Ride height too low

[wires]

I have recently taken on the liability of a 1991 build (chassis no. 45) Dax Cobra, with 3,900 miles on the odometer. It’s just fantastic ! Unfortunately does not clear sleeping policemen, in fact not even dead ex-anorexic policemen. Ride height at front should be 5.5 inches and rear 6.5 inches, according to detailed 2001 vintage Dax build manual. Mine are 4 inches and 5 inches respectively. This is causing rapid sidewall wear of (very expensive) front 215/60/15 tyres, and fairly rapid wear of front wheel arches. Having just spent many hours in the garage to no effect, when I should have been out on a Friday evening, am desperate for advice. I unscrewed (ie. anti-clockwise, viewed from underneath) the two circular nuts (without a C or G spanner) on the coil over Spax about 1 inch or so. It has made no difference whatsoever to ride height. Should I have adjusted clockwise instead or is there some other means of altering the ride height ?:}

[kirklillis]

Wires,

Sounds to me as if you have gone the wrong way.

If you look at the shocks from the side, you should be able to see the thread. It sounds as if you want to increase the ride height.
That means raising the bottom spring mount with respect to the ground. To do this you have to turn the mounts clockwise, when viewing from underneath.

As added info. I found that when I had the spax fitted, I had to have the rear spring mount plates wound up nearly to the top of the available thread to get a usable ground/tyre clearance. I am talking about a 1988 mark 3 chassis, so if the shocks are from that period the above statement should be correct.

Kirk

[wires]

Thanks very much for the prompt response, Kirk. Having thought about it in the cold light of the day, I am sure that you are right. Will have another go tonight !

Cheers,

Wires

[kdavies3]

As you've already sussed you went the wrong way.
I've got mine set to Dax's recomended height and only have trouble really big bumps.
It can be quite hard to wind the locking rings up so mind your knuckles, I assume you have have the required 'C' spanner?

http://animatedgif.net/flags/-flags-uncat/Wales.gif

Kev Davies
Dax, 383ci Chevy Stroker, Tremec TKO
South Wales

[wires]

Dear Kev,

Thanks for the confirmation. I knew that I had screwed up last night ('scuse pun). Too peed off and tired to bother tonight. Will try to get suitable C spanner, plus spring compressors, remove Spax from car and wind up the nuts on the bench. Knuckles are sore after last night's attempt on the car without appropriate tools.

I just bet that it will be another beautiful autumn day on Sunday, and I won't be able to take the car out.

So impressed with this website, the response and enthusiasm of the owners. Another work colleague caught the bug today, bought a 2.0L Robin Hood.

Cheers,

Wires

:tu

[wires]

Dear Kev and Kirk,

Thanks very much for the advice.

Have adjusted the springs now - possibly slightly too much. I just need a day of fair weather to settle the springs down and see how much the handling is affected.

As we suspected, I had adjusted the Spax the wrong way. Got a decent quality multipurpose C spanner, or "hook wrench" (suitable for 1 1/2 to 3 inches) from the Draper tools website for about £20. This makes adjustment so much easier.

Also mistakenly got spring compressors from Draper for about £25. Too big to be used on Spax springs. Plus, the only decent way to adjust the springs is with the car jacked up and wheels off, or preferably with the Spax on the bench (which is what I did, since the previous owner had fitted the shocks with the adjusters facing the wheels), when you don't need the compressors.

Anyone need a brand new set of Draper spring compressors ?

Cheers,

Wires

[wires]

Dear Kev, Kirk, and anyone else interested,

Got the ride height sorted out on the Cobra by adjusting the nuts upwards (i.e. clockwise) and finally found a reasonable day for a test drive. Seems fine to me. No more expensive smelling tyre-wheelarch contact and still handles pretty well.

As I said before, if anyone needs to borrow a C wrench or spring compressors, let me know.

Happy Christmas to all Cobra enthusiasts out there.

Cheers,

Wires

Anyone seen the "World's Fastest Cars" video or DVD ? Apparently has some footage of the Cobra amongst the 70 minutes of action. Is it any good ? Halfords have it on VHS for £6.99 but the lowest cost DVD that I could find on the 'net was £11.99.