DDK - Die Deutschen Klassiker

So Bruce Anderson, Haynes workshop manual, lots of posts on Pelican plus some on here all give the correct way to set ride height as

Front - Wheel center 108mm above torsion bar center +- 5mm.
Rear - Rear wheel center 12mm below torsion bar center +- 5mm.

I thought I would try it on the resto project to test wing clearance, suspension travel etc. Set it accurately to the specs above which was easy as no torsion bars fitted so used jacks to get the exact correct settings.

All I can say is blimey

Car looks like it's ready for the Paris - Dakar rally. Rear arch is about 26" from floor and front is about 26.5". Therefore at least an inch higher than expected before thinking about lowering. Compared to my std E which has 25" and 25.5" it looks way too high. Tires are not the issue as I have compared their size to the correct 185/70s (and 195/65s) and would be slightly worse with these tires (26.5" rear, 27" front). It can't be right.

My questions are

1/ Are the specs given in all these books just wrong?
2/ If so anybody know actual usable specs for 72/73 cars.

Ian.

When I set my 73 RS ride height I used the factory spec book for the rear trailing plate angle and it looked ridiculous. Like a dragster. It sat really high without the engine and I thought it would come down to the correct height with the enhine installed. It didn't. I had to re do it until it looked right.

Cheers

Paul

My manual says the same but with a later addendum:

'Front - Wheel center 108mm above torsion bar center +- 5mm.
Rear - Rear wheel center 12mm below torsion bar center +- 5mm...
Oh, vot ist zeez Dumbkopf? Just slam und be done viz eet! yours Ferry xxx'

Ian

Never fear, the stick man is here.......


you must be going wrong somewhere cos the figures you have are correct. Have a read at this and see what you come up with

http://www.ddk-online.com/phpBB2/viewto ... hth+height


Regards
Mike

cubist wrote:My manual says the same but with a later addendum:

'Front - Wheel center 108mm above torsion bar center +- 5mm.
Rear - Rear wheel center 12mm below torsion bar center +- 5mm...
Oh, vot ist zeez Dumbkopf? Just slam und be done viz eet! yours Ferry xxx'

Now that made me laugh

210bhp wrote:Ian

Never fear, the stick man is here.......


you must be going wrong somewhere cos the figures you have are correct. Have a read at this and see what you come up with

http://www.ddk-online.com/phpBB2/viewto ... hth+height


Regards
Mike

Interesting read because FMAN used the same settings as me and ends up with the same problem as I have of being about an inch too high. The thread doesn't resolve why so there seems to be a mismatch between official spec and the reality of arch height.

I have checked my sill heights too and there is difference of about an inch all the way down the sill between the car I have just done (appox 33cm) and my E (approx 30cm) with it's 25" high arches. If I set the car to have the same sill height as my E it looks much better and has the correct arch heights but then the suspension point measurements no longer work.

Puzzled ...

Ian.