Ride Height - Anyone Know?

[dgs]

Are you sure about the 1/2" difference? If the tire height is 1/2" different that means 1/4" different in ride height as only have the height is 'under' the car so to speak.

According to Coker, the 8.00 is about 27.5" tall and the 8.50 is 28.1" tall. That may be unloaded, so the tire may compress a bit. Even so, that's about .6" difference in diameter, or .3" in radius which would effect the ride height.

My springs are out of my car and the car's up in the air (front wheel well - 35" ). The springs are the same height at exactly 15.75", so your specs (and my springs!) seem right.

[bcomo]

6TB1RD:

FRONT:
Your P205 75R 14, and John's 205-70-15 Tire heights = 26"
The stock 8.50 x 14 tires for 430 would be 27 1/2"

Your Average front wheel well height was 27 1/4"
Add 1 1/2" to your wheel well height gives 28 3/4"

That's within 1/4' of what we all have so far.

REAR:

Your 17.75"-18.00" rear measurement is what John had, which you already know is not what it should be.

I posted the specs on the front and rear springs for the 58-60. If that's correct, then you will have a measurement on your rear springs of more than 55" from shackel to shackel.

Fomoco59 has a 20" rear height that looks right if we can get a few more posts to see. Next time he's under the car, maybe we can get him to confirm that 55" shackle to shackle distance since his looks good.

[bcomo]

dgs:

You are correct: 8.0 is 27.5 and 8.5 is 28.1

The measurement asked for was tire "height" on the ground, so the -1/2" is all on the bottom.

Example: Fomoco59 gave a "tire height" of 27" on the ground with 8.0 x 14 even though the Coker diameter is 27.5"

If we can get close to within + or - 1/2" I'd be happy

Your front spring height is great. Those specs are from the Vintage Thunderbird Club Volume 3 of the 58-60 Factory Specs.

Yours is exactly the situation where those specs come in handy; not after you put it back together--right? Since I'm going to do the same thing, I need to know too.

I don't know how close you are to finishing; but could you post your measurements afterwards? It would be nice to see what a completely rebuilt front end measures out to.

[dgs]

The measurement asked for was tire "height" on the ground, so the -1/2" is all on the bottom.

Hmmm. Still not sure we're talking the same thing, but OK. I still think that you need to add only half of that to the height of the body at the fender openings.

Your front spring height is great. Those specs are from the Vintage Thunderbird Club Volume 3 of the 58-60 Factory Specs.

Yours is exactly the situation where those specs come in handy; not after you put it back together--right? Since I'm going to do the same thing, I need to know too.

Oh, I'm thrilled you found that. One of my big debates was replacing the springs. I had decided not to since the car seemed to have the right ride height and the springs are the exact same height. This seals it.

I don't know how close you are to finishing; but could you post your measurements afterwards? It would be nice to see what a completely rebuilt front end measures out to.

Sure, but I'm not real close. I've still got to get the ball joints drilled out, then rebuild the steering control valve, replace the steering lines and the idler arm bushings. Oh yeah, I haven't actually ordered those parts yet.

Then there's sandblasting & painting the A arms and putting it all back together.

[fomoco59]

Fomoco59:


Fomoco59 - Can you please post the number of leafs in the back?

I have 5 leafs.

[fomoco59]

I have 5 leafs.

Geez... maybe I better look closer. I took a quick look and counted 5, but your specs say 6 was standard. I'll get a length measurement as well.

[Dan Leavens]

Ride Height

After reading the various posts i wanted to check my 58 and chime in with the following:

Year 1958
Engine Size 352 Interceptor
Tire Size P215 /75R14 Coker
Tire Height 26" All
Front Well Height 13" to center of Rims
Rear Well Height 13" to center of Rims
Vehicle Height
From Ground 52" Overall

Dano Calgary,Alberta Canada

[bcomo]

Fomoco59:

There's a really short leaf on the bottom. That may be the one that you missed.

