Help with 550 suspension settings | FerrariChat

Help with 550 suspension settings

Discussion in 'Technical Q&A' started by stephens, Jun 19, 2004.

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  1. stephens

    stephens F1 Rookie
    Lifetime Rossa

    Feb 13, 2004
    4,647
    Australia
    Full Name:
    Stephen S
    Does anyone have any info on alignment settings for the 550? Also info on the ratios for movement of the shock spring collars and their effect on ride height would be great. Today I discovered that my car sits 1/2" higher back and front on the passenger side, so I want to sort that out and at the same time get the suspension re-aligned.
     
  2. stephens

    stephens F1 Rookie
    Lifetime Rossa

    Feb 13, 2004
    4,647
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    Stephen S
    What a great way to spend Sunday, adjusting suspension, then giving the car a much needed polish. While we were at it, I slipped in a set of Pagid RS4-2's to replace the stock Galfers, with Mutul 600 brake fluid and did a transmission oil change. I haven't done the aligmnment, because I don't have the settings yet, but I sorted out the ride heights. Elsewhere on the board a figre of around .8 was given for the ratio between the spring preload collar and ride height adjustment, ie a .8mm movement of the preload collar would result in a 1mm change in ride height. Unfortunately I found out the hard way that it appears to be 1-1 on the 550. Another tip for DIYers, unless you have a hoist, small spring compressors and patience, don't bother. This is a b1tch of a job. The rear only took about 15 min to adjust, but the front was close to an hour all up. The biggest problem was getting a spring compressor to fit, so the tension could be taken of the adjustment collar, so it would turn.
    For this sort of thing I prefer doing the work myself, so I know the job has been done exactly the way I want it, in this case however, I will be letting any further adjustments be done during business hours by the boys!
     
  3. ze_shark

    ze_shark Formula 3

    Jul 13, 2003
    1,274
    Switzerland (NW)
    What height did you adjust the car to ? Do you have a way to give us externally measurable references ?
    Ferrari concluded that my rear is too low and that's the reason for the inner wall of the rear tires for touching the wings fiberglass housing under hard cornering/acceleration & bumps/compressions, so the car is going in for the rear to be raised back 'to spec' (if there is such a thing).
     
  4. stephens

    stephens F1 Rookie
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    Feb 13, 2004
    4,647
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    Stephen S
    I measured from the bottom of the rim to the wheel arch lip. I am running 610mm front and rear. (actually 611 front and 612 rear on the driver side to compensate for my weight while driving.)
     
  5. bobafett

    bobafett F1 Veteran

    Sep 28, 2002
    9,193
    Very interesting information. I am going to measure mine today, as I am now curious. Did you take a "vertical" measurement or did you take a tape-measure and go from the bottom lip up (and out) to the wheel arch (thus creating a "diagonal" line)?

    --Dan
     
  6. stephens

    stephens F1 Rookie
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    Feb 13, 2004
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    Up and out, to the bottom edge/lip of the wheelarch. The car was almost 15mm out at the rear standard, even though the collars were equally adjusted.
     
  7. ferrarifixer

    ferrarifixer F1 Veteran
    BANNED

    Jul 22, 2003
    8,520
    Melbourne
    Full Name:
    Phil Hughes
    Firstly, your wheel arch heights are not to be taken as accurate. The settings are from the ground to the wishbone pick ups on the chassis rail. The body work is only decoration.

    Once you have established the correct chassis height at the wishbone, you then need to consider your corner weights. This is best done with a fuel load and driver/passenger.

    Secondly, as you correctly said, the spring has a lot of preload on it...so the easiest way to turn the platform is actually by disconnecting the lower shock bolt and turning the body of the shock within the platform nut....this way you do not need to fight the rubber spring pad, and the thread is fine pitch enough to turn without removing preload......just loosen the lock nut, and clean/lubricate the threads......

    I fear you have learned a hard lesson......

    Check your chassis heights to be true, then cornerweight it, then re-align it...and this is a circular procedure as one effects the other........
     
  8. stephens

    stephens F1 Rookie
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    Feb 13, 2004
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    Stephen S
    Thanks for the heads up, where were you 3 days ago!! :)
     

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