Motons height on 18/19

[Shandon]

I am currently installing Motons on my car that I got from another member (Installed the front ones on yesterday). What ride height do you all find is acceptable for driving around town? I have 18-19 wheels. I have never rubbed anything at stock heights before and not sure how low is too low?

I spoke with Mark J. at woodhouse before installing but I forgot to ask this. I know to keep a 1/2 rake from front to back and I have an appointment set to have it professionaly alligned and corner weighted.

 

[wallbanger]

woodhouse lowered mine 7/8 rear, 3/4 front from stock....no rubbing...my only issue is my headlight beams seem to aim a little high

 

[MikeR]

On my stock wheels, I had about 3 1/4" ground clearance from front jack point and 3 3/4" on rear jack point. I could get about 2 fingers in between rear tire and fender, about 1 1/2 fingers in front. I like to see the car about 1- 1 1/2 " lower. But some find it too low. When I put my 19/20's on I went a littel lower because I wanted that slammed look. It handled great but scraped a bit on front end out of driveways.

Woodhouse tends to go on the conservative side in lowering. Id say try there settings, drop the car about 1" and drive it for a few days or a week. See if you like the handling and the look. Adjust as needed then get your alignment.

 

[MikeR]

woodhouse lowered mine 7/8 rear, 3/4 front from stock....no rubbing...my only issue is my headlight beams seem to aim a little high

You can adjust the headlights very easliy. Mine actually were too low when I lowered mine. Very odd that after lowering your front end, that your lights would aim too high. When you pop hood, on inner wall of fender about 12" back of headlight, there is a rubber plug. Remove plug and there is a adjustment screw. I think its a 6 or 7mm socket and you can turn headlights up or down.

 

[Nader]

I would simply give Mark a call again however my guess is he will find this thread first. I went with Woodhouse recommendations. Low but not too low but still need to becareful of driveway aprons and speedbumps.

 

[Shandon]

Nader, What is the measurment you have from you jack point to ground on the front and rear? I put the car back on the ground with wheels once I finished the front and its low but I havn't taken a measurment yet on the ride height. I can get about 1 1/2 fingers between the wheel well up front. Looks like a drag car with the front slammed an the rears stock height

 

[Shandon]

MikeR do you think that 4-4.5 would help with the scraping. I am digging the slammed look a lot but im sure there will be a need to trade off a little on the height.

 

[mjorgensen Woodhouse]

The reason we set the height were we do is that any lower (after a bit of spring settle) and there is a tendency for the rear wheels (stock) to contact the fender liners and eventually wear holes in them. This may be fine for some but since we ship almost all the cars some distance from us we have to be sure it is OK for everyone. I like the slammed look also but at some point the tire looks funny in the wheel well (too small front to back) IMHO. I do think that the 1/2" of rake is needed for the correct handling of the car though even if it does not fit someones idea of looks.

Thanks

 

[MikeR]

MikeR do you think that 4-4.5 would help with the scraping. I am digging the slammed look a lot but im sure there will be a need to trade off a little on the height.

Im sure it would be it probably wouldnt be much lower then stock. I forget what mine were at before I lowered it. If you can get 1 1/2 fingers in, once your rear is lowered down i think you will be fine. I had mine where I could barely get one finger in. So it was low!! Just get rears in, set at 1/2 difference then front and drive for a week. Since those springs came off my car used, they wont settle too much.

For me, part of it was for the handling, but alot of it for the look. I will say , it handled like crap after I put stock suspension and wheels back on. God, you forget how crummy stock is. lol

 

[Nader]

Shandon I am not able to get to my car tonight - Since I live in the city, i have a garage a few blocks from me. If you dont have any success getting the right setting or measurements, I will go get the measurements from my car.


As Mike noted, you are going to love the ride compared to the stock setup.

Tom

 

[Shandon]

Sounds Good. I got the rear motons done tonight and the Cannisters mounted in the the trunk without a hitch (Wow do they look Da*n good) .
Man the rears are way easier to install than the fronts!! Anyway I still have it on stands and will drop it back on the wheels tomorrow to get a reading on the ride height.

Nader I will post some install pictures of your mounts and I have some great photos of "how too" with cutting the back panel & insterting the clips into the back wall.

 

[Viper X]

Shandon,

I've had quite a bit of experience with lowering Vipers - three of my own and several friends.

Also, I am "performance biased" not looks biased, so take my input with that in mind.

Best rule of thumb assuming proper spring rates, wheel offsets and tire sizes is two fingers front, three fingers rear. The car will be able to accomodate two normal sized people and luggage at that ride height. It wall also be able to go up most driveways and clear most speed bumps. When you hit a high speed bump like a bridge expansion joint at speed, you should be OK.

Oh, and the car will handle very well at that ride height with a proper alignment.

While lower might look cooler to some, if you go lower, you will rub and hit many things. Mark J wasn't kidding about rubbing holes in your rear fender liners. We've had several of our local club members wear out the rear fender liners due to excessive lowering.

You may also rub up front if you hit a bump in a high speed corner like a freeway on ramp.

Good luck,

Dan

 

[TAILWAG]

Nader, What is the measurment you have from you jack point to ground on the front and rear? I put the car back on the ground with wheels once I finished the front and its low but I havn't taken a measurment yet on the ride height. I can get about 1 1/2 fingers between the wheel well up front. Looks like a drag car with the front slammed an the rears stock height

1.5 fingers??? I can stick 1.5 HANDS in mine!!!

 

[wallbanger]

You can adjust the headlights very easliy. Mine actually were too low when I lowered mine. Very odd that after lowering your front end, that your lights would aim too high. When you pop hood, on inner wall of fender about 12" back of headlight, there is a rubber plug. Remove plug and there is a adjustment screw. I think its a 6 or 7mm socket and you can turn headlights up or down.

thanks for the headlight adjustment tip...did it today

 

[Nader]

I am set at just about the same height. I dont see any rubbing in the front or rear at all. However there is one parkway with a severe ungulation in the road that causes a significant compression of the suspension at speed and will rub the rear slightly when tank is full. That is the only time that it happens.

Shandon i look forward to your pics and install detail. You are going to love the new suspension.

Shandon,

I've had quite a bit of experience with lowering Vipers - three of my own and several friends.

Also, I am "performance biased" not looks biased, so take my input with that in mind.

Best rule of thumb assuming proper spring rates, wheel offsets and tire sizes is two fingers front, three fingers rear. The car will be able to accomodate two normal sized people and luggage at that ride height. It wall also be able to go up most driveways and clear most speed bumps. When you hit a high speed bump like a bridge expansion joint at speed, you should be OK.

Oh, and the car will handle very well at that ride height with a proper alignment.

While lower might look cooler to some, if you go lower, you will rub and hit many things. Mark J wasn't kidding about rubbing holes in your rear fender liners. We've had several of our local club members wear out the rear fender liners due to excessive lowering.

You may also rub up front if you hit a bump in a high speed corner like a freeway on ramp.

Good luck,

Dan

 

[Shandon]

Here are a couple teaser pictures from my crackberry phone of the semi-final install from last night. Better ones to come in the days ahead

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