gojo

I need to know what the stock wheel well clearance is over the tires on my 83 RX7.

Right now I have 6 inches of clearance over the rear tires with 175# springs with 500 pounds of batteries in the back of the car, and about 2 inches of clearance in the front with the 28 year old stock springs .

This winter I want to add heaver springs to the front, but I would like to adjust it to stock height, if possible. The car looks like it may sit a little higher then stock in the back, and at present lower then stock in the front. It is an electric conversion, and if I switch to the new lighter batteries it will come up even more.

I would just like to know what to shoot for.

rwatson5651

iTrader: (5)

Download a factory service manual. The specification section contains stock ride height information. I have an SA (79) and the FSM gives the distance from the wheel center to the fender as: Front=14.3 inches, Rear= 14.0 inches. Also in the suspension section I believe that it gives bumper height also.

gojo

Couldn't open the FSM without another down load, but I am assuming the 79 and 83 would be the same. My rear is 14.5 with the 175# replacement springs, and the front is 12.5.

I have the weight spread out evenly with batteries, motor and such, so a set of 175's in front with adjustable perches from RE should level things out real nice.

Thanks for the reply............Don

Kentetsu

Are you running adjustable perches in the rear? Sounds like that would be the ticket, especially if you are still making changes. They are available at www.respeed.com along with the coilovers for the front.

Sam (from Respeed) could probably assist with the calculation of required spring rates and such as well based on the changes in weight and distribution. His username on this forum is dj55b

Good luck on this interesting project.



.

gojo

The 175 pound rear replacement springs are not adjustable. I got lucky, and they are just a 1/2 inch over stock springs with 500 pounds of batteries. Billie at RE helped me with the selection of the rear springs last year.

Usually the goal with coil overs is to lower the car, but in my case I just want to match up with the back, so I would want stock or slightly higher in front, and I have been considering the RE adjustable perches.

An electric conversion usually involves removing about 600 pounds from the car and then adding about the same with lithium batteries, or about 200 pounds extra with lead acid. I don't know how a rotary motor compares in weight to a standard piston motor, but I added 500 pounds of batteries (6) to the back and then about 300 pounds (4) to the front, plus the motor, controller, and charger (200 #s). so the weight is spread out evenly between the front and back, and I think the weight in front is close to stock.

Kentetsu

Yeah, that's kind of what I was getting at. Whether you want to go higher or lower, coilovers will still be the ticket. The street version would probably work fine, since you're not looking to drop the car to the pavement.

The benefit of the rear perches would be that same adjustability for the perfect ride height, but also would allow you to choose a softer spring rate while retaining the same ride height (if the current springs are stiffer or softer than what you would ultimately want)

When you say "Billie from RE" do you mean Billy Waits from Respeed (RE could also be Rotary Engineering, which is why I ask). If so, then Billy has sold the company to forum member dj55b (Sam). Sam's a great guy, who is holding to the standards that Billy put in place years ago.

gojo

Yes, it was ReSpeed, and I will get a post or email out to Sam.

Don