Optimum Parallel Ride Height Q

[dvmotorsports]

without going below parallel on the steering components, what is the optimum drop?

thanks

[BeirBrennerE30]

there isnt one...

i guess the easy answer is: You lower a can as much as possible so that it does not bottom out on the track/road you are driving on. You then fix your geometry.

[newb]

What is available to fix the geometry?

[Van Westervelt]

For m3's or those running m3 bits, they are called roll center spacers...

[newb]

How do you solve the reduced shock travel?

[Van Westervelt]

How do you solve the reduced shock travel?

You get shorter spring, and shocks. If you go coils, you get short bodied shocks.

[newb]

How does that address the reduced travel when the distance between the top spring seat and the bumpstops remain unchanged?

[Aptyp]

oh boy, this will be a long night for some of you

[BeirBrennerE30]

How does that address the reduced travel when the distance between the top spring seat and the bumpstops remain unchanged?

Read up on suspension systems first and how they work.

"How to Make Your Car Handle" by Fred Puhn

Thats a good start.

[DSP74]

Shortened strut housings......Fuck looks. If you are truly interested in performance read up a little bit....Get the Fred Puhn book, and the Carrol Smith Tune To Win book. That's good enough.

Lower is usually always better......

[Aptyp]

Unless you mexicanizing a pick-up truck, lol

[newb]

Read up on suspension systems first and how they work.

I like to think that I am very well informed about the basics of suspension dynamics, but am always willing to learn. I am just having a hard time following the logic that lowering, then correcting the suspension geometry, then adding shortened shock shafts and shorter springs has any bearing on increasing the available free-length of the shock. My reasoning I think is simple; you put 1" lower springs, you have now reduced the available compression travel and will hit the bumpstops 1" earlier. From there, the cornering forces either have to be reduced (i.e. slower speed) in order to keep from sliding since the cornering forces that were once taken up by the suspension now have to go somewhere (i.e. the tires).

Didn't mean to hijack the thread...

[BeirBrennerE30]

the stiffer springs???