[bcomo]

dgs:

This is what I was talking about. I needed to draw this anyway for the finished results if we can get there.

Dan:

Yours are the first 58 measurements:

Your P215 /75R14 Cokers have a 27" diameter.

You said -- On the ground Tire Height = 26"
So, that is a 1" loss at the bottom from car weight on he tire. Seems like alot -- but OK if you say so.

Regarding:
Front Well Height 13" to center of Rims
Rear Well Height 13" to center of Rims


Could you post the wheel well height straight from the ground per the drawing below -- not from the hub cap center. That would help alot.

[Alexander]

Year 1960 Hard Top with Sunroof
Engine Size 352 Interceptor with A/C
Tire Size P215 /75R14 Coker
Tire Height 26" All
Front Well Height 14" to center of Rims (this is the center of the wheel to the fender lip)
Rear Well Height I could not do this
Vehicle Height From Ground 51.75" Overall
Rear Springs Six Leaf Springs
Ground to top of Front Fender at wheel center 35"
Ground to top of Rear Fender at wheel center 34.25"

[bcomo]

OK. I see now why you are giving me "Center of Hub to Fender Lip" measurements. 6TB1RD also mentioned this -- but it just blew by my brain -- sorry.

The Center of Hub to Fender Lip measurement gives the ride height with respect to the springs, regardless of the tire size. In effect, you can have go-cart tires on it, and that distance will be the same.

The Ground to Fender Lip measurement gives the ride height with respect to the tire on the car. So, the tire does make a difference if you want to stay within the stock height, or raise/lower the car evenly.

I can still use everything so far, and probably have both sets of measurements.

I still need the rear height measurement for the 60 though.

On my 60, I have:

Front: 14 1/2" Center of Hub Cap to Fender Lip

Rear: 9" Center of Hub Cap to Top of Skirt
(This is high because of stock extra leaf)

6TBiRD: You measured 5.5" on the rear. Should we use that, or is that off because of spring sag?

[dgs]

I see the difference. I wonder if Coker's height is in the ground, supporting a vehicle or if it's simply the unburdened diameter. And I wonder if the diameter between 2 sizes is off an inch if the ride height changes by half that or something more or less? Hmmmmm.

No matter actually, the measurement to the wheel center is more consistent and likely doesn't vary much with tire size and inflation. It might be difficult to extrapolate from those which have just given you the tire height as you don't know where the wheel center is. It'll be closer to the ground than half way, just by how much?

[byersmtrco]

I think we're pretty close here. My car has always sat low. I think as a rule, convertibles are lower than hardtops.
I did another measurement last summer. With the top down, and the weight transferred to the trunk, the car sits an inch lower (measured at the middle of the back bumper, prob 1/2" lower at the wheel opening. But it's always been an inch lower in frt and 2" (aprox in the rear) than other SQ/birds. Did my dad lower it? I think so. Maybe when it was new. At some point the frt coils have been heated. I've compared it w/two 59 HT's in the rear, when they were side by side. I counted one less leaf (assuming) the 59's were stock. I double checked just now. Mine has SIX leafs. Both 59's just happend to have seven. I was not counting the little shorty in either case. So I thought the 59's had six and mine five. So thanks to you guys I have learned something else.
At any rate, I am going to replace the leaf springs and get it to sit level. I'll keep my swaybar back there and get the heaviest shocks I can (frt & rr) and it should be pretty good.
My springs are just shot. I'm getting torque steer. Granted she has allot of torque . . . but sheeeeeeeeeesh !!!
I'll keep you updated.

[fomoco59]

Fomoco59:

There's a really short leaf on the bottom. That may be the one that you missed.

Yes, I have six leafs... and 55" length.

[6TB1RD]

6TBiRD: You measured 5.5" on the rear. Should we use that, or is that off because of spring sag?

I do beleave that this height is do to a spring sag ! (I may be wrong) but she was sitting in a barn for over 10 years.
With no written info on this height it could be normal.

We should wait and see what the others are getting.