Quote:
Originally Posted by jcwells
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With respect to the last comment about adjusting the ride height mid way between the high and low point, does this not result in the rams carrying some of the load? It would seem that anything less than the lowest setting is allowing the rams to carry weight. What am I not getting?
Thanks,
John
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Sorry...forgot an item or two.
Let me clarify....I forgot to say I hang on the rear tow ball or cargo door to pull the vehicle down as far as I can....this does two things...compresses the rams and allows the springs to carry the weight.....if you measure or remember where the car sits lowest and highest ...split the two and you'll be very near to spring height.
Failing that ...the idea is to allow the rams to act as shocks ....not load levelers when empty.
The idea is to get the springs to carry the car rather than the rams, as they will be under pressure if set too high......and the top ram mount will be already compressed and a road bump will translate into a THUMP.
This is not an exact science and some of the cars I work on carry a constant load in the rear which causes the factory setting to be harsh.
The one here now has a Mobility scooter and a scooter electric lift in the rear. She was complaining of very harsh ride with noise.
I shall have to fit spacers to the spring seats to level out the wagon, as the added weight has caused the rams to be carrying most of the increase....making for all the noise.
Sorry about the confusion....I knew what I was talking about...it just didn't come over properly.
P.S. It is acceptable to allow the rams to carry a little weight if your rear springs have settled
slightly....and lifting the rear about 3/8th or so seems to have no affect on ride quality, but lifting it higher or trying to level it out because there is serious spring sag or a constant extra load in the rear will make it noisy.
P.P.S.......If your accumalators have more than 6 years on them the nitrogen will have nearly all gone. the suspension will thump if this is the case.
The roll of the spheres is to act as a cushion to the movement of the rams and if the rams are too high, the nitrogen will be already compressed too much and not allow for futher movement and in the case of a dead sphere it will be much worse....in other words, the rams become practically solid if the spheres are dead.( IE: All the nitrogen has leaked away....the rubber diaphram is quite thick, but will not absorb the ram shock loading.)
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