[DeTomaso] Tips on Resetting Ride Height

[JDeRyke at aol.com]

IMHO, trying to calculate needed spring height is mostly a waste of time- 
even if its just a starting point. Many if not most 40-year-old Panteras have 
distorted suspension pickup points so the loads on the corners are NOT 
equal side to side and especially end to end. If they were perfect, there would 
be no reason to corner-weight our cars with scales for better handing. So 
expect all 4 shocks to have different spring heights. Adjusting to a 
wheel-to-fender clearance is also a waste of time for the same reason, unless a 
precise fender gap side to side is more important than handling. 
Write down the number of exposed threads on each shock for each adjustment 
so you don't inadvertently un-adjust when making further changes. I had 7 
pages of adjustment notes in my set up.
If you run gas shocks (I don't think Aldans are), there are two different 
types- low pressure and high pressure- and the high pressure type adds 
noticibly to the final spring rate. My high pressure gas-Konis add over 40 lbs of 
spring load just from the 350psi internal gas pressure. The gas is there to 
reduce foaming and thus changing shock rate under hard use. 
Buy a proper shock collar spanner. Using a phillips screwdriver or a dowel 
pin- especially with a hammer- to help turn the collars tears up the 
adjusting holes. Removing the wheel you are adjusting makes turning the collar 
easier but slows down completion. There will likely be positions in which the 
turning spanner interferes with other parts but don't give in to using 
brutality. If necessary, unbolt one end of the shock so you can use the proper 
turning tool.
Don't try to make things easier by oiling or greasing the adjusting 
collars; they become dirt-magnets and make a mess- as I found out. There are ball 
bearing support washers sold to make the adjustment easier and these also 
should run without lube or the dirt they attract acts as a grinding compound. 
Finally, when you're satisfied, don't forget to lock the adjusting collars 
with the provided setscrews or jam-nuts- and don't forget to loosen them 
when making further adjustments. 
Finally, once you're done, the wheels will likely need realigning. Good 
luck, all- J DeRyke