Dax rear ride height

[Stefan]

Guys

I am about to spend a bit of time on the rear suspension set-up of my Dax - majorly overdue

The ride height at the rear is about 2cm different between the left and right sides (measured floor to chassis members), yet the ride
height adjustment on the shock absorbers is set to a similar number of threads from the bottom - Hmmm.

Clearly, I can drop one side a bit and raise the other using the
adjusters on the shocks, but my gut feeling is that I have a problem elsewhere in the geometry. Should I be worried and climb under the back with a tape measure and start looking for some leftright inconsistencies, or is this normal and all due to the tolerances
in the spring rates?

BTW, the garage floor is flat and level.

Any insight appreciated.... Many thanks

[dave]

Hi Stefan.
On the rear there are two different spring rates:-
When the car was built it should have a 200Lb spring and a 225Lb spring on each side. If it has both 200's on the same side it will be lower and vice versa with the 225's.
Good luck.

[Stefan]

That would make perfect sense! And my long-term memory is just returning now - can you not tell them apart because one has 9 turns and the other 10 or something like that?

Some of you might remember that I had one collet slip over the top washer of one of the rear shocks shortly before SVA. (Incorrect collet in the box and I never checked - shame on me!). Anyway, the result was a bent spring which was replaced. I am sure that I checked the poundage at the time, but mistakes and screw-ups are my particular forte, so it's time to go back and check again...

And I might just take that tape measure to the springs after all

Many thanks

[kdavies3]

Dave, are the springs identifiable?

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

[Happy Jim]

Just taken mine off to send the Shocks off for reconditioning.

The springs will either be marked with white paint on the top/bottom flat (or if your lucky stamped), or have nothing on at all {-}

Cheers

Jim

[Philip]

Hi,
mines the same, one side has a lot higher setting on the spring height than the other to get the same ride height. I dont recall every seeing or hearing that the springs were different ratings, but this would explain my settings. I also dont recall seeing differences on the springs when I fitted them, but have always felt the car handled oddly, thought I might need my corner weights setup. If theyre not marked how do you tell the difference?
Phil

[alex]

I agree, I don't remember every seeing anything about a mix of spring ratings at the back.

To get and even height at the back the adjustment on mine is a bit different side to side. Can't say the car handles oddly though.

Alex

[Miket]

AK suggest 2 x 225 lbs each side on the rear, mine are adjusted to different settings to get the correct ride height from chassis.

Don't forget the majority of the time, if your like me and the wife doesn't like open top motoring, the driver will be the only person in the car and it will settle more on the off-side, especially if your a fat g**.

:tu :tu :tu :tu :tu :tu :tu :tu

[kdavies3]

Mine has needed a lot more adjustment to the right rear than the left. I'd assumed 'cos of my lardy arse and my battery being in the rear right corner. but it's possible that the springs are mixed up. I didn't know there were two ratings.
Hopefully Mr Brookes can tell us how to id them.

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

[dave]

Here's the low down.

Some of the springs are marked on the flats at the ends in white or silver pen reading either 225 or 200.

If you don't have these markings the only way to check without taking them off the car is to measure the thickness of the wire that they are made of or count the number of loops possibly, if you find that the wire is of different diamiters (I will have a check tomorrow...If i remember (A telephone call from one of you might help on 01782 577672.....Hint, hint) then all you need to do is to make sure you have one of each size on each side.

If all the springs turn out to be the same rate then no problem. (Dax used to use the same rate on all 4 at one time and then altered the rate on 2 of them to improve the ride quality).
Please bear in mind that you also have a steering column, pedal box and servo etc all hanging on the off side of your car so you will never get perfect corner weights at the back without completely screwing up the front and having that end of the car miles out.
:tu