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View Full Version : Any tools to help aid in adjusting ride height on coilovers?



hkfeet
06-29-2005, 09:08 PM
I have been thinking about getting some street/track coilovers but I have been a little concerned about doing so because of the lack of tuning shops that can help tune suspension setups in my area. Im wondering what kind of methods everyone here uses to adjust their ride height without scales?

Blak94GSX
06-29-2005, 10:55 PM
I just had a shop that knows what they are doing install the coilovers on my evo...

fast evo
06-29-2005, 11:46 PM
Where do you live?

hkfeet
06-30-2005, 06:12 AM
Chicago :(

trannb
06-30-2005, 06:20 AM
You can order the RRC stuff pre-set so that all you have to do is install them and do an alignment. It sure takes all the guess work out of it.

hkfeet
06-30-2005, 07:46 AM
Thanks for the tip, I'll give them a call and see what they can do for me. :D

genrec
06-30-2005, 08:01 AM
Hopefully your coilovers would come with some spanner wrenches.......if not get some......um how about a tape measure and a sharp eye....and alot of time to play around with them.....thats pretty much all you need if you get a quality set of coilovers......or you can be like everyone else and call RRC.....

hksevo8
06-30-2005, 08:21 AM
Are you worried about being able to change the ride height of your car? Most coilovers on the market are already set to lower you car right out of the box so you will automatically have a lowered stance on your car. If you want to be able to tune the suspension yourself, then all you really need is a tape measure and alot of free time. Good luck with your choice.

hkfeet
06-30-2005, 09:06 AM
Im just worried about not getting it even on all corners and the effects of the handling by not getting it right. I guess I could try the tape measure method, is this how you guys do it? I been wanting to lower the car for a while but springs isnt going to cut it for me. It really sucks that there is no shop that specializes in suspension in the 3rd largest city in the US.

hksevo8
06-30-2005, 09:10 AM
Im just worried about not getting it even on all corners and the effects of the handling by not getting it right. I guess I could try the tape measure method, is this how you guys do it? I been wanting to lower the car for a while but springs isnt going to cut it for me. It really sucks that there is no shop that specializes in suspension in the 3rd largest city in the US.

There are tools on the market to help make this easier. Let me check around and I will post a link to help you out in finding the right tools.

hksevo8
06-30-2005, 09:18 AM
here you go:

http://www.demon-tweeks.co.uk/catalogue/product_detail.asp?PCODE=LON22580&GRP=MP072&PGRP=M005&CLS=MSPORT&code=LON225&from=search

and

http://www.demon-tweeks.co.uk/catalogue/product_detail.asp?PCODE=ADR1014&GRP=MP072&PGRP=M005&CLS=MSPORT&from=search

hkfeet
06-30-2005, 09:27 AM
Have you tried or heard any reviews on both of these tools?

hksevo8
06-30-2005, 09:53 AM
I have no knowledge of how these work, but I can definatly say that the instructions with them should be informative.

JWest
06-30-2005, 10:45 AM
Yep with the right tools, books, and a year or two of testing you might get to what was concidered good last year.

Or

You could just buy the latest set-up from people that do this for a living.

http://www.muellerized.com/


JW

hksevo8
06-30-2005, 10:47 AM
Yep with the right tools, books, and a year or two of testing you might get to what was concidered good last year.

Or

You could just buy the latest set-up from people that do this for a living.

http://www.muellerized.com/


JW

he is good at what he does, but what fun is paying someone alot of $$$$ when you can learn on your own. Besides, the guy lives in chicago and I doubt he wants to make an appointment to see john all the way out here.

Blak94GSX
06-30-2005, 10:53 AM
Well he can just place an order and it will arrive at his doorstep with everything ready to go. Saves a lot of time and money screwing around with buying ride-height gauges and reading books.

Then again, I'm lazy...

trannb
06-30-2005, 06:18 PM
Oh okay then. Don't get a setup that works. Here's how you do it yourself (Real Equations):

-Y(δ)δ=-(Y(ß)/N(ß))N(δ)δ - V(Y(ß)/N(ß))N(r)(1/R) + (VY(r)-mV^2)/(1/R)

That's how you calculate linear steady-state control response characteristics. There are about 30 more equations that you need to solve simultaneously assuming you know the following information:

Center of Pressure of the Car(v)
Roll/Yaw/Pitch Centers of Inertia
All of the suspension and steering kinematics
Tire Slip Angle Data
Lateral/Longtitudinal instantaneous center of rotation
Elastic and Geometric Sprung Mass
You will also need to know some Calculus

And that was only for the steady state.

Your other option is to get a really pimpin' data acquisition system. You'd want:

Laser Ride Height Indicators
Strain Gauges
Linear Shock Potentiometers
Steering Wheel Potentiometer
3 axis accelerometer
Infrared sensors


It's simple to go with a proven setup with someone who's done most of the work for you. Why do I make such a big stink about this? I've spent the last 5 years of my life studying vehicle dynamics. I've built race cars, written simulations, read through tons of books and I still wouldn't do it myself. There are literally thousands and thousands of combinations of settings. In the end, you rely on your body's senses to try to determine what the best setup is. You will spend time changing setups, possibly moving the wrong direction, possibly putting your brand new, shiny, still untuned parts through a lot of wear and tear because you're changing setups to try to find that optimum place, not to mention spend lots of money on tires that may themselves be improving/degrading during testing. Yes, it's annoying that most of us will say "Just get the RRC coilovers and be done with it" but it's just as annoying for people to say "just measure ride height with a ruler and you're done." After lots of school, lots of specialized courses, and lots of books, believe me, there's a lot more to it than chassis height.

But hey, some people on the internet disagree. I'm sure F1 just uses rulers too.

EvoPwr
06-30-2005, 06:23 PM
Oh okay then. Don't get a setup that works. Here's how you do it yourself (Real Equations):

-Y(δ)δ=-(Y(ß)/N(ß))N(δ)δ - V(Y(ß)/N(ß))N(r)(1/R) + (VY(r)-mV^2)/(1/R)


Yea algebra 1 sucked :lol:




But hey, some people on the internet disagree. I'm sure F1 just uses rulers too. BWAHAHAHAHA :lol: wait are u being sarcastic? dude what do u think they have time and money to use all of that mumbo jumbo fuzzy logic grayscale shit :wink: