[PD939C1]

For anybody with Hotchkis springs installed, would you mind measuring and posting what the height is to the top of your front wheel well as well as what size/diameter tire you're using.

I'm replacing my front control arms and installing the Hotchkis's this spring but I don't want to lose any clearance for the oil pan. In fact, I'd like to gain 1/2" so I'm thinking of spacing up the front springs depending upon what the Hotchkis's will do. I've got 27" with 235/50/18s and cut 9C1 springs now.
I'd like to have all the heights calculated and hardware collected before I eventually start. Thanks in advance.

Paul

 

[Z09B4U]

stock 255/50ZR17

I got tired of my hitch hitting things and worrying about pot holes and went back to stock heights.

so I'm thinking of spacing up the front springs depending upon what the Hotchkis's will do.

These cars always look high in the front so you would have to lift the back at the same time just to stay at a stock look.

 

[toonwarrior]

I've found the hotchkis drop in the front too much that it compromises the ride quality to me imho

That being said it does look good,

I did want to go try the spacers but eventually settled on needing more spring rate so went to the 750# moog spring which I've found to be better for my application and eventually settled to a height that I liked

Hotchkis spring in action below.

 

[PD939C1]

Thank you!
Roger that on the rears. But they're a lot easier to adjust once the fronts are installed.
Your 255/50/17s are close enough to the same diameter as my 235/45/18 so looks like I'd like to be an inch higher than what you've got, 1/2" spacer. I've got 27 1/2" in the rear with the Hotchkis's (They were easy so I just went ahead and did them). The stance is nice now but I really need some more oil pan clearances. (about 3" with the LS truck pans)

 

[Fred Kiehl]

Global West makes spring spacers in increments from 3/8-1 inch. They will raise the front of the car about double the thickness of the spacer (because the spring is half the distance from the pivot to the balljoint.

 

[PD939C1]

Thanks Fred. This is why I had asked you on one of your posts how you were planning to raise the body. So far the GW 3/8" is the smallest front shim I've seen. I'd like to gain some ground clearance but not go crazy.

 

[SSandman]

Keep in mind the Hotchkis seem to sag over time (as any spring probably does a little) so heights may vary. I had the same set for a few years on my 96 and then moved them over to my 94 which I daily drove for 4 years, and by the end of 4 years the car looked 'slammed', considerably lower especially in the front than when I had them on my 96.

Weird thing is, I never had any ground clearance issues even while running 25.7" tires, flow tech headers and a trailer hitch. I remember scraping my bumper and really beating up the air dam up front so I installed some ZQ8 bump stops untrimmed so the car sat on them. It made for a slightly more bouncy ride that I got used to pretty quickly, but made a huge difference in keeping the front stiffer and saving the air damn/ bumper without raising ride height to any noticeable degree. Before them I couldn't make it out of my driveway without nearly ripping the air dam off and sometimes scuffing the bumper. After, I could make it out with just the slightest of drag on the dam.

sitting on adjustable coil overs now, my car doesn't seem as low as my 94 did on hotchkis and I SHOULD have better ground clearance with my current headers but I seem to have more issues now than I did before with bottoming out on dips in the road and what not. I think it might be because of the poly body bushings raising the body up a bit over worn stock rubbers and not having wheel well trim, the car probably sits lower but looks higher with more wheel gap.

 

[PD939C1]

Keep in mind the Hotchkis seem to sag over time (as any spring probably does a little) so heights may vary. I had the same set for a few years on my 96 and then moved them over to my 94 which I daily drove for 4 years, and by the end of 4 years the car looked 'slammed', considerably lower especially in the front than when I had them on my 96.

Weird thing is, I never had any ground clearance issues even while running 25.7" tires, flow tech headers and a trailer hitch. I remember scraping my bumper and really beating up the air dam up front so I installed some ZQ8 bump stops untrimmed so the car sat on them. It made for a slightly more bouncy ride that I got used to pretty quickly, but made a huge difference in keeping the front stiffer and saving the air damn/ bumper without raising ride height to any noticeable degree. Before them I couldn't make it out of my driveway without nearly ripping the air dam off and sometimes scuffing the bumper. After, I could make it out with just the slightest of drag on the dam.

Funny thing is, sitting on adjustable coil overs now, my car doesn't seem as low as my 94 did on hotchkis and I SHOULD have better ground clearance with my current headers but I seem to have more issues now than I did before with bottoming out on dips in the road and what not. I think it might be because of the poly body bushings raising the body up a bit over worn stock rubbers and not having wheel well trim, the car probably sits lower but looks higher with more wheel gap.

Thanks SSandman. All the more reason to start out a little higher than current.
My garage has a slight drop off from the concrete floor to the driveway. If I exit too quickly, the spacing is just 'right' that as the front wheels drop off the step, the springs compress slightly, and the existing skid plate hits the garage floor. I've remedied that by having a couple short pieces of 1" x 10" that I put at the drop off where the front tires will track so the front tires drop off a little later but what a PITA.

 

[SSandman]

Thanks SSandman. All the more reason to start out a little higher than current.
My garage has a slight drop off from the concrete floor to the driveway. If I exit too quickly, the spacing is just 'right' that as the front wheels drop off the step, the springs compress slightly, and the existing skid plate hits the garage floor. I've remedied that by having a couple short pieces of 1" x 10" that I put at the drop off where the front tires will track so the front tires drop off a little later but what a PITA.

Could be worth trying some ZQ8 bump stops. They are a progressive bumpstop made out of foam, not like a typical rubber bumpstop that stops the suspension rather harshly. You may not like it, as it will add a little bit of stiffness to the front end, but if you install them untrimmed or just trimming a little bit off I found they definitely help a lot with that initial spring compression and make it much easier for lowered cars to clear the front end on obstacles. The car still drove fine otherwise and handled great but it made a significant improvement in getting out of my steep driveway.

 

[PD939C1]

Could be worth trying some ZQ8 bump stops. They are a progressive bumpstop made out of foam, not like a typical rubber bumpstop that stops the suspension rather harshly. You may not like it, as it will add a little bit of stiffness to the front end, but if you install them untrimmed or just trimming a little bit off I found they definitely help a lot with that initial spring compression and make it much easier for lowered cars to clear the front end on obstacles. The car still drove fine otherwise and handled great but it made a significant improvement in getting out of my steep driveway.

Good thought but already have them.

 

[scottdog]

I have 261/2' to top of wheel well, running 255/50/17 tires. Stock Hotchkis replacement springs for 96 SS. QA-1 tubular upper & lower coil over suspension w/ adjustable shocks. QA-1 suspension throughout. Quad link rear. No clearance issues, but this is an SS, and it doesn't tow. Nice daily driver, built for autocross.

 

[PD939C1]

Thanks Scott. Good to have more than one data point.