Coilover adjustment
 

Do you have to remove the tires to adjust your coilover ride height?

Supposedly, with the JIC you don't have to....that was one of the reason I went with these....though I havn't tried yet....

Nope, but you do have to jack up the whole end of the car for whatever corner you want to adjust.

The answer is, it depends. If you can get the wrench used to turn the perches in there without removing the tires, then no, you do not need to remove the tires.

Similarly, you may or may not need to jack the car up.

After turning the perches up or down, bounce the car on its suspension to settle it before measuring for ride height or corner weighting. (If corner weighting, most scale manufacturers recommend moving the car off of the scales, as that sort of bouncing may not be good for the scales.)

You will also want to do the adjustment with the anti-sway bar end links disconnected, as the bars will tend to keep the springs from moving up or down as much as you are actually turning the perches. If you crank the perches up a ways with the bar still connected, it will pre-load the bar (i.e.- there will be static force on it). Ideally if you are going to coil-overs you will also want a bar with adjustable end links so you can adjust those when you get done screwing the perches up and down to balance the car.

The 3rd gen can be measured for ride height at the top of the wheel wells. Not all cars can, but the front wheel wells on the 3rd should be at the same height as the rears, or fronts lower. Do NOT adjust ride height so the front is higher than the rear - this will lead to high speed instability.

You will then need to get the car re-aligned. Ideally find a shop that will do this all at once (corner weighing, ride height lowering, and aligning).

One of the technical sessions at the Midwest Rotary Rally will cover this topic in depth. we will also have scales available, courtesy of the Northstar rotray Rockets club. You will be able to get your car weighed for free. If you bring your spring perch wrench and any other tools you may need, and if time allows, we can even do the balancing.

Cheers,

Steve