Ride height /alignment settings - Detail height (mm) info wanted
 

Hey all:

I have set and am comfortable setting ride height / corner weighting my p-cars [have access to scales and alignment tools]. Wanted to collect some info from other mid-year / SC / Carerra owners who might know their exact height dimensions and are running 15" rims / close to stock tire sizes.

[edit] after 10 views and no posts ... 16" are OK if you include tire size when posting your height measurments[end edit] :)

E.g.

1. height in mm from ground to center cap of front torsion bars

2. height from ground to center of rear torsion bars.

I know "how to" set height / corner weight and am really looking for specific data on what people are running on lowered cars. Have the rack spacers on and bump steer kit if needed.

If you have [your shop did the work] what is commonly known as "euro ride height" then you have height set at the difference of:

1. F torsion bar center to center of wheel ~ 112mm +/- 5 mm

2. R torsion bar center to center of wheel ~ 12mm +/- 5 mm

...with no more than 5mm difference side to side, weight in driver seat, 1/2 tank of gas, etc...

For ha ha(s) I set my '76 at euro height and ended up with F fender lip to ground [through center of wheel] height of 27+". :lol: Looked like a 4X4 :) . AFAIK the unibody isn't tweaked but ... it is a Targa and they are never straight after 31 years ... let alone unmolested fenders :shock:

Accordingly, I am currently running MUCH lower than euro ride height mentioned above in the front and was curious what other people have for measurements.

Thanks in advance.

From little spec book
 

Here are the alignment pages from the little spec. book that I have ...1982 / 83
Matt DeMaria did my Cab to the Euro Spec. and it was much lower.
I think most tires should be just under 24" diameter regardless of the rim size. Right?
I think the height specification is the difference between measuring from the wheel center and the road and the center of the t-bar to the road.
Could you have done the math wrong?
Quick check...lets see:
Front: If the tire is 24" then A is 12" = 304.8mm less 108mm = 196mm or 7.71"
Rear: A is 12" = 304.8mm plus 16mm = 320.8mm or 12.62"

I'm getting ready to do this soon so wanted to make sure I have it right.
I guess yours will be a little lower depending on the diameter of the tire.
Go to tirerack.com and they should have the dia listed.
Hope I helped some how if not I know you all can help me

Last time I set ride height I did the same, and with the same results. I set it to 24.5"/25" at the fenders and left it at that.

Since I'm upgrading tbars, I'm shooting for 25.5/25 all around, but corner weights will be the real determining factor.

Bill:

Mine are 24.3". It all depends on what you are chosing to run. MOST people will match wheels / tires to OE and get a similar overall height ... just under 24". ;)

Correct. I got this part already. ;) :)

The 196 mm in front gets you WAAAAAYYYY into 4X4 territory. :lol:

The number that I think people will actually have [with 25.5" F and 25" R fender height] for the center F torsion bar to ground will more likely be around ~150 - 160 mm. [ ~ 1.75" lower than the euro spec and ... believe it or not: 27.25" - 1.75" = 25.5" :) ]

Jazz:

This is true. I just want to know what people who are running 25.5" F and 25" R [ or 25" F and 24.5" R] are getting for TB center to ground in mm.

As an aside ... there was ~3+ degree downward angle on the tie-rod from rack to strut housing with spacers inserted on rack and at euro ride height [27.25" F fender height] leading me to believe that you don't need the spacers for the euro height. Also evidenced by the wicked bump steer :lol: :lol:

Currrently am around 25.75" F and 25" R [varies side to side in F b/c am going from TB to level ground] and there is still a slight downward angle on the tie rods, spacers installed. F left fender is about 12.5 mm difference side to side in fender heights on my car - with TB to ground #s being equal. Don't go by the fenders.

I am running 24.5 from ground to fender (great measurements) on both ends. I have a couple of issues in some parking lots, and I have to back into my garage, but I like it. I also had to do some creative blocking to delete the bump steer.
I can crawl under and get the t-bar measurements if you would like. I also have 16's.

Any reason you chose to eliminate the 1/2" std. difference to maintain the slight rake towards the front? Do you like the more pronounced rake with your settings?

Different sized spacers on the rack or the bump steer type of kit for the tie-rod ends?

Yes please. You canget this from the side behind the F wheel pretteasily with a tape measure. :)

Thanks in advance.

OK Jase
First off getting the measurements in MM ain't gonna happen, deal with it and convert. :)

Front 4-7/8 = 123.825 mm
Rear 10-3/8 = 263.525 mm

These are as close as I can get laying on my back and trying to get my shoulders and arms and other lanky parts under the car.
If you need closer, or maby MM measurements, I can get the car to a flat rack and get what you need, just won't be today.
After I lowered the car I put it on the alignment rack and shimmed the rack (with slip in alignment shims) until I had the tierod ends parallell with the control arms. I then had spacers made. I have no bump steer. People who have driven my car have refered to it as smooth. I also still have the old style tie rod ends, the turbos will go on when the old ones get sloppy.

I chose the ride height with the forward rake for a couple of reasons.
1 looks, I like it better
2 I find it easer to drive he car. I can handle the rear sliding out but I am not a big fan of front end understeer. The forward rake combined with 24PSI in the front tires alows me to drive the car, and feel comfortable with hard corners

Thanks for the measurements.

Will convert when I get a moment from the rugrats. :)

[edit]

Looks like .. and want to make sure I have the variables:

F center torsion bar cap to ground = 124 mm
R center torsion bar center to ground = 264 mm

F fender to ground = 24.5"
R fender to ground = 24.5" *

*[this varies by R being 0.5" higher than commonly done. E.g. F 24.5" and R 24"]

That's a little lower than I though we could go ... using spacers on the rack / maintaining tie rods parallel to control arms. Are your control arms horizontal or pitched down from wheel to chasis?

Am assuming with your 16" that you are still around 12" to wheel center = ~ 305 mm

I am 11 3/4 [298.45 mm] to the wheel center (24lbs of air and some worn out Yoko's)
My control arms are piched down 5 deg.
I would never have a car this low while living in the big city, too many potholes and parking lot hills.

Tripod method from Sherwood over on PP BBS:

I think I will try this as:

1. my driveway isn't perfectly flat or level [have a couple of 2" X 12" X 10' that I shim / use]

2. I didn't disconnect new F through body sway or R stock sway.

I'll still go off the F and R center torsion bar to ground measurment.