moosestang

I always thought springs dictate the ride height, but after changing my rear shocks to kyb gas-adjusts, there is a significant difference in ride height. I could tell just driving the car. Will these settle some?

Norm Peterson

Installing gas pressure shocks on a car that did not have gas pressure shocks before will typically raise the car up a little. This is specifically due to the gas pressure creating static force on the shock pistons, which lifts the car until a new equilibrium ride height is reached. Somewhat simplified, however much weight that the gas pressure inside each shock is carrying is deducted from the amount that its spring used to carry, which means that the spring is no longer compressed as far as it used to be . . . IOW a higher ride height.

Picky little bit of gas pressure shock trivia - they also have a small spring rate because the force on the shock pistons does not remain constant over suspension travel.


Norm

moosestang

Well I'm going to give it a few thousand miles, then I'm breaking out the cutoff wheel. I might cut up my stock springs first and see how they ride. They ain't worth anything and I'm never going back to stock height.

Norm Peterson

The only way that gas pressure shocks will settle is if the gas leaks out.

I'm assuming that if the springs shifted slightly during the shock replacement job, they got re-indexed correctly. Easy enough to check and correct if necessary.


Norm

moosestang

I looked at the springs the second time and they don't look like they moved. Kyb says the shocks can't change the ride height.

Maybe the springs have to settle again. I'll check the pigtails on the bottom of the springs. Both face drivers side right?

moosestang

Decided to cut the springs. Measuring the front and rear from the ground to the fender lip, the front was more than 1 inch lower than the back. my front probably sits a little lower because of the blower and heat exchanger.

I cut off about 3/4 of a coil. I ground the end flat, but probably not necessary.





It only gave me an additional 1/4 inch of drop. I'm going to leave it at that, might cut more later. I read the 03-04 cobra has linear springs and they get 3/4 to 1 inch with 1/2 a coil, but they are higher to begin with.

jpplaw

I read somewhere that the pigtails should both face inward toward the center of the rear, but that shouldn't really affect the ride height.
Maybe try loosening all of the pivot points(LCA, UCA and Panhard) under suspension load and then re-torquing? There might be a bind somewhere? Thats some pretty stiff shocks if they alone are what lifted the car.

moosestang

I read they are supposed to both face rearward, lol! That's how I have them now, but it shouldn't matter. The pigtail doesn't sit in a notch on the bottom or top.

I tried loosening and retorquing the upper, because I thought the poly axle bushing might be holding it up some, but it didn't matter.

The shocks are stiff, but I can compress them by pulling down on the tube. The stock shocks were easily compressed off the car. It rides so much better with these shocks.

tbear853

Hey ..... just looking for some info on "how much cut = how much drop in rear" and was wondering if maybe you had any new information to share? I figure it's been time enough for all to settle?


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