PIC COMPARISON RIDE HEIGHT W/MONROE SETUP

[jimmmmay]

Well here is what everyone warned about with the front ride height when replacing struts with Monroe quick struts. I am wondering is the back end lower now because of the front height increase or somehow is the new Monroe air shock setup not right? I can tell you this much, the car rides and handles soooo good that I'm not going to do a thing unless there is a cheap fix, maybe putting the original springs back on or my mechanic said we can raise the back up, i think he means add more air?

[crash93ssei]

Looks awful if you ask me, my SE is the same way and it is just embarrassing. If you have the original springs just put them back on and make it look right again.

[jimmmmay]

I don't know about it looking embarrasing and just awful, i think that is a bit harsh and overkill. I gotta believe they will settle a bit and if i can get the rears just a hair higher it won't be bad at all but i do understand when you look at it as a comparison it stands out. When you just look at the car if you didn't know any better you wouldn't know the difference unless your a Bonneville nut. Most important to me at 46 years old is a good tight smooth ride. I do have the original springs and if it still bothers me in the spring maybe I will swap out springs but again the car really rides so good not sure if i will bother.

[crash93ssei]

I guess the way I worded it could be taken as harsh and borderline insulting, not at all the way I meant it. I guess just being a car nut in general I just pay a lot of attention to the way a car stands, and when the front sits higher then the back to me it sticks out like a sore thumb and just throws off the look of the car, to me, on my own personal car, it looks ugly and embarrassing. The front struts on my SE are fried and are also quick struts, even after the struts themselves are wore out they still sit way higher then stock (installed by previous owner) this throws the headlight aim off and really just kills the overall look I am going for with the car. When comparing the stock spring to the quick strut spring, the quick strut spring actually has an extra coil as well. There is also the issue of original spring rate which with the aftermarket springs we have no idea if it is based off the floaty FE1 suspension or the sportier / somewhat firmer FE2 suspension.

If you want to raise up the rear, you could trick the ELC system by slightly lengthening the rod that connects the level sensor to the rear control arm, this would fool the system into thinking it was loaded down and air up the shocks. Not sure how much to lengthen it though.



One of the first things I plan to do when I get that one back on the road is swap the struts to get rid of the monster truck look.

[jimmmmay]

No offense taken and to be honest i would prefer it lower too. I actually like the rear looking low the way it is now but i wish the front was lower as well, i wouldn't mind that more slammed look. My mechanic seems to think he can get the back to raise a little and he thinks the front will settle a little but prob not as much as i would like it to. So you know for sure if i put original springs back on the struts that would bring the front back down?

For now i'd rather do some other things like replacing valve cover gaskets, fuel gauge sending unit, LED interior conversion, remote start, now i noticed the rear deck lid spoiler is cracked and i want to replace it, upgrade sound system, window tint.

[crash93ssei]

With your stock springs installed it will absolutely sit just like it did before and the ride should be the same as it is now, maybe slightly stiffer if the quick strut springs are based on FE1, but it certainly wouldn't be bad.

Much of that list can be done in the spring by yourself to save some money, or you could bring it up here one weekend and I could help, about the only thing I have not done to these cars is drop the rear sub frame PM sent on the spoiler.