Suspension drop reference

S

Spike Engineering

Member
These are the measurements I'm interested in...
rear measurement:
rearht.jpg


front measurement:
frontht.jpg


Measure from the centerline of the wheel up (plumb) to the fender lip. Any other measurement doesn't count. 1/4" accuracy is good enough.

If you have a new or used stock Lightning, those measurements are helpful for a baseline.

Provide:
Manufacture and front drop type / Manufacture and rear drop type
Listed front drop/Listed rear drop
measure front/measured rear
Front spring age/Rear spring age (months)
(tire and wheel sizes don't matter)

current Baseline Front: 19" / Rear: 20.25"
Front: drop / Rear: drop
(Boostin01L) Stock: 0 / Stock: -0.25 (19/20)
(SVT_KY) Stock: 0 / Stock: -0.25 (19/20)
(BLackBoLT99) Stock: 0 / Stock: 0.75 (19/21)
(427 Cobra Guy) Stock: 0 / Stock: 0.25 (19/20.5)
(Neal W) Stock: 0 / Stock: -0.25 (19/20)
(Spike's white L) Stock: 0 / Stock: 0 (19/20.25)
(thepawn) Stock: -0.5 / Stock: -0.25 (18.5/20) (see note 4)
(lxtac) Stock: 0.0625 / Stock: 0 (19.0625/20.25)
(SLVRLTNG) Stock: 0 / 2" Belltech shackles: -2.25 (19/18)
(BLackBoLT99) Stock: 0 / 2" Belltech shackles: -1.25 (19/19)
(Speedin Bob) Stock: -0.25 / 2" Belltech shackles: -1.25 (18.75/19)
(SILVERLIGHTNING) Stock: 0 / 2" Belltech shackles: -1.25 (19/19)
(FlashSVT) Stock: 0.25 / 2" Belltech shackles: -1 (19.25/19.25) (see note 1)
(DB) Stock: -0.5 / 2" AIM Shackles: -1.75 (18.5/18.5) (see note 2)
(Streetking) Western Chassis 3" hanger & cut coil: -3.75 / 4" Belltech kit (shackles and hangers): -4.5 (15.25/15.75)
(DJY1) Belltech 3" coils + Western Chassis 2" A-arms: -4 / 4" Belltech kit (shackles and hangers): -4.75 (15/15.5)
(RobG) Eibach 1.75" coils + Western Chassis 2" A-arms: -3 / Western Chassis 2" hanger/ Hotchkis spring: -3.75 (16/16.5)
(Struck by Lightning) Eiback 1" coils: -2 / 2" Belltech shackles: -1.5 (17/18.75)
(Struck in AZ) Eiback 1" coils: -2 / 2" Belltech shackles: -1.5 (17/18.75)
(Z28KLR) Ground Force 2" coils: -1 / DJM 2" shackles: -1.25 (18/19)
(JeffsLightning) Ground Force 2" coils: -1.5 / Comp. springs & FRPP shackles: -2.25 (17.5/18)
(Ebbsnflows) Ground Force 2" coils: -3 / FRPP shackles: -1.92 (16/18.33)
(SBMotorsports) FRPP: -1.5 / FRPP shackles: -2 (17.5/18.25)
(thepawn) Roush: -2 / Roush: -3.25 (17/17)
(drgndoorsnc) djm tubular lower control arms: -3 / djm shackles: -1.25 (16/19)
(CaptainOblivious) Hotchkis coils: -1.25 / Hotchkis springs: -2 (17.75/18.25)
(Silver-Bolt) Hotchkis coils: -1.5 / Hotchkis springs: -2 (17.5/18.25)
(HIHOAG) Hotchkis coils: -0.625 / Hotchkis springs: -1.875 (18.375/18.375)
(Need4Speed) Hotchkis coils: -1.25 / Hotchkis springs: -2 (17.75/18.25)
(Spike) Spike Hotchkis coils: -1.5 / Spike Hotchkis springs: -3.25 (17.5/17)
(Speedin Bob) Ruslow coils: -1.5 / 2" Belltech shackles: -1.25 (17.5/19)
(Ruslow) Ruslow coils: -1.5 / Ruslow Slider: -1.75 (17.5/18.5)

Notes
1. Both measurements where 1/4" above ave.
2. Coils and springs 23 months old. If fronts and rears didn't sag, then both measurements assumed 1/2" off to give 19 and 18.
3. Several newer lightnings were higher in the rear than others
4. Stock measurement was 18.5 and was ignored. Difference from ave. was too great to consider.

Spike
 
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Spike,

Front is 16".

Front suspension consists of Western Chassis 2" lower control arms and So-Cal Speed shop Eibach 1.75" drop springs.
Both components are 3 months old.

Rear is 16.5".

Rear suspension consists of Western Chassis 2" drop hangers, Hotchkis 2" drop leaf springs and factory shackles. The leaf springs are about 8 months old.
 
Because with the Hotchkis 2" drop leafs and 2" drop shackles I only got a 3" drop. My front end was dropped 3.5" so to level it out I put on the hangers and put on the stock shackles for a nice leveled out look.
 
