How Do I Measure The Ride Height Of My New Rear Beam?

[roccorich 16]

Ignore the title... sorry

 

 

How do I measure the ride height of my new rear beam?

 

Cheers

Edited April 29, 2014 by roccorich

[Rich_p 23]

Do you mean do you measure it or how do you set it to the correct height?

[roccorich 16]

How do I measure what it currently is?

 

Is it a case if jacking up the back and removing the dampers then measuring the bolt centre to centre distance with the trailing arms unsupported?

 

Cheers

[Anthony 1,002]

Basically yes, but you'll need to factor in any "droop" caused by the weight of the arms lengthening the bolt hole measurement slightly.

 

As a ballpark, 322mm is standard (assuming 205 beam with standard GTi torsion bars) and 312mm is around 30mm or so lower.

[mrfirepro 127 1 Cars]

This thread got me looking at mine, what sort of height (roughly) should there be from center of wheel to the wheel arch(highers point, no trim on wheel arch). I've set my beam to 322mm and have got 420mm one side and 425mm the other (car not been used yet). Just want to check this is normal as the wheels look divorced from the car.

[Anthony 1,002]

I don't have the measurements to hand that you're looking for, but without the trim a standard height car will have significant wheel-arch gap and thus I wouldn't be too concerned - if the beam is 322mm it should be correct

[roccorich 16]

Cheers Anthony.

 

Got 322mm on the back so its at standard height.

 

Just need to find some cheap gti springs for the front now so it matches.

[Rock Lobster 28]

Be careful when buying cheap springs though, I was chasing my tail trying to find why my ride height was so high at the front and it was cheap aftermarket rubbish that caused it! There is a thread on here somewhere.

[happypatrol 5]

Be careful when buying cheap springs though, I was chasing my tail trying to find why my ride height was so high at the front and it was cheap aftermarket rubbish that caused it! There is a thread on here somewhere.

I can second that, after trying three different brands of standard height spring i couldn't get mine to sit right. It was way too high and it the suspension was solid.

Ive now went for eibach 30m lower springs which i didn't want to have my car lowered but its far better that than it too high. And the difference to drive it now is frightening. It handled terribly with the higher springs.