i have a newbie suspension question
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i have a newbie suspension question
hi guys, I just switched the front suspension on my 72 nova from shock and spring to coil overs.
with the old setup I had a 5 inches travel and I thought I would have max 3.75" with the coilover because that is the total extended length of the shock.
i just measured and I have over 7" of travel. how can this be? when the shock only extends 3.75" ?
with the old setup I had a 5 inches travel and I thought I would have max 3.75" with the coilover because that is the total extended length of the shock.
i just measured and I have over 7" of travel. how can this be? when the shock only extends 3.75" ?
Re: i have a newbie suspension question
Take your index finger, stick it strait-out, knuckle at your hand is piviot piont, mid knuckle is shock, finger tip is your wheel. Move your finger up and down and you will see why there is more travle at wheel than shock. Simple , but easy to understand.
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Re: i have a newbie suspension question
Trz told me on a nova every half inch of shock travel is an inch at the wheel. I just put afco coil overs on mine and I have 4" of travel. Are you saying you have 7" from front end fully compressed to fully open?
Re: i have a newbie suspension question
lol. Im still in the fog on how that works. I need to go back and read up on pivotsJES wrote:Take your index finger, stick it strait-out, knuckle at your hand is piviot piont, mid knuckle is shock, finger tip is your wheel. Move your finger up and down and you will see why there is more travle at wheel than shock. Simple , but easy to understand.
Re: i have a newbie suspension question
from the vehicle at rest to the point the wheel is just touching the ground when I jack up the front end, is 7"71Hellride wrote:Trz told me on a nova every half inch of shock travel is an inch at the wheel. I just put afco coil overs on mine and I have 4" of travel. Are you saying you have 7" from front end fully compressed to fully open?
but, the middle of my fender opening (in line with middle of wheel) is 22.5" off the ground at rest, so it sits very low
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Re: i have a newbie suspension question
I think ours is 25" to the fender. I had to turn it up maybe 2-3" of thread. You might have a lighter spring than me and it lets it compress a little more.
Re: i have a newbie suspension question
i have 350 lb springs. thinking of going 250lb springs
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Re: i have a newbie suspension question
My front end weight is 1795. I have 8" 450lb springs. I wanted 400lb springs but Mike told me I could run into coil bind and send the shock through the lower control arm.
Re: i have a newbie suspension question
question. how stiff is your front end.? with the 350 lb springs and the spring all the way at the bottom of the shock threads, it feels like i have zero travel and the suspension is super stiff.71Hellride wrote:My front end weight is 1795. I have 8" 450lb springs. I wanted 400lb springs but Mike told me I could run into coil bind and send the shock through the lower control arm.
any ideas?
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Re: i have a newbie suspension question
With the compression and rebound both fairly soft, maybe 5 clicks from full soft, it feels similar to the moroso springs and the 90/10 shocks I used to have. If I crank the compression up it gets hard as a rock. I can jump on the front end and hardly move it down. This is with the afco bnc front shock.
Re: i have a newbie suspension question
71 chevy,71 chevy wrote:question. how stiff is your front end.? with the 350 lb springs and the spring all the way at the bottom of the shock threads, it feels like i have zero travel and the suspension is super stiff.71Hellride wrote:My front end weight is 1795. I have 8" 450lb springs. I wanted 400lb springs but Mike told me I could run into coil bind and send the shock through the lower control arm.
any ideas?
If the bottom spring pad is at the bottom of the threads I would seriously consider lighter springs, at least 50 pounds lighter and if it were mine I would put a set of 250s on it and see how they do.
One possibility to not zero travel on the front end would be front shocks that are seized up. Have you had them off to check how they move through out their stroke?
Just a few observations.
Don
Re: i have a newbie suspension question
When you jack this car up,...how much suspension travel do you have? How much of the shock shaft is showing at normal ride height. What is the stroke of the shock?71Hellride wrote:My front end weight is 1795. I have 8" 450lb springs. I wanted 400lb springs but Mike told me I could run into coil bind and send the shock through the lower control arm.
Don
Re: i have a newbie suspension question
71Hellride wrote:With the compression and rebound both fairly soft, maybe 5 clicks from full soft, it feels similar to the moroso springs and the 90/10 shocks I used to have. If I crank the compression up it gets hard as a rock. I can jump on the front end and hardly move it down. This is with the afco bnc front shock.
it is a single adjustable heidts coilover(made by strange, I believe)
right now it is set fully soft( all the way counter clockwise) are you saying I should stiffen it a little?
Re: i have a newbie suspension question
the bottom of the spring pad is at the bottom of the threads but that was a starting point. my front end is too low for me.want-a-be wrote:71 chevy,71 chevy wrote:question. how stiff is your front end.? with the 350 lb springs and the spring all the way at the bottom of the shock threads, it feels like i have zero travel and the suspension is super stiff.71Hellride wrote:My front end weight is 1795. I have 8" 450lb springs. I wanted 400lb springs but Mike told me I could run into coil bind and send the shock through the lower control arm.
any ideas?
If the bottom spring pad is at the bottom of the threads I would seriously consider lighter springs, at least 50 pounds lighter and if it were mine I would put a set of 250s on it and see how they do.
One possibility to not zero travel on the front end would be front shocks that are seized up. Have you had them off to check how they move through out their stroke?
Just a few observations.
Don
I checked the front shocks before installing and they move freely so I dont think that is the problem.
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Re: i have a newbie suspension question
Almost 4 inches, actually about 3 3/4. Shock is 4" stroke. Shock is about half way compressed at ride heightwant-a-be wrote:When you jack this car up,...how much suspension travel do you have? How much of the shock shaft is showing at normal ride height. What is the stroke of the shock?71Hellride wrote:My front end weight is 1795. I have 8" 450lb springs. I wanted 400lb springs but Mike told me I could run into coil bind and send the shock through the lower control arm.
Don
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