ride height suggestion

[zen]

here are some pics current state after 4 tries at rear ride height (all previous to engine install). once i added the tailpipe, i am down to about 1.5" clearance and it doesn't sit right anyway. how many clicks and inside or out would you recommend i go in the rear. i am assuming the front will move down some as a result as well.

your advise is appreciated as with the 944 rear end, height adjusting is even more of a pain than stock. the entire trailing arm, CVs, etc have to come off of the car to pull the spring plates. i'm a little tired of doing this!

james2 on STF has a very detail article here (http://www.shoptalkforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=72413&highlight=ride+heighth+height) btw. but i used this last time and still barely made heads or tails of it. it does make sense though. just not sure if it applies the same given track changes and such with the 944 rear. thoughts?

http://www.volksport.net/images/projpics/zen120904sideview.jpg
http://www.volksport.net/images/projpics/zen120904rearrightside.jpg

[Panelfantastic]

The rear looks spot on! The front is a little high though... :D


I've read the tips on indexing the rear torsions and I gotta admit...I just don't grasp it. I understand the different splines at each end and the math of it but it seems like after a few turns each way, you just get back to where you started... :confused:

[coffinator]

I agree, looks great.I wish mine sat up that high. :D

[boygenius]

I really need to come up and give you a hand with that. I have just been so busy lately... The one tool that I can recommend is a simple angle finder from SEARS or another hardware store. Mine has a magnetic base so its stays where I put it. That way you can take a reading before you move them to judge your progress and to get the spring plate angle the same on both sides. Mine are within .5 degrees of each other but that could just be the paint... :laugh:

[zen]

i went to Sears yesterday to look at them, but the one they had seemed highly inaccurate. the needle wouldn't move until you moved 3 or more degrees and then it just swung over. i bought a T-Bevel which should be some kind of help.

i've got most of the rear end ripped off. decided to pull the whole arm off (it mostly has to be released anyway) so i can relube the inner pivot bushings. they, or could be the spring plate bushing, were squeaking like hell. going to paint the rotor hats too. they are already rusting. my left spring plate/torsion bar has always released on the inside first. makes adjustments a real pain. i have the added pleasure of having my fenders on now. i'm going to have to pull the left one just to get the bar out. so much for all of that fine tuning to get the lines to match. :bawling:

figured i would take this opp to go over everything though. going to retorque everything underneath. finish up some wire covering. have to adjust front bearings (too much play). still need to get the shock tower plates welded on too. install oil temp sender finally. paint tailpipe (still need to find tip).

that should cover it...for the underside. still have many small items to take care of up top.

[boygenius]

still need to get the shock tower plates welded on too. that should cover it...for the underside. still have many small items to take care of up top.


Might want to leave the plates off. When I put my body back on my chassis for the hurricanes I realized that there isn't enough clearance between the towers and the body and the body won't sit flat on the pan. Or in your case you might not be able to get the plates in. I am having to jack up my body up with a floor jack and grinding the tower plates down just so my body will sit flat and then I can put my seats in... :D

[Jeza]

Zen

Not sure if you've got things sorted yet, but heres a link to a table that could be of use
http://www.aussieveedubbers.com/forum/viewthread.php?action=attachment&tid=14618&pid=100702

Table is from this thread
http://www.aussieveedubbers.com/forum/viewthread.php?tid=30685

Cheers
Jeremy

[Lazarus]

Zen you have the same problem i do. and it is very hard adjust with little or no help . i bought one of those tools from latest rage to compress the spring plate so i will let you know how that goes . i saw your car at toccoa and thought it to be too low for the street ,my wife even commented it was too low and i thought it was an air ride car . im not going to do anything until whitey (German Automotive) gets me some adjustable spring plates. have you driven your car on the street yet. i dont think the roads in atlanta will allow for it . you may get stuck on one of those rogue man hole covers they love to put about 2 feet over the road surface there

[Bill K.]

Zen, I can't help you on the 944 IRS. Maybe you already have, but I would suggest you upsize the torsion bars to get back some stiffness from lowering. The 24.5mm bar from the 944T worked well in my 70 bug (26 9/16" bar).

As I recall, I had the bottom of my spring plate just below the spring plate stop when all was unloaded. That got me close, but as the springs settled, one side needed tweeking to level it out. Now, I'm going with adjustable spring plates to dial in the cross weights without having to tear it apart for each adjustment.

[zen]

thanks for all of the input guys.

Jeza, good info. at least from a relative point of view. i am sure weight makes a difference. nonetheless, the most detailed info i have seen yet.

preg, i drove it for a couple of months. but only very local.

bill, that has been my plan. still trying to find some local though. no luck thusfar. my plate was in the same place you just described, but you can see how it settled out. so i know i need more if i stay with these bars. if i switch up then i'm back to the drawing board. would guess just below the stop again though.

btw, these are 944 spring plates which are adjustable. one catch while the alignment guy was working with them though. the way they settle on the stop forces the spring plate to scissor to the lowest position once you loosen the bolt (will get some pics). would take effort to pry the plate up enough and tighted the bolt down at the needed height.

lastly, bad things happen for good reasons. found when i pulled the spring plate away that the shock tower (at least the left, haven't seen right yet) that despite grinding much of the meat away, it still wasn't enough. the bolts have been gouging the shock tower. back to more grinding. :bawling: