Adjustable Platforms

[old captain slow]

Ok. So here's the story so far. Bought the car 2nd hand 2 years ago with HPC wheels. Ok until I tried a set of 13" so bought a set with the 185/60 tyres. Sump clouts deck. So this winter's mod was adjustable platforms and slightly stiffer springs at the front. So now what do I do?

 

First question is what would you recommend as the default ride height? Where do you measure from, and is it different at the front than the back ie riding slightly down hill so-to-speak?

 

Actually that's 3 questions but who's counting.

 

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David White

C7 CDW

[Casbar]

Can only speak from a live axle point of view.

 

Ride height should be different from the back to front, Caterham and James Whiting suggest:

140mm front, 155 - 160 rear.

 

Rear measured just in front of rear mudgard. Front, either, end of the floor pan to ground, or some suggest where rear front whishbone connects to body.

Must be measured with normal loading, ie driver in car, petrol etc.

 

On the tyres front, I have 13 inch wheels, but have 70 profile, not 60.

 

Rgds, Robert

 

[StewartG]

The default ride height is the one that stops the sump grounding.

[Jason Plato]

I work the other way round , rather than calculating the ride height from the chassis rails as a starting point , I measure the ride height below the sump with driver on board - I'm running 50mm , although this is a bit low and required a sump guard to be made teeth.gif .

I would reccomend 65-70mm below sump with driver as a starting point then measure the height at the front chassis rail and set the back end about 20mm higher OR whatever feels comfortable on the handling .

Lowest ride height possible generally gives handling benifits .

 

Dave

 

 

 

Edited by - Dave J on 20 Jan 2001 15:59:18

[old captain slow]

Thanks. Now for a stupid question. Do you have to jack the car up to unload the platforms before adjusting, or can you adjust them with the car on the deck?

 

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[Casbar]

Either, if you need to move the platforms a long way, jack the car up, because its easier without any weight on them.

 

Otherwise you can adjust them with the car on the floor.

Robert

[Andy Plunkett]

Caterham say that you should have 75mm clearance under the sump with the driver and passenger aboard. The rear of the car should then be adjusted to be slightly higher.