Rear Height Corrector

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ken newbold
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Post by ken newbold »

Can I suggest, before you go any further. Get the ride height right.

I don't see how you can determine the softness of the ride untill it's at the right height.
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DavidRutherford
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Post by DavidRutherford »

ken newbold wrote:I don't see how you can determine the softness of the ride untill it's at the right height.
Although surely as long as it's not very far out, and nowhere near the bumpstops, then it should be the same softness regardless of the height?


Only moving about half an inch when you stand on the back of the car HAS to either be flat spheres, or jammed against the bumpstops.
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ken newbold
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Post by ken newbold »

If it rises and is as Sleepy says above the normal ride height, it cn be nowhere near the bumpstops, as the height increases the suspension gets harder, on full height the suspension goes solid.

There may well be a problem elsewhere, but I wouldn't attempt to find it untill I'd got the height correct.

People have on more than one occassion asked me to fit new rear spheres as the suspension feels hard. In many cases it's been the arm bearings that have been worn, not badly but enough to stop everything working as it should.
Movement on the height corrector piston is only about 3/8 inch (old money sorry) from absolute top to rock bottom. It doesn't take much to throw it out.
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DavidRutherford
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Post by DavidRutherford »

ken newbold wrote: as the height increases the suspension gets harder
While I agree completely with everything else you've said.... How is this true?

If the suspension height is off just a little bit, and is running maybe an inch high, this still means that the bumpstops aren't a factor. The only thing holding the car up is LHM pressure, and hence the springing should be (very very nearly) exactly the same as is would be an inch lower.

Still doesn't account for why the back of the car barely moves when you stand on it at "normal" height. It should drop about 4-6", straight through the correct height, and way lower. (old money works for me too! :D)

Sleepy.... when the car rises from startup, does the back end go up smoothly, or is it in a series of jerks?
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AlanS
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Post by AlanS »

Sounds a bit like the front on my sons TZi when he bought it.
Take a peak at this and see if it sounds familiar.

http://www.aussiefrogs.com/forum/showthread.php?t=9159


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sleepy0905
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Post by sleepy0905 »

Right well i have just borrowed some ramps so i can sort the linkage and then adjust the ride hight so i will let you know how i get on.
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AlanS
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Post by AlanS »

On the write up I did, I made mention of the adjustment rods that connect the front to the rear height corrector; in my case a "specialist" had adjusted them incorrectly and that was the base root cause of all our woes.
I think from memory the angled bar sits in the slot and the adjustments are 5 mm from the front of the slot and 7mm from the back


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sleepy0905
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Post by sleepy0905 »

thankyou i will have a look today and see what is happening
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sleepy0905
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Post by sleepy0905 »

Here it the update.

Right well the first thing i did was cut the old linkage off with the angle grinder i then fitted the replacement with plenty of copper slip i adjusted the ride hight as you all sugested, lowered the car to the ground and guess what rock bloody hard still so i decided to fit the old spheres and see what happens and YIPEE cured lovely soft rear end so a quick trip to GSF with the new spheres had a rant and got a full refund. I then had a look at the front and changed the spheres for some old rear ones and that has sofened the front a bit until i receive my new ones from ken.
So thankyou to everyone who offered advice and tips. Just need to secure that rear suspension unit which is rattling around then thats it job done.
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sleepy0905
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Post by sleepy0905 »

Oh yes and here is the little trolley jack borrowed of my neighbour. ( he only owns a fiesta )

Image
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AlanS
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Post by AlanS »

They didn't sell you Hydractive spheres by any chance?


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sleepy0905
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Post by sleepy0905 »

I have no idea all i know is they were rock hard so i demanded my £45 back and i wasnt to happy, I stuck my old sphere back on and they are alot better. I dont think it helped matters that one of the spheres was dated 1st nov 2003 so it had been sat around a while
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