Boxer Thanksgiving run/ ride height

I had a great weekend, driving with friends on some legendary SoCal backroads. Over 150 glorious miles on challenging roads on a day where visability was 50 miles.

The feel and sounds of a great road car are exhillarating, as well as on occassion worth savoring.

Apparently I took something back home with me, though unintentional. In a particularly tight section that changed direction with a seemingly benign dip, my car bottomed out loudly. I had a friend along as a passenger. We did have 2 full grown men in the car, but still I was surprised (and not unconcerned) at the contact.

There is much talk about Boxer ride height, especially in the rear. But I realize there is a good reason for it as the lowest point under the car is the header collector that has to pass under the rear frame crossmember.

I checked out the situation when I got home, and it was not as bad as it sounded.

I am pretty sure I can now justify the new exhaust I have been thinking about to replace my original stock 4 can system, there is always a bright side, lol!

Anyway, too much fun behind the wheel to take action shots but a great drive. Happy Thanksgiving!
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It does not sound like all is in order.
Are your shocks old?
Age ,not just miles can make shocks ineffective and if bump is lessened with the stock rear springs as soft as they are it is possible to bottom out if the shocks do not work properly.
I never had that happen with stock rear springs but I think it could be possible
I also wonder if anyone ever neglected to install your bump stops after service that your shocks have.
Your after market wheels and tires also can lessen the distance from the road to the headers if smaller diameter than stock.
What size are your rear tires?
New shocks ,a little more spring rate and adjustable sleeve installed on your stock shocks can do wonders for your fun drive and keep a fully loaded car from bottoming out.
With your set up if all is in order an additional rubber bump stop can be installed in seconds on each rear shock and solve the problem or even plastic shims from Koni for your stock shocks
They both have a sliced end and can slip into place on the shaft of the shock real easy.

I wish I had your weather here ....my car is in the garage with a recent major belt service waiting for spring....

Mario

 

Good day William,

I am sorry to hear about the bottoming out, but before blaming the shocks/springs did this happen before or after the Thanksgiving dinner ...

I am so jealous at your driving adventure! ... it is like a completely different World up here.... although we are at a balmy +4C (39F) and a little snow today, whereas a week and a half ago it was -36C (-32F) and 4" of snow...

Anyway, I am glad that someone is still having fun with their car!

Cheers,

Sam

 

After Turkey dinner and leftovers too, since our run was on Saturday. So the shocks may not be to blame.

Mario makes a good point, though. And one that I considered. I turned 16,800kms. on this drive, so it shouldn't be just over 10k miles. But 28 years is a long time on original load bearing suspension parts.

My shocks are stock and the suspension has never been touched since it rolled out of the factory. I see some flattening of the rubber bushings and I have no idea what is going on inside the shocks.

It is not like there are big indications that things are not going well down there since I am not bouncing down the road. Although I have noticed an increased propensity for the car to tramline on the freeway grooves.

My tires are not stock, 255/45/17 rear, 245/45/17 front. The grip and feel is fantastic compared to stock, but I remember calculating more than 1/4 inch shorter than the TRX's. So that does give up clearance and amounts to a very slight lowering of the car.

Yup, we are lucky with our weather out here. I prefer to get on the road in the cooler weather anyway, fewer people and no comfort issues in the cabin.

I almost had as much fun driving as I did cleaning up after. I always notice interesting and artful features of these great cars when I am detailing.
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Keep in mind that the Boxer suspension was designed to work with tires with large, flexible sidewalls. Once you put low profile tires on with small, stiff sidewalls, that makes a bit difference.

 

this is the side view of my 512BB, with 17s

I suspect you shocks suspension may need a look
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Koni shocks are adjustable for wear. google Koni web site. Disassemble,then bottom shock, count the turns counter- clockwise. Then put the same number of turns back in clock-wise.
and add another 1/4 turn for wear. Don't add extra turns.




Ago

 

Sounds like it's indeed time to pull those shocks for a rebuild. Aside from the internals, you've also recognized that the rubber in the shock mounts has gone away, as it deteriorates over time (and 25+ years is a long time for rubber bearing the Boxer's weight. If you haven't replaced the suspension bushings, now would be a good time to do so (I would recommend poly for everything but the shocks - see the current thread on poly bushings).

My exhaust got the same scars from kissing the road during one of those fun drives, too, prior to rebuilding the suspension. At that time, the rear height was at full mudder-apogee like most in the US, too. Sent the shocks off to Carobu for rebuilding and threading while the suspension bushings were sourced. The cost was definitely worth it - not only was the suspension better-defined, but the ride was tighter without being harsh, and no bottoming at the same places, at the same speeds, even with the whole car (especially the rear) lowered.
The shock valving wasn't changed, just rebuilt back to original specs. Tate recommended and supplied the new rates for the smaller diameter springs needed for the threaded bodies. It made for a night and day difference, all together with the bushings.

 

This is quite funny Sam!

Btw, that car looks like a movie star with those wheels.

PCB

 

William,
It sounds like you had a great day, and what a Blast these cars are out on the back hills roads!
My car ticked over to 40K km while going through a set of S's at a pretty fast pace, altthough I couldn't look down to see it roll over!

I also bottomed mine out when I hit a dip while getting on it pretty hard. Like yours, the bushings on my shocks are flattening out and no doubt the shocks are a bit worn as well.
Thanks for the pics,
John

 

William, your car looks so nice with those wheels. Sounds like a fun run to be sure, though the bottoming out part could've been deleted. Yet, now that opens the door for another rewarding project! Boxers make the projects worthwhile.

Car looks very, very nice. Great stance.

 

Thanks to all who responded. I do need to address the aged suspension issues, but the car still drives so nice!

I can't believe I am the only one, but I have such a itch to get other Boxers together for a run one of these days.

Imagine seeing 8-10 of these on the road at once!

It is a treat to just see one at a time.