[DeTomaso] Ride height

[JDeRyke at aol.com]

n a message dated 11/5/10 2:47:08 PM, panteradon at gmail.com writes:

> I got new shocks (Koni adjustable) for the pantera.  After installing I 
> have cranked out the drivers side trying to get the car level.  It is 
> cranked out to the point that I can barely turn the adjusting ring.  Should I 
> keep turning??  I am still rubbing on the drivers side and need another .25 to 
> .5
> inches higher.
> Longer springs?  Turn on until I am blue?
> 
* Rubbing? Where? With what wheels & tires?
* Remember to tighten the setscrews to lock the adjusting nut when you're 
done. You DID slack them off before trying to adjust, right?
* The adjusting nut becomes VERY hard to twist, even with a proper 
shock-nut-adjusting spanner. Thats normal. Just don't run out of threads and it'll 
be OK even if you do turn blue. Speed shops sell ball-bearing thrust washers 
that fit between the nut and the spring base. The nuts are still hard to 
turn. Do NOT oil or grease the area up to make turning the nut easier. This 
also works, but attracts grit and dirt, so the next time you adjust, you have 
grinding compound in there.
* Also note that if you're having trouble accessing the adjusting nuts, 
Koni gas shocks can be mounted upside down which may make things easier to 
reach. It also removes a bit of unsprung weight from the suspension.
* Levelling the car is far less important than corner-weighting the car. 
With a 'normal' 38-yr-old Pantera chassis that's twisted and tweeked, 
eyeball-leveling may produce the same or worse handling than what you had stock. 
NONE of the shock adjust nuts will be anywhere near each other height-wise when 
things are correct.
* Once 'done', remember to realign the front wheels. The toe in will have 
changed enough to cause tire damage. Good luck- 
J DeRyke (who has Koni gas shocks on our '72L, too)