I want to raise my car! | FerrariChat

I want to raise my car!

Discussion in '360/430' started by 993man, Apr 14, 2021.

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  1. 993man

    993man Formula Junior

    Sep 20, 2009
    872
    New Zealand
    Full Name:
    Graham
    Yeh I know it sounds strange, but I am over the bottoming out. Our roads just are not suitable here for a lowered 430. The diffuser and front valance have had a beating.
    So is it possible to crank the height up while the coil overs are still in the car?
    I know they come out to lower, but thought I would ask.
    I'm thinking maybe 15/20mm.
    TIA
     
    marc996 likes this.
  2. fboutlaw

    fboutlaw Karting

    Dec 3, 2014
    237
    Woodside, CA
    Yes, there is a spec range from the factory per model. At least on the F355 that I’m more familiar with Ferrari gives about 2cm of “in spec” ride heights.

    If everything is well balanced on your car you should be able to adjust each corner with the same number of turns and keep balance at a higher ride height.


    Sent from my iPhone using FerrariChat.com mobile app
     
  3. 993man

    993man Formula Junior

    Sep 20, 2009
    872
    New Zealand
    Full Name:
    Graham
    Thanks, while the springs are still in the car?
     
  4. fboutlaw

    fboutlaw Karting

    Dec 3, 2014
    237
    Woodside, CA
    Provided you're on OEM springs, they are coilovers. You should be able to spin the bases upwards with some grease and the proper base gripping tool with spring on (no load on tire).
     
  5. tazandjan

    tazandjan Three Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Jul 19, 2008
    37,985
    Clarksville, Tennessee
    Full Name:
    Terry H Phillips
    Helps if you have a spring compression tool to take the load off and, yes, while they are on the car.
     
  6. marc996

    marc996 Karting

    May 12, 2019
    63
    Full Name:
    marc bethell
    I may do the same, here in the UK they are putting speed bumps everywhere!
    I'd be interested to know how many turns of the adjusting screw equates to 1cm of extra height.
     
  7. mike32

    mike32 F1 Veteran

    May 13, 2016
    5,828
    Isle of man- uk
    Bear in mind you will have to adjust the camber and geometry as well
     
  8. 993man

    993man Formula Junior

    Sep 20, 2009
    872
    New Zealand
    Full Name:
    Graham
    Yeh once I have done this I'll have it all realigned.
     
  9. 993man

    993man Formula Junior

    Sep 20, 2009
    872
    New Zealand
    Full Name:
    Graham
    I'll take a note of how many turns and let you know. I am going for 15/20 mm.
     
    marc996 likes this.
  10. mike32

    mike32 F1 Veteran

    May 13, 2016
    5,828
    Isle of man- uk
    You may need to change the shim behind the lower arm, from what i am told the shock adjustment can be seized
     
  11. CoreyNJ

    CoreyNJ Formula 3
    Silver Subscribed

    Apr 17, 2006
    2,004
    New Jersey Shore
    Do you bottom out if your in "Race" mode? I have found that makes a difference. If the suspension is "firmer" there is less of a chance of bottoming out. My GT3 at stock height but with an RS splitter is much lower than my F430 at stock height, but the suspension is much firmer on the Porsche and doesn't bottom out as often around town. My F430 really bottoms out in "Sport" so I never use it, but in Race mode is acceptable if I'm careful to take speed bumps at an angle, just not as good as the firmer and lower GT3.
     
  12. 993man

    993man Formula Junior

    Sep 20, 2009
    872
    New Zealand
    Full Name:
    Graham
    No it bottoms out in Sport as well. But having said that, our roads really are bad, especially the back roads anyway.
    If I drive like a nana I'll never have a problem. But this is a Ferrari and not a Camry!
     
    efg2014 likes this.
  13. mwstewart

    mwstewart F1 Rookie

    Feb 5, 2014
    2,625
    England
    Full Name:
    Mark
    I've done mine as it was a pain in the ass in standard 16M spec. I've kept within the Ferrari rake spec and raised 5mm at each end. The F+R ratio is close but slightly different so I had less turns at one end to raise by an equal amount. I calculated the turns and it turned out nearly mm perfect.

    I have the luxury of 16M/Scuderia Delrin spring perches which are adjustable in-situ with a bit of lubricating oil. The F430 has rubber and they are a no-go without a compressor.

    I got tired of ruining expensive carbon undertrays and rear diffusers. Drive them properly and they bottom out at triple figures.
     
  14. 993man

    993man Formula Junior

    Sep 20, 2009
    872
    New Zealand
    Full Name:
    Graham
    What's the compressor for? I was hoping this was as easy and putting my car on my hoist and adjusting the springs with the proper adjuster tool.
    Maybe not.
     
