Did I adjust rear suspension incorrectly?

[donutholer]

I recently replaced the cut springs (previous owner had installed) and put some HR race springs in, about double the size.

I also increased the length of the rear shock, to increase the ride height by a lot, two inches at least.

When jacking up the car by the front left jack point, I noticed the front wheel off the ground but the rear raised only the chassis a lot. Did I increase the length of the shock by too much?

the yellow is the amount I increased, roughly.

The last two pics are the before I raised the car

 

[Delk]

The adjustable shocks with the coil over kits need to be adusted so they do not bottom out before the suspension does. Its easisest with the wheel off and the spring out to push the trailing arm up and find the max lenght and make the shock a little smaller.

The suspension drop is the from max compression to whatever the travel of the sock is.

 

[donutholer]

The adjustable shocks with the coil over kits need to be adusted so they do not bottom out before the suspension does. Its easisest with the wheel off and the spring out to push the trailing arm up and find the max lenght and make the shock a little smaller.

The suspension drop is the from max compression to whatever the travel of the sock is.

Thanks for the tip, I'm not 100% understanding what you're saying. So:
take off the wheel, and spring
Then push the trailing arm all the way up, but how does that help find the max length of the shock?

 

[Nodzed]

There are lots of advice / videos online on how to setup adjustable shocks I would take a look and learn the best way to set them up, its not as simple as just measuring ride height etc.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rA0vz_bLrwg

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lI0w683OgB8

 

[donutholer]

There are lots of advice / videos online on how to setup adjustable shocks I would take a look and learn the best way to set them up, its not as simple as just measuring ride height etc.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rA0vz_bLrwg

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lI0w683OgB8

those videos werent most helpful due to length and lack of examples, but were in depth.

I watched this video which helped me understand what I need to do if anyone else is wondering the same thing:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ny6xjsLU25A

 

[Delk]

Thanks for the tip, I'm not 100% understanding what you're saying. So:
take off the wheel, and spring
Then push the trailing arm all the way up, but how does that help find the max length of the shock?

The bump stop of the suspension is the limit. The shock is not designed to be the limit. If the shock is to long you will bottom this out and destroy the shock or the mounts.
If you push the suspension all the way up you have the max length of the shock at compression. If you adjust yours just smaller then this you will have the right compression and be able to use the full travel for drop.

I have BC coil overs on mine and Bilsteins on the misses. Bilsteins and stock dampers have a lot more travel then my BCs. When I lift the two cars mine doesn't drop near as much as hers.

 

[donutholer]

The bump stop of the suspension is the limit. The shock is not designed to be the limit. If the shock is to long you will bottom this out and destroy the shock or the mounts.
If you push the suspension all the way up you have the max length of the shock at compression. If you adjust yours just smaller then this you will have the right compression and be able to use the full travel for drop.

I have BC coil overs on mine and Bilsteins on the misses. Bilsteins and stock dampers have a lot more travel then my BCs. When I lift the two cars mine doesn't drop near as much as hers.

Thank you delk!

 

[Delk]

those videos werent most helpful due to length and lack of examples, but were in depth.

I watched this video which helped me understand what I need to do if anyone else is wondering the same thing:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ny6xjsLU25A

The rear dampers he has a some length adjustment ones common with most E30 Z3 coilovers kits. You keep the stock spring set up but have an adjustable length damper. They have a fixed travel but adjustable body so they can be set for different models of cars. It's not a full coilovers setup. You can get these but they are more full race and price also.

 

[donutholer]

The rear dampers he has a some length adjustment ones common with most E30 Z3 coilovers kits. You keep the stock spring set up but have an adjustable length damper. They have a fixed travel but adjustable body so they can be set for different models of cars. It's not a full coilovers setup. You can get these but they are more full race and price also. View attachment 344441

Sorry, I wasnt clear with my setup. My car came with some garbage coilovers and cut springs in the rear which made it practically dragging on the ground. I replaced the cut springs with HR race springs from a 318ti, and the back has the adjustable rear dampers like his. On the front I'm taking the coilovers out and putting in bilstein b8 struts with the HR race springs.

 

[Nodzed]

those videos werent most helpful due to length and lack of examples, but were in depth.

I watched this video which helped me understand what I need to do if anyone else is wondering the same thing:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ny6xjsLU25A

they were just an example of what is out there.

 

[Delk]

Sorry, I wasnt clear with my setup. My car came with some garbage coilovers and cut springs in the rear which made it practically dragging on the ground. I replaced the cut springs with HR race springs from a 318ti, and the back has the adjustable rear dampers like his. On the front I'm taking the coilovers out and putting in bilstein b8 struts with the HR race springs.

Fully understand and been there. I needed front camber adjustment to clear some wheels so in a hurry I fitted some cheap coilovers and they were like driving in bricks.

The I would match the rears and compared to the fronts they are relatively inexpensive. The bilstein rear dampers and HR springs all around will make for a much better ride. That's what's fitted to my misses daily.

For now you can adjust the length of the rears but this doesn't effect ride height. Just don't make them to long so they become the limit.