Do shocks change ride height?
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Joined: Aug 2002
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From: Hartsdale, NY
Do shocks change ride height? OK, so about six months ago I changed the front factory shocks - 99 SS F-body - to a high quality replacement. Rusted nuts were a bear! Factory springs on all 4 corners were retained.
Anyway, my driveway is on a hill and I don't drive it much but yesterday, I was parked on a flat place and I was looking at the ride. The front of the car is riding about an inch or two higher than the back.
Is this a common issue?
Anyway, my driveway is on a hill and I don't drive it much but yesterday, I was parked on a flat place and I was looking at the ride. The front of the car is riding about an inch or two higher than the back.
Is this a common issue?
Yes the shock can alter ride hight.
If your shocks were saggy/blown you'd be a tad lower sitting then normal. Maybe that's the issue?
Some shocks like the Konis will lower you a tad as well.
After 6 months, I'd think any "settling" issues would have solved it. I guess your old shocks musta been saggy.
If your shocks were saggy/blown you'd be a tad lower sitting then normal. Maybe that's the issue?
Some shocks like the Konis will lower you a tad as well.
After 6 months, I'd think any "settling" issues would have solved it. I guess your old shocks musta been saggy.
I disagree...
The springs support the weight of the car not the shocks. Sometimes reinstalling the springs will make it set higher temporarily (less than 6 months) until they "settle". Also how the springs are "indexed" or turned in the pockets effect ride height (but not much).
Koni S/As can alter ride hieght(in front), because they have 2 spring perch positions. But the positions are stock, and lower than stock...so that shouldn't be it.
I've read on here about aftermarket springs sagging in the rear, but not stock ones. You don't have any added weight back there do you (stereo stuff, dead body, etc)?
So, R U certain you have stock springs?
Did U install them? Maybe this is an indexing issue?
Did you replace the isolaters above the rear springs? This will loose ride height out back (perhaps you've heard of the hose mod)?
The springs support the weight of the car not the shocks. Sometimes reinstalling the springs will make it set higher temporarily (less than 6 months) until they "settle". Also how the springs are "indexed" or turned in the pockets effect ride height (but not much).
Koni S/As can alter ride hieght(in front), because they have 2 spring perch positions. But the positions are stock, and lower than stock...so that shouldn't be it.
I've read on here about aftermarket springs sagging in the rear, but not stock ones. You don't have any added weight back there do you (stereo stuff, dead body, etc)?
So, R U certain you have stock springs?
Did U install them? Maybe this is an indexing issue?
Did you replace the isolaters above the rear springs? This will loose ride height out back (perhaps you've heard of the hose mod)?
Shocks can not possibly alter ride height...they simply can't support weight, and aren't supposed to. That is the job of the springs. There are no two ways about it.
You do realize that the wheel wells aren't shaped the same front to back, correct?
You do realize that the wheel wells aren't shaped the same front to back, correct?
Originally Posted by subtlez28
I disagree...
The springs support the weight of the car not the shocks. Sometimes reinstalling the springs will make it set higher temporarily (less than 6 months) until they "settle". Also how the springs are "indexed" or turned in the pockets effect ride height (but not much).
Koni S/As can alter ride hieght(in front), because they have 2 spring perch positions. But the positions are stock, and lower than stock...so that shouldn't be it.
I've read on here about aftermarket springs sagging in the rear, but not stock ones. You don't have any added weight back there do you (stereo stuff, dead body, etc)?
So, R U certain you have stock springs?
Did U install them? Maybe this is an indexing issue?
Did you replace the isolaters above the rear springs? This will loose ride height out back (perhaps you've heard of the hose mod)?
The springs support the weight of the car not the shocks. Sometimes reinstalling the springs will make it set higher temporarily (less than 6 months) until they "settle". Also how the springs are "indexed" or turned in the pockets effect ride height (but not much).
Koni S/As can alter ride hieght(in front), because they have 2 spring perch positions. But the positions are stock, and lower than stock...so that shouldn't be it.
I've read on here about aftermarket springs sagging in the rear, but not stock ones. You don't have any added weight back there do you (stereo stuff, dead body, etc)?
So, R U certain you have stock springs?
Did U install them? Maybe this is an indexing issue?
Did you replace the isolaters above the rear springs? This will loose ride height out back (perhaps you've heard of the hose mod)?
if a car with blown shocks, we've all seen them. it is sitting lower, is it the sagging the springs even?
I thought this was effect of both shock and spring, and it would be fair to say shocks can alter ride hieght.
Originally Posted by Ace$nyper
ok wait, so then enligten me please,
if a car with blown shocks, we've all seen them. it is sitting lower, is it the sagging the springs even?
