Consequences of improper height setting

MikeT · Post by **MikeT** » 25 Jun 2010, 14:18

Does anyone know how an improper ride height affects the handling of my Xantia? Aside from the obvious raised or lowered centre of gravity, does it cause, say, a softer or firmer ride?

Mine's too high but still handles reasonably well, albeit a bit boaty.

KP · Post by KP » 25 Jun 2010, 14:35

It may feel a bit softer when higher as it has more travel to offer compared to normal and more springy medium to bounce against. might be bad during braking as more wieght would be hit on the front wheels and the same during acceleration where the back ones get loaded up more..

Oh and more rolly polly round the corners as well

Post by **Peter.N.** » 25 Jun 2010, 14:37

It will also affect the front wheel alignment - tow in and camber

red_dwarfers · Post by **red_dwarfers** » 26 Jun 2010, 11:31

I did notice that my car became softer when I sorted the play in the height correctors. It was sitting a good couple of inches too high. Though this could quite easily be a placebo effect.
If you do decide to sort out the height, don't go playing with the ant roll bar link until you've ruled everything else out as there really is no reason that it should come out of adjustment if the ARB has never been tampered with.

XantiaDaveEire · Post by **XantiaDaveEire** » 26 Jun 2010, 12:19

We same to be suffering alot of the same problems on our cars lately Mike

My car came back to me with the front too high the other day,its about 5 or 6 inches from the top of the wheel..almost as if it was in the maximum height setting

..as has been said i found that the steering wheel vibrates at motorway speeds and i did notice this morning that it did seem very springy as i drove through some very topsy turvy roads

I tried doing the boot test on the front,by sitting on the grill with the bonnet up, but the front height didnt adjust at all

Im assuming that the only way to correct it is to get under the car and adjust the height?

addo · Post by **addo** » 26 Jun 2010, 12:27

I reset mine with a four-poster (hoist, not bed) and the engine running. Still took ages to reestablish the measurements I'd documented a good year earlier. Each adjustment, I dropped the car to full low and then raised it, to avoid a mis-setting.

MikeT · Post by **MikeT** » 26 Jun 2010, 15:55

red_dwarfers wrote:... don't go playing with the ant roll bar link until you've ruled everything else out ...

What would that include? I've checked both corrector mechanisms are clean/greased and the car moves up and down according to height lever setting etc. Anything else I need to be aware of?

Post by **CitroJim** » 27 Jun 2010, 18:48

Mike, have a look at todays entry in my Blog for a problem I have with my V6. It's much like yours.

Check the ride height with the engine running. If you have a problem with low pressure or pressure falling rapidly as soon as the pump stops then the anti-sink valve can close very quickly and leave the front artificially high after it rises with weight relief as you get out of the car. Not saying you're heavy mind...

That's precisely what my V6 is currently doing and it can look for all the world as if it is riding far too high at the front when in fact it isn't.

MikeT · Post by **MikeT** » 28 Jun 2010, 11:12

I don't think I have those symptoms Jim. The front doesn't rise when I get out (that I can discern). This is what I find after an all night rest which looks about the right height to me.

Click to enlarge

But once the engine is started, she'll rise up a fair bit and it just looks plain wrong to me. I'll take some more pictures of her when running.

Post by **Peter.N.** » 28 Jun 2010, 11:40

An approximate guide is that the drive shafts should be parallel with the road and the trailing arms level at the correct hieght.

citroenxm · Post by **citroenxm** » 28 Jun 2010, 12:50

Mike

The front looks JUST right in that photo, but Id say the rear a little to high, both actually nothing to worry about.. from what I can see...

Paul

MikeT · Post by **MikeT** » 28 Jun 2010, 13:16

Peter.N. wrote:An approximate guide is that the drive shafts should be parallel with the road and the trailing arms level at the correct hieght.

I keep forgetting to look for this, Peter - is it possible to judge on the road or does it need to be on a lift to line these up by eye?

citroenxm wrote:Mike

The front looks JUST right in that photo, but Id say the rear a little to high, both actually nothing to worry about.. from what I can see...

Hi Paul, as I said, that's after a nights rest without engine running. This is how it looks engine running...

... and I can easily fit three fingers (~3inch) between tyre and arch...

Front wheel.......................................Rear wheel

Post by **Peter.N.** » 28 Jun 2010, 13:37

It looks as though its outgrown its trousers

You should be able to tell on the road, no need to check it with a spirit level, if its enough out to see, it needs adjusting.

Post by **RichardW** » 28 Jun 2010, 14:11

XantiaDaveEire wrote: My car came back to me with the front too high the other day,its about 5 or 6 inches from the top of the wheel..almost as if it was in the maximum height setting

Another victim of the uninformed changing the wishbone bushes and getting a bit enthusiastic with the roll bar

Take it back and point out the error of their ways... mind you chances of getting them to understand what they have done, let alone be able to fix it.....

red_dwarfers · Post by **red_dwarfers** » 28 Jun 2010, 15:41

MikeT wrote: What would that include? I've checked both corrector mechanisms are clean/greased and the car moves up and down according to height lever setting etc. Anything else I need to be aware of?

What you've listed already and check for play/lost motion in the height corrector linkage pivots as the nylon insert has a habit of wearing. You can only test this with the linkages off the car. The main symptom of this is the car settling to different normal heights from either low or high. If that isn't true, then go ahead and adjust the roll bar linkage

The other rough ride height test with standard wheels at the right pressures is one finger at the back and 3 fingers at the front. Fingers should be at 90 degrees to the wheel and straight, measuring between the top of the tyre and the wings.