last eibach question before installing

[93rev2sev]

Quote:
Originally Posted by K-Dawg
Lowering the car increases the center of gravity's leverage on the roll center, causing more body roll.

I need you to explain this, because its the opposite of what I was always taught - that lowering the cg will reduce body roll in turns.

I'm really just thinking like a layman about this because I've never studied suspension geometry; but this is what I got from that link he provided...


To me, it seems a bit over simplified. The way I see it, it's just like any mod to an engine...If you ONLY lower the CG by cutting the springs (on an otherwise well balanced set-up) it will have a negative affect on handling because it gives more leverage to the body.

It's just like adding headers to a car...and only headers. You will lose low end torque and probablly not gain much up top...Now, add the supporting mods...free flowing dual exhaust, the right cam, etc..and the headers become useful.

When lowering, you have to keep the rest of the setup in mind, just like any mod. The Taurus is not well balanced to start with so lowering it may or may not hurt the setup. Theoretically, it will hurt handling unless you add the correct amount of springrate and antiroll bar to control the "now more influential" body mass.


The other visual I had of this ...

Take a pencil and grab it at the middle and shake it back and forth...the top and bottom move together. Now "lower it" by grabbing it near the bottom...see how the top of the pencil lags behind and whips back and forth?...

However...grab it like you are writing...with support by 3 fingers and the side of your hand...now you have superior control.

do I understand correctly?

 

[SHO Continental]

The one on the right had better be an ATX. Thats how my MTX sits with a coil cut off.

It wasn't until later when I got the carbon fiber hood that I cut off a coil on the intrax. The c/f hood raised the front end a half inch. And, yes it's an ATX.

 

[Dave904]

chop them up bro. i have uncut Eibach's and KYB's. I would cut a coil if i did it over again, no doubt. it's strange, compared to my lexus which is slammed my sho is like driving around a small battle ship. that thing sits way to high from the factory for my likings. and even with the uncut Eibach, too high. but thats MO only.

 

[SolidState]

Not really. Lowering the car increases the center of gravity's leverage on the roll center, causing more body roll. Also, you lose strut travel and riding around on the bump stops is not good for handling.

Yeah, my car was really low, but I was willing to sacrifice some handling for the looks.

This is mostly true, as it is explained in the link you provided. If you were to lower the car on stock springs, this may be the case, but typically lowering springs are stiffer, negating any additional body role from lengthened leverage on the roll center.

For Eibachs or an other progressive spring (Intrax, Moog?), this means more initial body role.

Ideally, a set of SS Linears would be ideal for auto-cross or any other true track vehicle. But I guess that is the trade off. SS Linears would be tough to live with on a DD.