Re: Shocks do not determione ride height (archive)

The ride height is a function of the spring length, the weight of the car and the compression in lb/in. The unloaded ride height of the car (when the tires frist touched the ground if the car was sititng on four jacks) is solely a function of spring length, From there, it is a matter of force balance -- with the weight of the car causing hte springs to compress until the sum of the spring rates (pounds/in or N/cm)times the compression of the spring equalled the weight of the vehicle. The only way shocks could determne ride height is if they were at the end of their travel at the ride height of the car. If this were the case, you would need a spring compressor to get them on, and they would have zero rebound -- the first time you hit a bump, it would tear them to pieces.

Right now the car sits at the identical height it did before the swap. Looking at the spring it appears to be unloaded as opposed to when the car was sitting on the spring alone ( well not entirely but I did let it down a bit on the spring alone to see how it compressed). HMS says the car needs to be driven a bit to get the shock to settle but that it should take place fairly quickly.. stay tuned:)

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