how to adjust ride height

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ClearWaterMS

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okay, got into a discussion, and I need some expert advice to solve this problem.

okay when you want to lower or raise a truck's ride height, do you move the mounting the shocks mounting points on the top or bottom, r do you just add spring spacers (or i f you have threaded shocks, adjust the collar)

my argument was to change the mounting location until you achieved a proper ride height and ideally you want the truck to sit in about the middle of the shock travel so that when you jump the wheels cans move down and they can also move up when they need to.

my buddy and another friend were contending that you are better to adjust the collar on the shock becahsue you are will change the ride height by moving the body of the shock up or down, because the collar is load bearding twist it down, moves the body of the shock up, increasing ride height. My problem is that when you attempt to increase the ride height you are reducing the downward travel of the shock, because you are moving the body up, also you are exposing more of the shock shaft. vice versa if you want to lower the truck you reduce upward travel of the shock.

Which one is right? I need proof, not just what everybody else does, also please keep in mind I am not a suspension engineer, and if you point me to a really techincal and long document, I probably won't understand. Please help me.

Thank you

Chris
 
You're "both" correct, to a point.

Adding or removing space collars will work fine. You're adjusting the preload of the spring. Moving the shock mount will also change the ride height but will change the way the shock will dampen.

I would suggest changing the shock spacers. That way you won't affect the way the car will roll in a turn. You'll just affect the height and stiffness of the springs.
 
okay I understand that when you move the lower shock point further from the fulcrum, you change the dampen pressure. I also think that adding spring spacers or adjusting the collars, you increase the spring rates, and by increasing the spring rates, you are affecting the rebound of the shock. Alternatively if you don't add spring rate you decrease the effective travel distance of the shock, and the reason is because you move the shock body up in the trucks static position, decreasing the amount of available downward travel.

Correct me if I am wrong, but in an ideal world you want to set the ride height using the mounting holes on the shock tower and arms (hence the reason aftermarket shock towers have like 10 holes on each side) and then you set the spring rates and shock oil based on all other things... While adding spacers or adjusting the collar will give you a change in ride height it's more of a bandaid then a proper fix.
 
For me, I check the handeling characteristics of the r/c first. That's based on the angle of the shock. I then check for desired spring rate through different tension springs. Stock usually does fine, it all depends on track grip. I will then adjust for ride weight with the shock collars. If you can, I would get the threaded shock colars instead of using the spacers.

BTW, I do on-road, but the basics are still there. On-road is more responsive to the changes because we're dealing with 3-5 mm of clearance.

Band-aid and proper fix are only conclusive to what you are trying to fix. If the truck is handeling well and all you want it height, stick a collar in. Yes, it will be a harder rebound of the spring but shock dampening will remain the same.
 
Tightening or adding clips to compress the springs doesn't change the "spring rate". It only changes ride height. A springs rate doesn't change from not compressed to fully compressed unless you have progressive springs. To change the "spring rate" you have to actually use different springs.

I'd listen to diver on the rest. I read a bunch of crap in Xtreme RC Mag about shock positions and spring rates, (www.rc411.com) and he's pretty much on the money.
 
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