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Thread: Ride Height

  1. #1
    Senior Member jwebb's Avatar
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    Ride Height

    Finally have engine installed and need to raise ride height front & rear, where can instructions be found?
    MK4 #9121 - Complete kit - Stroked 351, T5x, 3.55 Rear End, 3-Link - Pickup 6/17/17, 1st start 12/2/17, Go-Kart 12/9/17, Road Worthy 4/27/18

  2. #2

    Steve >> aka: GoDadGo
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    Sorry, but I don't have the book here at the office, but 4.5" is the number, but some guys go as low as 4.0".
    I'm set at 4.5" on the front and 4.75" out back, but it settles at 4.5" when Mrs. Go-Dad and I are sitting in it.

  3. #3
    Senior Member jwebb's Avatar
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    Adjustment directions are in the manual, I haven't seen them?
    MK4 #9121 - Complete kit - Stroked 351, T5x, 3.55 Rear End, 3-Link - Pickup 6/17/17, 1st start 12/2/17, Go-Kart 12/9/17, Road Worthy 4/27/18

  4. #4
    Not a waxer Jeff Kleiner's Avatar
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    With weight off of the springs turn the coilover collar clockwise for higher.

    Jeff

  5. #5

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    Changing the ride height is as simple as moving the collar up and down. BUT…. If you’re not careful, you can screw up the corner weights and create some interesting handling quirks. Here’s what worked for my car:

    Raise the front of the car off the ground. Raise the collar so the top of the spring just touches the spring hat. Do that on both sides. Then do the same thing in the rear. Put the car back on the ground. Roll it back and forth a couple of times to settle the suspension.

    Measure the ride height at all four corners. It should be pretty high, like 6-7”, and that’s OK. It should also not be exactly the same left to right, and that’s OK, too.

    Now raise the front of the car and lower the spring collar 3-4 turns on each side. Make sure you adjust left and right exactly the same amount. Exactly. Do that in the rear, too. Put the car back on the ground. Roll it back and forth a couple of times to settle the suspension.

    Measure the ride height at all four corners. You should be getting closer to your desired ride height. It should also not be exactly the same left to right, and that’s OK, too. Keep making adjustments until you get to your desired ride height. But make sure you make the exact same adjustment left and right.

    The measurements left and right won’t be exactly the same, but should be within about ¼” of each other, and that’s OK. If you goal is 5”, then 4 7/8” on the left and 5 1/8” on the right would be perfect.

    After I did this I put my car on the scales. The corner weights were so close to perfect, I didn’t make any other adjustments.
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  6. #6
    Senior Member AC Bill's Avatar
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    You will likely have to re-set your ride height after the car is on the road, and you've driven it several miles. The shocks will settle, and the car will be at it's final, on the road weight. I wouldn't get to concerned at this point. You could just adjust it to 4" for now, and fine tune it later, and when you are ready for a wheel alignment.

  7. #7
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    Keep in mind that any ride height adjustments will affect your alignment, mostly toe and camber but castor as well to a minor degree.

  8. #8
    Senior Member jwebb's Avatar
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    Is a special tool necessary, some sort of spanner wrench?
    MK4 #9121 - Complete kit - Stroked 351, T5x, 3.55 Rear End, 3-Link - Pickup 6/17/17, 1st start 12/2/17, Go-Kart 12/9/17, Road Worthy 4/27/18

  9. #9
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    A spanner would be nice, but would be difficult to get in proper position, especially on the front. I used a 3/16" dowel to fit the three holes in the collar. You will probably have to hold the sleeve while turning the collar, as it will easily spin on the shock body.

  10. #10
    Senior Member CraigS's Avatar
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    I use a 3/16 drill bit. I put several layers of tape over the flutes.
    FFR MkII, 408W, Tremec TKO 500, 2015 IRS, DA QA1s, Forte front bar, APE hardtop.

  11. #11
    Senior Member Itchief's Avatar
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    Mark at Breeze has a spanner for the coil overs

    Rick
    #8475 Complete Kit Delivered Nov 2014, started Nov 2015, Street Legal Apr 2016, Paint and Interior Completed Aug 2017, 390 BBF, March accessory kit, MSD Atomic EFI and Ready to run, TKO 500 with MidShift kit, hooker headers, 3 link, track lock with 3.55, sway bars, power steering, wipers, heater

  12. #12
    Senior Member rich grsc's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Melb-Mike View Post
    Keep in mind that any ride height adjustments will affect your alignment, mostly toe and camber but castor as well to a minor degree.
    Unless you are changing the height by an inch or more, change in alignment will not be a problem.

