Thread: The timesaver coupe

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Coilovers------do you know what brand/model???

Basics with no directions-------- you first need to verify where the adjustment is-------------my rule of thumb--turn the adjuster counterclock wise counting the clicks til it stops full left-----(write it down, keep records of your settings) now turn it to the full clockwise direction counting the clicks-write it down--------go for ride to detetermine if this is FULL TIGHT or full LOOSE?? Turn half way to mid point------go for ride-(same road path) beter or worst?? write it down------now go another half way ( 1/4 ) either way--------better or worst?????? go to the other 1/4 point and better or worst?// write down the adjustments and thoughts about the ride in a little book? as over the years you WILL refer back to where your at------when you get what you think is most comfortable/performance best handling you have your ideal set poit-------now change your vehicle load-full tank, people(Or sandbsga wt) luggage) and go for ride---does it need more?/ adjust toward stiff side and/or then loosen up for light wt local trips------

Your spring adjustments need to be where the shock is mid travel point at your load-if you need to tighten your springs to get that you need higher rate or possibly some of the variable rate springs---

Initial coil over set up is a bitch but when you get the rite spring rate and shock valving set for the vehicle they are sweet-- I went threw about 30 springs before I got my Monza Pro Stock at its best--
And if you want to talk dirt cars or Indy cars-bring a case-6 pack won't work

That's the point I was trying to make, Jerry. There are two different adjustments.

(1) Shock length at ride height: Just compressing or loosing the spring with the adjuster collar can cause a lot of problems. To adjust coil-overs, you need to know total travel. Measure the eye-to-eye length with the car elevated and the rear axle hanging on the shocks. Then you need to know the full collapsed length of the shocks, which is a little harder to determine if you don't have the spec sheet. The sure-fire method is to take one shock off, remove the spring and fully compress it. The ride height of the car should be near the midpoint of shock travel - give or take a bit.

(2) Ride stiffness: That's what the adjuster knob is for. Your description covers it perfectly.

Another angle-and it really is an angle-------corner loading-it is so common that the opposite corner loading effects the loading of the coil over-when u are looking at 500# per inch springs------eack turn oreven partial turn of the adjuster will tremendously effect the load---

really need level and 4 scales to set up static spring loads-----

While out at the car show the other day Amber noticed the tire on the driver side rear was wobbling a bit. Hmmm sure enough she was right. So is it the wheel or the axle? Jacked her up today and swapped wheels side to side and sure enough same side still wobbles. Must be the axle. Now I'm no expert but I wouldn't think that my 2300 pound hot rod could bend a 31 spline ford 9" axle without doing some serious damage to the rim. Used rear? Was it always like that? I'm not getting any vibration out of it so I'm gonna let it be for now. Maybe replace the axle over the winter. On a side note I couldn't take it any more. While the wife wasn't looking I backed it out of the garage and up the driveway I went only to meet her at the top of the driveway (arms folded) "Get out of my car!" Yeah okay! Looked both ways and hit the vertical pedal on the right and I was off like a prom dress!! I took it around the block and was back in front of my house and came to a dead stop. She wanted me to pull it in the yard but instead I just stomped on it. She squatted and the front end got a little light and I was off like a shot again. Woooo that was fun!! I handed her the keys and said "It needs more caster" and just walked away whistling.

Originally Posted by BIG-JIM

While out at the car show the other day Amber noticed the tire on the driver side rear was wobbling a bit. Hmmm sure enough she was right. So is it the wheel or the axle? Jacked her up today and swapped wheels side to side and sure enough same side still wobbles. Must be the axle. Now I'm no expert but I wouldn't think that my 2300 pound hot rod could bend a 31 spline ford 9" axle without doing some serious damage to the rim. Used rear? Was it always like that? I'm not getting any vibration out of it so I'm gonna let it be for now. Maybe replace the axle over the winter. On a side note I couldn't take it any more. While the wife wasn't looking I backed it out of the garage and up the driveway I went only to meet her at the top of the driveway (arms folded) "Get out of my car!" Yeah okay! Looked both ways and hit the vertical pedal on the right and I was off like a prom dress!! I took it around the block and was back in front of my house and came to a dead stop. She wanted me to pull it in the yard but instead I just stomped on it. She squatted and the front end got a little light and I was off like a shot again. Woooo that was fun!! I handed her the keys and said "It needs more caster" and just walked away whistling.

