[DeTomaso] Resetting Ride Height With Stiffer Coils - the sequel

Fri Sep 24 18:14:59 EDT 2010

Did you measure the length of the springs you removed?

Julian

> From: mbefthomas at comcast.net
> To: davidabell at worldnet.att.net; detomaso at realbig.com
> Date: Fri, 24 Sep 2010 14:59:59 -0700
> Subject: Re: [DeTomaso] Resetting Ride Height With Stiffer Coils - the sequel
> 
> As with most sequels, this was not as good as the original . . .
> 
> So I finally got the new springs on the car, and I believe Dave Bell wins
> the Christmas Turkey (see his last post below).
> 
> In our last episode . . .
> 
> Ordered new 450lb 10" springs from Aldan. They were actually closer to
> 10.5". Replacing 350s.
> 
> When I took the old Aldans off the car, I measured the number of threads
> below the collar. Summing up the various inputs I received from a bunch of
> helpful folks, I adjusted the original change in spec from ~.4" to slightly
> ~.33" lower on the spring perch to compensate for less compression from a
> stiffer spring and the angle of the coil/shock assembly when installed on
> the car.
> 
> .33" converted to ~5 threads on the shock body, so when I installed the new
> 450 lb springs on the shocks, I reduced the number of threads on each side
> by 5, and reinstalled the assemblies.
> 
> WTF!!
> 
> Where my fender lip was ~25.75" above the ground, now it's ~27"! Lowering
> the spring perch .33", and the .5" longer springs have somehow combined to
> raise the car 1.25"!
> 
> OK, so I haven't driven it yet (don't really want to look like Jesse James
> going down the street), but I've given both fenders a good bounce after
> rolling the car back and forth and bouncing it again to settle things as
> much as I can in the shop, and no change to the height. Will take it around
> the 'hood to hit the brakes a few times to see if it changes anything. If
> no changes, I'm wondering:
> 
> A - send the springs back to Aldan for some really-o truly-o 10" long 10"
> springs.
> B - go back to he previous thread count and go the other direction.
> Both A and B
> None of the above
> Open a beer and wait for the replies to come pouring in.
> 
> . . . Hey, it's Friday, the latter is a given.
> 
> Thanks again!
> Mike Thomas
> Keeping my tips up in Seattle
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: detomaso-bounces at realbig.com [mailto:detomaso-bounces at realbig.com] On
> Behalf Of David & Marilyn Bell
> Sent: Tuesday, August 24, 2010 9:25 PM
> To: David & Marilyn Bell; detomaso at realbig.com
> Subject: Re: [DeTomaso] Resetting Ride Height With Stiffer Coils
> 
> I guess I either write or think (or both) upside down. The new springs
> should put the tire 1/2 inch further away from the fender, not closer.
> 
> Dave Bell
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: detomaso-bounces at realbig.com
> [mailto:detomaso-bounces at realbig.com]On Behalf Of David & Marilyn Bell
> Sent: Tuesday, August 24, 2010 6:11 PM
> To: detomaso at realbig.com
> Subject: Re: [DeTomaso] Resetting Ride Height With Stiffer Coils
> 
> 
> OK - I purposely mentioned 'roughly' and 'approximately' to indicate this
> was a purely bubba type estimate, though probably I shouldn't have used any
> decimal places that may have added some artificial precision.
> 
> So, I've got 20 bucks that says the top of the front tire will be about 1/2
> inch (plus or minus 1/4 inch) closer to the fender lip with the new 450#
> springs than with the previous 350# springs (obviously before moving the
> spring perches up or down).
> 
> Who's in?
> 
> Also be sure to drive the car around to settle the suspension before
> measuring the fender to tire gap.
> 
> 
> Dave Bell (don't need no stinkin corner weights to go around corners fast)
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: detomaso-bounces at realbig.com
> [mailto:detomaso-bounces at realbig.com]On Behalf Of Paul - Home
> Sent: Tuesday, August 24, 2010 9:47 AM
> To: unlisted-recipients:; no To-header on input
> Cc: detomaso at realbig.com
> Subject: Re: [DeTomaso] Resetting Ride Height With Stiffer Coils
> 
> 
> Goran is of course correct and the reason is that springs are not installed
> vertically, they are at an angle.
> 
> Paul
> #9270
> 
> Pantdino wrote:
> > It will be interesting to see if that is the case.
> > Goran sent me some information regarding suspension systems once that 
> > was
> over my head, but I do remember that the force felt by the spring is not the
> same as the weight on the wheel. Therefore the change in spring compression
> may not be 0.4"
> >
> >
> > Jim
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: David & Marilyn Bell <davidabell at worldnet.att.net>
> > To: Mike Thomas <mbefthomas at comcast.net>; 'Tony DiGiovanna'
> <tonydigi at optonline.net>; detomaso at realbig.com
> > Sent: Mon, Aug 23, 2010 10:23 pm