  13. #13
    Senior Member jlfernan's Avatar
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    Don't forget the pinion angle if you lower it 1" or more.

  14. #14
    Senior Member jwebb's Avatar
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    With the 3 dowels/drill bits in the collar, how did you move it? Tap with a hammer & screw driver?
    MK4 #9121 - Complete kit - Stroked 351, T5x, 3.55 Rear End, 3-Link - Pickup 6/17/17, 1st start 12/2/17, Go-Kart 12/9/17, Road Worthy 4/27/18

  15. #15
    Not a waxer Jeff Kleiner's Avatar
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    With the weight off of the springs the collars can be turned by hand (unless the threads have been boogered by overtightening the set screws).

    Jeff

  16. #16

    Steve >> aka: GoDadGo
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    I've got a couple of stupid cheap spanners that works pretty well that I got from Speedway Motors.

    Speedway Coil-Over Spanner Wrench Adjuster Tool

    Would a strap or detectable oil filter wrench help?

    Search Amazon:

    OEMTOOLS 25447 4-in-1

    Rubber Strap Wrench

  17. #17
    Senior Member jwebb's Avatar
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    Going to use a strap wrench from Lowes, haven't tried by hand yet. Front is currently at 3.75", rear about 5.5".
    MK4 #9121 - Complete kit - Stroked 351, T5x, 3.55 Rear End, 3-Link - Pickup 6/17/17, 1st start 12/2/17, Go-Kart 12/9/17, Road Worthy 4/27/18

  18. #18

    Steve >> aka: GoDadGo
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    I bet a pair of Rubber Strap Wrenches will work pretty well for the Stock Red Koni's.
    You just need to get the weight off of the tires to get those suckers to spin.
    Also, my pal Donny's MK-4, he has the upgraded shocks so the Spanner Wrenches worked really well because the collars were different.

    Here are the spanners that I got from Speedway:

    https://www.speedwaymotors.com/Speed...Tool,2681.html

    Good Luck!
    Last edited by GoDadGo; 12-11-2017 at 11:02 AM.

  19. #19
    Senior Member AC Bill's Avatar
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    A shot of WD40, or some light lubricant spray, can really help make the collars spin easier.

  20. #20

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    Here is the spanner wrench from Breeze: http://www.breezeautomotive.com/details.php?prod_id=739
    I recommend Wicking Loctite to attach the aluminum sleeved to the body of the shock. http://www.breezeautomotive.com/details.php?prod_id=209
    We apply :Super Lube Dri-Film Lubricant (from hardware store) PTFE spray lube to all shock bodies, spring seats seats, washers and jam nuts before shipping our coil-over shocks.
    Caution: if your car has been on the road for half a season or more the shock should be removed and the jam nuts carefully cleaned/loosened/cleaned to remove accumulated grit before turning under load to prevent seizing of the seat to the body.
    www.breezeautomotive.com 2005 FFR Mk3 Roadster, 302/340hp, MassFlo EFI, Breeze Pulleys, T5, Aluminum Flywheel, 3-link rear with Torsen Diff and 3.27:1 gears, Power Steering, Breeze Front Sway Bar, SN-95 Spindles with outboard SAI Mod, Breeze Battery Mount, QA1 Externally Adjustable Shocks, Quick Release Steering Wheel, Vintage Race seats, GM Arctic White, Sky Blue Scoop, Hidden Hinges, Billet Aluminum Side-view Mirrors, 2,183lbs wet. 1967 Mustang Fastback, Dark Moss Green, black interior, '67 14" styled steel wheels, 2000 Explorer 302 w 5.0 Cam, Quickfuel 450 CFM, 289 Hi-Po Dual exhaust, C4, lowering springs w Shelby drop.

  21. #21
    Senior Member turbonut48's Avatar
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    And throw away the set screws. They ll only screw up the threads. Put a mark on the collar so you can tell how much you ve turned it and to check if its moved.

    The Nut

  22. #22
    Member Scotty's65's Avatar
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    The wrench works but it's a pita, as Bob said if you take the weight off the spring it easily spins in your hand. Also do one end at a time and then go back and check because you will find that raising the back will lower the front and vice versa - and be sure to get the height set BEFORE you get it aligned as changes made after will affect your alignment.
    I used zip ties on the shock body to keep the collar from moving on it's own and a dab of white paint makes it an easy visual check.

    Scott
    Last edited by Scotty's65; 12-14-2017 at 12:43 AM.

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