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Adjusting ride height

I've never done it like that. I always measure from the lower control arm picot to the floor and adjust the front evenly where I think it looks best.
 
nelsonjohn said:
I am getting ready to adjust the ride height in my 65 Belvedere. The manual says ride height 1 3/4" + or - 1/8".
View attachment 114842.
View attachment 114843
Is it 1 3/4" difference between those 2 points? Which one should be higher?
Click to expand...

Through the stock specs in the trash. They're way out dated. Set the height where you like the look. Usually Fender lip to ground 26"-28". Set the caster to the max. If you haven't installed offset upper busings you may want to. Also you should have fresh strut rod and lower control arm bushings. Adjust the rear cam bolts in as far as they will go. Then adjust the camber with the front bolts. If the camber is less than-.5 degrees, bring the rear bolts out until you reach -.5 to 0 degrees. Then match the caster on both sides for as much as you can get, usually +2 to +3 degrees. Set toe-in at .015 degree each wheel and you'll love it. These specs have been tested to 145MPH, straight as an arrow.
Doug
 

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The distance from the lowest point of the steering arm will be less than the pivot point. Say the distance from the arm is 9 1/2 " & the distance from the pivot is 11" = 1 1/2 ".
 
Or, just set the height on how you like it.
 
dvw said:
Through the stock specs in the trash. They're way out dated. Set the height where you like the look. Usually Fender lip to ground 26"-28". Set the caster to the max. If you haven't installed offset upper busings you may want to. Also you should have fresh strut rod and lower control arm bushings. Adjust the rear cam bolts in as far as they will go. Then adjust the camber with the front bolts. If the camber is less than-.5 degrees, bring the rear bolts out until you reach -.5 to 0 degrees. Then match the caster on both sides for as much as you can get, usually +2 to +3 degrees. Set toe-in at .015 degree each wheel and you'll love it. These specs have been tested to 145MPH, straight as an arrow.
Doug
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Doug is right with those measurements for a daily driver, if you are racing then 25.5-27 inches total from ground to wheel lip opening.
Not sure what you have for rear suspension but if you have cal tracs or ladder bars rthen you will have to readjust your preload on passenger side.
 

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Thanks for all the information. All bushings, ball joints, tie rods, etc have been replaced.

How receptive are front end shops with giving them specs to align?
 
nelsonjohn said:
Thanks for all the information. All bushings, ball joints, tie rods, etc have been replaced.

How receptive are front end shops with giving them specs to align?
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most shops have no clue how to even align a torsion bar front mopar end. save some heartache and call around first to find a competent shop familiar with old mopars. I do all my own right in the driveway. you have to remember those specs were based on bias ply tires. even back when , I had a couple clowns trying to figure out where to the put shims. I made them take the car off the rack.
 
I do the same as Doug does. I set my height where I like it and then align my front end to give me as much positive caster as I can get and then set my camber and toe. Ron

100_1962_zps32227bf7.jpg
 
dvw said:
Through the stock specs in the trash. They're way out dated. Set the height where you like the look. Usually Fender lip to ground 26"-28". Set the caster to the max. If you haven't installed offset upper busings you may want to. Also you should have fresh strut rod and lower control arm bushings. Adjust the rear cam bolts in as far as they will go. Then adjust the camber with the front bolts. If the camber is less than-.5 degrees, bring the rear bolts out until you reach -.5 to 0 degrees. Then match the caster on both sides for as much as you can get, usually +2 to +3 degrees. Set toe-in at .015 degree each wheel and you'll love it. These specs have been tested to 145MPH, straight as an arrow.
Doug
Click to expand...

Thanks For The Ride Height Info Doug! Mine Needs To Be Reset!
 
dvw said:
............ If you haven't installed offset upper busings you may want to. .............Doug
Click to expand...

Offset upper control arm bushings to help get +2 to +3 degrees camber? Who sells those?

:glasses8:
 
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If you use the fender lips you will want to make sure they fenders are exactly equal on both sides. I'd use the frame rails or fixed point on the suspension.
 
The Mopar Chassis manual recommends 1/2" clearance between the rubber bumper and the control arm in the low race position and adjust from there. It also says a 2-3° nose down attitude is best. Having the sill 2" higher at the rear than in the front gives the right rake.

This is how I set the height on my '63 but I also check the fender lip height as well.
 
If the fenders are at different heights, you have more issues then the ride height. Using the fender height is a easy and repeatable way to measure, even if not "factory" correct. Some alignment people can not think beyond what the computer tells them to do. A good alignment person will always road test a car first, if they can, to check steering wheel straightness and pull. I have also had rebuilt cars that I HAD to adjust toe to get on the alignment machine, without the ramps moving.
 
Measuring directly through the center of the wheel, ground to fender well lip is 27" front, 25" rear. I've had it higher in the front, but ride quality (and alignment) is sacrificed.
 

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