ride height

[mk1 Andi]

Hello,
My AA2 is a bit to low for me, so i wanted to turn the Bilstein up, to get more ride height....
But as i measured the 10cm (3,5 inches) i have noticed that the car only has 2 cm (1inch)
of "negativ compression travel"!
I wanted 12cm ride height, but as i got that, the damper piston was fully driven out, so that there was no negativ damping at all.
Is that normal with the upgrade bilstein dampers?
Thanks for your help!! 

[mk1 Andi]

I use this dampers....

[smokin]

Hi Andi, not sure what you've seen is normal as I use the pushrods to adjust ride height

[phil4]

[quote="smokin"]
Hi Andi, not sure what you've seen is normal as I use the pushrods the adjust ride height
[/quote]

And that's what my neighbour said too (an ex-race engineer).

[dc5ian]

have you checked the frame for a hairline crack. just to the right of the engine mount i can see a mark that looks like it can be a hairline fracture...

[smokin]

Good spot! Looks similar from a distance

[dc5ian]

do we know what ariel did on the aa3 to prevent this. havent seen the crack on a aa3 yet

[smokin]

Back on topic, if you're making large adjustments to ride height I'd check camber/toe afterward

[smokin]

[quote="dc5ian"]
do we know what ariel did on the aa3 to prevent this. havent seen the crack on a aa3 yet
[/quote]

A redesign: http://www.atomclub.com/forum/index.php/topic,14531.msg258619.html#msg258619

[mk1 Andi]

Hello guys,
Thanks for your answers! 
So if i change the lenght of the pushrods then the car gets higher or lower.....
Sometimes things are so simple!   

Yes, i have already seen the crack in the frame, it will be the first thing to repair when i take the car out of the Garage in summer!
But thanks for your tip, kind of eagle eyes, hah?? 

[mk1 Andi]

Another (maybe a little stupid) question:
Is there a maximum lenght of the pushrods so that they are still safe?
I mean does it make a difference in the stability if the thread is 15mm more outside the tube?
Greetings from Austria
Andi

[TrackDayBore]

Hi Andi,
Greetings from England...

Sorry to learn about the 'crack' in the chassis... which obviously needs fixing.

Regarding the 'ride heights' I only have some experience with the AA3, although I don't emagine there is a lot of variation in the height settings.  I recommend you contact the factory or hopefully somebody on the forum can help, by posting some pictures (with a tape measure) showing the "amount of thread" showing on the damper/shock bodies.

As other posters have said..  the Atom has a "pushrod" based suspension system, and to get the bellcranks in the correct rotational position you have to first pre-load the springs on the dampers to the correct amount and this easily achieved by "measuring" the amount of thread "exposed" on the damper/shock body... for both the Front and Rear shocks.

Then the pushrods are adjusted to achieve the correct ride height, and this ideally should be done with the driver in situ.  Or if you nearly always have a passenger, then with you both on board.

So to recap...  because the Atom has adjustable pushrods Front and Rear it is best to pre-load the damper springs correctly to begin with and then use the pushrods to achieve the correct ride height.

A word of caution... the "pictures" you use showing the amount of exposed thread on the damper body only work if the SPRINGS ARE THE SAME on your car as they are in the pictures...!  Your can see and compare springs "sizes" by reading the numbers printed on the spring coils.

I hope all the above makes sense and is helpful.

Cheers,