rear shock length

[Doc Watson]

I'm about to add another piece to my car....... (dont fall off your chair Frank!) and will use a small piece of box section to simulate the correct ride height for the rear suspension. What would be the length of the shocks (mounting point to mounting point) when the car would be sitting stationary on the road? Anybody know?

 

[Doc Watson]

Alternatively I suppose I could just measure from the wheel hub to the 'floor' (my huge bench) and I have the chassis at about 5" off the bench (correctish rear floor clearance) and when the centre of the wheel hub is the radius of the tyre up from the bench I have my working spring length.

I just answered my own question...so someone delete this thread ;-)

 

[Randy V]

In the truest sense of the word, the lower control arms in the front would need to be perfectly parallel to the ground when the car is at it’s fueled weight and passenger loaded. The ride height, from there, would then become an issue of tire diameter. Adjusting for bump steer will give you some latitude in the control arm angles, but not a lot. Rear would be similar and generally bump steer is not an issue there..