I thought this was effect of both shock and spring, and it would be fair to say shocks can alter ride hieght.
if a car with blown shocks, we've all seen them. it is sitting lower, is it the sagging the springs even?
I thought this was effect of both shock and spring, and it would be fair to say shocks can alter ride hieght.
Springs support weight, thus determining ride height. Shocks control how fast the spring compress and rebound. "Blown" shocks will fail to control this bouncing effect over bumps, or even when u push on the car. The confusion may be that blown or worn out shocks allow the car to bottom out. This is because they fail to slow the spring's compression.
The only way shocks effect ride height is when they:
A-Have 2 perch positions like the koni S/A 4th gen fronts (or other coil over shocks, w multiple perch positions)
B-R old school air shocks, which use compressed air to "help the spring"
I'm assuming he doesn't have air shocks on the front, and there is no perch issue on the rear.
The rear should sit at the spring determined height, even with nor rear shocks on the car what-so-ever (I'm not recomending anyone drive this way!).
Is is possible the stock springs are sagging, yes its is possible. But I'm wondering still if this is related to some info we haven't been given yet.
shocks have little effect on height. Not inches, maybe 1/4" from time to time. Shocks don't hold up the weight of the car. Considering you can compress them, what do you think a 3400+ car does to them? Further, the stock DeCarbon's are high-pressure mono-tubes anyway, so unless you have lost gas pressure in the shocks the new ones really won't sit higher (and with a low-pressure shock like front Koni's) can sit a touch lower just because the gas-pressure isn't as high and doesn't "prop" the car up so much.
Cars with trashed shocks often sit lower because the springs are also trashed. Since the shocks don't damp the motion, the springs move 2,3,5 or more cycles on every bump vs. just 1 with good shocks. That wears springs 2,3,5, or more times faster.
And nobody here can pick the car up. But everyone can pull on a quarter panel and get the car to rise a little tiny bit (being helped by shock gas pressure and the spring trying to extend). Same happens with the shocks. A little more gas force will "push up" a touch on the body, particularly on the rear which is much lighter anyway.
Cars with trashed shocks often sit lower because the springs are also trashed. Since the shocks don't damp the motion, the springs move 2,3,5 or more cycles on every bump vs. just 1 with good shocks. That wears springs 2,3,5, or more times faster.
And nobody here can pick the car up. But everyone can pull on a quarter panel and get the car to rise a little tiny bit (being helped by shock gas pressure and the spring trying to extend). Same happens with the shocks. A little more gas force will "push up" a touch on the body, particularly on the rear which is much lighter anyway.
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Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
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Originally Posted by Sam Strano
Cars with trashed shocks often sit lower because the springs are also trashed.
Thanks both of you for your posts
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TECH Veteran
Joined: Aug 2002
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From: Hartsdale, NY
New front shocks are Beilsteins. All four springs are GM factory. No other suspension mods here. All 4 tires are the same. Wheels are factory too.
The difference is noted as the space between the top of the tire and the fender in the front is like 4 inches and a lot less in the back.
It is kinda bugging me now too.
The difference is noted as the space between the top of the tire and the fender in the front is like 4 inches and a lot less in the back.
It is kinda bugging me now too.
Staging Lane
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 81
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I recently had new shocks installed (Koni SA) on all 4 corners and the car sits higher than it did before.
I don't know if this is due to some part of the install process being botched as I was not there. But I can say that the car is higher, and it's noticeable.
I don't know if this is due to some part of the install process being botched as I was not there. But I can say that the car is higher, and it's noticeable.
The car can sit higher if the springs are no re-installed correctly. There are pockets the pigtails sit in, and if the pigtails don't sit in them, but away from them they act sort of like jack screws--they can raise the car because of the way they and the springs are tapered.
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www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
www.stranoparts.com --814-849-3450
Results matter. Talk is cheap. We are miles beyond the success anyone else has had with the 4th gens, and C5, C6, C7 Corvettes,
10 SCCA Solo National Championships, 2008 Driver of they Year, 2012 Driver of Eminence
13 SCCA Pro Solo Nationals Championships
2023 UMI King of the Mountain Champion
not much if any, but a new set of stiff performance shocks can make it feel like you have better sway bars because the increased dampening force will reduce body roll that you may have noticed when your previous shocks wore out
Staging Lane
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 81
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Originally Posted by Sam Strano
The car can sit higher if the springs are no re-installed correctly. There are pockets the pigtails sit in, and if the pigtails don't sit in them, but away from them they act sort of like jack screws--they can raise the car because of the way they and the springs are tapered.
It wouldn't surprise me if the guys who did my install made this mistake, sadly I can't fix it without a spring compressor probably.