  15. mwstewart

    mwstewart F1 Rookie

    Feb 5, 2014
    2,625
    England
    Full Name:
    Mark
    That's the crux of it, but if it has rubber spring seats then you must take the load off of them otherwise the spring perch will not turn. That's where the spring compressor comes in.
     
    993man likes this.
  16. 993man

    993man Formula Junior

    Sep 20, 2009
    872
    New Zealand
    Full Name:
    Graham
    Ahh. I'm half asleep, because I thought you meant air compressor!
    It's Friday....
     
  17. tazandjan

    tazandjan Three Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Jul 19, 2008
    37,985
    Clarksville, Tennessee
    Full Name:
    Terry H Phillips
    Two peoples separated by a common language.
     
  18. ItalGerBrit

    ItalGerBrit Formula Junior

    Mar 15, 2016
    804
    S La
    I recently raised my 360 and yes, I had to use spring compressors and the compressor hook tips had to be ground down to avoid galling the strut thread. The "hooks" were too long. Info on how many turns it takes for a given raise or drop is in the shop manual but using a ruler works just fine. Initially my cars tire tops were a little up inside the wheel well( sort of a hood slammed look) and now and have roughly about 11/2 finger gap between tire and wheel well margin. Clean the threads real well before turning up the springs and lube them with PB Blaster and/or spray lube. WD40 is not a penetrating fluid by the way. No more bottoming out.
     
  19. 993man

    993man Formula Junior

    Sep 20, 2009
    872
    New Zealand
    Full Name:
    Graham
    Thanks for this. I'll use a ruler and see if I can do this without wrecking anything. Are you saying it's OK to use WD40?
     
  20. lkstaack

    lkstaack Formula Junior

    Dec 9, 2020
    252
    San Diego
    Full Name:
    Lars
    He's saying that you need to remove the crud from between the threads and WD40 isn't up to it. He recommends PB Blaster and a spray lubricant..
     
  21. 993man

    993man Formula Junior

    Sep 20, 2009
    872
    New Zealand
    Full Name:
    Graham
    Got it.
     
  22. ItalGerBrit

    ItalGerBrit Formula Junior

    Mar 15, 2016
    804
    S La
    To clean the strut threads, I first sprayed them with 409, scrubbed them with a 1/2" round paint brush to free up the dirt and grit, sprayed with water and blew all the stuff off with compressed air. Then used brake cleaner(might have been carb cleaner) liberally on the threads and again blew the dry with compressed air. Then sprayed on penetrating fluid and something like Boeshield T9. The shocks and perches are aluminum so you do not want to risk galling the threads. I used two different size spring perch wrenches but you can just tap them loose with a brass punch and hammer but you will leave tell tale dents in the perch collars and anyone that sees it will assume that a dumb gorilla worked on your car. I used a small file to clean off the tell tale signs and then sprayed with black paint to disguise the gorilla work. Moving the perches without compressing the springs on a 360 is NOT the way to do it. Be very careful with the spring compressors. They can twist and pop off the springs so wear heavy gloves and watch the spring perch claws carefully to prevent them from popping off the springs. Good luck. You will love the ride once the car is lifted back to where it should be for driving on the street.
     
  23. 993man

    993man Formula Junior

    Sep 20, 2009
    872
    New Zealand
    Full Name:
    Graham
    Thanks man, and I really appreciate the tips. I hate using spring compressors because they always feel like they are going to slip.
    I might modify mine and try to get them to seat better. In the past I have used these compressors and they were OK, but the coil overs were off the car.
    Thanks again. I'll try to hide the inevitable lol
     
  24. lkstaack

    lkstaack Formula Junior

    Dec 9, 2020
    252
    San Diego
    Full Name:
    Lars
    You don't have to use a punch to turn the perch nuts. Ricambi sells the correct tool: https://www.ricambiamerica.com/lns-02-lock-nut-wrench-spanner.html

    Sent from my SM-G781U using FerrariChat.com mobile app
     
  25. ItalGerBrit

    ItalGerBrit Formula Junior

    Mar 15, 2016
    804
    S La
    That is the tool for the lock ring only. A larger version is needed for the larger spring perch. A couple of my perches were jammed together and using the Ricambi tool and a one tooth spring perch tool would not pop the perch nuts loose with out hitting the large perch with a punch. If a large version of the Ricambi tool was used on the big nut while using the small tool on the lock nut, tap one or the other with a hammer and pop the nuts apart with no dings. Soaking the nuts for a day with PB Blaster usually helps but who wants to wait a day for it to work?
     

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