front ride height

felix · Post by **felix** » Tue 01 Jul, 2008 19:07

About 2 years ago I installed Koni shock absorbers on my Z1. They improved the composure of the car without making it harsh. However, I have the impression that installing them resulted in a higher front ride height; this can sometimes be an after effect of gas pressure shock absorbers. Unfortunately I didn't measure the height before and after so it's hard to be certain.

So, could a few people post their front ride height measurements please? Measure from the bottom edge of the wheel rim vertically through the wheel centre to the edge of the front wing. Please also include your wheel diameter, type of springs and type of shocks.

To start things off my car measures 58 cm on the left and 59 cm on the right with stock, wheels, stock springs and Koni shocks. Not sure why the 1 cm difference; it's possible that the wings are subtly different left and right or that the springs are sitting differently in the perches left and right. This was with an unladen car with about half a tank of fuel.

Paul Drawmer · Post by **Paul Drawmer** » Sat 05 Jul, 2008 18:58

If you just change the shockers you can not change the ride height.
Even a fairly small amount of pressure on the shocker will make it collapse, albeit slowly.

The shock absorbers can not support any weight, therefore the ride height will not be changed whatever stiffness you fit as a damper. (unless it's siezed solid).

Bluebaur · Post by **Bluebaur** » Sun 06 Jul, 2008 10:18

I have measured ride height on my Z1, this morning. Tha car has been standing in the garage for over 7 days and sits with a nearly full tank of fuel. The wheels and shockers are all factory standard and the tyres are well shod Fulda Y3000's listed as 225x45X16.
The drivers side height is 587mms and the passenger height is 591mms.
Hope this is of help.

felix · Post by **felix** » Wed 09 Jul, 2008 18:05

Paul Drawmer wrote:If you just change the shockers you can not change the ride height.
Even a fairly small amount of pressure on the shocker will make it collapse, albeit slowly.

The shock absorbers can not support any weight, therefore the ride height will not be changed whatever stiffness you fit as a damper. (unless it's siezed solid).

Paul, have a look at some of the links at http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=gas+pr ... hl=en&sa=2; there's a fair bit of anecdotal evidence that a high pressure gas shock will raise the ride height.

felix · Post by **felix** » Wed 09 Jul, 2008 18:07

Bluebaur wrote:I have measured ride height on my Z1, this morning. Tha car has been standing in the garage for over 7 days and sits with a nearly full tank of fuel. The wheels and shockers are all factory standard and the tyres are well shod Fulda Y3000's listed as 225x45X16.
The drivers side height is 587mms and the passenger height is 591mms.
Hope this is of help.

Cheers Bluebaur.

Anyone else?

Post by **Green Genie** » Sun 13 Jul, 2008 16:06

Hi Felix

I have just been out and measured my front ride height for you. As near as damm it both sides measure 58 cm. The car is standing on the flat in the garage with half a tank of fuel and the spacesaver in the boot.

The front tyres are Pirelli P Zero Asimmetrico 225 / 45 / ZR16 and about half way through their life. These are fitted to the original factory standard wheels. As far as I am aware the car is running on original shockers/springs.

Hope this helps

GG

Jet · Post by **Jet** » Mon 14 Jul, 2008 12:44

Felix, car is up on the ramp at the moment, as soon as it is on terra firma, I will check for you.

Not sure if my setup is any good though, with the big wheels and stuff.

rgds

Jet

senna · Post by **senna** » Mon 14 Jul, 2008 13:22

Is this any help

felix · Post by **felix** » Mon 14 Jul, 2008 14:53

Jet wrote:Felix, car is up on the ramp at the moment, as soon as it is on terra firma, I will check for you.

Not sure if my setup is any good though, with the big wheels and stuff.

rgds

Jet

Cheers Jet, just include the wheel size and the shock/spring type and the info will be good.

senna wrote:Is this any help

Senna, what size wheels on the first car? And standard shocks/springs on both?

Post by **Green Genie** » Mon 14 Jul, 2008 21:04

Hi Felix

Dont know if this is of any help but have come across this in Frederic Brossaud's excellent manual on the Z1 which can be found on the attached link below:

http://pagesperso-orange.fr/fred.brossa ... z1_eng.pdf

On page 15 of 28 it gives ride height and weight needed in car.

GG

mich · Post by **mich** » Tue 15 Jul, 2008 00:04

Just to take a slightly different tack, the actual road springs are shock absorbers, and what is commonly referred to as shock absorbers are in fact Dampers.

Paul Drawmer · Post by **Paul Drawmer** » Tue 15 Jul, 2008 13:24

mich wrote:Just to take a slightly different tack, the actual road springs are shock absorbers, and what is commonly referred to as shock absorbers are in fact Dampers.

Not over here they're not.

mich · Post by **mich** » Tue 15 Jul, 2008 22:14

Paul Drawmer wrote:
mich wrote:Just to take a slightly different tack, the actual road springs are shock absorbers, and what is commonly referred to as shock absorbers are in fact Dampers.
Not over here they're not.

Not What??
I am just making the point that the terminology is wrong, wherever you live.A Spring absorbs and a shock absorber dampens. So what you have is:
A Spring and a Damper.
See:
http://www.partsforsaabs.com/default.php?cPath=2_25 [/url]

Paul Drawmer · Post by **Paul Drawmer** » Wed 16 Jul, 2008 18:15

OK I now understand what you wrote.

Oh yes; there are words in common usage which aren't strictly correct.

zroadster.net

front ride height

front ride height

Re: front ride height