[DeTomaso] Resetting Ride Height With Stiffer Coils

[David & Marilyn Bell]

Mike,

If your car weighs roughly 3200 lb and the weight distribution is roughly
40/60 front to rear, then the weight on the front is 1280 lb so each front
spring must support 640 lb.  A 350 lb/inch spring will deflect 1.8" under
than load while a 450 lb/inch spring will deflect only 1.4".  So you need to
drop your front spring perches by approximately 0.4" to maintain the same
ride height.

Dave Bell


-----Original Message-----
From: detomaso-bounces at realbig.com
[mailto:detomaso-bounces at realbig.com]On Behalf Of Mike Thomas
Sent: Monday, August 23, 2010 7:44 PM
To: 'Tony DiGiovanna'; detomaso at realbig.com
Subject: Re: [DeTomaso] Resetting Ride Height With Stiffer Coils


Thanks.  Should have added that both new and old springs are 10" Aldan
coils, so the free height is the same on both rates.

Mike

-----Original Message-----
From: Tony DiGiovanna [mailto:tonydigi at optonline.net]
Sent: Monday, August 23, 2010 5:23 PM
To: 'Mike Thomas'; detomaso at realbig.com
Subject: RE: [DeTomaso] Resetting Ride Height With Stiffer Coils

Don't assume the new springs will have the same free height.
Think you are best served to measure the ride height of the car relative to
the ground with the old springs, then change springs and adjust back to
those settings.

-----Original Message-----
From: detomaso-bounces at realbig.com [mailto:detomaso-bounces at realbig.com] On
Behalf Of Mike Thomas
Sent: Monday, August 23, 2010 8:11 PM
To: detomaso at realbig.com
Subject: [DeTomaso] Resetting Ride Height With Stiffer Coils

OK, time for the math wizards to have a head shed . . .

I'm swapping out my front springs from 350 lbs to 450 lbs, and want to
achieve the same ride height.  Since I won't (I assume) get as much spring
compression with the 450's, I'll need to revise the spring perches on my
Aldan shocks.  I'm guessing I'll need to compress them slightly more on the
shock (the collar height up the shock body) since the springs won't drop as
much when I let the car back down and the springs settle in.  My car is
stock up front with the addition of an aluminum radiator, so probably close
to stock weight on the front wheels.

Any thought on how much more to compress, or notes form someone whose been
there, would be helpful.  Pulling and readjusting or trying to adjust the
front on the car are both a much bigger PITA than the rears.  I'd like to
have to do it as few times as possible.

Thanks in advance for your sage advice.

Mike Thomas
Yellow '74 L #6328

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