM

https://www.google.c...iact=mrc&uact=8
This might help?

Edited by MacGyver, 07 December 2017 - 05:03 PM.


#5 nicklouse

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Posted 07 December 2017 - 06:13 PM

vertical_drop_dia.jpg

as above just a shame that X is not known.


Edited by nicklouse, 07 December 2017 - 06:14 PM.


#6 MacGyver

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Posted 07 December 2017 - 08:02 PM

vertical_drop_dia.jpg
as above just a shame that X is not known.

Maybe run with flat tyres to adjust hight? 😂

#7 skoughi

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Posted 07 December 2017 - 08:43 PM

Ideal thanks! Haha not sure about fingers just wanted to make sure I'm there or there abouts. I've got adjustables on it so thinking as the cars now lower I'll put in a few clicks and that should help keep the height as the cars moving.

The adjustable trumpets will set the height, dampers will protect the arches over the bumps! When I first had my clubman back on the road then she was a fair bit lower than what she is now, and the spax adjustables were on quite a low setting too. As more miles have gone on her and the doughnuts have settled in then it required further height adjustments and stiffening up the dampers one click at a time, quite nice to drive now and is at a practical everyday ride height. 



#8 nicklouse

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Posted 07 December 2017 - 09:21 PM

 

Ideal thanks! Haha not sure about fingers just wanted to make sure I'm there or there abouts. I've got adjustables on it so thinking as the cars now lower I'll put in a few clicks and that should help keep the height as the cars moving.

The adjustable trumpets will set the height, dampers will protect the arches over the bumps! When I first had my clubman back on the road then she was a fair bit lower than what she is now, and the spax adjustables were on quite a low setting too. As more miles have gone on her and the doughnuts have settled in then it required further height adjustments and stiffening up the dampers one click at a time, quite nice to drive now and is at a practical everyday ride height. 

 

sorry no.

 

yes the high lows set the height. the dampers control the rate that the wheel moves through its travel. the only thing that stops things hitting arches is the "spring" and or the bumpstops presuming you do not reach the limits of the suspension movement.



#9 cal844

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Posted 07 December 2017 - 09:28 PM

What I do is set front at the desired height(i believe standard is 250mm) rear is set +25mm(one inch) higher

Edited by cal844, 07 December 2017 - 09:29 PM.


#10 skoughi

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Posted 07 December 2017 - 10:30 PM

Ignore what I stated Merther, hope you get your mini to an acceptable setting.



#11 timmy850

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Posted 08 December 2017 - 01:08 AM

Mine is set up so that the front driveshafts are about horizontal (or a touch higher at the inside) and a little higher at the rear. When it's nice and high you get more suspension travel and all the ball joints and CV joints etc are running close to the factory range. 



#12 Gilles1000

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Posted 08 December 2017 - 08:55 AM

Nicklouse,

if I take your picture, print it and say "E" is 2036mm on the car and let's say 100mm on my printed drawing, then I can measure X on the drawing (maybe 5mm) and scale it to what it roughly should be in reality (2036*5/100=101,8mm)?

Then do X + A (and/or F, H, O) and I get the theoretical value to have on the car.

 

Sorry for giving dimensions in mm, I couldn't read the inches fractions and I Am not yet used to them...

My only question is what does X refer to in the reality...



#13 merther

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Posted 08 December 2017 - 09:48 AM

Thanks all for the advice. I plan to put a few clicks on the shocks just to see if it improves/ worsens the handling. Perhaps a silly question but is it best to jack the car up and take the load of the shocks when adjusting them or does it not matter?

#14 GraemeC

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Posted 08 December 2017 - 10:30 AM

X-X is simply a datum - the measurements from it are then all relative.

I would suspect the measurements given are what would be used on a proper chassis alignment jig which has a datum surface.



#15 nicklouse

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Posted 08 December 2017 - 11:17 AM

Thanks all for the advice. I plan to put a few clicks on the shocks just to see if it improves/ worsens the handling. Perhaps a silly question but is it best to jack the car up and take the load of the shocks when adjusting them or does it not matter?

there is no load on the shocks at any time they are not working.

 

they do not support anything. on it wheels or in the air makes ZERO difference they are dampers not springs.






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