My car seems to be riding awfully little high in back, so I'm wondering if at some point while taking shocks off the car and putting them on, rebuilding them, getting the car aligned, etc., the spring perches might have been moved around. Can someone with a tape measure and a few free minutes post their car's ride height measurements for comparison's sake?

My car's dimensions on middle-aged street tires:

LF - 25 5/8" ground to fender lip
RF - 25 7/8" ground to fender lip
LR - 26 1/2" ground to fender lip (where the metal meets the plastic fender liner)
RR - 26 5/16" ground to fender lip

Thanks!
Steve

P.S. - Yes, I know, the right way to do this would be to take a wheel off and measure the shocks themselves. I'm getting to that, but this was easier.

 

Bump?

 

Are you measuring with a full tank of gas, the spare tire and tool set + stock exhaust? If not, the rear ride height will be higher.

Mine is about 26 1/4 (+/- 1/8") all around. It's 1/8" higher on the driver's side rear which doesn't have a muffler.

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by PedalFaster
My car seems to be riding awfully little high in back, so I'm wondering if at some point while taking shocks off the car and putting them on, rebuilding them, getting the car aligned, etc., the spring perches might have been moved around.

 

'03 with stock suspension, when it was new (and with 9,000+ miles on tires):
FL 26 3/16 (26 1/16)
FR 26 3/16 (26 3/16)
RL 26 11/16 (26 6/16)
RR 26 10/16 (26 6/16)

 

Factory specifications for a '00 (and probably 01 - 02) is 26.4" front, and 26.6" rear. Maybe your front springs have settled a bit. We have seen settling of up to an inch over a few years but usually it is pretty even.

 

Measuring from sheet metal parts is not very accurate and reliable because of variation in build, possible changes from fender rubbing, torsional twisting of body etc. (IMHO)

 

Thanks all for your responses!

rlaifatt, your point's valid, although as an autocrosser I generally don't have to worry about fender rubbing.

Steve

 

Measurements from the fender to the center of the wheel will take tire diameter (model, wear, inflation) out of the picture.

 

More info to soak up. Glad I searched.