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How much lower will my car be with shortened shocks? 

 

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 Post subject: How much lower will my car be with shortened shocks?
Posted: Wed Apr 29, 2009 1:39 am 
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G'day, me and a mate chucked some King ultra lows in my car the other day, it sits quite nicely currently.

We just used standard height shocks and struts, when I get shortened ones how much lower should I expect it to be?

I remeber hearing that different shortened struts will alter the final height, but I'll most likely grab Monroe's or KYB's.

Here's a picture of how it sits now, that's with the standard height shock and struts and ultra lows.

Image

And just if anyone's interested, this is how high it was before we lowered it..

Image


Cheers

 

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 Post subject: Re: How much lower will my car be with shortened shocks?
Posted: Wed Apr 29, 2009 2:56 am 
Getting Side Ways
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it wont sit any lower than it is, the springs determine the height, shorter shocks will give you slightly more suspension travel though
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 Post subject: Re: How much lower will my car be with shortened shocks?
Posted: Wed Apr 29, 2009 3:18 am 
Getting Side Ways
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Yeah 66 coupe is right. there should be next to no change in ride hight. if so then something must be seriously wrong!!!!!!!

your car looks nice too mate. good job :)

 

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 Post subject: Re: How much lower will my car be with shortened shocks?
Posted: Wed Apr 29, 2009 3:38 am 
Getting Side Ways
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Cheers guys.

I was more worried about the front, it's my understanding that shortened struts have a lower mount for the spring?

 

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 Post subject: Re: How much lower will my car be with shortened shocks?
Posted: Wed Apr 29, 2009 10:12 am 
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There are front struts available from Pedders in the GSR or gas sport ryder range, possibly other manufacturers also, that will do this. There are short body & short stroke types. The ones your referring to have a lower spring seat, and when used, reguardless of the spring, it will lower the car by 20-30mm.
These are different to short stroke persay. Hope this helps.
Edit : if you look in my gallery, my el has the lowered spring seat shock with Factory coils, not massive low, but with factory coils.

 

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Last edited by surfn on Wed Apr 29, 2009 1:09 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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 Post subject: Re: How much lower will my car be with shortened shocks?
Posted: Wed Apr 29, 2009 11:22 am 
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how in the world did you get the stock strut back in with a ultra low spring..
you wouldnt even need to compress the springs would you
im speaking about the front btw
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 Post subject: Re: How much lower will my car be with shortened shocks?
Posted: Wed Apr 29, 2009 11:23 am 
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A short body shock decreases the amount of shock 'body' above the spring saddle and increases the length of the shock shaft above the spring saddle. These arent the only changes, there is also internal changes in length of the shock shaft. This is done to reduce the likelihood of the shock bottoming out and also places the internal valving in its optimal working range. This is why lowering to superlow or ultralow on std shocks often ends up in a bouncy ride, not only cant the std shocks keep the stiffer springs under control, but they are also trying to do so outside of their optimal working range

Koni only specify a short body shock for the rear in their catalogue, the front shocks are all the same and they have saddle adjustment of approx 5mm above and below the neutral setting, so you can raise or lower the front by about 5mm.

 

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 Post subject: Re: How much lower will my car be with shortened shocks?
Posted: Wed Apr 29, 2009 11:46 am 
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Lol i have never seen anyone chuck a set of ultras in with the standard shock before, well done!! :mrgreen:

As previously said, shortened shocks wont affect the ride height, springs do that job, unless of course the front struts have a lower mounted spring seat. My pedders sportsryder shocks up front have lower mounted spring seats and with a low spring its the equivalent to superlows with a normal shock.

If you like that height though, id be looking for shorterned shocks all round with the fronts having a standard height seat mounting.

Im pretty sure Boge, KYB and monroe shocks have normal height spring seats. Pedders are the only ones i know that have lower mounted seats, and bilstein which have adjustable seats.

 

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 Post subject: Re: How much lower will my car be with shortened shocks?
Posted: Wed Apr 29, 2009 4:59 pm 
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would all depend i guess if the car is sitting on the end of the chock travel which it'd be close to coz i have super lows and mine hits the end of its travel allllll the time

you may get lower

 

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 Post subject: Re: How much lower will my car be with shortened shocks?
Posted: Wed Apr 29, 2009 7:51 pm 
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In this case the car may lower slightly as with the standard shocks they could be sitting on the bump stops. If shortened shocks are installed it may allow the spring to compress slightly more.
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 Post subject: Re: How much lower will my car be with shortened shocks?
Posted: Thu Apr 30, 2009 12:42 am 
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The Lane looks good dumped that low!
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 Post subject: Re: How much lower will my car be with shortened shocks?
Posted: Thu Apr 30, 2009 11:36 am 
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Cheers for the advice guys, I want it about 10-15mm lower at the front, so I think I'll grab some struts with an adjustable spring seat.


twr7cx wrote:
The Lane looks good dumped that low!


Thanks mate. Thanks for your help with the ball-joint issue too.

 

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 Post subject: Re: How much lower will my car be with shortened shocks?
Posted: Thu Apr 30, 2009 9:48 pm 
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Short shocks with a lower spring seat arent adjustable - its welded on just like any other shock, just lower on the body.
I'd say you have an inch of movement now before you're on bumpstops yeh? :P If that...

 

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 Post subject: Re: How much lower will my car be with shortened shocks?
Posted: Sat May 02, 2009 10:08 am 
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MADXF wrote:
A short body shock decreases the amount of shock 'body' above the spring saddle and increases the length of the shock shaft above the spring saddle. These arent the only changes, there is also internal changes in length of the shock shaft. This is done to reduce the likelihood of the shock bottoming out and also places the internal valving in its optimal working range. This is why lowering to superlow or ultralow on std shocks often ends up in a bouncy ride, not only cant the std shocks keep the stiffer springs under control, but they are also trying to do so outside of their optimal working range

Koni only specify a short body shock for the rear in their catalogue, the front shocks are all the same and they have saddle adjustment of approx 5mm above and below the neutral setting, so you can raise or lower the front by about 5mm.


- The grooves are about 5mm apart - the result at the wheel is a change of more like 20mm (don't forget leverage/arm factor here) - just been thru adjusting my Bilsteins which work exactly like Koni in that respect.

 

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