I had a similar problem with the axles on my car, that came from John's 9 inch Factory. The axles and rear housing were supplied by the Oze Rod Shop, where I bought my roller. The rear axles faces both had at least .015 inch of runout and of course the runout on the brake disc was much larger. I could tell from looking at the end of the axles that they had been rusty old axles from a salvage yard, sand blasted, shortened and resplined. No offer from Oze to replace the axles.

I junked those axles and bought some Currie cut to fit axles from Speedway. The came with newer SET20 bearings that eliminate the inner seal and use the gear lube for lubricant, rather than being a sealed bearing.

From your pictures, you have rear springs that are of the old variety, with small spacing between the coils. Newer models, like those sold by Ride Tech are not wound so tight and have less chance of binding up. On a car like yours, the spring rate should be quite low in the rear, perhaps as low as 150 lbs/inch. Ride tech has a spring rate calculator.

http://www.ridetech.com/tech/spring-rate-calculator/

oops trying to upload video

http://images41.fotki.com/v1634/phot...1401-video.mp4
http://images46.fotki.com/v1637/phot...1407-video.mp4

rule of thumb-----------check wheel wobble on the front hubs, they should turn straight----check runout with dial indicator or steady hand held marking pin-----

Also, you can try rotating wheel 2 holes to see better or worse( after all its visual)

If you are looking at the whole picture it can be tire related , not wheel

Originally Posted by jerry clayton

If you are looking at the whole picture it can be tire related , not wheel

If it was tire related wouldn't it do it if I switched the tires side to side? Both right and left tire wobbled when put on the driver side but did not wobble on the passenger side. Kinda rules out the tire and rim. I just have to find the time to indicate the hub but I'm pretty sure it's the flange that is bent.

Ok it doesn't seem possible to me that it can take almost an entire day (almost 12 hours) to swap out a pair of headlights but that's what it took me. I changed them to stock 32 Ford headlights with halogen conversions from Bob Drake. The first time I put them on they just didn't look right. I couldn't get them to point down. I just stood there and scratched my head for a second and then shook my head in disbelief. The previous owner had the stands on the wrong side. That wouldn't be too bad if he didn't have it nutted with locknuts (Inside a boxed frame). Gearwrench 1 click at a time 4 bolts off and the same going back on 4 bolts 1 click at a time. I'm very pleased with the results but it was hell getting there. With the help of my daughter and my better half we also changed the orientation of the interior door handles (that was also fun) and I changed the spring loaded hood latches to stainless ones. I was going to change the location of the horns while I was in that area but I can already see that too is going to be a nightmare. I found the horn relay just behind the grille and it appears the previous owner snapped a 1/4-20 tap off and just left it there holding the tab of the relay. So I just bent the horn brackets down at a right angle to tuck them into the frame more making them a little less noticeable. The nerf bars and spreader bar caps will have to wait for another day.

I believe those turn signals are a Harley part, have not seen that trim piece on the lens before, interesting...

Pretty common going back thru a car that someone else built and correct mistakes or crapy installs. That's ok, if the parts used are serviceable, and are in need of some tweaking.

With the frame on jack-stands and the rear just hanging length eye to eye is 13.5" under it's own weight without anyone in the car 1/2 tank of gas it's at 11.5" eye to eye. They look like aldan shocks but I don't see any name on them. Looks like just the one adjustment knob at the top. There is a set screw at the bottom but I think that may be a fill port not an adjustment. Thoughts??

They look like Aldans on a Pete and Jakes setup, but without a part number, it's hard to say. BTW, P&J 'Viper' shocks are Aldans, and I have them on my '34.

I'm only generalizing here, but a 13.5" shock would normally have somewhere near a 4" full stroke. That would put you generally in mid stroke, which isn't a bad place to be - assuming your spring rates are correct.

The only real way to get the 'perfect' setup is to know all the specs, and make the measurements. However, if you're happy with the ride now, the best guess is that you're close.

Have you had the shocks off so as to look for a part number / manufacture ID?

and I'm kinda surprised there haven't been any comments on my better or worst way of finding the ideal setting-------

or for checking wheel wobble run out by mounting on the front hub??????

Jerry, I thought you summed it up very well, and referred to your post once or twice.