> > Subject: Re: [DeTomaso] Resetting Ride Height With Stiffer Coils
> >
> >
> > Mike,
> > If your car weighs roughly 3200 lb and the weight distribution is 
> > roughly 0/60 front to rear, then the weight on the front is 1280 lb so 
> > each front pring must support 640 lb. A 350 lb/inch spring will 
> > deflect 1.8" under han load while a 450 lb/inch spring will deflect 
> > only 1.4". So you need
> to
> > rop your front spring perches by approximately 0.4" to maintain the 
> > same ide height.
> > Dave Bell
> >
> > ----Original Message-----
> > rom: detomaso-bounces at realbig.com
> > mailto:detomaso-bounces at realbig.com]On Behalf Of Mike Thomas
> > ent: Monday, August 23, 2010 7:44 PM
> > o: 'Tony DiGiovanna'; detomaso at realbig.com
> > ubject: Re: [DeTomaso] Resetting Ride Height With Stiffer Coils
> >
> > hanks. Should have added that both new and old springs are 10" Aldan 
> > oils, so the free height is the same on both rates.
> > Mike
> > -----Original Message-----
> > rom: Tony DiGiovanna [mailto:tonydigi at optonline.net]
> > ent: Monday, August 23, 2010 5:23 PM
> > o: 'Mike Thomas'; detomaso at realbig.com
> > ubject: RE: [DeTomaso] Resetting Ride Height With Stiffer Coils Don't 
> > assume the new springs will have the same free height.
> > hink you are best served to measure the ride height of the car 
> > relative to he ground with the old springs, then change springs and 
> > adjust back to hose settings.
> > -----Original Message-----
> > rom: detomaso-bounces at realbig.com 
> > [mailto:detomaso-bounces at realbig.com] On ehalf Of Mike Thomas
> > ent: Monday, August 23, 2010 8:11 PM
> > o: detomaso at realbig.com
> > ubject: [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 
> > chieve the same ride height. Since I won't (I assume) get as much 
> > spring ompression with the 450's, I'll need to revise the spring 
> > perches on my ldan shocks. I'm guessing I'll need to compress them 
> > slightly more on the hock (the collar height up the shock body) since 
> > the springs won't drop as uch when I let the car back down and the 
> > springs settle in. My car is tock up front with the addition of an 
> > aluminum radiator, so probably close o stock weight on the front wheels.
> > Any thought on how much more to compress, or notes form someone whose 
> > been here, would be helpful. Pulling and readjusting or trying to 
> > adjust the ront on the car are both a much bigger PITA than the rears. 
> > I'd like to ave to do it as few times as possible.
> > Thanks in advance for your sage advice.
> > Mike Thomas
> > ellow '74 L #6328
> > _______________________________________________
> > Detomaso Forum Managed by POCA
> > Archive Search Engine Now Available at 
> > http://www.realbig.com/detomaso/ DeTomaso mailing list 
> > eTomaso at list.realbig.com 
> > ttp://list.realbig.com/mailman/listinfo/detomaso
> >
> > ______________________________________________
> > Detomaso Forum Managed by POCA
> > Archive Search Engine Now Available at 
> > http://www.realbig.com/detomaso/ DeTomaso mailing list 
> > eTomaso at list.realbig.com 
> > ttp://list.realbig.com/mailman/listinfo/detomaso
> > _______________________________________________
> > Detomaso Forum Managed by POCA
> > Archive Search Engine Now Available at 
> > http://www.realbig.com/detomaso/ DeTomaso mailing list 
> > eTomaso at list.realbig.com 
> > ttp://list.realbig.com/mailman/listinfo/detomaso
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> >
> > Detomaso Forum Managed by POCA
> >
> > Archive Search Engine Now Available at 
> > http://www.realbig.com/detomaso/
> >
> > DeTomaso mailing list
> > DeTomaso at list.realbig.com
> > http://list.realbig.com/mailman/listinfo/detomaso
> >
> >
> _______________________________________________
> 
> Detomaso Forum Managed by POCA
> 
> Archive Search Engine Now Available at http://www.realbig.com/detomaso/
> 
> DeTomaso mailing list
> DeTomaso at list.realbig.com
> http://list.realbig.com/mailman/listinfo/detomaso
> 
> _______________________________________________
> 
> Detomaso Forum Managed by POCA
> 
> Archive Search Engine Now Available at http://www.realbig.com/detomaso/
> 
> DeTomaso mailing list
> DeTomaso at list.realbig.com
> http://list.realbig.com/mailman/listinfo/detomaso
> 
> _______________________________________________
> 
> Detomaso Forum Managed by POCA
> 
> Archive Search Engine Now Available at http://www.realbig.com/detomaso/
> 
> DeTomaso mailing list
> DeTomaso at list.realbig.com
> http://list.realbig.com/mailman/listinfo/detomaso
> 
> _______________________________________________
> 
> Detomaso Forum Managed by POCA
> 
> Archive Search Engine Now Available at http://www.realbig.com/detomaso/
> 
> DeTomaso mailing list
> DeTomaso at list.realbig.com
> http://list.realbig.com/mailman/listinfo/detomaso