coilover set up probs

[jon 0]

i'm having a nightmare setting up my car, just fitted fk highsport coilovers and i can't seem to get the right ride height,

i'm going for 605 front 615 rear measuring from the floor to the center of the wheel arch, i can get the fronts set at the same measurement each side but i can't get the back the same hight,

the closest i can get is 610 nearside 620 offside,

the strange thing is the position of the addjusting ring on the shock is 50mm lower on the offside than the nearside but the car is sitting 10mm higher??? is it possible one of the shocks is wrong? anybody got any ideas what is going on as this is driving me mad!! also the car drives like s**t really harsh ride and doesn't hold the road well at all it was better with standard setup

[jon 0]

still no replies!! im not sure if im expaining it very well, never put a coilover kit on before might put some photos up tommorrow so people can see what i'm on about.

[double-6s 0]

both top mounts looking the same on each side mate?

[PeterMunns 0]

jon,

 

Bounce it up and down a coupe of times, or take it for a drive so it settles.

 

Measure the thread on the coilover and make the same.

[CorradoVR6-Turbo 0]

Adjust them regardless of the adjuster ring heights as the weight difference either side of the car will require more adjustment to get the car level.

I.e. ..the drivers side will have the adjuster ring higher up than the passenger side due to the engine and fuel tank weight is bias to the drivers side.

 

If that makes sense?!

[Mike Edwards 0]

Standard suspension makes no such allowance (although corner weighting does make a difference) so if there's as big a difference as described it suggests that something is amiss.

 

Did you check the assembled length side to side before fitting them?

[double-6s 0]

and he said the car felt awful...

[Colley 0]

My suspension seems a touch higher on the passenger side then the drivers, have other people compensated for the weight difference and had different heights on each suspension arm to get a balanced car? Are there any neagtives of doing this though?

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Standard suspension makes no such allowance (although corner weighting does make a difference) so if there's as big a difference as described it suggests that something is amiss.

 

Did you check the assembled length side to side before fitting them?

 

Corner weighting can make matters worse too, it's very much an experimental thing :-) The best handling and setup cars rarely have all 4 arch heights uniform.

In the UK, we're very much 'right hander' biased, so a corner weighted car will fly round roundabouts and right handers OK, but sometimes left handers may feel less satisfying than before. Best thing to do is get the left/right weight balanced and then do road testing/adjustments accordingly until both turn directions give the same feedback.

 

For the record, my H&R coilover adjusters are approx 2-3cm higher up the shock body on the offside than they are the nearside as I've set it that way to compensate for the weight (visually), but I'm sure it'll end up going down again when corner weighted!

[jon 0]

thanks for the replies guys :)

i have taken the car for a test drive hoping to would settle it didn't seem to make much difference and i still couldn't get the right height,

maybe i'm being to accurate with the height and it doesn't need to exactly the same,

but the car doesn't drive well at all :cry: if it drove great i wouldn't be that bothered about a small difference in height.

iv'e found a guy in northampton who is going to check the camber and tracking on saturday and also set up my coilovers properly as i can't drive it like this for long,

[mbaker8v 0]

Jon,

 

when you changed hte suspension did you replace top mounts, rubbers etc? it is possible you have put a mount in upside down, so the strut is not sitting in the mount properly. I have heard this makes the ride feel like sh1te too.... Worth checking. Alternatively, if you didnt replace them, then they probably need replacing. If hte cars still on original mounts could be the harder suspension has split one of hte mounts. I would get it checked out by a mechanic to be honest, preferably one you know has fitted coilies before and preferably on a Golf or Corrado.

 

Mark

[jon 0]

Jon,

 

when you changed hte suspension did you replace top mounts, rubbers etc? it is possible you have put a mount in upside down, so the strut is not sitting in the mount properly. I have heard this makes the ride feel like sh1te too.... Worth checking. Alternatively, if you didnt replace them, then they probably need replacing. If hte cars still on original mounts could be the harder suspension has split one of hte mounts. I would get it checked out by a mechanic to be honest, preferably one you know has fitted coilies before and preferably on a Golf or Corrado.

 

Mark

 

Yes i have changed the top mounts i also changed all the front and rear bush's, power flex at the front oem at the back as i have heard harder bush's at the rear can make the ride harsh.

my local vw garage who i have used for many years did all the work so i know it has all been done right, i only set up the coilovers myself to save some money,

One thing i did think of is that i replaced the rear top mounts for power flex top mounts and oem one's on the front could this make a big difference to the harshness of the ride??