My front fender height is about 25.75" from the ground, and I'm still running stock strut mounts and struts

It was fine for about 3000 miles, but now I am experiencing extreme nose dive when braking (my spohn transmission cross member scrapes when I brake hard!). I'm going to replace the struts obviously, but I don't want to kill them quickly because the stock strut mounts are keeping them too far compressed due to the low ride height.

Am I correct in thinking I need new strut mounts (raised height)? If so which ones are the best for very low cars?

Thanks!

-Alex

 

Well, the aftermarket sperical bearing mounts will give your struts about an extra inch of travel, but I doubt that'll cure the nose diving when braking hard. I'd think a better/stiffer pair of struts would help counteract the nose diving more than the mounts will. I know it definately stiffened my front end up....I run a TQ arm relocation bracket also (UMI), but I've yet to scrape it on anything.

So far as which mounts are best, I'm sure everyone has an opinion on that. J&M, Founder's, UMI, Spohn...I don't visually see any big differences in design, just prices.

 

ride height and diving is based off the springs you have up front. Sounds like you need stiffer and taller springs since the car is so low. Struts and strut mounts have nothing to do with ride height.

 

True...mounts and struts don't control ride height as xpndbl says, springs do.

The measurements you posted don't really tell me how low your car really sits...the best solution might be to get much stiffer springs or raise the front a bit.

 

stock tires are around 26" tall, so he's tucking the front tire by 1/4", which is pretty slammed IMO.

 

You're going to wear out front struts at a pretty fast rate with your car being as low as it is. The aftermarket strut mounts do allow your struts to move an extra 1". But I don't think they're going to make the difference you think they will.

You need some taller springs.

I honestly don't know how you can drive your car in Houston with all the steep parking lots and pot holes.

This is Alex's car below.



Even Sportlines would probably be taller than what you're running. You've seen what my car looks like with Moog 5662 (non-cut). I'd say get a pair of them (cheap!) and then do a 1/2 coil cut. Maybe a full coil.

 

I think that car sits lower than mine does...and I have Sportline springs on mine...really nice ride though!!

 

Not sure how this turned into a springs/struts thread but anyways:

Yeah I know I need a new/better set of struts, looking at some KONI Yellows or another high quality set for all 4 corners, my current front ones are blown, easy to move quickly by hand. I guess I'm really just wondering which strut mounts give the largest increase in height to compensate for drop springs. I'll just make my own (that still clear the hood) if what I need is not available.

Yes the ride height is based only on the springs, but the struts play a huge role in the dynamic spring/damper system. My problem is in the transition to steady-state braking conditions, over compressing the springs due to an underdamped condition (blown struts). I don't want to change ride height and there was no problem when the struts were not blown (roughly 5000 miles of hard driving, and it got progressively worse as they went out), so the springs rate is OK but yes I agree it's not optimal. When I do get new struts I'm going to do some dynamic analysis and pick an optimal spring rate, I really just want to avoid killing a new set of struts due to operating outside of their designed range of motion, hence the search for the correct strut mount.

haha yeah it is low! Thats an older pic, the front is up about 1/2" or so, and the back is down about the same. That pic was cambered in 6* or so with pretty much flat tires, funky shadows, and on gravel. Here is a pic of the raised front the tire is 25.6" tall and there is about 1/2" fender gap maybe a bit more. I can slide my hand between the tire and fender well with ease. Going to pull the rear down a bit more

 

Keep in mind, all the spherical bearing strut mounts give you close to an inch MORE strut travel...they're TALLER than the stock rubber ones, so really, there's no mounts that will "increase the height" of any car....springs will do that.

You're car is really slammed....you may want to consider what Reid Fleming says. Get a set of Moog springs and cut maybe a full coil off. I don't think you'd see the issues if you raised the front maybe an inch and got some decent struts under it. Plus, you may not need to do anything with the rear since it will level it out more.

When I said you're sitting lower than mine...I really think you are. Here's a pic:

And keep in mind, that was right after I installed springs. The car is probably about 1/2" lower now after it's settled over the past few months...

 

Your still misreading what I'm looking for I think, let me explain it this way

I am 100% aware that the struts have nothing to do with ride height. The distance between the spindle/upright and the upper strut mount is decreased when drop springs are used. I want to increase that distance back to the stock (or close) dimension to avoid having the struts operating in a range of motion they are not designed to operate in. I'm not sure if that is even an issue which is my question #1, and if it is an issue I need to correct it so I need to find or make raised upper strut mounts, or buy appropriate length struts. The ride height is not going to be changed I like it where it is. And it was fine before my struts went out so I'm not inclined to put in new springs

So, all I need to know is:

1.) Is there an issue with stock length struts (koni or other aftermarket) being over compressed and outside their designed range of operation on a car as low as mine (25.75" wheel well height)?

2.) Which strut mounts will give me the largest height increase to avoid the above problem, or do I need to make my own?

- Alex

 

I'm not an expert so maybe someone might be able to confirm this for us, but if you wanted to keep your existing ride height, but give your suspension more travel, or bring that travel back closer to stock range, you might want to look into a ball joint that is longer than stock. I run a .5" longer than stock ball joint which ends up lowering the front of the car, but doesn't do it by lowering it via the spring. Of course if you did this, you would need to add height back at the spring, which means changing springs, which sounds like something you don't want to do at this point.

 

Ok - I didn't understand when you said: I'm no "expert" either, but if you're sticking with the ride height you currently have, I'd get aftermarket strut mounts since it's at least a step in the right direction.

AFAIK, they all give about an inch of extra strut travel...and all claim they work fine on stock height cars....so...I would assume there's a bit of play so far as what minimum and max range of motion the struts can operate in. Possibly, putting on the aftermarket strut mounts will get you back in that "range" - assuming you're out of it currently. There's probably a few places you could call and get specifics on min/max travel on struts...

Any strut mount taller than 1" I've not seen...you may be on your own...

Drop spindles would be ideal also, then you could actually run longer springs and keep strut travel/stroke more "normal", simular to a standard height car. I just don't know if anyone sells them. I know there used to be a vendor for them long ago....

 

Can I insert spacers in front springs in my 1986 irocz to raise the front end. I changes engine and with twin turbos, etc., etc., twin exhausts it is so low that it drags on almost anything.

 

You have one or two issues, maybe both

First, your exhaust is routed poorly and is hanging too low.
Or
Second, your factory springs are shot.

There are spacers available, but they are a band aid. You could use new springs, moog iroc replacements generally raise the car a bit and are quite stiff.


Some pictures of the cars height and exhaust clearance would help make that determination