Need help on height adjustment math

[sacook]

I'm adjusting the front end ride height.

Haynes manual says

1. measure center height of wheel center cap to ground... 12"
2. Measure center height of torsion bar cover to ground.... 5"

3 Make the difference of these two measurements be 3.54"

That would mean I would have to raise the car to 8 1/2 inches off the ground?

Am I figuring this right? I'm not trying to build an off road 914!!

Can anyone tell me what height their center of torsion bar cover to ground is?

8 1/2 just seems really high to me.

Thanks

[Va914]

I have read you should set the ball joint arms just less then or right at parallel to the ground.

I will be doing this adjustment myself very soon. I was thinking of comparing angles of the ball joint arms to determine if the sides are set the same.

Hope this helps.

Kerry

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

The Haynes manual is based on the factory manual. (Most of the text and photos are lifted from it with no change at all.) The ride height of the 914 was set with US bumper height laws in mind, which gave US-delivered cars a rather nose-high attitude.

The usual advice we give people is: Set the car up so that you like it, but don't lower it past where the A-arms are parallel to the ground. Having the A-arms slope down slightly when the car is at rest is good. But mostly, set up the ride height so that you like it.

--DD

[sacook]

Thanks for the help,

I have it pretty close, but now I guess I need to find an alignment shop to correct the slight pull to the right.