Figuring out ride height

[Big M]

Hi, I need some help in working out the ride height of my VR4. Would like to check if it is stock height or is it lowered in way.

Does some one have the measurements of a stock VR4 ride height or even lowered hieght. I am after the distance from the centre (middle) of the wheel to the top of wheel arch for the front and the rear.

Thanks ......

 

[milkandoj]

I couldn't help myself and went to measure my car
From the center of the wheel to the wheel arch its;

315mm front
310mm rear

Its far too low lol its going up 20mm all round. The rear axles are past level. Looks mean but it annoys the shit out of me.
That pretty low, so you should be well above this!

 

[turbovr4]

I know that my eterna is standard height because i am boring and have had lowerd cars like the mgb. i like a car i can put everybody in and not scrape over speed bumps or gutters so its
380mm front
360mm rear
ha, i dont even slow down for railway tracks crossings

 

[Big M]

Thanks for some numbers.

Milkandoj, how much have you lowered yours. It look great, whats the ride like.

My VR4 measures 360mm at the front and 350 at the rear, so I am guessing it is close to stock height.

Any other number would help as I would like to lower mine.

 

[VR-4Squid]

270mm at the front... with 18x9 +30's will need some custom RCA's and tie rod ends (not to mention guard work) to run this low though. Aside from the outer guard the tire clears everything at this height, even at full lock (with 235/40/18's).

Intending to run something like 310 front 270/280 rear with a wee pull of the guards.

 

[milkandoj]

I have adjustable coilovers so i cant say how much lower than standard it is. I can change it how i want then get a wheel alignment done again.
It looks great but like i said the rear axles at this height have gone past sitting vertical so it puts the geometry out in the rear.
I cant really tell you what i would feel like with springs and shocks as the suspension is real hard. Sits nice and flat through corners, so the suspension isn't moving through the same movement a softer shock would, so i can feel the effects on the geometry when its this low.

But after not driving it for a few months ive realized its too low and i don't like it.

I'm putting it up so the rear axles are strait where they enter the diff so less change of sheering there on a launch.

From a driving point of view i wouldn't recommend it. And this height is the limit of going over speed humps without having to drive sideways over them. I'm over it.
Does look amazing though, how it sits it doesn't stupidly low, but getting over things and the way it drives it was much better raised up before.

So what i was trying to show is how mine looks that low so you know how low to go, but any lower and its unpractical, i know coz i had it 10-15mm lower for a few days to try it.
So maybe add 20mm on how mine is atm for eg, and it will be practical. Also measure the lowest point on the car prob the exhaust and go from that to, over here in WA its 100mm minimum height.

Vr4-squid, nice work, how how can you drive that thing?

 

[milkandoj]

Well if you want to figure out how much lower you can go, measure the lowest point under the car.
If the legal limit is 100mm in you state, you know what the difference is and how far up or down you need to go. Say your at 130mm, you can drop another 30mm (legally).
You can also take that from your measurements at the wheels-arch, that's the way i did it when adjusting my coilovers.

For example, i just measured my car, its got 70mm clearance off the down pipe so would need to go up 30mm to be legal.

 

[boostboy76]

Is it even worth lowering your car these days with govt. attitude towards "modified" cars these days?

 

[Big M]

I was thinking about just putting in a set of lowered coils , but now looking at some BC Coilovers.

 

[VR-4Squid]

Vr4-squid, nice work, how how can you drive that thing?

The guards flex enough to allow it to reach full lock - obviously not really driveable, but adequate to allow me to move it around, pulled the rear hubs for 5-stud conversion today and rear evo5 cusco coilovers are getting 70mm removed from the lower mounts this weekend, once the rear end is back together it'll be raised up 25 to 40mm and the guards rolled abit more.

 

[D3bb4]

how low can the rear go before you stuff the drive shafts?

 

[to4garret]

ive realized its too low and i don't like it.

what happened to you? you used to be cool.

 

[VR-4Squid]

how low can the rear go before you stuff the drive shafts?

The limiting factor in the rear is when the upper arm contacts the chassis (about 30mm below bumpstop height on stock shocks) and the max angle the inner cv joint can achieve is more than this - maybe as much as 2-3" at the hub end?

I'll take a pic of the driveshaft angle at the point the upper arm contacts the chassis and another of the the driveshaft at max deflection tomorrow.

 

[milkandoj]

what happened to you? you used to be cool.

Ive scrapped the braces under the car and it pains me looking at it when im under the car lol.
And im sick of driving sideways over speed humps hoping not the hear a scrape.
And every cops looks at me when i drive past lol. Never used to.

looks good but shits me off.

 

[milkandoj]

The limiting factor in the rear is when the upper arm contacts the chassis (about 30mm below bumpstop height on stock shocks) and the max angle the inner cv joint can achieve is more than this - maybe as much as 2-3" at the hub end?

I'll take a pic of the driveshaft angle at the point the upper arm contacts the chassis and another of the the driveshaft at max deflection tomorrow.

your a nutter you love it slammed hey!

 

[VR-4Squid]

Axle angle at proposed ride height of ~270mm hub centre to guard lip.

Axle angle at maximum articulation.

Modified shocks showing range of ride height adjustment, with fully compressed stock shock (missing it's lower mount) for comparison.

Modified lower mount with vr4 'eye' attached (still need to press in original bushing).

 

[VR-4Squid]

Finally got my rear hubs back on Friday, new rear wheels clear the trailing arm by about a fingers width, and just tuck under the rear arches.

There's only 2 spots where the tire is actually hitting the bodywork,
Will require a wee bit of hammering here.

And a slight bit of trimming with a grinder here.

But I will roll the guards abit anyway as I intend to make some adjustable upper arms so I can set the camber properly (at the moment it is simply "lots" even with stock adjusters maxed out).

 

[D3bb4]

wow. any further ayay shots? looks awesome!!!!! I like low! Is inspiring. I'd like to run mine as low as reasonably possible wouldnt mind flaring guards a bit...

 

[milkandoj]

Great for looks. Shit for handling. It puts the geometry all out once the shafts are past vertical.

 

[D3bb4]

vertical or horizontal?