Ride Height

tim leech · Post by **tim leech** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 7:37 pm

I deperatly need the ride height resetting on my valver as its too low and ruins the ride, Im no mechanic as we all know and dont have a 4 poster ramp in my garage anyway so does anyone want to voluneteer or recommend anyone to do it?

The haynes manual makes it sound easy but I would rather someone who knows what they are doing have a go.

jeremy · Post by **jeremy** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 7:47 pm

Its possible that the linkage only requires lubrication - particularly at the front. My TD needs doing quite often to keep everything nice - and feels like it needs doing again!

Haynes gives details of the correct height - to be measured from underneath - which of course is not easy. You could make a gauge from a length of timber (handle) with a short piece at right angles nailed on the end. Mark the correct height on the short piece, post it underneath, and rotate through 90 degrees and see where the mark is in relation to the appropriate bit of chassis!

tim leech · Post by **tim leech** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 9:33 pm

It was lowered professionally Jeremy as theres a receipt for it, the previous owner also fitted (now replaced) uprated spheres in the quest for handling, I prefer ride comfort aswell as tidy handling.

jeremy · Post by **jeremy** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 10:59 pm

In which case does the ride get better when you pull the adjuster lever back a little?

tim leech · Post by **tim leech** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 9:39 am

Indeed it does!

sleepy0905 · Post by **sleepy0905** » Tue Jan 23, 2007 7:38 pm

I have done it and it is not easy without a pit as you cannot be underneath to adjust it and you need the wheels on the ground to do the adjustment so what you need is four car ramps jack the car up and put a ramp under each wheel it is a tight squeez under there when the car is on full low as for safety you need enough room to be underneath on full low just incase when you undoo things it drops fully down then you follow the haynes instructions , but i tell you it is scary under there with the engine running and you know you are playing with it ride hight as a little too much one way and it shoots up and a little the other way and it fully down you dont need to move the clamps much to make a difference..

I hope this makes sense.

Post by **docchevron** » Wed Jan 24, 2007 3:24 am

I've done it on ramps, but my advice would be:

BE BLOODY CAREFUL!
BEING DEAD WONT HELP THE LONGEVITY OF YOUR CAR.
If your not 1000000000% confident, then pay a garage to do it.

Cheers
Chris G

Philip Chidlow · Post by **Philip Chidlow** » Wed Jan 24, 2007 8:23 am

I agree. Toooo risky Tim.

(Glad you survived, Aaron!)

tim leech · Post by **tim leech** » Wed Jan 24, 2007 9:24 am

My enthiusatic young mechanic mate who works with me is going to take a look at it sometime, im lending him my haynes manual and Im sure he could fathum it out. We have the use of a four poster ramp at work I can use.

st gilles · Post by **st gilles** » Wed Jan 24, 2007 11:07 am

Definitely use the four poster as the quickness of movement is frightening, I did mine with a four poster and it still scared the bejaysus out of me .....the car moves up and down like a jack in the box. Does make a difference though ......up to a point it seems the higher you go the softer the ride as all the cars owned by older owners in the area of France where I have my other house seem to have them at slightly exagerrated levels....my local mechanic tells me its for 'confort, pas de sport' as he puts it. (comfort not for sport). You may need to play with it a bit to get the ride right for you. But the actual adjustment is easy peasy. Bon Chance mon brave!

tim leech · Post by **tim leech** » Wed Jan 24, 2007 11:10 am

Thanks Giles, I just want it to be comfortable, I dont want it look daft but i cant accept the terrible ride it has at the moment.

adamskibx · Post by **adamskibx** » Wed Jan 24, 2007 1:11 pm

I adjusted my old 14 as that was too high. In fact all my BX's have been slightly high at the front. My dad borrowed the GT once, and he's not an understander of Citroens, and an enthusiast apparently came up to him as he got out to post some letters and told him it was too high. He just responded; "oh , I'll let my son know". To do the 14, I think I put the front up on car ramps, put the height on minimum to make sure I could get to where I needed to be and adjusted it like that. It shouldnt matter that the cars at a funny angle as the self levelling is just that, self levelling, but I rechecked when it was flat anyway just to make sure.