So lets see, my 2000 LIghtning sits leveled right now the suspension is all stock except for the shackles, i want to go 1" all the way around. So i would get the Hotchkis, FRPP or Ruslow coils. Now if i just do the front the back will sit higher. I need some help on the rear part of the suspension. Anyone?

Another Question how will this handle on the road course??? i will replace the shocks also evetually dont know with what yet but anybody could shine in on that subject would be great.

Thank You
 
Black2000L said:
So lets see, my 2000 LIghtning sits leveled right now the suspension is all stock except for the shackles, i want to go 1" all the way around. So i would get the Hotchkis, FRPP or Ruslow coils. Now if i just do the front the back will sit higher. I need some help on the rear part of the suspension. Anyone?

Another Question how will this handle on the road course??? i will replace the shocks also evetually dont know with what yet but anybody could shine in on that subject would be great.

Thank You
Click to expand...
Regarding how it will handle? It's tough to say because all three coils are different, including how they will interact with your shackles. Then, if you modify the rear, it's another change. See this setup guide for a brief/general overview of what could happen. Also, there are many other factors not addressed for instance, rolls centers (sideways and front to back).

Spike
 
I just ordered my Roush springs, I'll get measurements when I have them installed, probably a few weeks off yet.

Daniel
 
Spike -

For your reference I installed the Hotchkis coils and leafs.

I got 1.25" in the front and 2.0" in the rear.

I used the stock spring pads for the coils since they seemed to fit much better than what hotchkis sent.
 
as of right now front djm tubular lower control arms measure 16 flat so that is -3 and rear is 19 using djm shakles (for now have the hangers just have to install) so that is -1.25

kevin
 
Hrm...here's my numbers so far:

Stock:
ft: 18.5"
rr: 18.5"

(I have a heavy cover :) )

ROUSH springs (front & rear):
ft: 17"
rr: 17"

It is supposed to be a 2-inch drop, but its new, I imagine it will settle over the course of the week.

Daniel
 
Roush Lowering Kit consisting of

Front coils and shocks and bump stops
Rear leafs (3) and shocks

REAR 16.5" -- Sitting on the stock bump stops at the moment.
FRONT 17 1.4"

Handles like a DREAM now ...

BEFORE :::::::::


833-1149-21385.jpg


AFTER :::::::::::

833-1149-37002.jpg
 
Roush kit, with roush(bilstein shocks)

17" Front

17 3/8" Rear


Stock was 20.5 Front 18.5 Rear Differance from front to rear was exactly 2 inches.

(using the above measureing technique.

Stock height from GROUND to wheel well was 32.5 front, 34.5 rear, after teh kit 30.5 front, 31.25 rear.


Rear shocks

16" from end to first rubber boot fully compressed
25.5" from end to first rubber boot, full un compressed

I forgot to measure the fronts till they were on DOH...

Ride is outstanding, and handles awesome too! Now if only my brakes didnt' start stinking after 5 mins of curvy roads =)..

Now i gotta get it aligned monday, soo any suggetsions on alignment specs would be aweosme =)

All components are brand new and only a few hours old.
Thanks
Brandon

PS spike you da man
 
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hey I didn't know if this is the correct way of measuring correct ride height...... I was trained by BMW to measure from the bottom of the lip of the rim. It cancels the guess work of people kinda. If people look at the centerline of the hubcap, they might not be getting an accurate measurement, say if one person looked at it from a top angle, as compared to a person looking at it from the side.....See what I mean? Just a thought.....
 
HaloGrinder said:
hey I didn't know if this is the correct way of measuring correct ride height...... I was trained by BMW to measure from the bottom of the lip of the rim. It cancels the guess work of people kinda. If people look at the centerline of the hubcap, they might not be getting an accurate measurement, say if one person looked at it from a top angle, as compared to a person looking at it from the side.....See what I mean? Just a thought.....
Click to expand...
Whether it's from the fender to the center of the rim or to the edge of the rim, the concept is to measure from one fixed point to another fixed point.

The only problem measuring to the edge of the rim is that the wheel diameter becomes another variable. Make sense?
 
I understand that, of course you have to put wheel size into concideration, but with most lightning trucks I have seen, they have they factory 18's in it. Easy enough, if you have diffrent rim sizes, just remove the 1/2 inch in diffrence (i.e. 19" rims, remove 1/2 inch to bring it to baseline of 18" factory rims...) just my two cents....i just see it as being able to get the human factor out of the measuring. What I think is one measurement, another person might think that im wrong when trying to eyeball the center of the rim.....whatever just throwing an option out...:tu:
 
I forgot one other variable: Tire diameter. Don't take me wrong, your way/BMW's way isn't a problem, it's just a bit combursome considering you're trying to remove human error from not being able to measure level from a centerline. Imagine this:
1. Measure from the fender lip to the edge of the rim.
2. Measure the rim diameter
3. Measure the tire diameter
4. Then, supply all that information

Instead of:
1. Measure from the fender lip to the centerline of the axle (1/4" accuracy is good enough).

:tug:
 
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I see yer point, but tire diameter doesnt become a factor, since yer measuring from a metal point. If you change yer rim size, it will change the results, but if tire height or diameter is changed, it wont matter, since it didnt move the rim up or down from the axle. Oh well, happy measuring:tu:
 
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