21 replies to this topic

[jameseddolls]

Hi guys.

So me and my mate last week adjusted the GAZ shock absorbers to increase the ride height as the previous owner had them so low that the wheels were scrapping the arches. Went to drive the car today and first thing I noticed was the car was making a knocking noise when I was driving, so turned back as I didn't want to risk anything. Got out the car and realized that the ride height had returned to how it was before we made the modification and not sure what ive done.

When we did increase the ride height we adjusted the nozzle on the shocks which did increase the clearance between the wheel and arch so not sure what to do.

Help me.

[Steve220]

To clarify, have you got coil overs or hi-los? Not sure how adjusting a damper increases ride height.

[Jordie]

Adjusting the shockers only adjusts how soft/firm the shock absorber works.

 

You need to adjust the height by adjusting hi los if fitted. if not fitted, sounds like your rubber cones are worn and need replacing.

 

Cones act as springs on these cars. To higher or lower, you fit hi-lo's which are adjustable trumpets which fit with the cone.

[jameseddolls]

To clarify, have you got coil overs or hi-los? Not sure how adjusting a damper increases ride height.

These are what I've gothttp://www.minispare...4-classic-mini/

I'm an absolute rookie at cars. What's the difference?

[Jordie]

Front Hi Lo in position

 

Rear:

[Jordie]

 

To clarify, have you got coil overs or hi-los? Not sure how adjusting a damper increases ride height.

These are what I've gothttp://www.minispare...4-classic-mini/

I'm an absolute rookie at cars. What's the difference?

 

 

They are shockers. They do not adjust the ride height on a mini. They adjust the shocker feel from soft to firm.

 

See my post above, the hi lo which adjusts ride height (if you have them fitted) are the alu looking trumpets with the threaded nuts. Adjusting these changes the height.

 

As standard, cars dont have hi los fitted. A standard front trumpet looks like this....and is non adjustable.

[Steve220]

As above. Shock absorbers or dampers do just that. They remove the bounce and some of the energy from going directly to a spring/rubber cone and turn it into a progressive movement.

What you have most likely done is turn the damping up so high that it has begun to shake something or a mount.

If you want to raise the car then you will need to install hi-los or other variant of adjustable trumpets, which is usually around a days work for a novice.

Edited by Steve220, 10 April 2016 - 08:15 AM.

[THE ANORAK]

If the car was that low and you jacked it up, the cone and trumpets could have become misplaced... very bad. You need to get photos so we can see your set up. If it is that low you may have adjustable trumpets so may just need to do some spanner turning

[THE ANORAK]

standard suspension should look like this...

 

the green part is the cone, the yellow is the trumpet. this is non adjustable.

adjustable suspension will look like this. green is cone yellow is trumpet...

 

by making the trumpet longer you will raise the ride height of the car, make it shorter you will lower it. you adjust it with these nuts here

 

Edited by THE ANORAK, 10 April 2016 - 08:45 AM.

[nicklouse]

Sounds like you need to overhaul the front suspension.

Knuckles could be worn. Rubber cones as above. Or any other part.

[THE ANORAK]

the front is much the same but vertical and the trumpet is shorter. (look at previous photos)

 

over time the rubber cone will get saggy and reduce in size, making the car lower. when it gets too low its time to change them. if this is what has happened on your car its a bit more work.

 

if you have adjustable trumpets you can simply alter them to the height you want. do both sides the same (count the threads) and drive or move  the car after you let it off the jack to settle the height.

 

warning: if the trumpet/cone combination is too short IT CAN FALL OUT OF THE SUB-FRAME IT SITS IN !!!. when you adjust the length they should be at least snug in the frames when the car is jacked up. as you make them longer or lower the car off the jack the rubber will start to compress. the rubber is your spring.

 

the shock absorber or damper simply "dampens" the spring. the adjustment you made before simple changes the amount of damping.

Edited by THE ANORAK, 10 April 2016 - 08:56 AM.

[jameseddolls]

Ok so what do I do to get the shocks to back how they were. Will I need to readjust then and do they need to be repressured or what?

[Jordie]

Turn the adjuster dial back to soften the firmness.

[nicklouse]

Ok so what do I do to get the shocks to back how they were. Will I need to readjust then and do they need to be repressured or what?

what you do to the shocks will not put anything back how things were. AS the suspension is already back to where it was. the reason it was higher when you replaced the shocks was the suspension was not in it "normal" position due to the wheels not being able to slide. as you used the car the suspension went back to "normal"

 

if you want to increase the ride height you need to spend money on the suspension. to replace what is worn out or to undo any lowering that has been done before.

 

Shocks do not have any effect on ride height.

[minisilverbullet]

When you adjusted the firmness of the shocks, you would have had had the car up on a jack. 

 

When you lower a mini from a jack the ride height does appear higher, until it settles I.E during its first drive. This is when you thought you had altered the ride height by adjusting the dial on the shock. 

 

As many above have pointed out the next thing is to check whether you have hilos or not ( I suspect you do)