I’m setting the ride height on my car this weekend (installed new dampers and springs) and have been instructed to loosen the wishbone pivot bolts and then set ride height before tightening the pivot bolts again.
On first look - some of the pivot bolts look to be tough to get to.
Any advice on this procedure. I will not be removing the clams for this.
Thanks
On my Exige you adjust the ride height by winding up or down the collar that the spring around the damper rests against…
This certainly does not involve undoing pivot bolts…
Are we talking about the same car ??
I was instructed by Lotus UK and Multimatic (Manufacturer of the Dynamics dampers) that in order to set ride height properly that first you must loosen all of the pivot bolts. Then you set the ride height via the spring perch and finally you re-tighten the pivot bolts after ride height is correct.
My guess is that this allows the bushes to settle into their new position properly.
That is correct if you have the rubber bushes in the wishbones.
But not required is you have nylatron or poly bushes
Anybody has a diagram or picture to know what you guys are talking about?
I think they mean the bolts on the inboard end of the top and bottom wishbones, and if so I can see what they are getting at, i.e. to let the rubber resettle at normal ride height, presumable because it can get pinched in a particular position…
I have nylatron, and that’s why it wasn’t done for me…
What difference does it make if you have the uprated bushes? I would assume these would need to “settle” into their new position as well? Or, do these move easier and not “bind” up?
They are harder and dont get caught up, whereas the rubber ones might have a natural springy effect towards the position they were originally mounted in, a bit like a stiff hinge on a door maybe ??
Well - I guess this will be a winter upgrade for me.
It seems to do this procedure correctly that I need to be able to have the car in the air, but on the wheels so that when tightening the pivot bolts back up so the suspension isn’t “drooping”. Sound right?
Meat
Jack car up, wheels off loosen the wishbone bolts ( easy access this way ). - Undo anti-roll bar connection on one side
Wheels back on, drop car back on wheels adjust shocks for correct ride height.( gentle drive around to make sure it all settled )
Measure the relative position of the wishbone to a fixed chassis position - all 4 corners
Car back up on stands, wheels off - shocks off - jack wishbones up to measured height - tighten (torque) bolts up ( easy access ).
Shocks in, wheels on ant-roll bar tight back on wheels - job done
Good point on measuring for the tightening process.
Does the ARB get in the way of access to one of the bolts?
What does removing the shocks do for me? Is this an access issue again?
Thanks for the help.
ARB - No its not in the way its just that its connected both sides - so when you lift one corner you start moving another ( no good for ride height/corner weighting
If you can jack the wishbones up enough ( to ride height ) without lifting the chassis off your ( i assume ) axle stands then no need to remove them - but they add resistance and thus difficuly in getting the measuring exact - in other words you start lifting the whole car not just the corner suspension you are working on …
I do not totally agree with u andy. I think that the ride height should be done with the ARB fitted.
Setting my ride height i used a different tactic.
I started with the rears. So i lifted the car in the front fitting one jack exactly in the middle. This allows u to be sure that u have a balanced height between LH and RH.
Then if u put the front back to the ground and if the rears r not even anymore, it means that the front is unbalanced.
So go for another round…
Sorry for my poor english, but i’m sure u got my point
Nicolas
I’m no expert, I’ve never done anything like this myself, but I’d imagine you want to have the ride height and corner weights correct with everything in place. Wouldn’t the ARB potentially change things slightly once it’s connected?
I think Andy’s list was excellent, but maybe there was a final step…
That way you get a final double check with everything connected.
Anyone have any idea on how to get to the nut that is on the forward rear lower wishbone pivot bolt? It is surrounded by a bracket. Do you have to remove the structural panel with the holes in it?
They are harder and dont get caught up, whereas the rubber ones might have a natural springy effect towards the position they were originally mounted in, a bit like a stiff hinge on a door maybe ??
Not quite, but close.
The reason is that a rubber bush inner collar is tightened up and doesn’t move afterwards. The suspension travel is all taken up through the twist of the bush. By loosening off before setting ride heights you are not pre-loading the bush so you get the same level of friction in both directions. (Bush wind-up = friction) The higher the wind-up the higher the friction (as well as increased bush wear!)
Bushes like Geary’s Nylatrons have steel inner sleeves which is what the bolt tightens up onto, the nylatron bush isn’t attached to this so the steel sleeve will rotate freely (sort of) inside the bush.
Anyone have any idea on how to get to the nut that is on the forward rear lower wishbone pivot bolt? It is surrounded by a bracket. Do you have to remove the structural panel with the holes in it?
I thought that was a weld nut?
I got confirmation that the rear, lower/front nut is a weld nut.
Thanks
Nicolas
I always thought the ARB should ( ideally ) be adjusted so that at “normal” ride height there was no pre-load - something you cant do with unadjustable links anyhow …
But deffo not on for height and corner weight adjustments
I’m very happy to be corrected though …