This can't be right- front end height adjustment - Page 2

Trackrash · Trackrash's Garage

Did you manage to get the adjusting screws out?
I have used a large screwdriver to get mine off. However, I have a through the body sway bar, not sure if yours is in the way.
Using two screwdrivers, prying the cap back and forth should get it off. Unless the cap is rusted on to the end of the torsion bar.... then the torsion bar will come out with the cap.

MongooseGA · 05:36 PM

The screws come out no problem. The threads are all in good shape but just to be safe I hit them lightly against the bench grinder's wire wheel to clean them up. They look prefect. I tried threading the one screw into the cap and it wouldn't bite at all.

I used the biggest flat head screw driver I have access to in order to pry the cap off. No joy. I'll try again when I have some light. I only gave it about fifteen minutes before dinner with my parents.

I'm afraid of the answer, but if the caps are rustedto the torsion bars, will I need to replace the bars?

911obgyn · 911obgyn's Garage

If the caps are rusted to the torsion bars they are probably rusted inside the control arm. The torsion bar will come out with the cap with some swearing and depending on which sway bar you have you may have to drop the bar to get clearance to remove toward the rear of the car and clean it all up with your trusty wire wheel grease it good reinstall and adjust.

Porboynz · Porboynz's Garage

Something does not compute here, those caps may have rusted onto the ends of the torsion bars, and the torsion bars may be rusted into the A arm splines, but with the adjustment screws out and the weight off the A arms the end caps should rattle around in the cross member housing. Maybe there is still torsion bar pressure on the end caps, you might need to remove the sway bar to allow more A arm movement to free the cap. This might happen if you are simply jacking one side of the car rather than lifting both fronts off the ground, dropping the front back down on axle stands and removing both front wheels.

MongooseGA · 09-30-2013, 05:15 PM

I was jacking the whole front end up, dead center of the car at the chassis brace in front of the fuel tank. The wheels were not off the ground, though. Would this be the issue?

Trackrash · Trackrash's Garage

Yes the wheels need to be off the ground, otherwise there could still be tension on the torsion bars.
Jack it up all the way and post anther picture.

MongooseGA · 10-01-2013, 10:06 AM

Right, I'll give it a shot when I get back to the car later this week.

MongooseGA · 10-02-2013, 10:22 AM

Ding ding ding! Jacked until the wheels were off the ground, the caps came right off. The driver's side didn't want to let go of its buddy the torsion bar, but it came off easily enough.

MongooseGA · 10-02-2013, 11:03 AM

So I've gotten the caps re-indexed, and the adjustment screws successfully through the caps clear to the stops. Will I need to lower the car back on to the wheels to put tension on the screw to begin the lowering process? Which direction must the screw turn (say, from the perspective of underneath the car) to lower instead of lift?

Thanks to all who helped. This truly is a great community.

MongooseGA · 10-02-2013, 11:32 AM

Update: Good ol' trial and error. Lower the car to put tension on the A-arms, then turn counter-clockwise (that's loosening the adjustment bolt) and you'll be scraping the street in no time.

I went to 24" from ground to fender lip, dead center of the wheel. It's definitely low, but I don't think obnoxiously low. It looks much more appropriate of s sports car now.

Thoughts?

Before:

After:

It might be a tad lower than I ultimately want, but for now it will do to get the car to the mechanic for electrical work tomorrow night.

Trackrash · Trackrash's Garage

Yes, the car needs to have the wheels on the ground.
Counter clockwise looking up from the ground will lower the car.
Do a "rough" adjustment of your intended ride height. Drive the car and fine tune it.
Then you will have to get your car corner balanced.

Trackrash · Trackrash's Garage

You beat me on my last post.
As far as ride height goes, the front, when measured from the fender lip to the ground should be about 1/2" higher than the rear. Usually that means about 25 1/2".
Much lower and you are just bouncing on the stops.

docrodg · 10-02-2013, 11:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Kontak

Like that's a bad thing.

Keeps me awake when driving my truck. Nothing like bouncing around on some potholes (and it bounces a lot) while trying to turn a corner with a plow sticking out the front and a 158" wheelbase.

MongooseGA · 10-02-2013, 12:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trackrash

You beat me on my last post.
As far as ride height goes, the front, when measured from the fender lip to the ground should be about 1/2" higher than the rear. Usually that means about 25 1/2".
Much lower and you are just bouncing on the stops.

Is that US or Euro height? IIRC, Euro height was around 24" in front, no?

Trackrash · Trackrash's Garage

I believe "Euro" height is 25.5" front; 25" rear. Much lower than that you will be running out of suspension.
I would recommend that you measure your rear height and use that as a baseline. Then adjust your front to be about 1/2" higher as measured at the fender.
Drive it around and see how it behaves at that height.
Any lower, as in the 24" range requires stiffer torsions, and other mods to work properly.

MongooseGA · 10-02-2013, 03:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trackrash

I believe "Euro" height is 25.5" front; 25" rear. Much lower than that you will be running out of suspension.
I would recommend that you measure your rear height and use that as a baseline. Then adjust your front to be about 1/2" higher as measured at the fender.
Drive it around and see how it behaves at that height.
Any lower, as in the 24" range requires stiffer torsions, and other mods to work properly.

New torsion bars are on my to-do list, along with mostly new rubber on the entire bottom side of the car. Any particular diameter bar you'd recommend with this current setting?

As I said, it's a tad lower than I ultimately want, but with the amount of driving this car will see in the very near future, I can't imagine any issues as it is.

javadog · 10-02-2013, 04:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MongooseGA

IIRC, Euro height was around 24" in front, no?

No, that's not even close. There really wasn't that much difference in height between the two markets and it was only for a period of time. The cars were the same for quite a few years.

JR

MongooseGA · 10-02-2013, 04:22 PM

I can at least be confident in knowing that where she had been sitting was far from correct, for either market.

Anyone know what the ROW cars were spec'd at? This one apparently started life in Japan.....

javadog · 10-02-2013, 05:00 PM

The measurements for a '77 ROW 911 are 108mm/front and 12mm/rear. A US 911 of that yea was 15mm higher in the front and 25mm higher in the rear.

JR

Trackrash · Trackrash's Garage

My car is 24"f and 23.5" in the rear. I'm running 22 and 30 mm torsions with Koni sport shocks and poly bushings. My front spindles have been raised 22mm and my rubber bump stops have been cut down. I have a bumpsteer kit to compensate for the raised spindles and raised the oil lines in the rear for more clearance.

My car is great on the track or a smooth road. There are bumpy roads around where I live that I definitely avoid and then there are those pesky driveways...

Be careful what you wish for. Drive your car as it is for a few weeks and see how it behaves before you go any further.