RX-8 Owners Club UK

This may be a stupid question but does anyone know the standard ride height for a 2008 RX8?
I've had some Tein suspension fitted and they haven't done a thing with the ride height and it measures different side to side (2.5cms at the back).
I forgot to take measurements before I gave them the car.
Any rough ideas?
I was going to measure from wheel arch to ground going through the centre of the wheel.
I want to get my car back to standard ride height before I start doing any lowering etc.

Thanks chaps
Steve

If they tightened the suspension bushes with the wheels hanging then they would clamp those bushes in the wrong position.

This results in the bushes being twisted when the suspension is loaded and acting a rubber-in-torsion, which holds the car high, at least until the suspension bush is destroyed.

Having one side higher than the other is also a classic for this mistake, as the second side is pulled up slightly by the force on the ARB, with the first side already connected.

You need to slacken the bush nuts with the wheels on the ground, let the suspension settle and tighten them back up again.

One way to avoid the issue in the first place is to use as jack under the hub to push the suspension up during assembly, but it's very easy to accidentally take too much weight on the jack and lift the body off the stands.

Not sure what they did to be honest but they're used to suspension changes so not sure this is the issue but I can check.
I'm not sure which nuts would need slackening to be honest as I don't know which ones he messed about with to get the units in.

Anyone know where I can get the installation instructions for these? They're just the Tein Street Basis kit.
TIA
Steve

Can I clarify which suspension bushes you are referring to in regards to this piece of work and how this differs between front and rear?

I assume this is directed towards warpc0il ?

But I would assume it's the top arm bushes as you need to unbolt these to slot the shocks in.
Maybe also the ARB bolts??

Steve

Hi and in reply to your first question
The only way to measure accurately is from the centre of the wheel to the bottom of the arch
This gives you an accurate measurement whatever wheels/tyres your running etc
Rear 365mm ... Front 380mm
Hope thats useful
Pete

Thanks chaps. That’s most helpful. Looks like it’s out with the tools on the weekend.
Steve

Stevie_P wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 06, 2020 9:33 pm

Thanks chaps. That’s most helpful. Looks like it’s out with the tools on the weekend.
Steve

You should take it back to the people who fitted the springs as the should at least be level side to side. As soon as you touch the car with your tools you lose any chance of them sorting the issue as a warranty.

Thanks Chris
I did get in touch with them and they did say see if they settle after a while and if not to bring it back so I may just do that.
I did check the spring seat heights and they do seem to be more or less the same side to side so does need to be checked over again.

Hi Steve,
There’s something wrong and any settling will just damage the bushes.
As Chris says it should at least be level side to side and 25mm is a heck of a lot and smacks of incompetence.
I would take it back with the measurements I have given you and set it there for a starting point.
To suggest such an imbalance is ok to leave to settle is clearly incorect.
Measure the car and post up the existing heights
What suspension was fitted, was it the cheap basis set ?
Pete

PS : To settle bushes only takes a quick drive over bumps

Hi Pete
Again, thanks for the reply.
I have to confess that it is indeed the Tein Street Basis suspension. Bought from a friend with about 1000 miles on as he was breaking the car so they're pretty much as new. I didn't get any fitting instructions but they were built up.
My suspension was getting a little tired (50K miles) so thought this was a decent option.
I have measured and are roughly the following:
FL = 365mm
FR = 370mm
RL = 360mm
RR = 350mm
So perhaps not as bad as first suspected though you can clearly see a difference at the back I think.
I've checked the spring seat height (amount of thread showing below and they seem OK side to side though front shows 45mm and rear 35mm which I think is slightly different to what the instructions seem to say (45mm all round??) though not 100% sure as I have no instructions.
I have asked the fitter I wish to bring it back to get the preload checked. Hopefully this will sort??

Again, thanks to everyone who has commented. I suspect I'll get flamed for going for this suspension but it was offered at a really good price so seemed worth a punt.
Steve

I am not saying that those figures are incorrect ,but the set up suggests the ground is not level when drawn on a grid. This could just be a coincidence though.

Measured on the drive but in different locations so possible. Will try again somewhere else.
OK. Tried in a different place and front seems similar at around 370mm but rears are still 10mm out side to side.
You can visualise it as one tyre sits 'on' the arch but the other is proud of it.
I'll get the fitter to check on his ramps and see where we're at.
Happy to down 10mm front and back so hopefully fronts look OK but will check he hasn't bound the bushes up..
Steve

Hi. Just to conclude this.
As previously stated, these were lightly used units which were already built up.
I took them back to the garage who fitted them and he noticed an issue at the strut top end of the rears.
The springs on both sides were not seating properly in the strut top. Not something obvious without taking them apart.
He decided to strip my old original units and use the bushes and strut tops from these. Hey presto, level and no knock from the passenger side any more.
He has supplied and fitted lots of these kits and never seen this issue before.
He removed, stripped, built them back up and refitted for no charge which I think was great service.

So all in all, we're now sorted.

Thanks to everyone who commented on this thread.
Steve