I remember a post a while ago asking how everybody made sure the coilovers were even all the way around and a lot of people said “measure from the ground to the top of the wheel well.” Well, I found out today that that is only half right. It is possible to have them completely equal looking but not distributing the weight evenly. If messed up bad enough the heights will look even but almost all the weight is on opposite corners. So I figured out a way to make sure they are pretty even (maybe it was common knowledge but I didnt know about it until today). Its about as close to corner weighting as you can get with out actually doing it.
We put shocks on eddy today and were having trouble getting the heights even. You know how it goes: left front is too high, so you lower it and mess up the rest of the heights and so on. What we saw when we would jack up either end (F or R) was that one tire would leave the ground like 3" before the other side. We figured that wasnt good. Even with all the heights the same if we jacked it up in the middle of, say, the front, one back tire would squat a hell of a lot more than the other.
So what you do to get them all even is first find a flat place to do this and have some time. Then take the car out of gear and take the parking brake off. It’s improtant to note that you should not worry about the heights being off when the car is sitting on all fours, it’ll all come together when they are even side to side. Jack up one end (pick one, chief) and make sure both tires are off the ground, then measure from the ground to the top of the wheel well of the wheels touching the ground. If its different raise or lower half the distance of the difference (say the LF is 24" and the RF is 24 1/2" you would raise the LF 1/4" or lower the RF 1/4"). What we did to adjust them was: lower the jack, move it to the end that needs adjusting, Jack it up, adjust, let it down, roll the car back and fourth (to seat the tires) then jack up the original end. Repeat all that until one end is all equal from side to side then move to the other end and do the same thing.
Once your car is weighted mostly equal (you’ll never get it as good as corner weighting) your heights on all 4s should be very equal and you can adjust your heights by counting the turns on each coilover. Then you check the lateral weight again (by jacking up one end and measuring the opposite) and you’re done. If you drive a lot by your self do this with someone your weight in the drivers seat, but if you autocross with people in the car do it with no one sitting in.
I hope this helps somebody, it sure helped the handling on the civic (maybe it was the shocks and other stuff I did). The tires all seem to break loose evenly.
I also didnt know where to put this, in GD or in Articles. You can move it if you feel the need, but I think more people would see it here in GD.
I care. This is how i did mine when I first got my coilovers on, but I have access to cornerweights now, so that makes it a lot easier. Im betting most people are more concerned with the gaps being the same then the weights.
hey, how far along is billy? You are going to the 2 day road course thing in oct, right? are those guys with the vipers & porsches going too?
I just finished Eddy’s suspension (neutral with a little lift oversteer, ) and I am picking up ~50’ of roll bar material this morning (not bad for free, 'eh?). I cant wait for the next autocross.
Originally posted by Ben Ogle
[B]hey, how far along is billy? You are going to the 2 day road course thing in oct, right? are those guys with the vipers & porsches going too?
I just finished Eddy’s suspension (neutral with a little lift oversteer, ) and I am picking up ~50’ of roll bar material this morning (not bad for free, 'eh?). I cant wait for the next autocross.
Ben [/B]
Billy bottomend on the motor will be done friday, but Ill be in Seattle, so well start the reassembly on Monday im sure. After that, its just rewiring a few things and were planning on turning the key soon. Well need to get some piping for the intake and an exhaust and well be good to go.
50’ for free? Damn that is good. We ended up with like 85’ of rollbar in billy;) How extensive you getting with the rollbar?
Originally posted by Ben Ogle
[B]
That doesnt always work. On both my cars the sleves are just a little different heights to the top of the shocks (does that make any sense?).
Ben [/B]
that is true. my koni yellows have those three perches i believe, and I was lucky to have them match perfectly.
Originally posted by shenrie
[B]Billy bottomend on the motor will be done friday, but Ill be in Seattle, so well start the reassembly on Monday im sure. After that, its just rewiring a few things and were planning on turning the key soon. Well need to get some piping for the intake and an exhaust and well be good to go.
50’ for free? Damn that is good. We ended up with like 85’ of rollbar in billy;) How extensive you getting with the rollbar? [/B]
There wont be too much in there just enough to stiffen the crap out of the chassis (it needs it, the suspension is STIFF).
Originally posted by shenrie Billy bottomend on the motor will be done friday, but Ill be in Seattle, so well start the reassembly on Monday im sure. After that, its just rewiring a few things and were planning on turning the key soon. Well need to get some piping for the intake and an exhaust and well be good to go.
Are you going to bring it in october? I want to see it.
in a common scenario, how different could the corner heights be? not that i care how the car looks, but since i had no reference i set my 4 jacking points to 4.5" above the ground, with my front having fixed 1.8" (sportlines) and rear having the adjustables. im just wondering how off my corner weighting may be and how imperative i get it done or just try it your way first…
) and I am picking up ~50’ of roll bar material this morning (not bad for free, 'eh?). I cant wait for the next autocross.
You should’ve posted this in Teg Tips for more to see.
) and I am picking up ~50’ of roll bar material this morning (not bad for free, 'eh?). I cant wait for the next autocross.